Commission recommends denial of rezoning for Edgewood Road parcels after public comment

The Beachwood Planning & Zoning Commission on Oct. 30 voted to recommend denial to council of an ordinance (No. 2025-32) that would rezone 2555 and 2561 Edgewood Road from U1 single-family to U5 public and institutional to allow a modest place of worship.

Applicant representatives and congregants presented a scaled-back proposal from an earlier application and emphasized a desire to remain a small congregation. "Our mission ... consists of the education, maturation, and ultimately growth of traditional Judaism," the applicant's representative told the commission, adding the group represents roughly 40 families and has adjusted plans to remove many previously requested variances.

During public comment, Marina Kaplan, owner of a nearby lot at 2547 Edgewood, told the commission the rezoning proposal could "have a profound effect" on her investment and retirement. The congregation's representative, Akiva Schall, responded that the group has approached Kaplan about buying adjacent property and said, "we would love to give her more than the value of the property" if she chose to sell.

City staff told the commission the site totals 13,200 square feet and that the U5 district requires a minimum of 18,000 square feet; staff said the application could be recommended only if the ordinance were amended to include a variance allowing the smaller lot size and a stipulation limiting the building's second floor to 750 square feet. "If the second floor were to exceed 750 square feet, then they would still need parking variances," the planner said.

Commission members questioned the adequacy of parking, driveway configuration, buffers between a potential parking area and adjacent houses, and the overall scale of the lot relative to U5 requirements. One commissioner said he appreciated the applicant's efforts to reduce previous requests but remained "having a hard time getting comfortable with the variance" given the site shortfall from the code's 18,000-square-foot minimum.

An initial motion to recommend approval with stipulations failed on the floor. A subsequent motion to recommend denial passed; the commission's vote will be forwarded to city council, which retains authority to approve, modify or deny the rezoning ordinance.

The commission's recommended denial does not itself change zoning; council action is required for any rezoning to take effect.