Council approves Nine Ships waterfront conditional use with environmental and bluff protections

Erie City Council on Wednesday approved a waterfront conditional-use application for the Nine Ships Company to build a 75,000-square-foot light-manufacturing facility and associated office space at 1318 East Lake Road, subject to a list of conditions designed to limit environmental and neighborhood impacts.

Conditions read into the record require the developer to incorporate living landscape material with regionally native plantings where reasonable, consult wildlife experts and implement bird- and wildlife-sensitive measures, install hooded exterior lighting to limit glare, maintain a security/safety fence at the developer’s cost and preserve the lakeside bluffs consistent with zoning requirements. If the project requires signage variances the applicant must pursue them through the zoning hearing board.

Council members cited the developer’s responsiveness to prior public comment and testified that community concerns had been addressed during the review process. Council President Titus commended the process and the way resident input and witness testimony had been incorporated.

Council voted 7–0 to approve the resolution with the stated conditions. Supporters said the project will bring jobs to the east side; opponents raised concerns during prior hearings that had been addressed in the listed conditions.