Hudson, Ohio Planning Commission Meeting — April 14, 2025

The Hudson Planning Commission met Monday, April 14, 2025, at 7:30 p.m. at Town Hall, 27 East Main Street, Hudson, Ohio, with Vice Chair Angela Smith presiding. The agenda included a continued public hearing on a conditional use and major site plan for Christ Community Chapel, a Land Development Code text amendment regarding marijuana facilities, and a discussion of residential density allowances. The Commission continued the church application and the density discussion to the May meeting and recommended approval of the text amendment to City Council.

Opening & Administrative Items

• Roll call was taken and all persons giving testimony were sworn in by Vice Chair Smith.
• No minutes from the prior meeting were prepared, so approval of those minutes was postponed to the May meeting.
• Staff member Sugar noted correspondence on case PC 2025-231, including three letters received after the staff report was distributed and printed for the Commission.
• There was no Old Business.

Public Comments & Testimony

• A neighbor of Christ Community Chapel said she learned of the project the night before from a neighbor because she lives outside the 300-foot notification radius. She asked whether microphones would be used during summer Bible school, whether outdoor events would be limited to the church's own organization, and what would happen to the temporary stage if the permanent stage were approved later.
• Another speaker who lives near the church said the church has notified neighbors of its summer outdoor schedule in recent years, which she appreciates, but she hoped the facilities would not be used by anyone outside the organization and said noise carries to her home 'with or without the speaker.'
• A member of the church's elder board spoke in favor, describing the project as a community-building space where neighbors now gather and ride bikes, and said this community aspect is what makes Hudson different from nearby cities such as Cuyahoga Falls and Stow.

Discussion Items

• PC 2025-231 — Christ Community Chapel, 750 West Streetsboro Street (Conditional Use & Major Site Plan): Jimmy Kozy of Christ Community Chapel introduced the applicant team. The application called for a 50-yard by 80-yard artificial turf field, an ADA walking path, pedestrian lighting, unisex restrooms, and an outdoor stage. The applicant said the stage would not be constructed at this time and requested approval only for the field, walking path, and lighting. Staff reported that churches are a conditional use in the residential district, the Commission may not place conditions on the hours or frequency of worship services, noise must not exceed 60 dBA, and a Knox Box will be included per the fire marshal's comments. Discussion covered trip generation and parking, stage orientation, the temporary stage location, drainage, buffering, the number of accessory structures on the site, and the lack of a maximum field occupancy number on the drainage plan, which one commissioner called 'a big no-no.' The applicant said one outdoor service is planned for summer 2025 and, if a stage is ever built, the church would anticipate three or fewer outdoor services per summer.
• PC 2025-256 — Land Development Code Text Amendment (Marijuana Facilities): Staff reviewed City Council's actions on the marijuana moratorium and presented a proposed text amendment that would fully prohibit marijuana facilities. Staff recommended approval and suggested combining the medical and recreational marijuana prohibitions into a single prohibition covering all facility types. No public testimony was offered.
• Housing Discussion — Residential Density Allowances: The Commission discussed density allowances in the Land Development Code. Commissioner Norman questioned the density shown for the city limits — approximately 20 townhouses per acre. Staff confirmed a May Planning Commission meeting, though the number of cases was not yet known, and noted that no development proposal or application has been received for a site recently discussed with Council.

Key Outcomes

• PC 2025-231 continued: The Commission voted to continue the public hearing to the May meeting and directed the applicant to submit additional information at least three weeks before that meeting so the Commission and public could review it.
• PC 2025-256 recommended for approval: On a motion by Commissioner Romano, the Commission voted to send an approval recommendation to City Council for the staff's proposed text amendment, including the suggested edits to combine the medical and recreational marijuana prohibitions.
• Housing discussion continued: The Commission voted to continue the residential density discussion to the May meeting.