Zoning change sought for 3rd McDonald's, on Findlay's south side

Two zoning requests heading for review by Findlay officials would clear the way for a third McDonald's restaurant to open in Findlay, on the south side of town. Both requests will be heard by the Findlay City Planning Commission and Findlay City Council's Planning and Zoning Committee on Thursday. The petitions were filed on Sept. 2 for 119 W. McPherson Ave., owned by Epic Collaborations LLC, Findlay, and signed by Angela Bateson as an "authorized member." Bateson, wife of Hancock County Commissioner Bill Bateson, owns the general dentistry office abutting the McPherson property at 1400 S. Main St. If approved by Findlay City Council, the petitions would vacate an alley between West McPherson and Lake Cascades Parkway, formerly Vance Avenue, and would rezone 119 W. McPherson Ave. from R2 Medium Lot Residential to C1 local commercial. The petitions were first introduced to city council at its Sept. 20 meeting and were referred to the committees. They are already facing opposition. Council's agenda for its regular meeting on Tuesday included a letter from Emily Burchfield, 1610 Grant Boulevard. In the letter, dated Sept. 30, Burchfield asks council to deny the petitions. "... If a McDonald's were to go in that location, I believe it would cause safety concerns. This area is already congested and I think a McDonald's would increase traffic accidents," Burchfield said. "More importantly, this is a main route for many children walking to and from school." Burchfield said she has a 10-year-old son that will be attending Donnell Middle School, 301 Baldwin Ave., next school year. "I would be very concerned about him walking to school, if there was a McDonald's. Lastly, I think this would have a negative impact on the overall neighborhood feel of the area," she said. The property is located in the city's 5th Ward, represented by Councilman Brian Bauman, R-5. The Findlay City Planning Commission meets at 9 a.m. Thursday at the Findlay Municipal Building, 318 Dorney Plaza. The Findlay City Planning Commission is a five-member board that reviews site plans, preliminary and final subdivision plats, zoning amendments, street and alley vacations, and requests for flood plain, special uses, home occupations and nonconforming uses. Membership consists of three citizens appointed by the mayor to a six-year term, the service-safety director and the mayor. Serving with Mayor Christina Muryn and Service-Safety Director Rob Martin are Dan Clinger, Dan DeArment and Jackie Schroeder. Council's Planning and Zoning Committee then meets at noon Thursday in the municipal building. Committee members include Chairman Grant Russel, R-at-large, along with council members Brian Bauman, R-5, Dennis Hellmann, R-2, Jim Slough, R-4, and Holly Frische, R-1. Both meetings are open to the public.