During a special meeting Thursday, Maumee City Council passed a temporary moratorium on mini-warehouse facilities in the city, halting the approval of any permits, plans and applications for new construction.
Jerry Sawicki, co-owner of a property that was planned to be sold and developed for the expansion of a self storage business, said the passage of the moratorium was underhanded and nontransparent.
“It’s unconscionable to spring this,” he said. “It’s wrong to deny us what is otherwise a permitted use under their own zoning code.”
The property that Mr. Sawicki co-owns is approximately seven acres located at 919 Illinois Ave. Five years ago, he said, the property was about 15 acres but half was sold to the owner of a self storage business — the same owner who now wants to expand.
The deal was scheduled to be closed this week. But with the city’s recent actions, it’s been put on hold.
“The city of Maumee should know better than this,” Mr. Sawicki said.
Gene Abercrombie, a Toledo attorney representing the Illinois Avenue property owners, said the moratorium is temporary but could be extended. Typically, Mr. Abercrombie said when municipalities issue moratoriums, it’s to address issues of health or safety.
“They’ve really given us no reason for it,” he said.
The property owners were also upset that they were given no chance to speak at the meeting Thursday.
“No public comment, no public input,” said Steve Serchuk, one of the four owners. “This is criminal.”
Mayor Rich Carr said because the meeting was a special meeting, no public comments needed to be taken. He also said the city didn’t pass any new legislation or change any law — officials paused the process on mini-warehouse facilities so that leaders could review the city’s building codes and zoning laws.
“We’ve made major changes to the building code in the past year and a half,” Mr. Carr said.
He also noted that the city had no active applications for new or expanded mini-warehouse facilities.
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