Severance Town Center Redevelopment

This webpage will be the landing spot for updates, plans, and documents related to the potential redevelopment of Severance Town Center.  

Severance Overlay Zone (SOZ) Map and Zoning Text Amendments Legislation and Comments

The meeting timeline is followed by submitted material and resources.

Severance Overlay Zone (SOZ) Map and Zoning Text Amendments SCHEDULED MEETINGS as of December 12, 2025

Monday, December 15, 2025 AT 5:00 P.M. – City Council Public Hearing, 40 Severance Circle in Council Chambers – Calendar link
Council Public Hearing on the Proposed Zoning Code Amendments - Council Committee of the Whole Agenda
*Public Comment Opportunity* 

Monday, December 15, 2025 AT 7:30 P.M. – City Council Meeting, 40 Severance Circle in Council Chambers  – Calendar link
City Council Third Reading of the Zoning Amendments. - City Council Agenda
*Public Comment Opportunity* 

Wednesday, December 17, 2025 AT 6:00 P.M. – Special City Council Meeting, 40 Severance Circle in Council Chambers - Calendar link
City Council Fourth Reading of the Zoning Amendments. - City Council Agenda
*Public Comment Opportunity*

SOZ Meetings already held  as of December 11, 2025

October 29, 2025 - MPACT Collective submitted a petition to amend the Zoning Map and the Zoning Code to create a new form-based, voluntary overlay district entitled the “Severance Overlay District” (SOZ).  This submission begins the formal zoning review process. MPACT’s submission included:

October 21, 2025 Planning Commission Meeting
Planning Commission heard an informal presentation from MPACT about form base code
*Public Comment Opportunity*                      

November 3, 2025 City Council Meeting

*Public Comment Opportunity*

November 12, 2025 Planning Commission Meeting - Video
Planning Commission reviewed the SOZ zoning map change and text amendment and recommended that Council consider adoption, and decided to continue review at their December meeting.
*Public Comment Opportunity*

November 17, 2025 Council Committee of the Whole Meeting - Video
SOZ zoning reviewed and discussed.

November 19, 2025 Planning and Development Committee Meeting - Video
SOZ zoning reviewed and discussed

December 2, 2025 Planning and Development Committee Meeting - Video
SOZ zoning reviewed and discussed
*Public Comment Opportunity*

December 10, 2025 Planning Commission Meeting - Video
Planning Commission continues to review zoning code amendments at the regular meeting.
*Public Comment Opportunity*  

Additional Materials from MPACT concerning Severance Overlay District Zoning

Resources

Severance Town Center Vision Statement

In order to help guide any redevelopment of Severance Town Center, on January 18, 2023 the Board of Control adopted a Severance Town Center Vision Statement. The formulation of this statement was based upon multiple Board of Control discussions and significant input from the public. Please view the adopted Severance Town Center Vision Statement. 

What is Form-Based Zoning and Why Should the City Consider it?

Form-based zoning represents a change in the way that the built environment is regulated. This shift is necessary because the traditional, “Euclidean” zoning is focused on the use of land. This traditional approach to zoning has been shown to be ineffective for regulating diverse, walkable, mixed-use environments like we have or desire in Cleveland Heights, particularly Severance Town Center.

Form-based zoning fosters predictable built results and a high-quality public realm. Unlike traditional zoning, form-based zoning use the intended form and character of a place as the organizing principle, or framework, of the code, rather than focusing predominantly on use. This is done through the regulation of a series of important form elements to create high-quality spaces, such as: streets and frontages; civic spaces; Build-to-Lines; height, street walls and stepbacks; yards; active edges and edging elements; architectural design standards.

It is also important to note that while form-based zoning emphasizes an intended physical form and character of a place, it also regulates use. Form-based zoning often allows a range of uses that are carefully chosen to maximize compatibility between uses and the intended physical form of the area.

The following video does a nice job of providing an introduction to form-based codes: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=644gz7maHdM.

Additional Resources