Cleveland Board of Zoning Appeals members present:

• Alanna Faith, chair
• Nina Holzer
• Priscila Rocha
• Arleesha Wilson
• Also present: Liz Kukla, board secretary 

This meeting was called to order and the preamble was read by Liz Kukla.  Roll call showed that board member Robert Madison was absent. While the board had a quorum, with only four members, there was a risk of a tied vote. Because of that risk, Kukla advised appellants that they could postpone their cases. Two did postpone: Calendar No. 25-083 (3848 W. 130th St.) and Calendar No. 25-100 (3318 Mapledale Ave.). 

Calendar No. 25-097: 4680 Lee Road, Ward 1 

The owners, Vereese and Evylyn Lewis, want to change the use of the building from a salon to a dine-in breakfast restaurant. The appellants were sworn and Kukla read the history of property into the record. Since 1929, this has been a retail property. It was once a deli.  

The following people were sworn in for this case:

• Vereese Lewis and Evylyn Lewis (owners)
• Kent Whitley
• Carol Patton
• Carmilla Driscal

Owner Vereese Lewis and his representative, Kent Whitley, presented on the project. The proposed business hours are 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. seven days a week. Lewis purchased the building a few years ago. He and his wife also own several other businesses. There will be landscaping in the front of the building.  They propose to hire cooks and servers for the restaurant. The parking area has room for at least 15 cars. 

Carol Patton, who lives in the rear of the structure, opposes the business. She spoke of previous problems with the property, including a dying tree that damaged  her car.  Her concerns are privacy, rodents, garbage area, and changing the “dynamics of the community.” She cited the Family Dollar on Miles Road that was robbed several times.  

Carmilla Driscal also testified about closeness to their property and suggested this type of zoning not be permitted.

Vereese Lewis stated that he has no problem trimming the tree. He has invested at least $75,000 in the structure. He has also purchased a lot next to the restaurant. Evylyn Lewis said the new fence will be a privacy fence.  

Ward 1 Cleveland City Council Member Joe Jones spoke in support of the business and the lack of existing businesses in his ward. The past 15 years have been a struggle to attract new businesses and homeowners to the area, he said. Jones said that he did not want to have to travel to Pinecrest in order to eat breakfast unless he got McDonald’s. He also said that he heard from Patton about a week ago concerning this matter.

The board approved the variances, pending submission of a new site plan. 

Calendar No. 25-104, 3226 Clark Ave.,  Ward 14 

Property owner King Jeris Plaza LLC wants to establish  the location as a retail smoke shop in the plaza. Recent legislation requires 2 miles between smoke shops. The owner has been there since 2022. The owner has not had occupancy permits in place. Owner Amer Mazem and plaza owner Nizar Mimeh (both from Strongsville) were sworn in, and Kukle read the property history.  Mazem said they had obtained vendors’ licenses, sales tax licenses and signage prior. They collect $2,000 in taxes per month and employ three people. Their Google reviews have over 70 positive comments. They provide a safe, clean, reputable environment for their customers, Mazem said. Then Nimeh, who has owned the plaza for 19 years, spoke to his challenges with this and other properties. He said has spent over $200,000 in renovations. 

Shannan Leonard, chief zoning administrator for the Cleveland City Planning Commission,  shared slides concerning smoke shops and the new ordinance limiting them.  The term “public health crisis” was used repeatedly in reference to smoke shops. Leonard said there are more than 100 applications for smoke shop permits, and most of them will be allowed to open. The closest shop to this one is on West 25th Street, which is within the 2-mile buffer zone.  

The board approved the variances.

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Calendar No. 25-106, 1037 Starkweather Ave.

The owner wants to open a pilates and wellness bar at this location. Jacob Szaraz, and Donna Grigonis from Tremont West Development Corp. were sworn in. The property history was read. Legal standards were read pertaining to use and parking. Szaraz is not the property owner but was representing the owner at the meeting.  He said a pilates studio and juice bar are planned for the first floor, and the second floor would be lockers and other areas for classes. Business  will be 6:30 a.m. until 8 p.m. weekdays and 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. on the weekend. Szaraz said they anticipate 10 employees to fully staff the business, and that they have already been in front of the Cleveland Landmarks Commission.

Gregonis clarified that while the location had been a bar in the past, no liquor license was being sought now. There is more than enough parking. No formal review has been done to present it to the community. A letter of disapproval from a neighbor of the property was read into the record. 

The board approved the variances conditionally provided they receive new site plans with accurate parking conditions. 

Calendar No. 25-107, 3311 W. 73rd St. and 7275 Neville Ave., Ward 14  

The Cleveland Land Reutilization Program, Cleveland West Veterans Housing LP and CHN Housing Partners want to construct an apartment building for veterans with 62 one-bedroom units.  After reading in the case, Nina Holzer recused herself as she is the director of Financial Mobility with CHN Housing Partners.  Brian Grambort of the project architect, Hiti, DiFrancesco and Siebold, Inc. presented. Board member Alanna Faith asked Grambort if considerations were made for paratransit considering the apartments population of aging veterans. Grambot said there would be paratransit access provided in the parking lot. 

The variances were approved. 

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Calendar No. 25-108, 9600 Lorain Ave., Ward 11

The owner wants to erect a different six-foot fence due to criminal activities around the building. Bria Fluker was sworn in. She runs Bailey’s Dream Child Care at the address and spoke on behalf of the owner. Cleveland City Planner Karl Brunjes was also sworn in.  According to Kukla’s reading of the location’s history, it has been zoned as a day care since 2013.

Fluker said the fence was to protect the day care from activity on the street, including the recovery and reentry homes in the area. She detailed the criminal activity around the building, including prostitution, drunkenness and one instance of someone masturbating outside the day care. 

Brunjes told the board City Planning approves of a four-foot fence for this history district, not a six-foot fence.  

The variance to erect the fence was approved.

Calendar No. 25-111, 13316 Southview Ave., Ward 2

Dione Christian Bey wants to build a three-family home on a vacant lot, which is not permitted. Bey said his architect suggested that a three-family would be more cost-effective than a two-family home. 

The variance was approved. The meeting was adjourned.

These notes are by Documenter Marvetta Rutherford

If you believe anything in these notes is inaccurate, please email us at documenters@signalcleveland.org  with “Correction Request” in the subject line.