Hudson Planning Commission Meeting - April 12, 2021

The Planning Commission of Hudson, Ohio, met on Monday, April 12, 2021, at 7:30 PM via video conference. The meeting covered three major items: a text amendment for residential uses in the District 7 Office Overlay Zone, a conditional use request for an indoor golf training facility at the Country Club of Hudson, and a conditional use request to convert Evamere Elementary into administrative offices. The commission voted 4-3 to recommend the text amendment to City Council and unanimously approved the other two requests with conditions.

Consent Calendar

• Approval of Minutes (March 8, 2021): Approved unanimously (7-0) as submitted.

Public Comments & Testimony

• District 7 Overlay Case (PC 2021-106): Five letters were read from residents (Lisa O’Malley, Jennifer Abdoo, Chrissanna Krisch, Kueitsung Shih, Samantha Carothers) expressing concerns primarily about traffic, aesthetics, and the impact on neighborhood character. One resident, Christopher Lawrence of 1808 Stony Hill Drive, spoke during the hearing, expressing concerns about overflow parking and preferring single-family homes, but stating comfort with townhomes at a $500,000–$600,000 price point.
• Indoor Golf Facility Case (PC 2021-214): Karen and Robert Cunningham of 2082 Garden Lane spoke, raising concerns about property line verification, noise, lighting, tree removal, and the emergency access drive. They requested conditions including staking the property line and replacing trees removed under a prior variance.
• Evamere Conversion Case (PC 2021-227): No public testimony was offered beyond the applicant’s presentation.

Discussion Items

• PC 2021-106 – Text Amendment for District 7 Office Overlay Zone:

  • The applicant (Dave Mitchell of Brennan Prozy Mitchell, representing PHN Realty LLC) proposed revising Sections 1205.10, 1205.10(d)(1), and 1206.01 to allow single-family attached dwellings and townhomes as conditional uses, and planned developments as a permitted use, mirroring District 3 regulations. Duplexes were excluded.
  • Julie Sabroff of Howard Hanna Commercial testified that office vacancy in Hudson is ~40% (205,000 sq ft available in 23 buildings) and residential inventory is low, making townhomes a better fit for the 3.6-acre front portion of the 12.8-acre subject parcel.
  • Commissioners debated whether the amendment corrects an inequitable situation or grants special privilege (Guideline D of Section 1204.01). Melissa Jones and Gregory Anglewicz argued it was special privilege for the applicant. Michael Chuparkoff and David Lehman countered that the amendment applies district-wide and meets comprehensive plan goals for housing diversity.
  • After discussion, a motion to recommend approval to City Council passed 4-3 (Chuparkoff, Lehman, Stolle, Vaughan in favor; Anglewicz, Jones, Nystrom against). The recommendation includes the changes as outlined in the April 12 staff report.

• PC 2021-214 – Indoor Golf Training Facility (Country Club of Hudson):

  • Applicant (Joe Matava of Peninsula Architects, Mark Rose, Tom Murphy) proposed a 2,800 sq ft building for the Ben Curtis Golf Academy, primarily used by club members and Curtis’s students (12–15 people at a time, mostly in winter). The structure is near Garden Lane, with an emergency access drive from the cul-de-sac.
  • Staff recommended 10 conditions, including Bufferyard D screening, prohibition of outdoor speakers, lighting plan, trip generation report, and staking of property lines. Two additional conditions were added: (a) staking the western property line and pinning the building footprint; (b) replacing trees recently removed adjacent to tennis courts that were originally planted for screening.
  • The commission voted unanimously (7-0) to approve with 11 conditions.

• PC 2021-227 – Conversion of Evamere Elementary to Administrative Offices:

  • Applicant (John Peterson, GPD Group; Art Schilling, Hudson City Schools) proposed decommissioning classrooms and converting the building to district offices and Hudson Community Education and Recreation (HCER) offices. The front portion of the building will be demolished; the rear will be renovated. The project includes new sidewalks and three pedestrian/bike connections.
  • Staff recommended two conditions: (1) add curbing or wheel stops to the asphalt path linking the field house parking area; (2) address all items from the Assistant City Engineer’s letter dated March 23, 2021.
  • The commission voted unanimously (7-0) to approve with those conditions.

Key Outcomes

• PC 2021-106: Recommended to City Council for approval of the text amendment (vote 4-3). City Council will hold a public hearing and make the final decision.
• PC 2021-214: Approved conditional use and site plan for the indoor golf training facility (vote 7-0) with 11 conditions, including enhanced screening and property line staking.
• PC 2021-227: Approved conditional use and site plan for the Evamere Elementary conversion (vote 7-0) with 2 conditions.
• Next Meeting: The May 10, 2021 meeting will be remote; city anticipates in-person meetings by July 2021. Two items are expected: renewal of a conditional use for a model home and zoning text amendments related to the November 2020 charter changes (density bonuses and ward representation).