Commission approves site alteration at 7461/7455 Center Street with conditions including emergency access easement

The Mentor Planning Commission on Feb. 27 approved a site alteration for commercial properties at 7461 and 7455 Center Street, imposing several conditions to address parking, drainage and access issues and requiring a recorded access easement limited to emergency vehicles.

Applicant Tony Centene introduced the project and said he would present his contractor and others. Contractor Ed Henry described recent work: "We paved the parking lot and then joined the parking lot with that one, and we were instructed we need to divide those parking lots back, driveways. So we have installed stop blocks between the properties now," he said, adding the contractor had submitted plans for four parking spaces and that an engineering review found the drainage acceptable.

City planning staff described amended conditions addressing engineering concerns: "One of the requests ... was to not do a solid continuous curb but rather do the curb stops ... They do want to see though ... a building permit application so that they can inspect the curb stops ..." Kathy said, noting staff also added a requirement for the surveyor to provide an as‑built verification that parking and curb stops do not encroach on neighboring parcels.

The commission and public speakers pressed for clarity on cross‑lot traffic and emergency access. Tenant David Baker, who identified himself as managing a sober‑living house at 7465 Center Street, said blocking cross access could restrict emergency and safety vehicles: "If we block that off, it's very thin right now for emergency and safety vehicles back there the way this thing is laid out," Baker said, urging the commission to preserve access.

In response, commissioners and staff proposed compromise language. The commission amended condition 2 to prohibit "non‑emergency cross traffic" (leaving emergency access available) and added a new condition (number 10) requiring a recorded cross‑access easement limited to emergency vehicle use. The commission also required the as‑built survey and verification of curb‑stop installation (condition 9) and directed the applicant to submit the contractor documentation to engineering as part of the permit process.

The motion to approve the site alteration with the amended conditions passed on a roll‑call vote with all present members voting yes.

Clarifying details: the subject addresses are 7461 and 7455 Center Street; the application included four parking spaces and an after‑the‑fact pavement installation; staff modified conditions so curb stops (rather than continuous curb) are acceptable for drainage; the commission required a recorded access easement limiting use to emergency vehicles and an as‑built survey to verify curb stops and striping placement. One speaker said the applicant has incurred about $5,000 in survey costs to date for repeated surveys; the city explained the additional survey requirement is an after‑the‑fact safeguard to document no encroachment.

What’s next: the applicant must: supply the contractor documentation to engineering, submit a building permit application for inspection of the curb stops, record the access easement, and deliver the as‑built survey; the barbershop tenant may obtain occupancy provided engineering and building permits are satisfied.