Council denies Dunkin’ Donuts

Questions of traffic, suitability in industrial zone raised for proposed business near STERIS

A homegrown company prevailed against a big chain at this week’s Mentor City Council meeting.

Council unanimously rejected conditional-use permits sought by Dunkin’ Donuts franchisee Bhavesh Patel to allow the eatery near STERIS Corp., in an Mentor Industrial Park District at 5834 Heisley Road and Progress Parkway.

Council reversed the recommendations of the Planning Commission after hearing from representatives on both sides.

STERIS Senior Vice President Gerry Reis continued to make the case that the project isn’t appropriate for the site and is a potential safety hazard for his employees, customers and suppliers.

Cut-through traffic was the chief concern. He noted that this is the first drive-through application in an MIP zone. He also alluded to a pending request by Dunkin’ Donuts to the Zoning Appeals Board for setback modifications, which would bring the business “even closer to STERIS.””

“This is a corporate headquarters, which now houses 2,000

“A left-hand turn (onto Heisley) during the day is hard enough. “Eventually, they’re going to go the other way . ... ” — Councilman Ray Kirchner

employees with a $6 million expansion” on the way, Reis said. “All this being said, we welcome Mr. Patel to Mentor. … However, we object to this location for the reasons that I’ve stated and believe other suitable locations can be found.”

Attorney Scott Orille, speaking for the project, said a trip-generation study was reviewed by the city engineer, who determined that the traffic generated by Dunkin’ Donuts would be similar to what occurred when an industrial office building was on the property. That building was destroyed

by fire in 2015.

“We do not anticipate creating additional traffic flow,” Orille said. “We selected this site based on existing traffic flow. Our customers are going to seek a Dunkin’ Donuts, seek their morning coffee, based on the fact that we’re on their existing route. We do not anticipate our customers traveling or rerouting their trips to work based on the location of our Dunkin’ Donuts.”

Prior to the meeting, he said he discussed with STERIS the possibility of eliminating the left turn onto Progress from the store.

“There were a lot of assumptions made by STERIS,” he added. “There

are no traffic studies to indicate that our customers would go through a closed campus to enter Dunkin’ Donuts from a back road.”

Councilmen Ray Kirchner and Sean Blake, who “called up” the project for further review, said they see Dunkin’ Donuts as more of a retail establishment than a restaurant, which is allowed in the district. Traffic also was raised.

“A left-hand turn (onto Heisley) during the day is hard enough,” Kirchner said. “Eventually, they’re going to go the other way. I don’t have any facts to back it up; it’s human nature.”

Other officials expressed concern about changing the character of the zone.

City Manager Ken Filipiak

said the MIP district is the “gold standard” for industrial areas in the city, calling for harmony of architecture and landscaping, with extra emphasis on aesthetic quality.

“While I think that we can appreciate that there are other similar uses like this on Heisley Road … the question I think before you is are there similar uses within the MIP?” Filipiak said. “It’s a little bit more of a stretch to make.”

Councilman at large Scott Marn suggested potentially revising the MIP district for more specific requirements regarding restaurants.

“I don’t want to waste anyone’s time and money,” he said.