Brothers Matt and Michael Ciocca have withdrawn their application to rezone two parcels that would have permitted a Michael Angelo’s Winery and Bakery and luxury townhomes to be built on Aurora Road.
Updated: Dec. 17, 2024, 11:37 a.m. Solon Ward 3 Councilman Jeremy Zelwin tells City Council Monday that he wants to take some time to gain a better understanding of what Matt and Michael Ciocca seek to bring to the city via the proposed Michael Angelo’s Winery and Bakery on Aurora Road – despite the applicants’ withdrawal of their rezoning request.
At left is Solon Law Director Thomas Lobe.SOLON, Ohio -- Brothers Matt and Michael Ciocca have withdrawn their application to rezone two parcels that would have permitted a Michael Angelo’s Winery and Bakery and luxury townhomes to be built on Aurora Road. As a result, City Council on Monday canceled what would have been a third public hearing on the rezoning request, then voted to withdraw the ordinance from its agenda.The ordinance would have submitted to voters the question of rezoning two parcels at 37500 Aurora Road from the current R-1-D to MPD . It also would have amended Chapter 1284 of the city’s zoning code, removing language allowing only parcels in the central retail district to be eligible for designation as a mixed-use planning district. TMMC Ohio, which owns the two parcels at 37500 Aurora Road, had been seeking to place the zoning amendment on the May ballot. It acquired the parcels last year.At the two public hearings on this issue, more than 20 residents expressed opposition or concerns about the proposal. Only two spoke in favor of it.The Ciocca brothers withdrew their application via a letter to city officials that Michael Ionna, the city’s director of planning and community development, read to council Monday. In the letter dated Dec. 12, Matt and Michael Ciocca said: “Throughout this process, we have learned a great deal from the city and community. We sincerely believe that this project will be a positive asset for the Solon community. “We also understand the future components of the project that cannot be defined at this time may be challenging for the community to support. “Having listened to the comments over the last several meetings, we have determined we are going to take time to consider additional options and opportunities to move the project forward in a more defined way. “Therefore, we are officially notifying the city of our withdrawal of the current zoning amendment application for this property.” Ionna added that he learned from conversations with the applicants that it is their intent to submit another application for development on the site, but seeking a different zoning classification. “Per discussion with them, the new application will account for and take into consideration all of the review, the in-depth input and comprehensive questions that came out of the current process from which they are withdrawing as it pertains to the submitted text amendment to the mixed-use planned development district -- the MPD zone -- which was part of this application,” he said. The request to rezone the parcels to an MPD district will no longer be pursued by the city or the applicants, Ionna said.Ward 1 Councilman Macke Bentley said, “It looks like are trying to get on the November ballot now.” In an interview, Ionna said the city will work with the applicants on trying to determine another zoning classification for the project, but no final decision has been made related to an issue on the November ballot.Ward 3 Councilman Jeremy Zelwin said he was in the midst of doing his “due diligence” on the winery and bakery proposal when the applicants withdrew their application. “I’ve never been to their facility in Richfield, so I’m going to be going there later this week to meet with the group there to gain a better understanding of what they’re looking for,” Zelwin said. Michael Angelo’s Bakery opened in 2000 in Broadview Heights and Michael Angelo’s Winery opened in 2018 in Richfield.“What I do know is it’s very different from the last proposal, but I’m going to take some time to gain an additional understanding of what they want to bring to the city,” Zelwin said. Zelwin was referring to the rezoning request to establish the Kerem Lake Mixed Use District, which appeared as Issue 110 on the November 2018 ballot. The request to develop 88 homes on a 100-acre property off of Bainbridge Road was defeated by a 70 percent to 30 percent vote. It would have rezoned that property in Ward 3 from single-family residential to a mixed-use planning district. The proposed plans included single- and double-family dwellings, a small amount of retail, a boutique spa hotel, a parking garage and a winery and vineyard.Despite the withdrawn application, the two residents who spoke to council in favor of the Cioccas’ proposal at the Dec. 2 public hearing spoke again Monday.“I was amazed after the last council meeting the amount of people who contacted me offering their support for the winery.”Ostberg was unable to attend Monday’s meeting, Immonen said, but she gave Immonen permission to read to council an email she had sent her. In the email, Ostberg said she and her husband dined at Michael Angelo’s Winery in Richfield recently, calling it “a beautiful facility.” “Maybe you could encourage people to make the trip to check it out,” she said. “The menu for the food is intriguing, and the atmosphere is very congenial. “I look forward to the proposed Michael Angelo’s Winery and the opportunity to dine and socialize in Solon and not travel outside the community.” Resident Teresa Lichtcsien said, “If more of us have the attitude of being for something instead of working against something, we grow and we’re so much better as a community.” “I think some of the arguments from the last meeting Michael Angelo’s was regarding people worrying about walking their dog or their kids being near an area that just happens to serve alcohol,” she said. “So while this is off the ballot for May, I just really encourage people to look a little deeper into it and not worry about housing values.Another concern expressed by several residents at the public hearings was that the proposal was not consistent with the city’s master plan, with regard to allowing commercial properties within residential districts. The two combined parcels total about 32 acres. The proposal called for the two parcels to be consolidated into one lot. One of the parcels is a vacant home that was built in 1837 by Samuel Bull, one of the city’s first settlers, according to the Solon Historical Society.If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation.
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