Mayfield officials back Issue 13 on May 3 ballot — say it will allow village to keep,

MAYFIELD, Ohio — Village voters will have before them on the ballot May 3 Issue 13, which, if passed would alter current setbacks and building heights along Mayfield’s main business corridor, Beta Drive, and allow for businesses to have more space to grow.

Economic Development Manager John Marquart believes passage is important in that it will keep from moving businesses that do not have the room to grow on Beta Drive, and, by affording more space, help attract businesses looking to move from their existing locations.

The village will soon send out postcards to residents urging passage of Issue 13. On that postcard, above an aerial photo of the area under discussion, is a headline that reads, “There is not enough commercial real estate on Beta Drive to support our growing companies or attract new businesses to Mayfield Village.”

“Over the past few years it’s become apparent that, number one, attracting new employers of scale to Beta Drive is almost impossible,” Marquart said. “We just don’t have the space to do so. In fact, it’s gotten to the point that existing companies that are growing have a difficult time even accommodating themselves on existing footprints.

“What this will do is relax setbacks, within reason, to allow them to expand in place, rather than look elsewhere. Often times we have companies that will look to Solon, Streetsboro or Lake County for a new home and we want to avoid that if we can and cultivate the tax base right here at home. It doesn’t compel the (Beta Drive) property owner to do anything, but it does give them flexibility to grow in place.”

The district along Beta Drive is a zoning mix that allows some buildings to stand 35 feet tall, and others only one story. Marquart said that the proposed district overlay would allow for a consistent four-story, or 50-foot height for all buildings, which is about the height of the Hilton Garden Inn at 700 Beta Drive. Allowing buildings to be built higher means they can grow without using more of their limited land space.

Marquart acknowledges that some Beta properties are too small to properly accommodate a four-story building, but he said the village is looking ahead in that a time might come when a business might want to assemble properties and consolidate them to create a larger area that would accommodate a four-story building.

Depending on a property’s use, there are different permitted setbacks on Beta Drive, some requiring buildings be built as far as 150 feet from the street.

“I’ve heard from some owners who said, ‘John, we love being here, but we can’t use all of our property and it’s a getting a little frustrating. It doesn’t allow us to use our property efficiently, it doesn’t allow us to maximize our property.’ So we’re looking to shrink that setback. But, the buildings won’t be right on the sidewalks.

“We’re proposing to shrink the front yards to anywhere between 40-80 feet (from the street).,” he said. Businesses such as manufacturers or truckers would be setback 80 feet, while those such as retailers who produce less noise, could move as close to 40 feet from the street. Current setbacks, depending on use, are from 60 to 150 feet.

When asked for her thoughts about Issue 13′s passage, Mayor Brenda Bodnar, in an email response to cleveland.com, stated, “Now, more than ever, it is important for us to recognize the benefits of being supportive of the business base which supports us. Mayfield Village has a small footprint of 4.2 square miles, of which 655 acres is part of the Cleveland Metroparks North Chagrin Reservation.

“Other than Progressive campuses, our business district is primarily located on Beta Drive. We are fortunate that our businesses are thriving, but they need space to grow in order to remain in Mayfield Village. The Beta Overlay Zoning District is a positive and creative means to help our businesses along Beta Drive, a commercially zoned area, by allowing them flexibility and room for expansion, and protecting and even increasing the positive income stream we receive from them. It is a win for Mayfield Village.”

Marquart said that Beta Drive is home to about 90 businesses, with just a few vacancies sprinkled in, often in multi-tenant buildings. He said that there is a business he cannot now identify, that is interested in possibly moving to Beta Drive if it can get the space it needs.

The overlay district’s proposed increases, Marquart said, will not affect residents who live along the back of Beta Drive businesses. Only the small cul-de-sac street S.O.M. Court abuts Beta Drive. Some back yards of homes in the under-construction, 52-home Montebello luxury home community will also abut Beta Drive back yards, but an agreement has already been reached with the builder and its Beta Drive business neighbor Mars Electric.

Marquart said the proposed changes would not worsen conditions for any residents.

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