Ohio City parking woes

The Cleveland Board of Zoning Appeals approved a parking variance for 3007 Detroit LLC’s Three Houses Project in Ohio City. The zoning code requires 22 spaces for this type of project; none were proposed. The owner, Chad Kertesz, said he wanted the variance because the current parking requirements create an “unnecessary hardship.” 

The owner plans to convert the homes into retail and restaurants with a gazebo that connects all the structures. The lot includes three historic houses, one of which is one of the oldest homes in Cleveland, he said.

Six neighbors wrote letters to the board against the variance noting existing parking challenges in Ohio City. In response, the board asked the owner how many employees the businesses would have.

Kertesz said that the restaurants wouldn’t have servers and he’d encourage employees to ride bikes or use public transportation. Kertesz also said there could be parking available at neighboring buildings he owns.

One last thing

Since the property is in a historic district, the board added that the owner must also get approval from the Cleveland Landmarks Commission. The board’s approval is conditional on the commission’s decision.

Cleveland Police Department HQ

The board also approved a garage as part of the new Cleveland Police headquarters at 2350 Superior Ave. in Ward 7. The developers leading the project plan to convert an old industrial warehouse into a five-level parking garage.

Read the notes from Documenter Natalie Bryan:

Read the live-tweet thread from Documenter Marvetta Rutherford:

Suggested Reading

Does Cleveland’s Board of Zoning Appeals enforce compliance with conditions it sets?

When granting property owners permission to differ from the zoning code, the board sometimes sets additional conditions. Enforcement is up to the city’s Building and Housing department.

by Doug Breehl-Pitorak and Cleveland Documenters