Mentor council approves rezone to put 55-plus planned community on November ballot after heated buffer and drainage debate

President Filipiak called a public hearing and later a council vote on Aug. 19 on Ordinance 25‑OD‑069, a proposed rezoning of about 14.5 acres south of Adkins Road to a Planned Residential Development overlay that would allow 45 single‑family homes and a clubhouse and send the question to the November ballot.

The planning staff summary noted the site’s proposed mix of standard and cluster single‑family units, a 3.8‑acre open‑space area (about 26% of the site), and landscape buffers including a 50‑foot rear buffer on the west and a 25‑foot buffer along the east property line next to Painesville Baptist Church. “The planning commission recommended approval of the proposed rezoning and preliminary site plan … by a vote of 5 to 1,” planning staff said.

Developer representatives described the project as an Epcon 55‑plus community targeted to downsizing homeowners and stressed local experience. “The community that we're building is called the Epcon community. It's a 55 age community, geared for people who are downsizing their houses,” said Jeff Small of Twentieth Century Construction. He said the HOA would maintain landscaping and snow removal and that units are designed for aging in…