Brunswick City Council on Monday postponed plans to approve hotels and five-story buildings in Brunswick Town Center.
An ordinance to amend the zoning code and add hotels was up for a final reading Monday night, but Vice Mayor Vince Carl, who represents the city’s Second Ward, said members didn’t have enough time to consider recommendations from the city’s Planning Commission.
“Many were just hearing about the details tonight,” Carl said.
On Thursday, Planning Commission recommended the city hold off on approving hotels in Town Center, which is zoned as a special planning district, until they drafted clearing guidelines of what type of hotel should be located there.
Before the vote, Council members heard from Brunswick Lake residents Maryanne Chandler and Donna Dudas, who asked them to hold off on approving hotels. The two also were among 20 residents who spoke against the ordinance at Planning Commission on Monday.
Chandler, a Medina attorney, argued that while she did not want a hotel at the site, she hoped Council would at least agree to regulate the standards of a hotel in the district.
Chandler said that the city had asked the developer for a hotel with conference rooms, a pool and other amenities.
“I just want it in writing, particularly in our zoning code, don’t you?” she asked Council.
Dudas also spoke in favor of creating stronger guidelines to help planning and zoning boards when they consider a proposal for a hotel.
“We need strict regulations and guidelines. There can’t be any ambiguity,” she said.
In other action Monday, Council moved forward with plans to create a tax increment financing district, or TIF, along Skyview Drive near Pearl Road.
The district will include a parcel that is being developed into apartments called “Villas of Fox Follow.” The developer suggested the city form a TIF to create roadway improvements on Skyview Drive.
The TIF would allow the city to enter an agreement with the developer to collect property taxes generated by the value of the new structures and set them aside to complete road repairs. The school district and other municipalities would continue to collect taxes on the land value the property is currently valued at.
Council members voted 5-1 to approve the district, with Pat Hanek, at large, voting against the measure and Carl abstaining from the vote because he works for the law firm that prepared the legislation.
“This is simply to create a TIF district. This doesn’t change any property tax allocations,” said Councilman Dave Coleman, Ward 3.
Law Director Ken Fisher confirmed that it would take another ordinance for the city to enter into an agreement with the developer and change tax laws, but just the creation of the district has brought opposition from Brunswick school officials.
Two weeks ago, Patrick East, Brunswick schools chief fiscal officer, addressed Council and asked them not to form the district. He said it was unfair for the city to waive property taxes for a project that would add students to the district.
In voting against the measure, Hanek said she worried the city had not done enough research on creating the TIF to approve it.
“The county auditor has advised against it because we have not done our due diligence,” she said.
Contact reporter Loren Genson at (330) 721-4063 or lgenson@medina-gazette.com.
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