The Solon City Council took action on two items related to a proposed senior housing (55+) complex during their regular meeting Wednesday, Jan. 8.
The Solon Community Housing Corporation is proposing to build two 20-unit residential structures on two lots located in the Fox Ridge development on the south side of Solon directly north of the Solon Pet Health Center on Windflower Lane. Solon Community Housing, a non-profit organization, already oversees the Meadowlark Acres senior housing development located between the Solon Middle School and St. Mary Catholic Church and will be the owner and developer for the Fox Ridge complex as well.
Solon’s Planning and Zoning Commission (P&Z) reviewed the development’s site plan during their Thursday, Jan. 2 meeting and recommended approval while noting some concerns related to parking and fire hydrants. 44 parking spaces are shown on the site plan (including a dozen garage spaces) per building (88 total) for two per unit. However city code specifies three parking spaces per unit (60 total), requiring a variance to be granted as requested by the developer.
P&Z’s concerns centered around a lack of on-street parking for overflow vehicles, the tendency for garage space to be used to store boats, golf carts, and other misc. items other than for parking cars; and a tendency for families to have more than two vehicles. A lack of visitor parking (four spaces) and a reluctance to set a precedent on parking variances were also noted, particularly if at some point in the future the complex would be owned by a for-profit entity and not specifically for 55+ seniors. To address this, City Attorney Kevin Olson inserted language into the agreement between the City and developer that if this were to occur then the new owner would need to approach the Council to have the variance continued.
Councilwoman Lauren Whitehead supported approval of the plan, with the variance, saying, “It makes total sense to have the variance. I’ve seen other communities like this and in general retirees don’t have as many cars, they don’t need as many cars, so I think this makes a lot of sense.”
City Engineer Dave Schechinger has reached out to the Solon Tri-Township Fire Department to determine if the current fire hydrants will be sufficient to provide an adequate water supply for fire protection for 40 units, or if additional hydrants will be needed.
The Council unanimously approved a developer’s agreement with Senior Housing Corporation and unanimously passed the site plan (with parking variance).
A timeline for groundbreaking and construction has not yet been determined.