Council adopts neighborhood-center overlay for part of Northeast Avenue after public hearing

Tallmadge — After a short public hearing and no speakers opposed, the Tallmadge City Council on July 24 adopted Ordinance 2025-59 to amend the zoning map and add a 0.5 neighborhood-center overlay district for a portion of Northeast Avenue.

The hearing included one speaker, Tom Harper of 210 Crimson Trail, who said he and his wife own two small businesses that operate out of a house on Northeast Avenue and asked the council to pass the zoning change so the property could be commercially used in alignment with the city's vision for the area. "I guess the only thing I'm asking is that you would look and pass this zoning change so that we can move forward and ... line up with what Tallmadge has for the vision for the future of this area," Harper said.

Councilwoman Tracy Fletcher, chairing the planning and zoning committee, opened and closed the hearing and called for the motion to adopt. The ordinance passed by roll call vote, 7 to 0.

Why it matters: The overlay rezones a targeted area to permit neighborhood-center commercial uses, allowing property owners who converted older homes into businesses to seek formal alignment between land use and current operations. The owner who spoke said the building had been rehabilitated after years of vacancy and he plans to lease the space for a live-above-work-below configuration.

What comes next: With adoption of the ordinance, properties in the designated overlay may proceed under the new zoning rules; staff and interested property owners can pursue permits consistent with the amended map.