T six clerk, can you please call the roll?

Morris here.

Martinez?

Driscoll?

Here.

Gaddis?

Here.

Hobbs.

Here.

Comites.

Meldon.

Here.

Surround two.

Williams here.

Five present.

That's what we need for our quorum.

All right.

I'm going to ask the applicant for case number one to please come up to the podium.

And clerk, can you please read case number one?

Case number one is a request for zone change from RS12 single family residential and CN neighborhood commercial to see our regional commercial for the property located at 640 Wyman Street.

Case number Z26-0008.

The plan commission recommends disapproval.

Okay.

Would you state your name and address for the record, please?

Yeah.

Steve Keesling, I'm the director of Toledo Animal Rescue.

My home address is 947 Maple Street in Perry's Burg, 43551.

Sir, would you raise your right hand?

Do you swear to tell the truth and nothing but the truth?

So say I do.

Yes, I do.

All right.

Please go ahead and tell us about your proposal.

For sure.

So the Toledo Animal Rescue, um, which has been around since uh 1927, have been at our current location since 1930.

Uh we've outgrown our space.

Um over the past five years, we've quadrupled the number of animals that we and people that we serve from about 100 a year to over 400 a year.

That's intakes and adoptions.

Um our property and our facility has gone through so many transitions in almost 100 years, and it's time for us to to improve the facility.

We want to not only renovate the interior, but we want to expand the facility.

Unfortunately, with our current zoning, it only allows us a 10% expansion, which is equates to 360 square feet.

Um, not enough of an expansion for us to sink the money into the building that we want to, and we're looking to the project right now tentatively is between two and two and a half million dollars, with about 1.5 of that going coming from our own savings.

So we have this zoning proposal change, and only because we want to help more people and animals in Toledo, like we've been doing for almost a hundred years.

Okay, thank you.

Um Ms.

Catrell, do you have anything to add?

So I think this is one of those situations that none of us really like to be in.

The use has been there since before zoning was a thing in Toledo.

It's been not conforming for a very long time through two zoning code updates.

Um we absolutely understand the use and its purpose.

The plan commission's concern was the CR zoning in the neighborhood, but um I think they probably felt a little torn also because the use has been there for so long, and we we get that, but you know, the CR zoning opens it up to a lot more intense uses.

Um say they did have a neighborhood meeting.

There were two people in attendance.

We did receive a few calls and one person in opposition.

The calls we received were uh general inquiries.

So thank you.

Uh councilman Driscoll.

Thank you, Chair.

Uh Director could have a couple questions.

So the and you can answer these two if that's uh germane, but the uh expansion is it of the facility or the yard for the dogs or fine no that's a fine question.

Um, and I don't know if if this committee has the the blueprint or the map of uh what we are looking at.

The the planning and zoning commission did have it.

We're looking to add about 2500 square feet to the facility.

We have 1.8 acres there, so we don't have any need to expand, obviously, in our our square footage of our property.

Um I understand that we are we have a limited ability to expand our our areas for our dogs.

Um I think we have forgive me if I'm wrong, a special use permit for lack of a better term.

I I think Ms.

Cottrell could probably give me the criteria correct terminology for that.

Um but we're not looking to expand our outdoor exercise area.

We're simply looking to expand our interior space.

How how far off of 10% are we for the building edition?

Yeah, it's pretty significant.

Okay.

Uh I think four 300, 400 square feet is all he can do right now.

Okay.

Um he will require site plan review.

There is a spacing issue against residential for the outdoor runs, uh, but it sounds like you're able to keep the outdoor runs within the 10 percent.

Um the outdoor runs are gonna be the so we call them runs, but they're yards.

They're out their outdoor yards, they're fenced in yards, they have the the proper fencing.

Um we're going we're not adding any extra outdoor yards because again, we have a forget for lack of a better term, a special use permit to have these yards because in the residential setting, we're supposed to have a 200 foot setback from any other residents.

Well, clearly, we have never had that setback.

So we've we've carried this special use uh for the outdoor areas along with the property over over the you know however long that zoning has been predates me.

Um Director Catrill, I I'm curious.

Do we have the ability to like if they were to ever sell the facility or leave the facility for the zoning could revert back to residential?

We can't put that clause on the zone change.

It would be up to the council, the district council person at the time to just go in and go ahead and initiate a down zoning.

Okay.

I mean, that's the only I mean because I understand the concern about going to a regional commercial zoning.

I just you know they seem to be pretty good neighbors, and it's not like there's a groundswell of opposition from the neighborhood.

So uh you know, this is one of those times where thinking about these rules being a little fungible.

I think I I assume that's why there was a pretty uh lively debate at the plan commission about this.

There there were there were live that's a great way of putting it, there were lively debates at the staff level too, because and we're hoping with the zoning code rewrite, maybe that will solve the with the form-based code, maybe that'll solve this problem.

But for the next two years, uh if he wants to expand, he would need the CR zoning.

And that the plan commission's biggest concern was what could go in the CR should they leave, which God forbid, you know, I I don't think they're going to, but you do have that question out there.

And the last thing I would say is I I understand that risk, but I don't like from a market standpoint.

I don't see a lot of interest in that site from a regional commercial standpoint, too.

So I don't know.

This is a real this is a trickier case for me, but um you know, anyways.

I I would follow the lead of the district rep at this point, but I think there's a case to be made for this.

Thank you.

Councilmember Meldon.

Yeah, thank you.

Um I only want to make a point that it strikes me that Liter Animal Rescue, you're doing incredibly difficult work.

Um I I had the unfortunate uh experience of having to drop off my child to do some volunteering.

The volunteering was lovely.

Me having to drop my child off was the part that was frustrating to me.

Um and she had a wonderful experience, and I didn't know much about the organization prior to that.

And I do think about like what would happen if and Councilman Driscoll kind of hit on this point, like if we just got too stringent with exact feat and exactly what we should do, and you were forced to look for something else.

I'm not about to ask you any questions, actually, so I'm just making my own commentary here.

No, that's continue.

Well, I'm sure I'm I'm enjoying your commentary.

No, but like I mean, if if you were forced to go find another space, and it was some there's some big barn out in Monclova.

That doesn't that doesn't help us.

He wants to stay here, he's standing in front of us.

I'm saying that's not helpful if it becomes Northwest Ohio Animal Rescue.

And so I am all in favor of this.

I do have one particular question, Director Cattrell.

You said you were hoping something with the zoning rewrite.

Tell me, and you can't, you don't have a crystal ball, although if you do, let me know.

Yeah because then I have different questions.

If say we get to that point where the zoning code is rewritten and updated, how might this be handled differently, do you think?

Well, I think the zoning code rewrite will look at the form and how something fits in the neighborhood rather than necessarily the uses, the nature of zoning districts will change to an extent.

You know, it it's gonna be a little bit hybrid, so out in the sub in the some more suburban areas, you may still see uh zoning categories that allow prohibit uh different uses.

Um but the form and how it fits in the neighborhood and how this would fit the character of the building is gonna it fits in that neighborhood is going to be crucial to an approval and even a buy-right approval.

Um I think you'll see these situations go away with that zoning code rewrite.

So interesting.

I think that's valuable.

Obviously, I echo Councilman Driscoll's comments about deference to the district council member.

Um and but certainly if if the neighbors are you know noting against it, I I don't see a reason to be against it myself.

So that's all thanks.

Thank you.

Uh council member Gaddis.

Thank you, Chair.

How many animals do you service currently?

We um I'm trying to give some think of some numbers off to my head.

Do you mind if I do a little cheating?

Yes, please.

Because I did bring myself some stuff to cheat with.

Um in 2014, we did or last year we we had in we're just in terms of adoptions.

Um we've we had 388 the year before we had more than 400.

Um that doesn't count for all the animals that come in because some get returned to their owners, some might get transferred out to other organizations.

Unfortunately, some might pass away.

So we're looking in the 400 animal range.

Three-quarters of those are cats because you can fit a lot more cats in a lot smaller space.

Right now we have the capacity for about eight to ten dogs comfortably.

Um we're looking to about double that capacity, um, and a lot of that is is based on you know best practices and in kennel design and environments and things like that.

Okay.

I appreciate that.

Thank you.

Thank you, Chair.

Thank you.

Do you also work with rescue organizations?

Um we do, uh, we don't have any like formal partnerships, uh, but very often when we have the ability, we do transfer in animals from Lucas County Canine Care and Control.

Uh we have a pet food pantry that gives out tons of food each year.

Uh this year I think we've given out two and a half tons of food, probably 2500 cans of food.

Last year we gave out over five tons of food, and that's all based off of donations.

So we're trying to help keep animals in people's homes as well, um, not only just bringing them into our facility.

Um I'm not averse to partnerships with any organizations, uh, especially in the animal welfare world.

There's so many of us, and a lot of the organizations are smaller and don't have the resources that we are fortunate to have.

Um in comparison, we're about one-tenth the size of the humane society.

So we're we're not huge, but we're one of the bigger, bigger brick and mortar places in the area.

And are you a no-kill shelter?

Yes, ma'am.

Okay.

And then again, some animals you know do have to be euthanized.

Uh, but being no-kill doesn't mean animals aren't euthanized.

Um, unfortunately, we've had to euthanize animals for for uh health reasons, and I'm I don't know on a very rare occasion I can count on less than one hand in the six years I've been there.

We've had to euthanize dogs for aggressive and dangerous behavior.

Um, but those are the exception, certainly not the rule.

But you're not um euthanizing them because they're just kind of hanging around and oh no, no.

You animals, if if an animal is adoptable, we will find a home for it.

We always do.

Okay, thank you.

Uh is there anyone in the audience who would like to speak for or against case number one?

Uh please come up, sir.

You want to step aside and we'll bring up if we have more questions.

Would you state your name and address for the record, please?

Uh, my name is Lanny May, and I live at 540 Wyman.

Thank you.

Tlato, Ohio, 43609.

Do you swear to tell the truth and nothing but the truth?

Let's those say I do.

I do.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Well, I have to address one issue.

There is a uh petition and papers dropped off Monday, and there are 34 original signatures, 29 separate households on Wyman, and that's 66% said no.

There are 12 houses in the area with site that have boundaries.

66% said no.

This was this was voted down five to nothing in the January 11th meeting.

Now, in that paperwork, there are graphs that show exactly on that sheet red, yellow, and green.

I don't know if everyone has those.

They were residential homes, they were torn down now.

The uh commission also cited the house on the north is a residential home.

It's actually was a home and it's a garage, and they were cited for using it as a commercial entity.

They have meetings and storage there, which violates the code, and that came from Lisa Karstner.

That was in the other meeting.

Um also have you got the pictures.

The permanent land use stays with this, so if they're expanding and they ever need to move, who gets it?

Anything 24 hours, anything you can put in here because you can't change it back.

Also, their land will increase the value will.

It makes it more valuable than residential property.

And uh let's see.

The uh zone change would also make it harder.

We have a six thousand pound load limit on Wyman.

If you change it to regional, anything can come down that street.

Now, by all means, they do anyway.

But this would make it harder for the police to stop them and give them a ticket for being on a wrong street.

And we get it from both South Avenue and Airport Highway.

They either want to come down South Street and turn on Wyman and go down and beat the traffic jam at Airport Highway and burn because it backs up.

Everyone knows it drives a truck that Westwood is the state route, yet they ignore it.

Wyman is I just complained about the street and they came out and filled some potholes, but the edges are cracking.

And the meeting that I came down here for uh June 11th, I followed a Corrigan oil truck down the street, down South Street to the uh integrity, which is across the railroad tracks.

It would have been just as easy to turn up from Burn Road instead of Mercer, go down Airport Highway, Westwood, and then up there, not through the residential neighborhood.

Now, I'm not saying that they're gonna sell, but that possibility is there, and uh well.

I we you know their their mission is great, they're doing great things, but they become too big, and the land in the south and the land in the north is not part of their property, they're not fenced in, and what this zoning change will do is it will encompass all of that into one.

And uh, like I said, the residents and the uh property owners have said on those petitions, and there's six pages of those that are signed with addresses.

So what you didn't hear is those are there and they're on file, and if there are any questions, uh I'd be willing to answer them.

I've got a copy of what I I gave them, and uh I guess I I'm gonna count on the five-nothing vote from before for the denial.

I do have a question before I get to the members of uh council.

Is the road that's that's there?

Is it unapproved road?

Is it it doesn't have curbs clearly?

There are no curbs, no sidewalks.

Okay, all right, never has been.

Okay, this is from uh probably the 60s when it was Adams Township and it was annexed.

Gotcha.

Okay, thank you.

So we actually get uh truck tires in the yards because two people don't seem to be able to go down that highway, especially with a truck or the semis, and I'll name them Mohawk truck, full travel trailer comes down through there.

Now I don't know what his load is, but and we had people that used to stand in the road 15-20 years ago and stop trucks and ask them, do you know?

We've even had the scales come out years ago and stop.

Well, that's gone.

And we would speak we agreed to put speed bumps in.

Well, they like to go over them fast, and if you look at the other side, you'll see the chassis marks dug into the asphalt.

That's everywhere, sir.

I'm sorry to say.

So these seem to be the sins of the past, all get wiped out if this zoning comes in.

Okay, thank you very much for your comments.

Um, council member Gaddis.

Thank you.

I just I have a question for um the owner.

Did you guys host a community meeting?

You sure did.

We had two members show up.

Um gentlemen with the order.

Excuse me.

It's not one of the things that we're gonna do.

Excuse me.

I think we gotta have that out of record, yeah.

Go ahead and have a seat, and then uh we have to have it recorded so that it's part of the record.

So I apologize.

Please come up to the microphone.

Thank you.

Sorry about that.

Um, yes, we did have one.

Um, I got the list from the commission, sent it out to the neighborhood.

Uh, we had two individuals show up.

One uh was more concerned with his taxes.

I think he lived a street over.

Uh, and the other one was in support of us, but mentioned the same thing.

This the trucks.

We have nothing to do with that.

We don't have the ability to take semi-trailers.

We have UPS and FedEx and Amazon trucks.

Um, our plan does not have the ability to have the have semi trucks.

So I think while his uh issues about the truck traffic is very valid because we see the same thing.

As to the petition, it's not something I have ever been aware of until he mentioned it.

Um, let alone the the house that is on our property or the other houses that were, they all predate me, but we are compliant with the with our zoning and all of our property.

The areas that aren't fenced in are not used for animals.

That's now just an open field where uh community members have gone in there and bring their dirt bikes and snowmobiles and things like that.

If any area that we do expand our facility, we will provide the proper fencing, and that will all go through permitting processes anyway.

Um so I understand his concerns.

Most of its concerns have nothing to do with the Toledo Animal Rescue, they have to do with the neighborhood, deal with the neighborhood.

Thank you.

And then um Director Cottel, what were the major concerns of the people that it reached out to zoning?

Uh a lot of it was traffic, but again, also any potential noise or what could go there in the future.

You know, the CR zoning just opens it up to the most intense uses.

Um thank you.

Thank you so much.

Thank you.

Uh President Williams.

I um thank you.

I just gave you uh my petition.

Um the question I had was for you, sir.

Um, what type of neighbors are they right now?

I'm talking to the resident, yes.

That I'm sorry.

You'll have to come up to the microphone.

Sorry, please.

I'm sorry.

I just wanted to know what type of neighbors they are now, and I definitely would defer to councilman Hobbes for this.

I just wanted to put it on the record.

What type of neighbors?

Could you repeat that, please?

What type of neighbors are they now?

Are they good pretty good neighbors?

Yes, I mean, everybody understands the the function and and the mission, but this is a long reach to change that to uh regional commercial.

Do you have a lot of um noise coming from there now or no?

Well, the noise is is not that's not a problem, I don't think.

Uh, but again, if they decide to leave, what do we get?

Okay.

And there's if and the other thing is the spot zoning that this occurs at.

If you spot zone this, there are empty lots right across the street at Mercer and Wyman on a southwestern corner.

House burnt down.

Will somebody buy that?

Or the owner say, Well, hey, you did it for them.

I want it.

Oh, they oh, we don't do that.

They have to go through the same process.

But they have the right to petition to do that.

Yep, everybody does.

Yep, yep, they can that happens all the time.

People come and they want to do things, and we will shut them down in a heartbeat.

Trust me, we take each individual case um as his own.

I just wanted to hear from you and what type of neighbors they are to see if they're good neighbors.

That's all.

Um we're I mean, they just they just don't want to see the extra problems that regional will bring.

Okay, thank you so much.

I appreciate you coming down.

Any more questions?

I don't think so.

All right, thank you.

Thank you.

Is there anyone in the audience who would like to speak for or against case number one?

Please come forward, please.

Come to the microphone and state your name and address for the record.

Yeah, my Dr.

David Baduras.

Um, I live at 665 Kirkshire Drive, Perysburg, Ohio.

I'm the volunteer veterinarian, I'm retired, but I volunteer there.

We have to have you get sworn in.

Oh, I'm sorry.

Could you raise Ryan, please?

Do you swear to tell the truth and nothing but the truth?

If so, say I do.

I do.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Go ahead.

So I have a f you know a few points I'd like to make.

One is kind of gets to our reason for doing this is we want to improve the conditions and the shelter for the animals that we take care of.

You know, and we've been there a long time, and there's definitely some different things that we want to do at this point, that improve the experience of these animals.

Um, we provide a service for the the uh county and the city, you know, and I would you know we have animals that come in that we that are strays, and you know, we um we take good care of them, we get them fixed in space, they're not just thrown back out on the street.

Um, you know, dogs that come in if you'd ask about the no-kill.

You know, and we were doing this process of you know, we work with an accountant or an architect, and they said that our numbers for turnover were were kind of lower than some other.

But the reason is that we don't take animals in, and if you know if they're sick or they have some issues, we don't just put them to sleep.

And a lot of places don't spend the time to improve the life of these animals.

So we we keep them.

Um, you know, one example that recently was the two city workers found an old Chihuahua on a construction site, and they brought the dog to us.

He's probably about 12 years old, his name's Paco.

And if he had been to any other rescue, they probably would have just put him down.

You know, he couldn't eat, it was you know, but anyway, we you know he had loose teeth, but we took care of that.

Um he's got a good home now, he's a sweet dog.

Um, but I mean those are the things that we do that differentiate us from I won't name other, but we do, I think we do a better job.

So um, you know, I mean that's that's what we do.

I think we you know we provide a service for the county, the city, because you know, we're we're not in a commercial location.

You know, I've been on the board since probably 1981, and you know, we've talked about whether what we would do differently, but you know, we have a space that people know where we are, and you know, I think that you know, I mean it's not really a place that amends itself to some of these other commercial things that have been brought up.

But I think you know, the the thing was mentioned is about the the houses that are on the south uh east corner.

Um at one time there was a one and raid that that worked at the rescue and they lived there.

They passed away, you know, we ended up buying it, you know, the properties were worth they were dilapidated, they were worth almost nothing, so we took them on and we you know, we took them, you know, we demolished them.

So I think in a lot of ways we've improved um what's going on in that area.

So I think you know, we're you know, I we're a positive effect on this um on this area.

I don't think we're negative.

You know, the other stuff that could happen, I think they would probably have to get an approval anyway, and then um, but we don't have you know, we've talked about whether we want to move to some other place, but I think we found that we could do this economically and provide a better service for the the dogs and cats that we take care of.

And I think we do, you know, we take and we've had police drop animals off that they found.

So, you know, we work with the community when we can.

We're not as big as the Humane Society, but I think we you know, we do uh our differentiation is that we you know we used to be Tlanamo uh shelter.

We changed the name to rescue for various reasons, but we look at ourselves as more of a shelter for the animals instead of just the you know warehouse to keep them in and kick them out.

And we have trainers we work with for dogs that are they have behavioral problems, and we've improved them to the point where they could be adopted into appropriate homes.

So I've you know, I honestly have been on the board since 1981.

I believe very much in what we do, you know, and I've you know, I go to uh meetings that are state state meetings every year, and the things that other rescues are doing, we do very well.

You know, again, we're we're in no kill is the best that we can, and to be a no-kill, you have to, you know, have less than five percent that euthanize, and I think we're way below that.

I mean, Steve and I talk every time about what's appropriate with certain animals, whether they should be euthanized.

So I think in many ways, you know, I think we're positive in that neighborhood.

Um, you know, we maintain the area, it's mowed, it's not you know, it's not overgrown with grass and stuff.

So thank you very much for your comments.

Yeah, if anybody has any questions.

Is there anyone else in the audience who would like to speak for or against case number one?

All right, councilman Hobbes, what is your recommendation?

So I want to say that I am my fellow council members have asked them very important and amazing questions.

Um thank you for your concern in this matter.

Um also thankful.

And I do understand neighbors and questions they may have.

Um but the one thing I think that a couple things we can look at is that uh they have been in business for uh over a hundred years, and they've been at this location almost a hundred years, and if they were going to leave or go, I think that they would not be um talking about this expansion.

Um it is a positive expansion, and I know in District One, I wish were houses that have been moved out of or would dilapidate it or were falling apart.

Um I wish I did have an agency like this that would buy those houses and tear them down and invest uh the best we get most of the time in District One is either it's just left there or um somebody wants to tear it down and make it a community garden, uh which is still a great thing as well.

Um and so with the zoning, the thing that is councilman uh Sam Meldon has alluded to uh councilman um council president uh Williams hasn't alluded to is that if someone wanted to if they were to move today the council person for that area, the district person could recommend a zoning change.

Is that correct, Ms.

Ms.

Cotrell?

The zoning code allows city council to initiate changes in zoning.

So we could initiate a zoning change that would keep someone from making this a commercial whatever in that area, and then so that's what I like that it would always somehow come back to us to make a request for the zoning change.

And so because of that, I am going to recommend this to the full city council as approved.

Thank you.

This is an amazing work.

We are living in a time where a lot of animals are being turned in or turned over because of you know, people now are having to decide whether to buy groceries or buy gas.

And a lot of people now are just not able to afford to be able to take care of their animal anymore.

And so this place preside provides an opportunity.

Um I want this to continue, and I'm asking for the support of our council members as well.

That this will this work that they do will continue.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Seeing no objection, so ordered.

This case will go to the full city council on August 25th, 2026.

And thank you very much for everyone coming and uh making those comments.

Um I want the record to show that council member comes uh and councilman Seranto have joined us.

Thank you.

Um let's move on to case number two.

Could the applicant for case number two please come forward to the podium?

And uh clerk, can you please read case number two?

Case number two is a request for a zone change from CR Regional Commercial to RS6, single family residential for the property located at 5860 C Court Road, case number Z26-0010.

The plan commission recommends approval.

Thank you.

Could you state your name and address for the record?

Steve Heaney, 8763, Big Cypress Circle, Sylvania, Ohio, 43560.

Thank you.

Would you raise your right hand, please?

Do you swear to tell the truth and nothing but the truth?

If so, say I do.

I do.

Thank you.

Okay.

Tell us why you're looking to change this um zoning area.

Um it was originally built as a home.

It was a home for many years.

I acquired it uh temporarily as an office complex, uh, sold it.

It was a daycare for a little bit of time, ended up taking it back in a foreclosure.

Um best use of the property in talking to all the realtors that I can find is as uh residential.

Uh my understanding is there's a dearth of residential properties in Toledo.

Um, so we'll just like to finish rehabbing it out and put it back as a house.

Thank you very much.

Ms.

Cottrell, do you have anything to add?

It was built as a single family home, but it's zoned CR regional commercial, which does not permit the use.

He simply wants to take it back to its original use, and um we typically support such down zonings.

Thank you.

Is there anyone in the audience who would like to speak for or against case number two?

Again, is there anyone in the audience who would like to speak for or against case number two?

Okay, uh Councilman Meldon, who represents District 5 where this is located, whispered in my ear and said that he was uh good with sending this to the full city council as approved, and seeing no objection, so ordered.

So this will go to the full city council uh on August uh 25th.

Um Lisa, just a question for you.

I think is that when I come to attend as well?

You do not need to attend that hearing.

Okay, thank you for your help with this, council people.

Thank you.

Thank you.

All right, let's move on to case number three.

Would the applicant for case number three please come forward to the podium?

And clerk, can you please read case number three?

Case number three is a request for a special use permit permit for a new cemetery for the property located at 722 East Bancroft.

Case number SUP26-0015.

The plan commission recommends approval subject to 13 conditions.

Could you state your name and address for the record?

Yes, uh, good afternoon.

My name is Amad Cassim.

I am the attorney for Toledo Masterf of L S.

My mailing address is P.O.

Box 350672, Toledo, Ohio 43635.

Okay, since you are an attorney, we do not need to swear you in.

However, gentlemen, you you're okay.

Gentlemen, if you are going to speak, we will need you to state your name and address and get sworn in for the record.

So feel free.

Ibrahim Rahim 722 East Bancroft Street, Toledo, Ohio, 43608.

Um Justice McNew, um P.O.

Bucks uh 5841, Toledo, Ohio, 43613.

And would you each raise your hand?

Do you swear to tell the truth and nothing but the truth?

So say I do.

I do.

I do.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Go ahead and tell us about your application, please.

All right.

So I'd like to start by providing some background information on the mosque.

Um it was built in 1954 by the Islamic Center of Greater Toledo by Syrian and Lebanese immigrants.

It was actually the first purpose-built mosque in the state of Ohio and the third purpose-built mosque in the entire nation.

So it is a historical landmark, in my opinion.

Toledo measured of a of LSM.

This specific congregation was established over 50 years ago, and it moved its congregation to 722 Bancroft Street back in roughly 2010.

So they've been there for quite some time.

So as part of the mosque's activities, they provide community services, which include communal prayers, counseling, mentorship, weddings, they are a distribution point for the Islamic food bank, and they provide charitable aid.

Um they participate in Habitat for Humanity, multiple interfaith events and clothing drives, and they also offer community outreach by providing tours of the facility and informational sessions as well.

Most of the congregants, there are there are almost 300 members of the mosque, and many of them live in the community, and currently people are being buried out in Toledo Memorial, all the way out in Sylvania, or Ottawa Hills Memorial, which is completely out of the way.

The mosque does have quite a bit of land behind them.

They would like to establish a cemetery for their members.

And you know, there the reason to support this is there's no disruption or just destabilizing impact on the surrounding area.

The immediately surrounding area is currently composed of blighted homes, abandoned homes, or industrial properties.

We've held extensive meetings with the commun with the Warren Sherman Neighborhood Association, where we've met with members, we've discussed the project with them for hours, and we after our last meeting, we actually were able to gain the support of the neighborhood association group, Miss Wanda Love.

I do believe she is the president of the group.

And you know, there's a lack of a negative environmental impact.

By the Islamic burial process, it's synonymous with the green burial process, which prevents pollution of soil and water due to the avoidance of embalming fluids such as formaldehyde, which would leach, which can leach into the ground and pollute the ground.

We do the Islamic burial process does not do that.

And there's no impact on drinking on any drinking water due to a lack of wells in the area and a far distance between the cemetery and sources of drinking water, such as the Collins Water Treatment Plant.

Um the Plan Commission and the Lucas County Health Department have recommended this for approval after analysis of the project.

It's consistent with the forward Toledo comprehensive land use plan.

It will re reuse vacant lots without a negative impact on the neighbors.

And like I said, most of the congregants, they do live in the neighborhood.

This there this would help them and generations to come.

Thank you.

Um I do know that there's a lot of churches that in the past have had uh cemeteries attached to them.

Um I know I just in my own district, we have the North Collingwood um uh cemetery, which we actually uh the city uh maintains um through uh Woodlawn.

Um this is a question for um Ms.

Cotrell.

Do you know is if you start a cemetery, is there any kind of state requirement uh for starting a cemetery?

There are and the planner for the case actually, Alex out there did a fabulous job of going through those state uh requirements and this site is actually too small to have to meet certain requirements.

There's a s they have additional requirements for some chairs over four acres.

This is too small, but health department has approved this, environmental services has approved it, and the state regulations are okay.

And what is the acreage?

Four, I believe.

I mean, what is the acreage that you are seeking?

I'm sorry.

It's less than one acre.

Less than one acre?

Okay.

Um President Williams.

Thank you.

Um yesterday we actually uh voted to finish the vacation of that alley that was holding on.

I don't I know it came forward uh along 2023, and it was some stipulations on there that were crazy, and I waived those.

So we that alley is vacated now, and this council voted unanimously for that.

Um I I did get uh re people did reach out to me.

I actually lived in that neighborhood on Utica and Walnut for 15 years.

So I'm very familiar of the mosque.

Um I uh it's always been a good neighbor, and they've been there longer than anybody else because nobody's over there now, um, which is sad.

I remember the Ruezes, everyone was a community there, so um, and now McDonald's is closed.

It's the trashy gas station that's on the corner of Bancroft and Cherry is the car lot that's trying the fake car lot uh on Cherry Street, is the uh our beloved quality done closed and they have been steadfast and have been there.

Um and you know, I have received some some very disturbing calls about why are we allowing this because of smells like that is so racist and I take issue with it.

Um first of all, Jesus got buried and wrapped up in loin in cloth and set into a the side of the mountain.

Um this is traditional burial and I and it actually grows more, allows the soil to be enriched more by doing being buried this way.

Um I definitely appreciate you guys wanting to take this neighborhood to the next level by doing this.

Um I am in total support of it, and I think my colleagues um are as well just because um that neighborhood uh deserves it, especially with the blight around there.

I think that having a cemetery where people go in fellowship and can go out and talk and and fellowship with their family that has passed on is a is a is it is a gift.

So I am in total support um and I definitely urge my colleagues um to visit the area.

It is an area that is semi-forgotten.

Um Toledo Groves is not too far away from there, and I would say even collaborate and get some trees from them or something.

Um and I'm in I'm I'm so excited to see the decorative fencing that will go up there too on the other side.

I actually got robbed on that side of the fence too, so we need some good juju in that area just because it was some it was bad vibes over there when I lived over there, so I'm glad that we have someone to bring some cleansing over to that neighborhood.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Councilmember Gaddis.

Thank you.

I just had some questions for um Director Crutchell.

Um were there any calls about this?

So there was a community meeting.

Uh there were about eight to ten people residents in attendance.

I believe we did not get any calls.

Alex can confirm that we did have a little bit of opposition at our hearing.

One person in opposition, one person in support.

And I don't know, Alex, do you want to add anything?

I don't think I got any calls if I did, it was just a general inquiry.

Okay.

And then it sounds like I tried to read the report, I didn't see, but it sounds like there'll be fencing around it.

Will there be trees inside, or is it just going to be um gravestones and so as part of the special use permit, we are requiring a decorative a decorative fence and at least two trees along Utica Street.

Okay, okay.

Thank you for the clarity.

Thank you for all you do for the uh community.

I appreciate that.

Thank you.

Thank you, Chair.

Thank you.

Councilman Driscoll.

Thank you, Chair.

Uh I wonder how many council members have come and gone without voting on a special use permit for a cemetery.

I didn't expect this to come up, but it's uh I think it's pretty it's an interesting use of the site, and I'm very supportive and and uh looking forward to pass it.

I'm just curious what the fencing looks like.

Uh do we know or haven't gotten that far.

Okay, all right.

Um yeah, I I hope that uh and I Cindy probably will, but just it's something that meet you know fits the character of the neighborhood and and um you know it's just something that the residents of the surrounding neighborhood can be proud of and and think of as an asset to the community.

But um until this moment, every everything that this institution has done has been an asset to the neighborhood, so I'm sure that will be the case.

So thank thank you for this.

Thank you.

Thank you, Councilman Sarantu.

Thank you, madam chair.

Uh will there be monuments or will it be flat, the gravestones?

So um Muslims they mostly use flat markers.

Okay.

Okay, great.

And and this will be restricted to the members of the mosque.

Am I correct?

Well, not I don't think it would be specific to the members of the mosque.

I I mean the way it currently works is most mosques, they have a section of the cemetery and Toledo Memorial, and they I mean if I think you would be better off answering that.

I'm sorry.

Um that's the that's the uh initial um uh idea behind it.

Um however, though uh there are some members of the community that have difficulty uh and at other cemeteries or uh or affording the cost of another cemetery, then of course we would be we would be sympathetic and and looking thinking case by case.

Okay, so they would be welcomed and obviously you try to accommodate them and that that's commendable.

Okay, thank you very much.

Thank you, madam chair.

Will you have um who's going to be helping maintain um the the actual site and digging and you know mowing?

Uh who is going is it is it the members of the church?

Will you hire it out?

I'm sorry, Mosque.

Currently we're going we have we've we're establishing a committee, uh bereavement committee that will be responsible for maintaining the uh the cemetery.

So that's the plan of members of the mosque uh currently that are currently there.

Yeah, will be responsible for all of those things.

I I intend to oversee that.

Uh my name is Justice.

I I'm overseeing that committee.

Okay.

Starting it and developing it.

Okay, thank you.

Yes.

Um I knew a lot of the members um that uh that started that mosque, um, specifically John Schausher and a lot of the of the Syrians, uh Lebanese, uh a lot of the in individuals from the Levant.

Um so yeah, you're you're following in a lot of good footsteps there.

Thank you.

So I think that gives it good juju.

Um is there anyone in the audience who would like to speak for or against case number three?

Again, is the oh, we got somebody.

Gentlemen, if you could you have you will have to come up to the microphone.

And gentlemen, if you can go ahead and have a seat there in the front row.

Thank you.

Would you state your name and address for the record?

My name is Malcolm Mutaki.

I live in uh 580 Yondota Street in Toledo.

Um I just want to say that uh excuse me.

We have to swear you in.

Oh, would you raise your hand?

Do you swear to tell the truth and nothing but the truth?

So say I do.

I do.

Thank you.

Um I don't have too much to say.

I'm a member of of this mosque, and um, you know, the last 10 years, COVID, and now we've seen a lot of people come and go.

And um, you know, members of our community.

We essentially have to go way outside of our community to be buried uh in a place where we can be surrounded by like minds.

I mean, you know, as crazy as that might sound, you know, people like to be together in life and in death.

And um, you know, we've been uh meeting with the Warren Sherman uh council, and we initially had some opposition, some people that um uh basically had misinformation, and uh like you mentioned, you know, the they were under the impression that having a body buried naturally would be detrimental to the environment when in all actuality you know the soil needs nitrogen and nitrogen either comes from lightning or it comes from decomposing matter, so this is a benefit all the way around, and um I know I don't see a lot of opposition, but I want to say that even the people that were opposed to it, they couldn't make it now, but they gave us our word.

The the president of the Warren Sherman committee that she would support this after you know just sitting down like human beings and having conversations.

So um, you know, I don't see opposition, and I just want to say I appreciate everybody for uh supporting this and uh you know not being Islamophobic and uh you know uh having a spooky uh thriller type attitude.

So I just want to thank you and God bless you all.

Thank you.

Thank you.

You actually may uh end up you know getting uh more members, um, you know, if councilman Hobbes, thank you, uh Chair.

The question I have is once you are finished with the cemetery, approximately how many burials or bodies do you think will be able to be buried on the site?

It it'll probably be just around uh 200, 200 sites here currently.

So then when you reach that well, we don't we hope it's not gonna be reached in this decade in this century or the next but but uh when it does then it's if that's reached what happens.

Once it reaches its capacity, then hopefully uh some of the other mosques by that time will have uh have uh uh done the same thing that we're doing.

Thank you, sir.

Okay, and they they also do possess an additional plot directly on the other side of the alley as well.

Okay, thank you.

Um and uh the the plan commission recommends approval subject to 13 conditions.

Do you agree to those 13 conditions?

Yes, yes.

Okay, thank you.

And I'm gonna ask one more time.

Is there anyone in the audience would like to speak for or against case number three?

Gentlemen, please go ahead and have a seat.

Could if you could please come up to the podium.

If you'll that's okay.

You take your time.

Well, if you'd state your name and address for the record, Pastor Charles Walden, 2123 North 13th Street, Toledo, Ohio, 43620.

Sir, would you raise your right hand?

Do you swear to tell the truth and nothing but the truth?

If so say I do.

I do.

Thank you.

Go ahead, sir.

Uh I am a member of the Warren Sherman Area Council, and I'm the former president.

Uh Miss Wanda Love is the president now.

Um just to let all council know we are in agreement with them.

Uh Miss Love sent that word today by me.

And um the whole thing was really unnecessary because it was misinformation, ignorance, and they when we met with them at the new YMCA.

By the way, do y'all know we got a new YMCA right in our neighborhood?

I live at 2123 North 13th Street.

That's just two streets over from the and thank you all for that YMCA.

But um, I'm on the board there too.

But um, yeah, it was ignorance, and uh when they we met with them, they explained thoroughly because they enlightened my eyes of uh how Muslims buried their dead.

I knew about Jewish barriers, and I didn't know much about uh Muslims, but the way they explained it, it's legal, Columbus agrees with it, the state and the city, so it's good.

Just wanted y'all to know it's good.

Amen.

Thank you.

All right.

Um President Williams, what is your recommendation?

Uh thank you, Pastor Walden for coming out.

I appreciate you.

Um I'm gonna send it to the full city council as approved, and um I'll be looking for that fence.

I can't wait because that neighborhood, I know he my colleagues it uh add the character of the neighborhood.

We don't have no character in that neighborhood.

So now that's gonna add it, it's gonna give it that character that it needs.

The only character we had was the ones that came out the quality.

So thank you so much, and uh we appreciate you guys moving forward with this project.

Seeing no objections, so ordered.

This will go to the full city council on August 25th.

We do have some paperwork for you to fill out, so if you'll go over and talk with Dana, we'll get that all taken care of.

Thank you so much.

Thank you all.

Thank you.

Let's move on to uh case number four.

Would the applicant for case number four please come forward?

And clerk, can you please read case number four?

Case number four is a request for a special use permit for a scrap and salvage yard for the property located at 4103 in the Green Street, case number SUP26-0011.

The plan commission recommends approval, subject to 44 conditions and three waivers.

Thank you.

Could you state your name and address for the record?

Yeah, my name is Clark Vandenbosch.

I'm at 3169 Elmview Drive, Toledo, Ohio.

Okay.

Would you swear men?

Would you raise your right hand, please?

Do you swear to tell the truth and nothing but the truth?

If so, say I do.

I do.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Um I had uh talked with uh some folks and they said that you were interested in deferring this.

Is that what I understand?

Yes.

Okay.

Do you want to tell us a little bit about um the the project or uh were you just coming to say you wanted to defer it?

I was mostly coming just to do that.

Okay.

Okay, thank you.

Yeah, thank you.

Miss Ms.

Cattrell, do you have anything to add?

Um I do not, other than there was a neighborhood meeting held.

There was one person in attendance.

We've had about four or five calls on it, but no significant opposition.

Okay, thank you.

Um I, as the person who represents that area, I will make a motion to defer this until the August 19th, 2026 zoning and planning committee.

Seeing no objections, so ordered.

So we'll see you in a month.

Sounds good.

Thank you so much.

Thank you.

All right, Miss Catrell, can you go ahead with um with the the rest of the agenda?

So case number five is the text amendment amending the sign code.

It's not a comprehensive amendment.

We we definitely still want to work to control the aesthetics of signs and and keep a good balance, but this this is really a reaction to some economic development issues with small local businesses, and I will let Alex take it from here.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Yes, so now that we've had the new sign code for over two years now, we've we've seen some things that weren't quite right, and this is one of them.

Um our non-conforming signage section is a little uh overburdensome.

Um so we're gonna pull some of those back.

Uh so this will do three big changes.

The first one is it will allow um EMC's electronic message signs to convert to a regular sign if they do not want to maintain it anymore.

We had a request from one of the billboard companies, one of the big ones that changes all the time to convert it to a regular billboard.

We think that's an improvement.

So we think that should be allowed.

So that's the first change.

Uh the second one would be uh the big one.

Currently, any time someone comes through a site plan review or a special use permit, could be a tiny expansion to your gas station or just occupying an existing building for a special use.

Um all signs have to come into compliance, which has caused many issues that you all have heard as well.

So uh this change would change it to um all signs have to come into compliance if the principal building on a site is demolished, um uh removed or expanded by more than 50 percent.

And it's just tied to big improvements to a site rather than going through a review through us because a lot of things change uh trigger that.

Last thing is um currently, if you abandon a sign for six months, you've got to either take it down uh if it's non-conforming or put a white face on it.

We're gonna change that to one year, which is consistent with all the other non-conforming sections in the code, and that's it.

Thanks, Alex.

Uh President Williams.

Just a question, and I sign I was requested is it on Monroe in Detroit?

I do not know.

I just heard we find out.

I can't I can look it up.

Yeah, you know what I want it.

That's over rallies.

I I know the one that does it every day.

Thank you.

Yeah.

All right.

Um council Council Member Gaddis.

Thank you.

Thank you for this.

Um the change in the timeline.

I know you said it's uh from six months to a year that it's to meet all of code, but how do we measure?

Like, how do you know when it starts to where it you know the one year?

So that that can be difficult.

That's why we have our zoning compliance specialists.

Um we can look at uh Google Street View is a great asset because it says the month and the year, and we can see when a sign might have been there.

Um it's also like the pulk directories.

You can see if they're still listed on the pulk directory as being there, we can consider them open.

Um aerial pictures can help sometimes too.

There's a lot of different ways we would do a research to see if it's open, if it's not, and if we can find a date that it's definitely not open and it's been one year since that date, we can for sure say that they have to take their signage down or whatever they have to do.

Okay, all right, thank you.

Thank you, Chair.

Thank you.

Councilman Sarantu.

Thank you.

Um do we have we we have a uh number of limitations on billboards in terms of new billboards?

So uh what do you recall what that number is that we allow in the city of Toledo?

Can you repeat the question?

How many billboards do we allow in the city of Toledo?

Currently in the sign code billboards are not permitted.

So if it's there currently, it can remain as a grandfather, but no new ones can be built.

Because you know, when I drive around town, you I'm not drinking alcohol, but it just seems to me that we have more billboards.

That's just a joke.

It seems like we have a lot more billboards lately in different locations where I didn't see them before.

And has the has the commission uh been uh looking at that and uh counting the number of billboards because it just seems like we have more.

We have not been counting them as far as I'm aware.

Um, but I mean, no new ones can be built.

So just seems like we have a lot more in places that we never had them before.

And I don't believe that if you take one sign down, can you replace that in another location?

No, that's why I didn't think we could.

Okay.

Well, uh perhaps we should talk to inspection or somebody in the city because we really should be monitoring that.

It just seems like there's a lot more out there now.

Right.

Yeah, and they would require a building permit for a sign that size and a sign permit through our lines.

All right, we'll check with the authorities then.

Thank you.

Thank you.

I can tell you that on Alexis Road by the form of Delaney's, uh, there is uh a double decker billboard that went up, and and I had asked Director Cottrell uh about it, and apparently they had gone in.

It's a it's a double decker.

I've never seen a double decker before, but you've got one billboard on top of another billboard.

Um so there were a few billboards that snuck in right before the sign code came in, and that's on Alexis.

Um there was one in the 200 block and one in and maybe the 700 block.

I'm sorry, I can't remember the exact, but there were two on Alexis that did sneak in before the sign code.

Um we are the ones who take in the sign permits and approve them.

We could I think I can go ahead and pull that data for all the sign permits that have been approved since the sign code uh has um fallen under our responsibilities.

Uh we have not approved anything new, but I can get you the list of what has been approved.

That would be very helpful.

Sure.

Thank you.

And when uh so I had asked Director Cotrell about that, but then also we had a really big windstorm, and so then it was uh the the signage had uh bust through, like you know, like somebody threw something at it, and so it's just kind of waving in the in the air, and luckily they did replace it very quickly.

Um so good, bad, or indifferent, at least they did that.

So uh, but yeah, I was very concerned about that because number one, I had never seen those those two of them like that before.

So thankfully we've got a a great team of of zoning compliance specialists, so just text me or email me if you have one of concern and I can get that right to them.

So thank you.

All right.

Uh anything else uh with the text amendment or um the the rest of the I think you know one of the major concerns, one of the reasons I push for this amendment, and Alex, I think you'll agree, is that the current sign code does hurt small businesses.

You know, one of the basic tenants, one of the five themes of the Ford Toledo plan was helping small business.

We have a lot of daycares trying to open that they they go into an existing vacant commercial space and then they have thirty thousand dollars immediately added because they can't bring that sign into compliance.

Where we have a restaurant just trying to put a patio in, and they can't do it because they can't afford the the sign.

That's what this is about.

It's just trying to help the small businesses and not put such an onerous amount to their redevelopment that it just makes it impossible to redevelop.

So all right, anything else?

Uh wanna talk about the outstanding studies or the moratorium exploration.

So we're working, you know, the more to the only mortar we have is the historic district.

We have select as a consultant.

I have talked to the consultant about the priority sites we do need to to meet with council when we get us on that, but we are I've directed the consultant to start with what I know are the top priorities, and you will see those coming through as resolutions first soon and then through the planning commission city council process.

Um other studies are the light industrial and Reynolds Corner studies.

We're actually making some progress, some good progress on those.

Um adult business study, we're making some progress, switching that to licensing and and following since uh City of Cincinnati's uh process, and they have eliminated all adult businesses in Cincinnati, so it's an interesting process.

Uh we're also working on murals, so we will be the intake body for murals.

We'll send those off to the arts commission, but we'll do the intake and any enforcement.

Um you'll see that text amendment coming through.

We are also starting the complete streets guide, which will be completed out of our office.

And um, of course, the big thing is the zoning code rewrite.

We are going to initiate meetings with council within the next couple of weeks.

We want to introduce it to council first before the public.

And we'll have to break you up into groups of three or four to do that, and then we'll present the consultant.

We'll present our our path, our timeline on that.

So you'll see those meeting requests soon.

Thank you.

President Williams.

Just a question about self-storage.

Um, they they have to get a special use permit, right?

That's okay.

Um do we have any that have a bite?

No.

Uh so any occupancy building permits I would see through my desk.

Uh I haven't seen any come in.

Okay, thank you.

All right.

Uh seeing no further business, this meeting is adjourned.

I think that there's a lot of all so can they like for Talk?

Yeah, because this is a simple hush and the hush is right.

Oh, the hush is right here next to the school too.

I don't know.

So you're not going to say that.

Oh, well, yeah.

So we have this.

No, no, but remember the most part of the coin.

Yeah.

Yes.

So hang the stripper's way?

No, no, no.

Oh, they need to be a home and they call the phone because they don't want to take a long time.

It wasn't as good as I'm gonna get one here and that was never actually out of you.

Oh my god.

Where is this for?

Yes, do you know what's there?

Yeah.

There was a blurry hole there.

Do you know what I mean?

Okay.

Usually there's one just one.

There may be more.

I don't know.

How do you know?

Do we need to have this button once?

Uh yeah.

Oh man charges all the same and I should have started meeting starting that we're going to be starting working on the new regulations and shutters again.

So I can't wait.

She comes back in there.

This was right past the least and I didn't know what this is.

Sorry.

Yeah, probably watch the change.

Yeah.

Is it across the street?

Is it like down here like the cause of the problem?

No, but I mean I'm sure it's been down to where they have that put on it.

Yeah, yeah.

That's what we might say, but it was wrong.

Yeah, there's one.

It's terrible.

It's terrible over here.

I don't see that.

I don't like it.

Well, it's terrible.

Is that on the road day because right that's right now?

Like the story's covered by tree.

Oh everything they have right across the airport.

I'm just getting at the end of the day.

But they say we got a lot of my questions.

Yeah.

That's why it was population.

So it's still connected.

I want to get every day of this.

I don't think the right time.

Oh my god.

Like I mean no try it, bring it over here.

All right.