Beavercreek — The City Council narrowly approved, 4–3, a planned‑unit‑development (PUD) site plan for a proposed 7 Brew drive‑through after voting to amend the wording of Condition 18 that the applicant said raised legal and procedural concerns.
The council first voted to reconsider its Feb. 9 approval and, following debate about procedure under Robert’s Rules and whether the law director’s advice had been clear, moved to address a disputed clause. Vice Mayor Upton introduced the amendment “by effectively striking out the last half of the sentence,” which referenced “suspension, revocation of the certificate of use or compliance.” The amendment passed on a 4–3 roll call, and the council then approved the PUD as amended by the same margin.
The city’s law director, Mr. McHugh, advised council that the challenged clause as written could create the perception the city could unilaterally revoke a certificate of use. "You can't do it by yourself," he said, warning that immediate revocation without process could invite temporary restraining orders and damage claims. McHugh and planning staff emphasized that the city’s enforcement tools — warnings, fines, civil actions and, as an ultimate measure, revocation pursued through the courts — remain available whether or not the sentence fragment is retained.
Proponents of the amendment said the change would give the applicant peace of mind and avoid misunderstanding about the city’s authority. Opponents argued the clause did not change the city’s legal powers and warned that unique conditions applied to a single applicant could complicate uniform enforcement.
After amendment and approval, council directed staff to record the amended conditions in the meeting minutes and proceed with administrative approval of PUD 25‑3. The vote tally on both the amendment and the final motion was Yes: Upton, Curran, Bills, Mayor Adams; No: Bales, Little, Dewar.
The council’s action changes the PUD language but, according to staff, does not alter the city’s enforcement process. Resident comments later in the meeting raised a procedural question about whether the amended document should return to the public for comment; the mayor and legal counsel acknowledged the concern and noted the record will reflect the change and any subsequent process steps.