20160229 (contest)

Imagine ten feet forward from the wall of this building placement of four four-story condos about two-thirds the depth of the red structure. The proposed construction would occupy everything but the five foot rim of the lot--four thin units from the end of thecedar fence you see. That would be like placing two condos in my back yard.

When I told Madam Chair I 

Wouldn’t be speaking this

Morning, she gave such a 

Sigh of relief I took it as a

Compliment. I chose to appear

At the Board of Zoning Appeals

For the city of Cleveland in 

Support of three of my neighbors

Near a lot about (and I may be

Estimating high) 70’ x 100’

That is located adjacent to a 

Factory-like building which

Had been converted by the 

Previous owner to house

A practice theater and troupe

The present resident is married to 

A doctor with the Cleveland

Clinic who loved the basement

As a space for a huge woodwork

Shop. The other two share a

Home directly across the street

On which they have spent 

Practically everything they’ve

Got (yes, it’s that costly) to

Restore impeccably their classic 

Frame Victorian from slate roof 

To brick walkways. The contest

Pitted two worthy opponents: 

First the applicant, a contractor

Who has a proven record of

Attractive new construction

In the neighborhood aching

For architectural congruence

Between old and new housing;

Second, those resisting his request

To obtain a variance to build

The full depth of the lot for

Four connected four-story 

Townhouses which they contend

Disrupts the ambiance of old

Victorian structures and negatively

Affects their homes’ resale value.

My colleagues, citizens of much

Moxie, really did their homework.

The first to speak took about forty-

Five fact-packed minutes and

An inch worth of documents

To bolster their contention. Even 

Madame Chair was impressed and

Said so. But to cut to the quick, here’s

How the decision was made. This is 

Ohio City, one of the few positive

Growth locations, where building, 

Renovation, and restorations is 

Proceeding apace everywhere

Except my house (not that I 

Wouldn’t were I not financially

Challenged, so to speak). Adhering

To the present rule would permit

Two substantial homes to be built

On the property. Granting the 

Variance would allow four condos. 

By a decision of three-to-one

The board allowed the variance.

But as Yogi the master of modern 

Proverbs expounded, “It ain’t over

Till it’s over.” The objectors can 

Appeal this decision and they 

Appear ready to hire attorneys 

If needed to make their case.

The parties met amicably in the

Hall afterward. The appeal will be

A new negotiating point. By the way, 

These four homes would add to 

The sixty-seven others thrashing

It out in administrative hearings. 

Meanwhile, as I have written earlier, 

Numerous pockets of the city 

Lay vacant awaiting offers of 

New housing not terribly far away.

c. J.S.Manista, 2016