Toledo City Council to vote on approval for Colony development, Summit Street project

​By Tim Schneider, Toledo Regional Chamber of Commerce

At its meeting on May 20 at 5:00 p.m., Toledo City Council is expected to vote on three ordinances giving approval for a proposed development in the former Colony neighborhood near ProMedica Toledo Hospital. Ordinances 182-20 and 183-20 would approve zoning changes, and Ordinance 184-20 would approve a planned unit development. ProMedica and Continental Real Estate Co. have plans for a $56.6 million project at the site that will include two apartment buildings with 262 total units, a hotel with 120 rooms, and a mixed-use structure with retail and a restaurant. The proposals were recently approved by the Toledo Plan Commission. City Council’s Zoning & Planning Committee did not offer a recommendation on the proposals. A simple majority of Council is needed to approve the plans.

Council is also expected to vote on two ordinances to fund the Summit Street Roadway Improvements Project. Ordinance 179-20 would authorize the issuance of notes, in anticipation of the sale of bonds, in the amount of $10,553,257 to fund the project. Ordinance 180-20 would approve spending that same amount from the Capital Improvement Program fund. The project involves reconstructing Summit Street between Jackson Street and Lafayette Street by replacing pavement, eliminating the bus lane, adding on-street parking, widening medians and installing new traffic signals. Work is expected to begin this spring and conclude prior to August 31, 2021 when Toledo will host the Solheim Cup women’s golf tournament.
 
Council is also expected to vote on the following ordinances:

• Ordinance 160-20 which would approve a three-year contract for up to $470,000 annually with Woodlawn Cemetery and Arboretum for the operation of the five city-owned cemeteries. The contract would be based on a July 1, 2020 start date and include an option for a three-year renewal.
• Ordinance 166-20 which would approve a moratorium through 2020 on issuing permits for “small box discount stores” along Dorr Street between Collingwood Boulevard and Parkside Boulevard. The stores are defined as those with a floor area of less than 15,000 square feet and do not sell pharmaceuticals, gasoline or diesel, specialty foods, or use at least 15 percent of space for sale of fresh foods and vegetables. The purpose of the moratorium would be to allow for the study of the impacts of small box discount stores on public health and safety.

 
Council is expected to give first reading to Ordinance 165-20 which would consent to adding Lucas County as a member community of TARTA and replace TARTA’s two property tax levies with a 0.50 percent sales tax. Legislative approval by all TARTA member communities is necessary in order to place an issue on the November 3 ballot. The other TARTA member communities are Maumee, Ottawa Hills, Rossford, Sylvania, Sylvania Township and Waterville.

Due to technical difficulties, this meeting could not take place at its regular time on May 19 and will instead be held on Wednesday, May 20 at 5:00 p.m. The public may watch the meeting online by visiting https://toledo.legistar.com and scrolling down to the May 20 meeting and clicking on “in progress”.

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​​​Tim Schneider
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​As Manager for Local Government Advocacy, Tim Schneider advocates for local policies and laws that safeguard and foster a pro-business environment in the Toledo Region. Tim has more than 10 years of legislative and public policy experience with the local, state and federal levels of government.