Stow City Council moves forward with Community Entertainment District
Stow City Council meeting highlights from March 8th, 2018.
Words by Alex Cossin and Miranda Kiner
STOW-Stow City Council moved closer toward approving a Community Entertainment District (CED) Thursday evening at Town Hall.
The proposed entertainment district, in its current form, has been in discussion for nearly two months. The CED would feature restaurants, homes and retailers. The current proposal puts the CED on the 156-acre green space shared with city buildings to create a city center for Stow Residents.
The CED, if approved, would stretch along most of Darrow Road.
Some residents have expressed concerns about the creation of the CED, including types of liquor licenses and what the view from their backyards might look like.
“I’m really against the CED being moved into residential areas,” said Mike Kosmach, a Stow resident. “Everyone talks about green space, but we’re talking about taking away green space for the neighbors on Williamson Road.”
If the council moves forward on approving the CED, the residents of Stow would then vote on making the precinct wet, allowing businesses within the CED the ability to apply for a liquor license and eventually sell liquor in the community center.
“Community Entertainment District requires one vote which is city wide,” said Sara Kline, Mayor of Stow. “If we submit the application it would be set for the general election this November.”
Mayor Sara Kline said that if the ballot for a CED is voted down, it would not end the development of the city center.
The city of Stow contracted out the initial development of the CED to OHM advisors based out of Cleveland.
Tony Slanec, Principal at OHM, said that buildings such as the post office are tenants and not owners of the building. Such places would not be included in the development of the CED and would have to move elsewhere.
Slanec also stated that the residential areas within the CED would be “upscale rentals” with square footage and pricing starting at about 800 sq. ft. and $1,000 per month.
Other major concerns shared by the citizens at the meeting were the abundance of parking spaces that would need to be added to the CED, subtracting from the amount of green space the area has, and the worry of shops and businesses facing the traffic-heavy area of Darrow Road.
Christina Shaw, who’s running for the 27th state central committeewoman seat, said that Stow needs to be more business friendly. “I definitely think Stow needs to have this,” Shaw said.
Shaw also ran for City Council Ward 3 last election season and lost to Brian Lowdermilk. During her campaign, she went door-to-door and noted that residents were glad to hear about the CED. “People were excited about it, to have something new in the city,” Shaw said.
Citizens of Stow are worried their money isn’t being spent the way their elected officials are claiming. Check in later for more details! #JMCRPP
— Crystal Smith (@crystalsmith22) March 9, 2018
Liquor licenses and the view from residents’ backyards seem to be some of the main concerns for the proposed entertainment district #JMCRPP
— Miranda Kiner (@Randi_K96) March 9, 2018
Everyone says city council meetings are boring but that Stow City Council meeting was the most fun I’ve had with my clothes on #jmcrpp
— Alex Cossin (@Adubbed) March 9, 2018