Planning commission approves Sheetz final site plan and architectural review for 6010 Heisley Road with conditions

The Mentor planning commission voted to approve a final site plan and architectural review for a Sheetz fuel station and convenience store at 6010 Heisley Road.

Diane Kalta, Sheetz land development counsel, and Ellen Celli, the project permit manager, presented the final site plan and addressed staff report items. Celli described the site’s drive‑through configuration — which she called an “isolated canoe” — and said Sheetz’s internal data shows the drive‑through peak hour (lunch) averages about five vehicles. She said food deliveries are intended to occur at the rear of the site so fuel pumps are not blocked, and that the company will follow the city’s noise ordinance and pass delivery‑time guidance along to store managers.

Ellen Celli also said the company plans 45 parking spaces on the site (the staff calculation cited a different base number under city code) to accommodate employees and shift turnover, will add shade trees and irrigation, and will provide cross‑access easement language and engineering responses as part of the permit submittal. She told commissioners that Sheetz’s EV‑charging partners do not plan chargers at this location at this time.

Resident Jake Blanick spoke during public comment with several neighborhood concerns: restricting deliveries during the city’s quiet hours (11 p.m.–6:59 a.m.), clarifying delivery staging so pumps are not obstructed, reviewing traffic signal timing at the nearby intersection, checking the size and durability of the right‑in/right‑out “pork chop,” and ensuring rooftop equipment is screened from nearby homes. He asked the commission and applicant to consider delivery restrictions and intersection signal timing to avoid blocking traffic.

Administration and the applicant responded: staff said the city’s code allows lights that illuminate flags and that shielded site lighting would be evaluated; engineering and permit reviews for drainage and final details will occur with the building permit; and Celli said the traffic study did not recommend signal‑timing changes and that the pork‑chop dimensions meet ODOT standards and require engineering sign‑off before construction.

The commission’s motion to approve the final site plan carried with 11 conditions, the eleventh specifically reminding the applicant to comply with the city's noise ordinance; commissioners also required additional signage. Later the commission approved the architectural review of the Sheetz building (brick with stone base, screened propane cage, bolstered bollards for outdoor seating and rooftop screening) with two conditions and directed staff and engineering to verify technical details during permitting.

Next steps: Sheetz will provide required easement language, finalize engineering responses and address city engineer comments during the permit submittal; the city will monitor compliance with the noise ordinance and respond to any nuisance complaints.