YOUNGSTOWN Zoning board OKs McDonald's proposal

There should be no problem with police or fire protection despite straddling the city-Boardman line.
By ROGER G. SMITH
CITY HALL REPORTER
YOUNGSTOWN -- A development contract is the next step in changing the business profile of a spot at South Avenue and Midlothian Boulevard.
The project that involves McDonald's and Lariccia's Italian Foods cleared a significant hurdle Tuesday. The city zoning appeals board granted McDonald's a variance letting the company build a new restaurant straddling the Youngstown-Boardman line.
Boardman already has approved the idea.
McDonald's plans to close its nearby Midlothian store and build a new restaurant at the corner, which straddles the city-township line.
If that happens, Lariccia's, the well-known specialty grocery, plans to relocate to Southern Boulevard in Boardman.
The variance helps the city, Boardman and Mahoning County avoid annexation problems that usually mean long court battles.
Taxes: The development agreement will address issues such as taxes. The idea is for the city to keep McDonald's income taxes to offset revenue lost with Lariccia's planned move.
Boardman would get much of the property tax revenue from the new McDonald's.
The agreement is being worked on now and should be favorable to the city, said Mayor George M. McKelvey.
McDonald's wants to close its Midlothian restaurant because the building is approaching 40 years old.
The company plans to sell its Midlothian store, about two-tenths of a mile from the proposed new site. There are no plans to demolish the old building.
There should be no problem with police or fire protection despite the building being on top of both city and township property, said Robert Bush Jr., city law director and zoning board chairman. Mutual aid agreements should cover any complications, he said.
The Italian grocery's owners have said they planned to expand into Boardman anyway. McDonald's plan just pushed that idea ahead, they said.
rgsmith@vindy.com