Cleveland city council could override planning commission to allow gas station on Madison
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The former CVS at 10022 Madison Ave. Photo: Sam Allard/Axios
A controversial gas station proposal on Cleveland's west side appeared to be dead in the water last week after the city planning commission unanimously rejected it. But City Council could override the decision with a two-thirds majority vote.
State of play: Councilman Danny Kelly, who represents Ward 11, confirmed to Axios that barring intervention from Mayor Justin Bibb or Council President Blaine Griffin, the measure is likely headed to council this fall.
- "And I've got the votes," he said.
Why it matters: If successful, the legislation would not only defy the planning commission and the vocal residents who oppose the gas station, but also set a precedent where individual projects supersede the city's master plans based on a councilperson's desires.
Catch up quick: The property at Madison Avenue and West Boulevard is a former CVS Pharmacy that has sat vacant for nearly three years.
- Entrepreneur Amin Mohammad purchased the property in January with plans to build a gas station there.
- The Board of Zoning Appeals rejected the gas station proposal in March.
- Kelly introduced legislation in July to amend the city's zoning code for the parcel.
Friction point: The stretch of Madison, in the so-called "Scorpion's Tail" of Cleveland's Ward 11, is zoned for local retail, allowing businesses like barbershops, bookstores, eateries and boutiques.
- It's also part of a "pedestrian retail overlay" (PRO) aimed at promoting walkable commercial districts.
- Kelly's ordinance would remove the PRO and expand the zoning to general retail, opening the site up to broader uses like gas stations, vape shops and adult entertainment.
The latest: Kelly appeared before to the Cleveland Planning Commission on Friday, arguing that building something on the vacant site was better than nothing.
What they're saying: He told Axios that he believed most of the resident opposition was coming from adjacent Ward 15.
- "They're good folks, but they act like gas stations are portals to hell," he said. "People in my ward are in their 60s, and they drive cars. They're not getting on their bicycles with their babushkas."
The other side: Planning Commission members, public commenters and the city's planning director argued for the safety and historical integrity of the area and against the negative precedent of "spot zoning."
- Dennis Kucinich was one of the commenters speaking in opposition to the project.
Analysis: If history is a guide, Kelly's legislation stands a good chance of passing.
- As a rule, council members rarely intervene to jeopardize projects in their colleagues' wards, lest the same thing happen to them.