Historic zone approved

by Chris Studor

Dec. 6 trustees meeting

Downtown Hinckley, basically the “T” area centered at the intersection of state Route 303 and Ridge Road, has a new zoning designation.

At the Dec. 6 trustee meeting, trustees voted 2-1 to rezone the area from B-2 (light business) to B-3 (Historic Center). The change was recommended by both the Medina County Planning Commission and the Hinckley Zoning Board.

The zoning change, officially called a text amendment and map amendment, does not put any additional conditions on business owners within the new district at this time. 

Zoning Chairman Marcus Fisher said the only change in the text amendment is that hospitals or senior facilities are not permitted uses in the new B-3 district. He said other conditions could be made in the future, such as setbacks and design standards, but those would need approval of both the zoning commission and trustees.

Trustees Melissa Augustine and Jack Swedyk voted in favor of the zoning change, while trustee Monique Ascherl voted against it.

At the Dec. 6 meeting, Ascherl said she “felt the issue (to rezone) was rushed” and that she didn’t “want to see additional restrictions but on business owners.”

Trustees also voted 2-0 (Augustine recused herself) to not rezone the area surrounding Buzzard Cove complex and surrounding residences, from B-1 to R-1. The area contains the mini golf course, driving range, restaurant and homes.  Both the Medina County Planning Commission and Hinckley Zoning Board voted against the rezoning.

Fischer commented that the Medina County Planning Commission voted against rezoning from B-1 to R-1 because it received only one complaint from a resident who wanted the area rezoned residential due to noise from the Buzzard Cove complex. A couple of residents asked that the rezoning remain B-1, claiming they bought the property because it could be used for a small business.

Augustine recused herself from voting because of a friendship she maintains with one of the lawyers working for the owners of Buzzard Cove.

In other action, Ascherl announced that with the passage of the renewal and new operating levies for the township fire department, the fire department would begin adding three-person staffing the week of Christmas.

“Rather than wait until the first of the year, we felt there could be a lot of need during Christmas week,” she said. ∞