Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Zoning House Size Cap topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Beachwood council removes proposed house-size language, calls for further study
Summary
After a lengthy public comment period and debate, council voted to strike the proposed maximum-house-size subsection from a zoning amendment and approved the other, mostly noncontroversial, code changes; members asked for a joint study with Planning & Zoning to develop clearer criteria.
Council members on Monday night voted to remove proposed language that would have regulated maximum house size in the city’s planning and zoning code, after residents and the Planning & Zoning Commission urged more study.
Brian Zabel, chair of the Planning & Zoning Commission, told council his panel had reviewed an earlier hard cap proposal and unanimously recommended removing any cap. "Our recommendation was to remove it," Zabel said, arguing the commission was not given an opportunity to evaluate a 7,000-square-foot figure that council was considering.
Council President Bryant said the intent was to balance concerns about very large homes with the limited number of houses that would be affected. "We looked at the information and ... 7,000 square feet, which ... impacts 8 houses," Bryant said, explaining why council sought a compromise while requesting more expert analysis.
Council members debated the appropriate next step. Several members asked for a more formal study, a joint meeting with Planning & Zoning and clearer criteria to guide any exceptions. "If we are going to have exceptions and the exceptions are going to be made by P&Z, we need clear-cut criteria," Zabel said.
Councilmember Stern thanked Zabel for attending and said she appreciated hearing from the commission. Stern asked that any additional study set explicit data points and a timeline so residents and builders know what to expect.
An amendment to strike subsection C (the maximum-floor-area language) was moved and seconded; the clerk called the roll and the amendment passed. Council then placed the ordinance on third and final reading and approved it as amended, retaining noncontroversial changes while removing the house-size subsection for further work.
The council directed staff to coordinate with Planning & Zoning and to develop a list of study questions and objectives, to be used by the city planner and any outside consultant. The council did not adopt any new house-size limit at the meeting and said it would return to the issue after additional data and a defined process were prepared.
