Monthly Meeting Updates: November 2010

This month the Board Of Zoning Appeals, City Planning Commission, and the Design Review Committee have met to discuss new business that has been brought before them:

Board Of Zoning Appeals
(Tuesday, November 16, 2010 @ 1:30pm)

CASE NO. 10-10: Mt. Gilead Baptist Church applied for the following variances; 1) To increase the allowable building ratio from 10% to 15.5%; 2) To increase the front yard setback from 60' to 30', the side yard setback from 30' to 15', and the rear yard setback from 30' to 15'; 3) To reduce the required parking spaces from 50 to 44.  The property in question is located at 2821 Hillman Ave. in an R-72, Single- Family Residential Zoning District.  Approval Granted
Attended- Chuck Sasho, Angelo Pignatelli, Irving Lev, Heather McMahon
Did not attend- Iris Guglucello, Jason Roller

Planning Commission
(Tuesday, November 16, 2010 @1:45pm)

REF NO. 09-10: The City of Youngstown submitted a request to change the zoning classification form, INS, Institutional to B-2, General Business.  The property in question is bounded by W. Princeton Ave., Utilis St., W. Indianola Ave., and Glenwood Ave., City lot number 24495.  Approval Recommended
Attended- Chuck Sasho, Angelo Pignatelli, Irving Lev, Heather McMahon
Did not attend- Iris Guglucello, Jason Roller

Design Review Committee
(Tuesday, November 2, 2010 @9:00am)

Case No. DRC 10-23: Atlas Neon Sign Corporation submitted a proposal for installation of lighted channel letter style wall signage on three sides of the building including logos and lettering reading 'First National Bank'.  The property in question is located at One Federal Plaza W... Measure Approved
Attended- John DeFrance, Chuck Shasho, Ray DeCarlo, Karen Perkins
Did not attend- Summer Barker, Jason Rupe, Phil Kidd, Justin Rogers

Paper copies of the official meeting agendas can be requested from the City Planning Department, located at 9 W. Front St., 3rd Floor, Suite 315.

Youngstown Rental Property Registration Update

The Rental Property Registration program (RPR) is in full swing!  Inspectors are visiting between 50 and 70 properties a week.  During their inspection activities they are also identifying rental properties that have not yet registered.  Youngstown residents have been very eager to assist our office in identifying rental properties in their neighborhood.  We also get calls daily from tenants who want to confirm that their apartment is registered. 

        

The City of Youngstown gave landlords all summer long to register their properties.  On September 30, 2010, a press conference was held to notify the public that fines of $100.00 per week would be imposed against any landlord that did not comply with the ordinance by registering all of their rental properties by October 7, 2010.

Landlords can download the registration forms from the City's website. There they will also find the Rental Property Registration checklist.  Landlords are encouraged to go through rental properties with the checklist in hand to ensure that the properties are up to code before the inspectors arrive.  If a violation is found during the first or second inspection, there is a $40.00 fee for re-inspection.  If a property does not pass inspection during the third inspection, there is a $100.00 re-inspection fee.

 

The RPR office sets appointments with the property owner or the property manager by phone.  An appointment time is scheduled, and if requested, the inspector will call the property owner or manager when they are on their way to the inspection site. If the RPR Office confirms an appointment and then the inspectors are not provided access to the property during the scheduled time, the property owner will be charged a $25.00 “no-show fee”.  Cancellations can be made until 8:00 a.m. the morning of the scheduled time by calling (330) 742-8833 anytime. If the office is closed, a message may be left. 

The City of Youngstown encourages anyone who may suspect that a property is a rental unit to e-mail the address to rpr@cityofyoungstownoh.com. They may also mail it to the office at City Hall, 9 West Front Street, Suite 315, Youngstown, OH, 44503.   

Idora Neighborhood Streets Get a New Look

On Tuesday, November 9th 2010, the first of the new Idora Neighborhood street signs will be hung on the corner of Winona and Glenwood.  The public unveiling will take place at 3 p.m. The new custom designed signage depicts the neighborhood name in a raised center arch above the street name. Installation of the new neighborhood-specific signs represents the continued partnership between the City of Youngstown CDA and Idora Neighborhood Association in that area's ongoing revitalization. New signage for Idora is part of a specific strategy to increase neighborhood pride as outlined in the Idora Neighborhood Comprehensive Plan. By taking some extra time to compare pricing, the CDA was able to purchase the new signs at a reduced cost for Youngstown taxpayers. At $48.50 each, the total price for the custom-cut metal blanks and decals is a substantial savings compared to what the city has traditionally paid for its ordinary street signs. The CDA plans to work with Idora residents in installing the signs. Once these new street signs are in place, the CDA would like to target other City neighborhoods for custom signage, such as Brownlee Woods and Lincoln Knolls on the south and east sides of town, respectively. 

Youngstown 2010, A Model Plan For Shrinking Cities All Over The World?

The Youngstown 2010 Plan is a nationally and now internationally recognized plan that emphasizes the new concept of a shrinking city.  City of Youngstown Community Development Agency director William D'Avignon met with the Kanagawa Municipality Promotion Association Staff, which is made up of various Japanese city employees from various cities on Monday October 25th to discuss the Youngstown 2010 Plan.

Japan was once an industrial power house like the United States.  Now with much of the industrial jobs leaving Japan, as they did in the United States, they are beginning to face the same problems as United States cities such as Youngstown. Youngstown's population peaked around 1930 at about 170,000, and started to decline drastically in the 1970's with the closure of the steel mills.  Youngstown now has a population somewhere around 72,000 people.  One of the major problems with Youngstown is that it still has the infrastructure and services to provide for a city with twice the population.  Providing services to unpopulated areas of the city is costly, and the vacant infrastructure causes negative side effects such as criminal activity.

Having researched Youngstown the Kanagawa Municipality Promotion Association Staff wished to come visit Youngstown and ask Mr. D'Avignon questions regarding Youngstown's infamous shrinking city plan.  Questions inquiring about Youngstown's response to its drastic population decline, and what role non-profit organization play in the revitalization of the city.  The Youngstown 2010 Plan has become such an inspiration to the staff that it has actually been translated into Japanese.

Two Professors from RWTH Aachen University in Germany also came to visit Youngstown on Friday October 22nd during their month long voyage through old industrialized cities.  They also traveled to Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Erie, and Buffalo.  Their purpose is to see how United States industrial cities are recovering from the collapse of industry.  Doctoral students and professors Cyryl Garus and Martin Pudlik plan on bringing a group of planners back sometime in the near future to further research Youngstown and some of its old industrial neighbors.  This would be to gain insight to bring back to Germany for possible applications on their older industrialized cities.

Monthly Meeting Updates: October 2010

This month the Board Of Zoning Appeals, City Planning Commission, and the Design Review Committee have met to discuss new business that has been brought before them:
Board Of Zoning Appeals
(Tuesday, October 19, 2010 @ 1:30pm)

• No new business on the agenda

Planning Commission
(Tuesday, October 19, 2010 @2:00pm)

• No new business on the agenda

Design Review Committee
(Tuesday, October 5, 2010 @9:00am)

Case No.DRC 10-21:  Benjamin Rantilla submitted a proposal for restaurant and storefront alterations.  The property is located at 18 North Phelps Street.  This measure was approved

Attended:  John DeFrance, Phil Kidd, Summer Barker, Justin Rogers, William D'Avignon
Did Not Attend: Chuck Sasho, Jason Rupe

Special Design Review Committee Meeting
(Wednesday, October 20, 2010 @9:00am)

Case No.DRC 10-21: The City of Youngstown submitted a proposal regarding the Hazel Street extension.  The property in question is located on Hazel Street and Commerce.

Case No. DRC 10-22: Diocese of Youngstown submitted a proposal for replacement of north facade of the Tribunal building and new decorative fence around new parking lot at Wood and Hazel Street.  The property in question is located at 141 Rayen Avenue.  This measure was approved.

Attended:  Chuck Sasho, Phil Kidd, William D'Avignon, Summer Barker, Justin Rodgers, John Defrance
Did Not Attended: Jason Rupe

Monthly Meeting Updates: September 2010

This month the Board Of Zoning Appeals, City Planning Commission, and the Design Review Committee have met to discuss new business that has been brought before them:
Board Of Zoning Appeals
(Tuesday, September 21 2010 @ 1:30pm)

• CASE NO. 10-09:  Dominic Leone has appealed to reestablish a nonconforming use at 3718 Sheridan Road formally known as Jolly Joe's.  The property was used as a sports bar and grill and he wishes to reopen it as a sports bar and grill.  The property in question is in an R7.2, Single-Family Residential Zoning District.  Approval Granted

Attended- Chuck Sasho, Mayor Jay Williams, Irning Lev, Angelo Pignatelli 
Did Not Attend- Iris Guglucello, Jason Roller, Heather McMahon

Planning Commission
(Tuesday, September 21, 2010 @2:00pm)

• REF NO. 07-10 ORD-10-260: This ordnance is authorizing the City Of Youngstown to proovide for the vacation of: Alpine Street Extension, a 60 ft. right-of-way from Poland Ave approximately 202.46 ft to the south westerly right-of-way line of Performance Place.  Approval Recommended
• REF NO. 08-10 ORD-10-261:  This ordnance is authorizing the City Of Youngstown to provide for the vacation of: Part of Performance Place, a 60 ft. right-of-way, from city lot # 61878, southeast approximately 1,373.76 to south property line of city lot # 61879.  Approval Recommended

Attended- Chuck Sasho, Mayor Jay Williams, Irning Lev, Angelo Pignatelli
Did Not Attend- Iris Guglucello, Jason Roller, Heather McMahon

Design Review committee
(Tuesday, September 14, 2010 @9:00am)

• Case No. DRC 10-20: Holy Trinity Ukranian Catholic Church submitted a proposal for a free standing, brick illuminated sign near the front of the church.  The property in question is located at 526 W. Rayen Ave.  Approved
• Case No. DRC 10-18: Mohammad Khan submitted a proposal to erect a fence.  The property in question is located at 545 Market Street.  Approved
• Case No. DRC 10-19: City Printing Company submitted a proposal for facade renovations.  The property in question is located at 122 Oakhill Avenue.  Approved

Attended- Chuck Sasho, Phill Kidd, Justin Rogers, John DeFrance
Did Not Attend- Karen Perkins, Jason Rupe, Summer Barker

Paper copies of the official meeting agendas can be requested from the City Planning Department, located at 9 W. Front St., 3rd Floor, Suite 315.

Youngstown Receives National Recognition for its Deconstruction Program

Youngstown was recently recognized at ICLEI’s annual Local Action Summit for its Youngstown Deconstruction Initiative (YDI) program. YDI received runner up honors in the Sustainability Leadership Award’s Planning Process Innovation category for midsized cities. Other award categories included Energy Efficiency Innovation, Community Outreach Innovation, and awards for individual members of city staff and elected officials who have made notable strides while working to achieve local sustainability.

The Local Action Summit was held in Washington D.C. from September 24 through September 26, 2010. The annual gathering allows local governments from across the country to participate in seminars, panel discussions, and networking events centered on innovative solutions to creating sustainable cities and communities.

Founded in 1990, ICLEI - Local Governments for Sustainability is an international association of local governments as well as national and regional local government organizations who have made a commitment to sustainable development. ICLEI provides technical consulting, training, and information services to build capacity, share knowledge, and support local government in the implementation of sustainable development at the local level. Their basic premise is that locally designed initiatives can provide an effective and cost-efficient way to achieve local, national, and global sustainability objectives. ICLEI currently has nearly 1,200 members, with over 600 located in the United States.

To date, YDI has completed 7 deconstruction and 8 waste diversion projects, and expects that total to reach 50 by the end of the year. Over 220 tons of building material has been diverted from the landfill for reuse and recycling, creating new jobs in the process.

The recognition received for its deconstruction efforts is just one more example of how Youngstown is regarded as a national Model of Sustainability.