Despite assurances that the National Association of Letter Carriers‘ union hall would be a good neighbor, several residents from the area voiced objections Feb. 1 at a public hearing at Lorain City Hall.
The matter was brought to the Lorain Planning Commission to square up a zoning fluke created in 2021, which splits the building at 2500 W. Erie Ave. in half with the front portion zoned for business use and the backside and lakeshore property zoned high-density residential zoning.
The Morning Journal was located in the building until it moved last summer to 401 Broadway in downtown Lorain.
Jon Veard Sr., owner of United Properties LLC, currently owns the building that was the site of a McDonald’s restaurant and other eateries on the 1.55 acres overlooking Lake Erie.
Veard has been working with the National Association of Letter Carrier union and received a letter of intent to purchase the property by the union, he told officials at the Planning Commission’s meeting which followed the public hearing on the zoning issue.
The group wants to use the building as its union hall, Veard told the Planning Commission.
“They’re looking for a permanent home for their organization,” he said.
Residents from Harborview Boulevard attended the public hearing which took place prior to the Planning Commission’s meeting and stayed to listen and participate as the matter was addressed on request of Mayor Jack Bradley.
Bradley explained to the residents the process in which the meeting would take place to examine the zoning change request.
The residents urged the Planning Commission not to change the zoning from its high-density residential designation due to various concerns.
The group brought with them petitions from other residents in the neighborhood opposing the change.
Some of the residents cited complaints about loud music that often plays from a neighboring restaurant all hours of the night as well as vandalism from area residents who reside in a neighboring apartment complex.
However, Veard disagreed.
“Certainly, they’re not going to be the kind of neighbor who’s going to play loud music until 3 o’clock in the morning,” he said. “I think they’re going to be a good neighbor.”
“I think it’s a win, win situation.”
The union has no plans to change the property, nor the building, Veard said.
He also said he wasn’t notified of the zoning change which occurred in 2021, and that had he had known about it, he wouldn’t have agreed to it.
Another resident during the Planning Commission meeting expressed concerns that, should the union sell the building in the future, a new owner could adversely impact the Harborview neighborhood.
“I respectfully ask you to grant this motion,” Veard told the officials.
“The 11 members of City Council are going to make the final ruling on this thing,” Bradley told the group.
After more discussion, the Planning Commission agreed to hold the vote until more research could be conducted on requiring conditions to use of the property, such as a time limit on loud noise in the event the union members host a party.
The Planning Commission will revisit the matter at its March meeting.
“We’re going to try to brainstorm with our attorney, the zoning administrator and see if we can come up with something that makes everybody happy,” Bradley said. “And, not everybody’s going to be happy, but everybody’s at least going to be able to have their voice heard and their voice considered.”
