Public can comment on rezoning

City planners want input on 55-unit housing development

Mentor Planning Commission will hold a public hearing this week on a rezoning request to make way for a 55-unit housing development southwest of the Lake Shore Boulevard-Route 44 interchange.

The meeting begins at 7 p.m. July 28 at city hall. The commission gave the rezoning and project an informal review in May.

The formal request calls for changing about 22.5 acres of vacant land from single-family residential to village green. The proposal, which also requires City Council approval, was submitted by 510 CW LLC and property owners Max Deering, and Hewitt and Patricia Fredebaugh.

The existing zoning allows two units per acre. Village green allows 2.5 units per acre. The average lot would be roughly 11,723 square feet.

The land is amid Deerwood Estates, the former White Field Anglican Church, Freedom Assembly of God, DeLong’s Topsoil and Mulch, and Kluznik Nursery and Farm Market. Chardon-based developer Richard Sommers of Sommers Real Estate has a signed purchase agreement for the property.

The concept for Lakeshore Highlands, designed with the help of a Minnesota-based land planner, features more than 3.5 acres of greenspace, and curved streets to maximize curb appeal and views of the open space, sidewalks on each side of the street and a pedestrian trail connecting the north end of the development to the south end.

“We think walking trails and walkability is important,” Sommers said in May. “We basically started

out (designing) the walking paths and designed the subdivision around it.”

“Sustainable” cul de sacs including walkways and seating also are planned. Sommers said this would be the first development of its kind in the area by this particular planner.

Deed restrictions would require that the homeowners association manage all the greenspace.

The administration will need to determine whether to require a conservation easement over the open space as part of the subdivision review process, according to city planners.

A portion of West Heisley Road must be vacated as part of the development.

This will require approval by the commission and City Council during the subdivision review process.

A trip-generation study indicated that the development is expected to generate a total of 41 new trips in the morning peak hour and 56 new trips in the evening

peak hour. A traffic impact study is recommended when any peak hour is greater than 100 trips per hour, according to the Institute of Transportation Engineers.

The development’s restrictive covenants include a limitation of 1,800 square feet of floor space for a onestory structure, and 2,000 square feet for a two-story structure, and a minimum of 25 percent brick, stone or stone-like materials on the front of the homes.

The rezoning would not require a voter referendum.

Also on July 28, the commission will hold a public hearing on a conditionaluse permit to allow a temporary event with live music at AMVETS Post 40, 9141 Jordan Drive.

The event is to benefit a veteran who has lost his home. Proposed hours are 11 a.m. to midnight with a band performing from 3 to 8 p.m.

Any event that has a public address system or live music requires a CUP.

SUBMITTED This development is proposed southwest of the Lake Shore Boulevard-Route 44 interchange in Mentor. The project requires rezoning more than 22 acres from a single-family housing classification to “village green.”