The Mentor Planning Commission on July 3 recommended that City Council rezone 14.5 acres on Adkins Road from R-4 single-family to a Planned Residential Development overlay so developer Twentieth Century Construction can build “Legacy Landing,” a 55-plus EPCON community with about 45 homes and a clubhouse.

The project’s applicant, Jeff Smoole of Twentieth Century Construction, told the commission the community is designed for “low maintenance” living with ranch homes, an HOA and amenities aimed at older residents. He said the development is intended to meet needs identified in the city’s 2024 housing study.

Why it matters: Neighbors objected at length, citing longstanding drainage problems in the Kittery Cove and Raintree areas, traffic and tree removal; the commission approved the rezoning and preliminary site plan despite those objections and will forward recommendations and conditions to city council for final action. The decision restarts a process that previously went to referendum and was narrowly defeated.

Most important facts: Developer Jeff Smoole said Legacy Landing will include ranch homes with James Hardie siding and a clubhouse; engineer Sam Vitale of Polaris Engineering described a wet extended-detention basin that will “detain that water” and release it through an outlet structure using a 3-inch orifice sized so that “that will be released into the city storm sewer at the same rate or if not less than what is currently going there today.” City staff (Kathy) said detailed engineering, grading, stormwater plans and any Ohio EPA wetlands review would occur at the final development plan stage and must meet city and state regulations.

Public concerns dominated the hearing. Alexandra Alsai, a nearby resident, said the parcel is roughly 400 feet from her house and warned that “existing stormwater systems are insufficient and adding more impervious surfaces like roads, rooftops, and driveways will only enable additional flooding.” Multiple other neighbors described swampy backyards, standing water, a history of nearby projects and local traffic problems on the two‑lane Adkins Road. Several speakers asked the commission to reduce density, preserve the existing tree buffer, and require additional studies and protections.

Engineer Sam Vitale said the project team had performed a trip-generation estimate and that, because the EPCON product targets older adults, daily trips per unit are lower than for typical single-family homes; the engineering department reviewed that analysis and “had no additional comments at this time,” Kathy said. Vitale described the stormwater design as an extended-detention (wet) basin that will hold water and release it in a controlled way; he and Kathy said the final development plan will include the technical drainage design and any required Ohio EPA reviews.

Commission action and votes: The planning commission split its work into two recommendations. A motion to recommend rezoning to PRD with seven conditions passed on a roll call majority (Rossetti voted no; the rest voted in favor). A separate motion recommending approval of the preliminary site plan with 11 conditions also passed on a roll call majority (Rossetti voted no; the rest voted in favor). Both recommendations go to City Council, which holds the final vote; if council approves, the rezoning will again be placed on a ballot for voter review per the city’s process.

What’s next: If the council approves the rezoning the developer will submit final development drawings, including full engineering and any Ohio EPA-required studies for wetlands or other environmental impacts; those plans will be reviewed by the city engineering and planning staff before any construction permits are issued.

Ending note: Residents repeatedly urged retention of mature trees and careful stormwater controls; city staff emphasized that final engineering and any mitigation will be addressed in the next review stage rather than at this preliminary recommendation step.