Strongsville officials have introduced legislation to stop allowing sports and recreation facilities in the city's industrial districts -- days after two Strongsville men submitted plans to build one on Progress Drive.
The measure, if approved, could thwart a plan to build the 22,000-square-foot Strongsville Performance Sports Center on a 2-acre site behind Olympia Candy.
Walt Rapacz and Jeff Zbydniewski said they want to give Strongsville kids another place to practice basketball, volleyball, batting, soccer and badminton.
They want to start building the $1 million facility this year.
Their attorney, Bruce Rinker, asked City Council this week to "start a discussion" about how to "mesh the city's policy and this project."
Rinker said that if council no longer allows recreational facilities in industrial zones, "you're really taking this type of (athletic) use off the books altogether."
Council gave the legislation the first of three readings Monday and referred it to the Planning Commission for review.
Rapacz and Zbydniewski purchased the land at auction last fall. It was listed as being zoned General Industrial, a district that allows recreational facilities as a conditional use.
The partners discovered when they went to the Planning Commission earlier this month that the parcel had been rezoned a few years ago to Commercial Services.
Rapacz said last week he would seek to have it rezoned back to General Industrial, because no other Strongsville zoning districts allow facilities like the one he is proposing.
But if council no longer allows a sports complex in that district, the project can't move forward.
The developers hired Rinker to represent them. He pointed out Monday that the land around the site is already zoned general business and residential.
"It isn't so much a one-size-fits-all proposition," Rinker said.
Council President Mike Dayment said earlier this month that officials have been thinking for some time about changing the zoning code so that recreation facilities aren't allowed in industrial areas, both because of safety issues and because the land can generate much more tax revenue if it is occupied by an industrial use.
AJK
8:56 am on Thursday, March 21, 2013
Another waste, just what Strongsville needs. Use more land for sports.
Jason
10:53 am on Thursday, March 21, 2013
Right AJK....hell with the kids...screw em right!?!?
Your an idiot. Its better than a lot of the crap around. The complex will still pay taxes...as well as its employees! Because we know thats all the city cares about $$$$$$$$$%
AJK
8:58 am on Friday, March 22, 2013
Jason, Better than a lot of crap around. Open your eyes you fool.
Baseball Fields: 17
Soccer Fields: 19
Football Fields: 4 plus 4 practice fields
Hockey Rink
Rec Center
Metroparks
Thats Plenty of Land used for kids at least the ones that are not stuck in their houses playing video games. This city needs more business. Know your facts before you make dumb comments.
Money Man
9:10 am on Friday, March 22, 2013
AJK - you can't be this stupid can you? You say we need more biz here. These guys are proposing a new biz! But what, because it involves sports it doesn't bring in revenues to the city? Because it's a sports complex does the city get less in property tax now? You can't be serious here!
What is your point of listing the baseball fields? Those are city built and maintained with tax payer funds. Maybe you should talk to your city council if you think they are wasting your tax dollars on too many fields and let private sector build them for us then. How can you type your comment and actually call someone a fool at the end?
So do you protest a new restaurant as well if it were to go up in Strongsville? Do you give your list of the overwhelming number of eateries Sville already has and then say "another waste, just what strongsville needs Use more land for restaurants?"
Were you last picked on the playground or something? Was your tee ball position "Right Right Field" where you enjoyed plucking dandelions for 5 innings? Obviously you are against sports and possibly physical activity all together. Just try to actually make sense next time you post ok.
AJK
10:46 am on Friday, March 22, 2013
They shouldn't just welcome any business with open arms because they have vacant land. Why do you people think cities go to crap. You put in businesses that have a future just like all the business on Foltz. Those are major companies that have been there for a very long time and they make tons of money. This proposed facility will be out of business in a couple years. and then what? We will be trying to find a business that will want to occupy that structure which is even harder to do than occupy vacant land. Yes the sports Facility is a business Money Man but not one that will last and for sure not bring the revenue Strongsville needs. Do you people remember the indoor soccer and baseball facility on Westwood. What is it now, NOTHING! They knocked it down after the owners closed up and it is now making way for new homes. Get your head out of your butts. MONEY MAN, I think NOT! you have no brain
Money Man
11:19 am on Friday, March 22, 2013
AJK, since you are so apt at predicting the future of businesses and exactly how long they will last, would you mind helping us all out in other areas as well? What do you see the stock market doing in 2 years? Could you give us how long we have before WWIII so those of us looking to prepare can know how much time we have to do so?
Foltz is a great example of "thriving" parkway. haha. Tons of empty properties that have been up for sale/lease for years. Dozens of offices/buildings that are for sale/for lease. You have your head so far up your own @ss that you need to come up for some air. What about the businesses that have come and gone in Foltz parkway? None of them were "sports complexes" but they too did not last. How much money are those non-existent businesses bringing into strongsville AJK? I thought these were the types of businesses that "bring the revenues Strongsville needs???" You should be city council president. That way no one will ever have to even guess which businesses will be allowed into the city because you will instantly be able to diagnose whether they will succeed or fail since you seem to be claiming you have that gift. You will be the savior of Strongsville!
Bernie Madoff
11:07 am on Thursday, March 21, 2013
I love how stupid governments can be. Turning away a new business (bringing jobs and tax income to our city) in an industrial parkway where it literally looks to be at minimum 40% of the current properties are "for lease" or "for sale." Progress Dr. looks like Flint, Michigan. And you idiots are worried about changing the current zoning to allow this why? Get some businesses in here and stop making it harder for people to create jobs in this city with creation of moronic regulations or keeping them in place for the sole reason of just keeping them as is. There is zero reason why this building shouldn't be permitted in that area other than the board's lack of economic IQ.
Make sure you keep that current zoning law in place city council...great idea. Would you mind pointing us to the apparent enormous pile up of businesses wanting to start up on Progress Drive? I'd love to see the line forming of people dying to get in on that "action." Your lucky anyone wants invest back there period! I think I may put the Palestinian side of West Bank and the middle of Sahara Desert as more viable options for my new business than this industrial parkway.
Bernie Madoff
12:03 pm on Thursday, March 21, 2013
I just reread the last line by Council President Mike Dayment, who says they are holding out on changing zoning "...because the land can generate much more tax revenue if it is occupied by an industrial use."
I'd be curious, Mr. Dayment, how much "tax revenue" are you generating from the dozens of unoccupied and unleased properties right now in that parkway? For how long was that property that these gentlemen purchased unoccupied? Do you have anyone that is even remotely interested in purchasing this land for industrial use?
You know what you remind me of...a guy sitting on his hands with a college degree and rent is due, but he refuses to go work for a lower wage to pay his bills because he just knows that he's deserves more and if he keeps holding out, the potential to earn a lot more money will surely come. Do I need to remind you how that turns out for most people like this? Check out the unemployment rate for recent college grads.
Get your head out of your @sses, come back from fantasyland and realize NO ONE WANTS TO BE IN PROGRESS PARKWAY. These dudes are doing you a favor! You aren't holding the deeds to "Boardwalk" and "Park Place" here.
Good luck with the pipe dream Mr. Dayment. Stay by your phone so you are ready for the avalanche of calls coming in to get on the waiting list for Progress Pkwy.
Rich
12:28 pm on Thursday, March 21, 2013
I can't agree more ... the folks against this need to take a visit to some of the other complexes in cities such as Parma ( Ohio Nets in a business park ), North Royalton ( NR Fieldhouse also in a business park ), Valley City ( several in a Business Park), Twinsburg, Medina etc. etc. etc that are doing very well. There are not businesses lining up to get in this old dinosaur of a business park so why not make it happen. I would not welcome something that looks totally out of place BUT they should welcome anyone with open arms who wants to move in and set up shop. Someone wanting to build "new" is an even bigger win for the city. Why sometimes they make this so complicated is beyond me.
tom m
12:57 pm on Thursday, March 21, 2013
how much money is this empty lot generating right now ???
AJK
11:49 am on Friday, March 22, 2013
I'm so glad I moved out there