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Youngstown commission recommends waivers for gas station, pool hall
YOUNGSTOWN
The city’s planning commission recommended providing waivers for a gas station/convenience store on the South Side and a pool hall on the West Side.
But the commission withheld approval Tuesday of waivers for a secondhand store near Cardinal Mooney High School and a tattoo parlor downtown.
Those four are among businesses considered “regulated use” under city zoning code.
Other businesses that fall under that city designation include bars, other places that sell alcoholic beverages, pornographic movie theaters, strip clubs and payday-lending businesses.
Those wanting to open those businesses are must receive a recommendation from the planning commission if they are located within 500 feet of another regulated use.
All commission recommendations must be approved by city council.
The gas station/convenience store to be located at 2501 Market St. and the pool hall to be at 3207 Mahoning Ave. were recommended by the commission.
The tattoo parlor, proposed for 101 W. Federal St., the location of the former William Leonard’s Extraordinary Spa and Salon, was rejected when Lance Peck, the business owner, failed to show up on time for his 2:45 p.m. hearing.
The commission voted 5-0 to reject his waiver request.
Peck showed up at 2:49 p.m., but two commission members already had left. The commission meeting started at 1:30 p.m. and moved according to schedule.
Peck will have another opportunity next month to seek the waiver.
A secondhand store at 1914 E. Midlothian Blvd. received approval from three of the five commission members at Tuesday’s meeting. But there are seven commission members, and the approval of four is needed for a recommendation to city council.
Also, city Law Director Anthony Farris, a commission member, said even if a waiver is granted for the store, it might not be permitted to open.
Regulated-use businesses aren’t permitted to open within 300 feet of a school, he said. The store is about 50 to 60 feet from the tennis courts at Cardinal Mooney High School.
“It is my opinion that is school property, and this is prohibited,” Farris said.
Also Tuesday, the board of zoning appeals — which has the exact same members as the planning commission — approved exemptions to the number of parking spots and the minimum number of feet for a rear-yard setback to permit GBT Realty Corp. to build a 9,100-square-foot Dollar General at 1370 Belmont Ave.
The location used to be a Rite Aid and a Family Dollar years ago. The company will spend about $800,000 on the project, which should open in about three months.