Planning Commission Meeting – July 10, 2023

The Hudson Planning Commission met on Monday, July 10, 2023, at 7:30 PM in Town Hall, 27 East Main Street. The primary agenda item was a conditional use and site plan application (PC 2023-543) from Western Reserve Academy (WRA) for an artificial turf athletic field with associated lighting. The meeting also included approval of minutes, a second reading of administrative rule amendments, and a discussion of the 2024 Land Development Code (LDC) update.

Consent Calendar

• Approval of Minutes (June 12, 2023): A motion by Mr. Vaughan, seconded by Ms. Jones, to approve the minutes as edited carried unanimously (7-0). Corrections included name changes and striking a statement not recalled by the Commission.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Paul Bartlo (265 College Street): Expressed gratitude for WRA being good neighbors and acknowledged the relocation of the proposed field and decision not to light the main stadium. His primary concern was the potential expansion of third-party use and asked whether the Commission could place limits on use. He noted differences between public schools and WRA, including that public schools place outside group rental as the lowest priority.
• Katie Gallagher (285 Aurora Street): Raised concerns about stormwater drainage from the existing baseball field affecting homes on Aurora Street, and requested that any new construction not exacerbate the problem.
• Kathleen Russell (245 College Street): Clarified that Hudson Public Schools' policy prioritizes community education and nonprofits over private athletic leagues, with total annual facility rental revenue of approximately $23,000.

Discussion Items

• WRA Artificial Turf Field and Lighting (PC 2023-543):

  • Staff (Nicholas Sugar) introduced the request: an 85-acre parcel in District 3, proposing to redevelop an existing practice field with artificial turf and four 80-foot light poles. The nearest residential property line is 550 feet east and 800 feet south. The lighting plan uses shielded LED fixtures, which provide better control than existing metal-halide lights at other Hudson fields (Barlow Park, middle school, high school). Staff recommended a condition restricting lighting to 10 p.m., but WRA stated lights will typically be off by 9:30 p.m., with occasional events until 10 p.m.
  • The applicant (Tom Arnold, CFO/COO of WRA, and Jeff Jacot) explained that the field is needed to support WRA’s strategic plan, expanding year-round soccer and lacrosse programs for students. Enrollment has grown from approximately 360 to 430 students. The field will be used primarily by WRA students; outside “mission-aligned partners” (e.g., Maxim Lacrosse, Cleveland Force) pay fees but the purpose is recruitment and mission advancement, not revenue. WRA has spent about $60,000 on relocating the field after neighbor discussions and estimates total project cost at $2.2–2.3 million. No additional parking or traffic is anticipated; a trip generation statement was submitted but no traffic study.
  • Commissioner Questions Addressed:
    • Use by third parties: outside partners are vetted, have agreements, and use is minimal and seasonal—mostly summer; no new partnerships are planned.
    • Lighting necessity: lights are critical to extend playing seasons; the main stadium remains unlit to be good neighbors.
    • Access and safety: two emergency access routes; athletic trainers present during events.
    • Wetlands study: submitted just prior to the meeting (dated July 10, 2023) from Flickinger Geoservices, verifying no wetlands present. Commission accepted it.
    • Missing plan sheets: Five sheets (C5, C7, C8, C9, C12) were not included in the commission’s packet, though the applicant had submitted a complete set. This led to a procedural discussion; several commissioners stated they could not make a decision without reviewing all plans.
  • Commissioner Norman raised concerns that the application should be considered an accessory use requiring different LDC standards, but staff maintained that athletic fields are part of the principal school use. She also noted the LDC definition of “school” as a building; WRA identified the Murdough Athletic Center as the school building, but stated the entire campus is the school.
  • After initial commissioner questions and public comment, Chair Stolle proposed suspending the hearing and reconvening on July 17, 2023, to allow review of missing documents and the wetlands report. The commission agreed, and the matter was tabled.

• Administrative Rules Amendments (Second Reading):

  • A motion by Mr. Nystrom, seconded by Ms. Jones, to approve the second reading of the Planning Commission Administrative Rules as circulated carried unanimously (7-0). A suggested change to replace “all” with “substantially” regarding application completeness was discussed but not adopted.

• 2024 Land Development Code Update:

  • Commissioners discussed the need for a comprehensive update to the LDC, noting gaps and inconsistencies. Staff had contacted experts, including Robert Brown (offering a free presentation), City Architecture, and Perspectus. The Commission agreed to schedule a workshop on September 25, 2023, to learn from other cities’ experiences (e.g., Piqua, Ohio, which recently adopted a form-based code). No formal action was taken.

Key Outcomes

• WRA Application (PC 2023-543): Public hearing was suspended and tabled to July 17, 2023, at 7:30 PM, to allow commissioners to review missing plan sheets and the wetlands report. Staff was directed to redistribute the complete application, including Commissioner Norman’s July 7 email and staff responses, by July 11.
• Administrative Rules: Approved unanimously (7-0).
• LDC Update: Workshop scheduled for September 25, 2023; staff to invite speakers and gather information from communities that have recently revised their zoning codes.
• Adjournment: Meeting adjourned at 10:22 PM.