Split decision?

Starbucks approved, Dunkin’ Donuts site opposed

The initial plan for a Starbucks with drive-through and patio sailed through Mentor Planning Commission, but Dunkin’ Donuts was met with resistance.

Starbucks on Aug. 16 received permit approval for a drive-through and outdoor dining at 7827 and 7787 Reynolds Road, the northeast corner of Route 306 and Tyler Boulevard.

An existing commercial building will be razed for the project, which still needs final site plan approval.

No one spoke against the proposal, though there was much talk about screening a garbage bin.

The Dunkin’ Donuts plan, however, was tabled after receiving strong opposition from STERIS Corporation.

Bhavesh Patel, who owns 10 other Dunkin’ Donuts stores in the Cleveland market, seeks to purchase vacant property at 5834 Heisley Road and Progress Parkway, contingent on the plan’s approval.

The project requires a conditional-use permit to locate a restaurant in an industrially zoned area, as well as to operate a drivethrough. The preliminary site plan was up for review as well.

The city engineer is requesting that the access drive on Heisley be right-in, right-out only. Another access is planned from Progress Parkway — a road to STERIS’ campus.

Increased traffic, particularly on Progress, is the main concern for company officials, said representative Tony Bertone.

The fear is that store patrons will opt to head out Steris Way, STERIS’ other access point.

“STERIS Corporation has almost 1,000 people on that site, it’s a pedestrian campus, there’s a lot of walking throughout there,” he said, noting that people often are jogging all times of the year and using the fitness center onsite. “They’re your largest employer, largest taxpayer, they do a lot to support the city … but they do feel this would be detrimental to their site and the safety of their employees.”

He added that STERIS doesn’t oppose Dunkin’ Donuts and would support plans in a commercial area, such as Diamond Centre nearby.

Another adjacent property owner submitted a letter expressing opposition based on “difficult and hazardous” traffic conditions that he said now exist at Progress and Heisley.

Jennifer Hunter with DS Architecture, on behalf of Dunkin’ Donuts, responded, “We can’t predict where people are going to go and how they’re going to drive. We have found people take the shortest path to their coffee in the morning and so we feel very strongly that Progress will be used more prominently than Steris would be. … Unless you’re familiar with that back (cul de sac), you wouldn’t know that it exists, and so we feel that STERIS wouldn’t be negatively impacted.”

A trip generation study indicated the business wouldn’t generate enough traffic to warrant a full traffic impact study, the city administration said.

The study showed that peak morning hours may generate 217 trips, while peak evening hours might yield about 100, Patel said.

Bertone revealed that there was a pedestrian death on campus within the last two years. “Somebody was jogging and a motor vehicle hit them at that site because of poor visibility,” he said. “I really do feel that this is an unsafe situation.”

Impacts to safety and character of surrounding properties must be considered for the conditional-use permit, according to code.

Commission members asked that the vote be delayed to allow more time for all parties to review potential impacts of the project.

“Because STERIS is a large and very important employer in the city of Mentor, I’d be willing to table this and allow STERIS the opportunity to meet with our planning department and at least talk it through and make another presentation,” Vice Chairman Joseph Sidoti said.

Geoffrey Varga dissented on the vote to table the permit allowing the use in a manufacturing district.