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Marble Cliff council tables setback ordinance after buyer seeks clarity for Bluff Ave. lot
Summary
Prospective buyer for 1956 Bluff Ave. asked council how setbacks would apply; the village solicitor said front setbacks should be 50 feet and side setbacks 15 feet and council voted unanimously to table an ordinance that would have amended setback rules.
Mayor Matthew P. Cincione and the Village Council of Marble Cliff heard from a prospective buyer about how proposed setback rules would affect a pending closing at 1956 Bluff Ave. At the Oct. 20 meeting, Katy Bainbridge identified herself as the buyer and described plans to orient the new home to face Cambridge with driveway access from Bluff; she said the side‑yard setbacks being established for Bluff would determine whether she could proceed with the property closing.
Village Solicitor Yazan Ashrawi advised council that, under the current interpretation of the code for this unusual lot and the historic platting, “the setbacks should be 50 feet on the front and 15 feet on the side yard,” and that the parcel should not be treated as a corner lot because the street configuration historically represents a single curved street rather than two intersecting principal streets. Council President Dow T. Voelker added that the orientation of the house will determine which side is the front yard and therefore which setback applies.
After discussion among council members, Mr. Voelker moved to table O‑2734‑25, an ordinance that would have amended Section 154.056 (Setbacks of Buildings on Principal Streets and Highways); Ms. Joanne C. Taylor seconded. The motion to table O‑2734‑25 indefinitely passed unanimously by the four members present, and Mr. Voelker directed staff to remove the ordinance from future agendas. Bainbridge plans to submit a demolition permit application at the November council meeting.
Why it matters: The council’s decision to table the ordinance preserves the solicitor’s current interpretation of setback measurements for the Bluff Ave. parcel and removes an immediate code change that could have altered the dimensions affecting the buyer’s ability to close. The outcome directly affects the property owner’s development timeline and may influence future zoning or ordinance proposals.
Votes at a glance: - O‑2734‑25 (amend setbacks) — Motion to table made by Dow T. Voelker, seconded by Joanne C. Taylor; outcome: tabled indefinitely; vote: unanimous (Voelker, Jolson, Taylor, Thomas). (See meeting minutes for procedural details.)
Next steps: The buyer indicated she will apply for a demolition permit in November; staff has been directed to remove O‑2734‑25 from upcoming agendas and may return to setbacks if new facts or proposals arise.
