ONTARIO — A broken link in city zoning codes inspired Ontario City Council members to delete mini warehouses from conditionally allowed uses in business-zoned districts.
Council members voted down a proposed zoning amendment in January that would have fixed a broken link in online design standards. Instead, they unanimously voted Wednesday to delete storage units from allowed uses in business districts entirely.
Going forward, storage unit warehouses will only be allowed in industrial zones. Warehouses that currently sit in business districts are not affected, as council previously approved those variance requests.
“We had the chance to correct, I think, a mistake that we made,” Councilman Josh Bradley said.
Council members previously approved a conditional use for Menards Self-Storage units in May 2022.
Some Walker Lake Road residents, including Marc and Robin Vanerio and Ashland and Irene Butcher attended council meetings asking for help with disruptions such as stormwater runoff, dust and debris.
The city issued a stop-work order in summer 2023 to fix the concerns. The self-storage units were completed in 2024.
The facility, located at 1943 Walker Lake Road, has more than 450 individual storage units, including parking storage for vehicles.
Part of the center of Ontario, between Beer and Stumbo roads, are general industrial and industrial park zones. Areas near Nussbaum Parkway, Tappan Drive, and the western entrance to the city on Park Avenue also allow industrial uses.
Economic development committee chair Bradley said in a previous meeting that the “Old Ontario” area where council members are considering building a downtown park, is in a business district.
“I understand this is conditionally, and we could say no, but I feel like it was a mistake when we allowed it before and I’d rather rescind that use at all, and keep mini warehouses to industrial zones,” he said.
“When you look at industrial and business-zoned districts in the city, that’s 42.5% of our total acreage that mini warehouses could go on. I don’t think that serves our community.”
Marshall Park softball, soccer fields open
Parks committee chair Troy Sapp announced that Marshall Park softball and upper soccer fields are open for the season. Lower fields should open in late March.
Sapp also said Ontario Youth Sports is planning an adult pickleball league in Stowell Park open to all Richland County residents. Stay tuned to OYS’ Facebook page for more information.
Sapp also shared an update on Brightspeed fiber installations, as crews have been boring fiber optic lines throughout the city. He said the city received complaints that installation was causing water leaks.
“We got some complaints about big concrete blocks disrupting water,” Sapp said. “The mayor and I, with the water department, went to check it out and Brightspeed told us they’ll be back in probably six weeks when they’re done running fiber through the neighborhoods to run gravel underneath and set those back up.”
Mayor Kris Knapp said he is looking into a potential ordinance only allowing a certain area or number of feet at a time to be in a construction zone that requires digging.
“Municipalities can slow down the 811, meaning that they can’t just come in a full area if we develop some form of ordinance,” he said. “That way, they can’t just put in an 811 slip for the whole city all at once.
“I’ll see if that’s something council might be interested in in the future. I’ve been told we’re going to get more fiber, and that’s all throughout the state of Ohio.”
Also in Wednesday’s meeting:
- The economic development committee approved a $48,750 quote from Reveille on a comprehensive zoning code review and update. The city received three quotes for the project involving evaluation, aligning various sections of the code and creating a steering committee for public participation. Funds will come from the city’s economic development fund.
- Council approved a motion to clear trees and stumps from the area just north of the police department as a potential location for a new shooting range for officers. The police department currently uses a private property on Snodgrass Road for shooting practice.
- Mayor Kris Knapp said Ontario veteran banner submissions are still open, as the city has available space for about 20 more banners. Veterans who were featured on banners last year aren’t automatically featured again unless they fill out a submission form. Contact Knapp at kknapp@ontarioohio.org with questions.
- Service-safety director Adam Gongwer said the city streets department will offer pickup for limbs and sticks between March 24 and April 11. Crews will pass each street once, so residents are asked to have sticks and limbs at the curb by March 23.
- Gongwer said Spring Village Lane sanitary sewer work is nearly complete. Crews have progressed to Walker Lake Road and Spring VIllage Drive on pipe replacements and expect to be done with work by March 31. The city also plans to pave Spring Village Lane when the work is done.
- Council President Eddie Gallo announced an April 26 fundraising event for the Ontario 4th of July Festival and Miss Ontario festivities. The event will be an ’80s-themed Monte Carlo night. Those interested can purchase tickets for the event, hosted at The Hub at Village Square in Crestline, from members of the 4th of July Festival Committee.
