Schools Want Voters to Rezone Land for Future Use; City Says Plan Might Not Fly

The Strongsville school district wants to rezone a vacant 17-acre parcel off Pearl Road, adjacent to Strongsville High School property, for potential future development.

"We own it," said Mark Donnelly, business manager for the schools. "We can't use it without having it properly zoned."

The district is asking to have the parcel, located behind Jardine Funeral Home, rezoned from R-1 residential to Public Facilities.

Donnelly said there currently no plans to develop the land, but said it makes sense get the rezoning out of the way now.

"Right now, there are no plans. It's just, we own it, so we might as well zone it right," he said.

But Strongsville officials said this week they're not sure voters will approve the change without knowing what's going to be built there.

Mayor Tom Perciak said the district should offer "some type of illustration" for what the district hopes to put on the site so voters can judge whether to rezone the property.

"Most likely most of us . . . will be getting a lot of calls to find out what the rezoning’s about," Council President Mike Daymut agreed.

The property -- purchased by the school district in 2006 as a possible site for a new middle school -- was considered for that use last year, but rejected because it was too small and had wetlands issues.

Donnelly said at the time he would seek to have the land rezoned for public facilities because any future use of the property would require that zoning.

In Strongsville, voters have the final say in rezoning residential land to any other classification.

Councilman at large Joe DeMio asked Donnelly to talk the matter over with school officials and come up with a plan for what might go on the site before a public hearing on the rezoning July 1.

Donnelly said he would do that.