PELICAN PLACE PLAZA Oscar's plan gets tripped up by parking shortage

The businessman said the zoning inspector may have a personal vendetta.
By JOHN W. GOODWIN JR.
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
BOARDMAN -- The township may have its fair share of restaurants, but in one area there may not be enough parking spaces for those hoping to dine.
The parking issue has become the topic of debate between a township businessman hoping to expand his restaurant and the zoning inspector who says there doesn't seem to be enough parking space for the move.
Ross Scianna, owner of Oscar's and Antone's restaurants, is hoping to expand the Oscar's location. He said a fitness center next to the restaurant will be leaving the Pelican Place Plaza and he wants to knock down the wall dividing the two businesses and create banquet facilities at Oscar's.
Scianna said the banquet facilities would be different theme rooms with space for groups of about 15 to 20 each. He said the plans, however, came to a halt at the door of the township zoning office.
Scianna said he spoke with Zoning Inspector Darren Crivelli about the plans and was told it would be a waste of time and money because the plans would not be approved. The given reason, he said, was lack of parking.
The restaurant is permitted to seat 165 people. With the added meeting rooms, the building would have seating for -- and need parking for -- 265 people.
Scianna said denying his permit because of parking just isn't fair when neighboring businesses are not held to the same standard. He said the Blue Wolf Tavern will soon open in the neighboring Fawn Plaza with similar parking concerns.
"What is fair for one should be fair for all," said Scianna. "Why is he letting them do this and not letting me do it?
Crivelli would not comment on any plans to expand Oscar's because he said no plans have been submitted to the zoning office. He did say, however, that plans for the Blue Wolf Tavern have been submitted and conform to zoning requirements.
Crivelli explained that neither plaza was designed for restaurant use, but for straight retail. Parking, therefore, will likely be a problem, he said.
The rules
According to Crivelli, township zoning requires one parking space for every 200 square feet of retail space. For restaurants, the requirement is one parking space for every two people permitted at maximum occupancy.
The Fawn Plaza, Crivelli said, needs 30 parking spaces for its retail business. Plans for the Blue Wolf show a maximum occupancy of 208. He said the plans also show parking for 134 cars -- meeting the zoning requirements.
"As long as their plans are accurate and I verify that out in the field, then they are entitled to operate a restaurant there," said Crivelli.
Inconvenience
Scianna said some of those parking spaces shown in the Blue Wolf plans are to the far rear of the building, inconvenient and not likely to be used by Blue Wolf customers or anyone else. He thinks Blue Wolf customers might, instead, use his parking lot because it is closer to the Blue Wolf building.
Scianna said Crivelli may have a personal vendetta against him and his business stemming from a previous zoning issue. Earlier this year Crivelli denied Scianna a permit for a patio at Oscar's. The permit was eventually granted, but Scianna said hard feelings may still linger.
Crivelli said he is considering asking trustees to introduce new zoning requirements to handle such disputes in the future. He said requirements for restaurants in free-standing buildings should remain as they are, but those opening restaurants in strip plazas should be conditionally permitted and made to go before the zoning board of appeals before a permit is issued.
jgoodwin@vindy.com