Hudson, Ohio Planning Commission Meeting - September 9, 2024

The Hudson Planning Commission met on Monday, September 9, 2024, at 7:30 PM at Town Hall, 27 East Main Street, Hudson, Ohio. Members present included Chair David Nystrom, Vice Chair Sarah Norman, and Commissioners Fred Innamorato, Melissa Jones, Matt Romano, Ronald Stolle, and Erik Vaughan. The commission approved the August 12, 2024 minutes with an amendment, granted a requested continuation for the Laurel Lake conditional use application (PC 2024-221) to October 14, 2024, and conducted a public hearing on a lot consolidation and street vacation request (PC 2024-693). Chair Nystrom recused himself from the Laurel Lake matter due to potential conflicts, and Vice Chair Norman presided over that item.

Call to Order, Roll Call & Minutes Approval

• The meeting was called to order at 7:30 PM. Roll call was taken with all seven members present.
• The August 12, 2024 Planning Commission minutes were approved after an amendment was adopted to insert the words "language for use districts" into a sentence regarding the Hudson Comprehensive Plan. The vote was taken in two parts: one on the amendment and one on the minutes as amended.

Public Comments & Testimony

• No public comments were offered on topics not listed on the agenda.
• During the PC 2024-693 public hearing, testimony referenced neighboring property owners—described as families in their 90s—who paid out of pocket for a survey that the City of Hudson had required. After the hearing was closed, an attendee attempted to interject during commission deliberations and was ruled out of order by the chair.

Old Business: Laurel Lake (PC 2024-221)

• Laurel Lake, a continuing care retirement community, requested a conditional use and site plan approval to construct seven (7) additional duplex buildings, for a total of fourteen (14) units.
• The applicant submitted a letter requesting a continuation to the October 14, 2024 Planning Commission meeting; the commission granted the request.
• Because Chair Nystrom recused himself due to potential conflicts, Vice Chair Norman chaired this item. Discussion included the orientation of the proposed houses on Coolidge Road and what clarifications might still be needed for the public.

New Business: Lot Consolidation and Street Vacation (PC 2024-693)

• The applicant requested vacation of street and alley rights-of-way and consolidation of lots, with a recommendation to City Council as the decision-making body. The case number appears as PC 2024-693 in the agenda and as "2024-8693" in the transcript.
• Staff explained that under the Hudson Land Development Code, vacation requests receive review and recommendation by the Planning Commission, with final action by City Council. Staff indicated the application did not involve the opening, widening, or sectioning of a street, road, or access easements.
• The applicant's representative asked about timing after a commission approval, including how long before the matter could go before City Council. Staff responded that Council controls its own timeline and that the commission would not have a decision from Council before the October 14, 2024 meeting.
• Several commissioners expressed concern that the public notice referenced only the street vacation and not the proposed subdivision of lots. One commissioner noted that the only way a person would have known about the residential subdivision development would have been by reading the staff report.
• Commissioner Romano argued the commission should not grant approval without clear guidelines or render a decision on a subdivision that was not properly noticed, stating, "I remain convinced this is a regular subdivision, but I may not have unanimity on the commission here."
• Another commissioner cited authority under Section 1203.09(G)(3), which allows the Planning Commission to call up site plans for minor developments. That commissioner suggested bifurcating the issues—recommending the street vacation now while allowing the subdivision and site plan to be considered separately at a later meeting.
• Norman's position was that the minor subdivision review is an administrative matter and should not delay the street vacation recommendation. The commission also discussed the 90-day timing requirement for final subdivision approval and the possibility that an emergency ordinance could be considered by Council, though it would not take effect for 30 days after a hearing.

Key Outcomes

• Motion passed approving the August 12, 2024 minutes as amended (individual vote tallies not recorded in the provided materials).
• Motion passed granting the Laurel Lake (PC 2024-221) continuation to the October 14, 2024 Planning Commission meeting at the applicant's request.
• For PC 2024-693, the commission voted to recommend the street vacation to City Council, with the subdivision and site plan review to be taken up at a subsequent Planning Commission meeting. The motion carried; individual vote tallies were not recorded in the available materials.
• Commission members expressed the desire that new public notice be issued for the subdivision-related hearing when it is scheduled, so the public is fully informed of the residential development component.

Other Business & Staff Updates

• Commissioner Vaughan was designated as the Planning Commission's representative to District 6, as recorded in the minutes.
• Staff provided updates on the comprehensive plan and land development code work, noting another round of code update items was briefed to City Council. Laurel Lake will be on the October 14, 2024 agenda.
• Staff noted that the developer of the prior townhome development on Route 91, which received conditional use approval earlier in 2024, is planning to return, although the timing was "very tight" for the next meeting.