The Mentor Planning Commission on Nov. 6 voted to recommend approval to city council of the final site plan and architectural review for the Uptown Manor project, a four‑story mixed‑use building spanning multiple Manor Avenue parcels.

Applicant representative Lisonbee Sikora described the project as a four‑story mixed‑use building with restaurant and retail on the first floor and residential units on floors two through four. The applicant said the design includes underground parking, parking behind the site and shared easement parking; the team noted a range of common amenities including co‑work space, a fitness center and a dog wash. The developer acknowledged some unit sizes fall below traditional minimums, a discretion allowed under the planned unit development overlay.

On the final site plan, the developer requested a change to condition 7 so that the trigger reads ‘‘building permit’’ rather than the previously stated phrase (the applicant indicated the maintenance agreement would still be required before the building permit is issued). Planning staff confirmed the commission’s action is a recommendation to council; council holds final approval for the planned unit development.

A separate issue involved condition 4, which the administration had written with language the developer and counsel said could imply responsibility for the neighboring property. Mike Sikora, counsel for the developer, proposed alternative wording to remove any implication that the developer would assume obligations for adjacent property and instead to state: “The Uptown Manor Building will be constructed adjacent to and covering the west facing surface of the immediately adjacent Carlton Building.” The assistant law director and planning staff indicated they were comfortable with the revised wording.

Commissioners voted to recommend approval of the final site plan with the revised condition 7 wording and later approved the architectural review with the amended condition 4 language. Roll call votes on both actions were recorded as unanimous: Mister Perkovich — yes; Mister Rossetti — yes; Mister Tiedemann — yes; Mister Varga — yes; Mister Crocker — yes; Mister Hadden — yes; Mister Cook — yes.

The planning commission’s approvals are recommendations to city council; staff said council will consider both the final development plan and the architectural review at a subsequent meeting.