Planning commission approves daycare, medical office, greenhouse and multiple site/architecture items; limits awning signage

The Mentor Planning Commission on Oct. 16 approved multiple applications including a conditional use permit for a child day care, a conditional use for a medical office, accessory‑structure and canopy reviews, and final site and architecture approvals for an industrial building. The commission added or reaffirmed conditions in several approvals and set limits on signage size for a canopy.

Day care: The commission granted a conditional use permit to allow a child day care center at 7260 Lakeshore Boulevard. Applicant Tashana Robertson (ABC McGraw Academy) told the commission she already operates a center on Vine Street and plans to use a state‑recognized early‑childhood curriculum for infants through preschool. Planning staff noted the location had previously been approved for a day‑care use in 2024 under a different business and recommended two conditions; commissioners added a third requiring an AED on site. The motion to approve with three conditions passed on a roll call vote.

Medical office (acupuncture): The commission approved a conditional use to allow an acupuncture practice to relocate to 7594 Saint Clair Avenue. Applicant Austin Homerghaus said he is a state‑licensed practitioner who has worked with the VA community‑care program and has practiced for 14 years. Planning staff said the site had been a rental home in an industrial district and recommended four conditions; commissioners added a fifth to require an AED. The applicant said he will work with the building department on parking layouts and will modify an existing handicap ramp to meet commercial slope requirements.

Accessory building (8160 Norton Parkway): Applicant David Kornbluth asked the commission to remove a miscellaneous review from the table and presented a revised design for an accessory building. The applicant said adding a masonry base would add roughly $50,000‑$60,000 to the building cost; planning staff and the commission noted the building will be largely concealed by existing and proposed landscaping and recommended repeating four prior conditions (including color and material matching). The commission approved the item with the conditions.

Hoop house / institutional accessory (9098 & 9114 Lakeshore Boulevard): Bill Talty, representing a parish garden ministry, asked the commission to allow a high tunnel (hoop house) to extend the growing season for produce donated to local ministries. Planning staff noted three conditions and commissioners discussed whether the structure is permanent and requires a professional engineer’s sign‑off; applicant said the plastic sheeting is a two‑layer product typically replaced every five years. The motion to approve with three conditions passed.

Awning and sign review (9131 Jordan Drive, Porta Royce Pizza): Adam Baron presented a request to replace a torn awning and include painted lettering. Planning staff advised the commission that once lettering appears on a canopy it is regulated as a sign and must meet wall‑sign area calculations. Staff said the allowable wall sign area would be about 60 square feet for this building; the applicant agreed to limit awning lettering to that area. Commissioners reviewed a separate mural on the building that had been approved earlier in the year; the city said the mural appears incomplete and staff will pursue enforcement or require return to the commission if the final mural differs materially from what was approved. The commission approved the awning with three conditions and a 60‑square‑foot limit on lettering.

9500 Hamilton Drive (site plan and architecture): The commission granted final site plan approval and an architecture review for a proposed industrial building at 9500 Hamilton Drive. Applicant Richard Summers and architect Jeff Serto described a precast concrete building with brick entry piers and curtain‑wall glazing at the lobby. The applicant requested a reduction in required parking based on the building’s planned distribution use and provided existing examples across the street; planning staff noted the commission may approve parking as submitted. The commission approved the site plan with conditions and added an explicit condition approving the parking as submitted today (including use of 26 land‑banked spaces as needed). The architecture review was approved with one condition (consistent materials/colors as submitted).

Votes at a glance - Conditional use permit, 7260 Lakeshore Boulevard (child day care): Approved (motion to approve with 3 conditions). Roll call: Hadden yes; Perkovich yes; Rossetti yes; Tiedemann yes; Varga yes; Cook yes. - Conditional use permit, 7594 Saint Clair Avenue (medical office / acupuncture): Approved (motion to approve with 5 conditions including AED). Roll call: Hadden yes; Perkovich yes; Rossetti yes; Tiedemann yes; Varga yes; Cook yes. - Miscellaneous review removed from table and approved, 8160 Norton Parkway (accessory building): Approved with 4 prior conditions repeated. Roll call: unanimous yes. - Miscellaneous review approved, 9098 & 9114 Lakeshore Boulevard (high tunnel / hoop house): Approved with 3 conditions; applicant must meet PE/sign‑off as required for a permanent structure. - Misc review (awning), 9131 Jordan Drive (Porta Royce Pizza canopy and signage): Approved with 3 conditions; awning lettering limited to 60 sq ft. - Final site plan and architecture, 9500 Hamilton Drive (industrial building): Final site plan approved with 5 conditions including parking approved as submitted; architecture approved with 1 condition.

Commissioners and staff repeatedly asked applicants to address building‑department requirements during building‑permit review (parking plans, handicap ramp slopes, mechanical shielding, materials/colors) and added AED devices as a condition in two of the approvals. No item in this cluster was deferred; each listed application passed on a roll call vote except for items left on the table by applicants (e.g., the 7850 Manor Avenue architecture review remained on the table).