Planning commission approves Panda Express drive‑through on Cook Road with conditions

The North Ridgeville Planning Commission on Sept. 9 approved a site plan for a new Panda Express drive‑through restaurant at Cook Road, contingent on consolidation of three parcels and coordination of sidewalk alignment and an adjacent driveway easement.

Staff said the project revisited key circulation concerns from an earlier 2025 submittal and that the applicant revised the curb cut and drive configuration to reduce off‑site traffic impacts. Planning and Development Director Kim Lieber told the commission the revised plan consolidates curb cuts, provides a three‑lane access (one lane in, two lanes out) and includes a stacking exhibit that shows room for 15 vehicles where code requires stacking for at least 10.

Director Lieber said landscaping, irrigation and a lighting plan with 18‑foot pole lights were provided and that the site includes 40 parking spaces where 27 are required. She recommended approval with conditions that the three parcels be consolidated and that engineering determine final sidewalk alignment during permitting.

Philip Miller of Heights Venture Architects, representing the applicant, described the curb‑cut relocation and the three‑lane driveway intended to keep traffic away from the Cook/Lorraine intersection. Miller and Daniel Stern of the construction team said truck deliveries would occur 1–2 times per week, between midnight and 5 a.m., and that truck‑turn exhibits show semi trucks can access the site, including movements through the drive‑through as proposed.

A nearby property owner, Brian Weber, asked about an existing easement that provides truck access to the rear of his property and said he had received notice only days before the hearing. City staff and the applicant said they would coordinate directly with Weber. City Engineer Evans said Starbucks’ retention basin was not originally sized for both lots and that additional stormwater measures will be reviewed in engineering permit review; the city requires stormwater measures for developments over an acre to meet the 100‑year storm standard.

Commission discussion emphasized protecting adjacent truck access and coordinating sidewalk construction so pedestrian connectivity is not lost. The chair moved to approve with conditions that: a consolidation plat be created, administration coordinate sidewalk alignment along the frontage, and administration coordinate the adjacent parcel easement for truck traffic; the motion was seconded and carried unanimously.

Conditions of approval recorded by the commission require: lot consolidation prior to permitting, engineering review and approval of final sidewalk alignment during permitting, and coordination between the applicant and the city regarding the adjacent access easement and stormwater measures. Implementation details and final engineering approvals will be determined during building and permit review.