Cleveland Hall Addition Ruled Not In Keeping With Granville Law
Judge Jon Spahr ruled March 10, 2008 that both the Granville Planning Commission and the Granville Village Council were in error when they approved Denison University's planned additions to Cleveland Hall. Judge Spahr reversed their decisions.
Presumbably, Denison will have to stop construction and re-design the additions. The new design will have to be approved by the Planning Commission after a public hearing.
After a lengthy trial and three months of deliberation, Judge Spahr wrote, "The Commission's finding that "[t]he addition is not similar to other structures to the Village District but protects their historic design by not matching other structures," is remarkably candid. This Court finds it difficult to construe this statement as a finding that the proposed design is stylistically compatible with the Village District."
He went on to criticize Council's decision, "The Council's conclusory statement that the design is stylistically compatible with some other structures is similarly arbitrary and is unsupported by the record."
Spahr concluded, "For the reasons set forth above, appellants' first assignment of error is SUSTAINED, and the decision of the Council of the Village of Granville is REVERSED."
So many lessons to be
So many lessons to be learned from this.
The biggest one: if you act recklessly or without foresite in public office, you will be called on the carpet about it.
Fighting City Hall?
Wow- not only can you fight City Hall, you can even win sometimes! It gives one hope that this could start a trend, including nationally. Thanks to those who took the time, and, from some, the flack, to keep our village historic. Let's keep the chapel the first thing we see when returning to our beautiful village.
What was Denison thinking???
RockOn,
Yep. Village Council blundered this one big time.
But what was Denison thinking???
Denison could have worked out something with the people opposed to the glowing glass cube. They could have agreed on a different plan before it even went to Village Council, or before the hearing by Village Council, or before the Village Council decision was released, or before the judge gave his decision in the last day or two.
I have heard those against the glass cube tried again and again to get Denison to draw up a better plan. The president of Denison told them Cleveland Hall could be a party house for the students.
Where are the adults at Denison?
What was the village council thinking?
It is a shame that some citizens had to spend their own money and go to bat to enforce the law. It was quite obvious that building a starkly modern structure in a historic district did not make sense.
Why in the world did the planning commission approve this in the first place? Then why did the village council approve it?
And, why did the village law director not put a stop to this? Why did the law director not advise the village council that they were in deep trouble on this one (if he knew)? And, if he didn't realize it, another question comes to the fore.
Consider the words of the judge: "The Commission's finding that "[t]he addition is not similar to other structures to the Village District but protects their historic design by not matching other structures," is remarkably candid. This Court finds it difficult to construe this statement as a finding that the proposed design is stylistically compatible with the Village District."
That is legal-speak for "can you believe these people; what were they thinking?"
DENISONS CONSTRUCTION
Absolutely a great decsion by the judge .
What applies to other village residents should also
apply to Denison as well .
Bravo .