Beachwood Council Approves Step on New Path to Aloft Hotel

The Goldberg Company, residents and city leaders have taken a new path to settle a dispute over

An ordinance that would , and a new ordinance to change Signature Square’s zoning to a different classification was read instead at Monday's City Council meeting.

Both sides called the ordinance a compromise. “I think we would have ended up with U-7A anyway because Council would have done the text changes,” said Michael Silver, co-founder of Beachwood Residents for Responsible Development (BRRD), a group formed in response to the proposed U-7A text changes. “We wouldn’t have had the votes to stop it.”

Silver and Jerry Moss, co-founder of BRRD, called for council to reject the ordinance to amend U-7A zoning, and thanked developers and council members for listening to their concerns.

A few residents spoke during the meeting, expressing concerns about traffic, crime and other possible adverse effects of the hotel's development.

U-9, the classification under consideration for the parcel, allows restaurants, hotels, gas stations and car dealerships.

The parcel is already zoned U-7A, which does not allow hotels.

If the parcel is rezoned as U-9, said Councilman Mark Wachter, the property deed would include restrictions to allow only the hotel and two restaurants Goldberg has presented to Council.

The other ordinance — to amend U-7A zoning — may be considered if the Signature Square rezoning does not pass, said Wachter.

Council scheduled a public hearing for the rezoning ordinance during the regular Nov. 7* council meeting.

Editor's Note: The original version of this article reported the incorrect date for the public hearing on the ordinance to rezone Signature Square.