Commission approves Uptown Manor rezoning, permits 45-unit mixed-use building with conditions

The Mentor Planning Commission on March 20 approved a formal rezoning of multiple parcels on Manor Avenue to a Planned Infill Development (PID) overlay to allow construction of a four-story, mixed-use building called Uptown Manor containing 45 apartments and first-floor commercial/amenity space.

The commission’s action included approval of nine rezoning conditions and a separate conditional use permit allowing a reduction of the required rear landscape buffer, the latter approved with one condition. Commissioners and staff discussed parking, access easements, transformer screening and building height before voting to approve the project with conditions.

Applicant Lisonbee Sikora described the proposal as “a multi use, multi family, 4 story building with 45 apartments. On the First Floor will be restaurant, building amenities, co work, office space, and fitness space.” Architect Brandon Klein and counsel Mike Zaccora attended the hearing to explain site plans and easement arrangements.

Commissioners pressed the applicant on parking. The code requires 65 parking spaces for the proposed development; Sikora said the project includes an underground garage, surface parking and on-street spaces and that the submitted materials show “a total of a 44 parking spots.” The applicant also described an existing easement with the adjacent property owner to the east allowing Uptown Manor to use up to 10 spaces behind the adjacent building; that agreement contemplates removable bollards to prevent full pass-through between lots and was later noted as approved by the fire department for access.

A site planning issue discussed at length was ground-mounted electrical transformer screening. The applicant said FirstEnergy’s required clearances and access constraints prevent typical shrub screening and asked for leniency; other participants suggested a demountable fence that would permit maintenance access while providing screening for residents.

Kathy, the planning staff member, recommended a small change to language in condition nine to substitute the phrase “perpetual maintenance plan” for a longer declaration-of-covenants clause so the condition matches the exact language in Chapter 11 58 of the city code.

The commission approved the rezoning and the buffer reduction after discussion. Commissioners Teedeman, Varga, Crocker, Hadden, Perkovich and Cook recorded yes votes; Commissioner Rossetti was absent. The applicant noted the project will require additional approvals from city council and other agencies; city council’s next meeting was noted as April 15 for related review timelines.

The approvals allow the developer to proceed toward final site-plan and permitting steps subject to the nine rezoning conditions, the single condition on the buffer reduction, and any subsequent requirements from council or utility providers.