Hudson, Ohio Planning Commission Meeting Summary - December 8, 2025

The Hudson Planning Commission met on Monday, December 8, 2025, from 7:30 PM to 9:59 PM in Hudson Town Hall, 27 East Main Street. Six members were present (Chair Sarah Norman, Angela Smith, Fred Innamorato, Chelsea McCoy, David Nystrom, and Jessie Obert); Matt Romano was absent, so all votes were taken by the six present members. The commission approved prior minutes, continued two old business cases, held a public hearing on a proposed Robinson Field Park parking area, discussed Land Development Code density and Comprehensive Plan references, acted on the Growth Management Annual Report, and received a staff update.

Approval of Minutes

• Ms. Obert moved, seconded by Mr. Innamorato, to approve the November 10, 2025 minutes as amended. The amendment corrected wording on page five to read 'comments from the public.'
• Vote: 5 ayes, 0 noes, 1 abstention (Mr. Nystrom), 1 absent (Mr. Romano).

Correspondence and Findings-of-Fact Discussion

• Ms. Obert reported that BZBA criticized the Planning Commission's Laurel Lake decision, determining that the commission's Findings of Fact were insufficiently detailed, that reliance on the Comprehensive Plan was too vague, that the Large-Scale Living Facility definition did not align with the Comprehensive Plan, and that approving some units while denying others created inconsistencies.
• Ms. Obert described a disconnect between Planning Commission and BZBA and suggested staff facilitate a joint meeting.
• Commissioners discussed making the Findings of Fact process clearer, including possibly reviewing draft findings before a final vote. Staff explained that staff currently drafts findings and the chair reviews or edits them. Chair Norman noted that Land Development Code Section 1202.02 requires decisions to be based on written findings of fact. No formal action was taken.

Old Business: Village Dental Addition (PC 2025-1022)

• The applicant requested a continuation to the January 12, 2026 Planning Commission meeting to address prior board comments.
• Mr. Nystrom moved, seconded by Ms. Smith, to continue the application to January 12, 2026. Vote: 6-0.

Old Business: District 11 Zoning District (PC 2025-1284)

• Staff presented an updated redline draft for the proposed District 11 zoning district, reflecting prior comments and adding a boutique hotel category and revisions to the purpose statement.
• Commissioners discussed density. Ms. Norman calculated that allowing 20 townhomes per acre or 30 multifamily units per acre on 25 acres of a hypothetical 100-acre site could permit 500 townhome units or 750 multifamily units, calling that excessive and suggesting a total unit cap.
• Commissioners supported the idea of making housing a secondary and transitional use on the northern edge of the property, with townhomes as a transition near the residential neighborhood, and asked for visuals and density comparisons.
• Ms. Smith moved, seconded by Ms. McCoy, to continue the review to January 12, 2026, with staff incorporating the commission's comments. Vote: 6-0.

New Business: Robinson Field Park Parking (PC 2025-1428)

• Staff introduced a City Council-led proposal to create a parking area at Robinson Park, near Ravenna Street and Stow Road. The plan includes three parking spaces, a turnaround, a small green space, a sign, and stormwater management, with no utilities or lighting.
• City Engineer Brad Kosco and Public Works Assistant Director Trent Wash said the site is heavily constrained by wetlands and likely to remain minimally developed, possibly with future trails or boardwalks. There is currently no funding for park development in the five-year budget; approximately $50,000 is allocated for the parking lot.
• The location was chosen because Ravenna Street has less traffic than Stow Road, avoids wetlands, and provides better sight lines. Staff confirmed Ravenna Street is not an arterial road.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Joe Fenicle, 2567 Ravenna Street, whose property is almost directly across from the proposed lot, thanked staff for moving the lot from an unsafe original location about 200-300 feet west. He expressed support for the parking area if the park is developed, but said a parking lot without amenities could become a spot for dumping, loitering, or drug use. He also asked that the historic railroad and Akron waterline be protected and that sidewalk connectivity be considered.
• John Bonham, 2835 Ravenna Street, questioned why the city would build parking for only a few picnic tables and spaces with no park plan or budget, and recommended delaying the project.

Commission Deliberation and Vote on Robinson Park

• Commissioners questioned the rationale for building a parking lot before an overall park plan exists, but noted the parking lot is a permitted use by right and that economics and timing are not the commission's standards for denial.
• Ms. Norman said approving the proposal as submitted could violate Land Development Code Section 1207.01 because it would not preserve existing Index of Ecological Integrity (IEI) levels. She also noted that off-street parking regulations require one handicapped/accessible parking space for lots with 1-25 spaces, raised tree mitigation concerns, questioned the use of a swale for stormwater management, and asked that utilities be shown on the plans.
• Other commissioner concerns included driveway radius and safety, signage to alert drivers, potential loitering, and whether evergreen screening would create security issues.
• Mr. Nystrom moved, seconded by Mr. Innamorato, as amended, to continue the application to the January 2026 Planning Commission meeting and require the applicant to add a handicapped/accessible parking space, show full utilities on drawings, eliminate encroachment into IEI areas, revise the driveway access/radius, and address security concerns with signage and landscaping. Vote: 6-0.

LDC 2026 Discussion: Density

• Staff reviewed density topics carried over from November 10, including density limits for large-scale residential uses such as assisted living, continuing care retirement communities, and institutional residential facilities.
• Ms. Obert said the definition of institutional residential must be clear, especially after the Laurel Lake appeal.
• Commissioners requested OHM Consultants research common residential densities in comparable communities, including townhome and retirement living densities, and review Hudson's density chart.
• Because City Council has an upcoming decision on senior living facility limitations, the commission agreed to wait for that decision and the OHM information.
• Ms. Obert moved, seconded by Ms. Smith, to table the density discussion until City Council decides on senior living facilities and staff returns the requested consultant information. Vote: 6-0.

LDC 2026 Discussion: Comprehensive Plan References

• Staff and OHM Consultants presented draft text and a memo adding Comprehensive Plan references to the Land Development Code.
• Commissioners praised the draft but recommended removing specific chapter and section references so future Comprehensive Plan updates would not require code rewrites.
• Ms. Obert moved, seconded by Mr. Nystrom, to recommend City Council initiate a formal text amendment incorporating the OHM recommendations as amended by Planning Commission comments. Vote: 6-0.

Growth Management Annual Report

• Staff reviewed the Growth Management Allocation (GMA) program, adopted in 1996, which can be implemented if annual population growth exceeds 1.5 percent. Staff stated that 2025 growth is approximately 33 percent of the trigger, roughly 120 dwelling units per year, and recommended not implementing GMA for 2026.
• Commissioners supported the non-implementation recommendation but argued the population-based metric is outdated and should eventually include infrastructure load, traffic, broadband, demolitions, remaining buildable land, and commercial development impacts.
• Mr. Nystrom moved, seconded by Ms. Smith, to recommend City Council accept the City Manager's recommendation not to implement GMA for 2026, incorporating the Planning Commission's comments. Vote: 6-0.

Staff Update

• Staff said there are no new private or city applications scheduled for the January meeting; continued cases, including Robinson Park, will return.
• City Council will hold a workshop on December 9, 2025, to consider whether to repeal the Planning Commission moratorium, with a possible vote on December 16, 2025. Staff explained that the effective date of any repeal would determine whether it affects January or February application deadlines.
• A BZBA appeal of Planning Commission Case 25-229 was noted.

Key Outcomes

• Approved November 10, 2025 minutes: 5-0-1 (one abstention, one absent).
• Continued Village Dental to January 12, 2026: 6-0.
• Continued District 11 to January 12, 2026: 6-0.
• Continued Robinson Park parking application to January 2026 with required revisions: 6-0.
• Tabled density discussion until council action and OHM information: 6-0.
• Recommended City Council initiate a text amendment for Comprehensive Plan references: 6-0.
• Recommended City Council accept the GMA non-implementation recommendation for 2026: 6-0.
• Adjourned at 9:59 PM.