Wednesday, April 11, 2012
The board decided against granting variances for Best Gyros and ClearSight Eye Care
- GOVERNMENT
- Jason Lea
-
Wednesday, April 11, 2012
The Mentor Board of Zoning Appeals voted to not approve a pair of sign variances for new businesses during a meeting Tuesday at City Hall. The two businesses are a restaurant, Best Gyros at 7413 Mentor Ave., and an optometrist's office, ClearSight Eye Care at 7640 Mentor Ave. Best Gyros had asked to have a 30-square-foot wall sign facing Mentor Avenue in addition to a 30-square-foot freestanding sign and 120-square-foot wall sign. However, the city code says the business should only have a total of 150 square feet worth of signs. Brad Petro, of Cicogna Electric & Sign Co., represented Best Gyros at the meeting. He said the business wanted to have signs facing Mentor Avenue so drivers would know about the new restaurant. The city's …
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
New optometrist's office, ClearSight Eye Care, is coming to Mentor
The city of Mentor's Board of Zoning Appeals can vote on a sign for a new optometrist's office at 7640 Mentor Avenue during its meeting 7 p.m. today at City Hall. ClearSight Eye Care is asking for a 44-square-foot freestanding sign with a 2-foot setback, while the city code says the sign should be no bigger than 40 feet and have a 15-foot setback. ClearSight Eye Care opened April 1. While it may be new to Mentor, its optometrist is not. Dr. Sayed Hasan has worked in Mentor since 1996. He previously worked at PearleVision and LensCrafters. Also at the BZA meeting: The meeting's entire agenda is attached to this story as a PDF.
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Council decides to amend its policy toward background checks for people who serve on the city's commissions and committees
- GOVERNMENT
- Jason Lea
-
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
City Council looks like it will be changing its policy per background checks for residents who serve on the city's many volunteer committees and commissions. In March 2010, the majority of Council passed an ordinance that required all applicants of all the city's appointed commission and committee members to receive a background check. After a discussion at a work session Tuesday, Council agreed to change it so only those committees where members are paid will require a background check. Those committees include the Planning Commission, Board of Zoning Appeals and Civil Service Commission whose members each receive $50 per meeting. Bucey, along with former Councilman Ronald Micchia, voted against the background check ordinance in 2010. She…
Saturday, January 14, 2012
The city is accepting applications to join its Fair Housing Board and Board of Zoning Appeals
- GOVERNMENT
-
Saturday, January 14, 2012
The city of Mentor is accepting resumes andapplications for the following volunteer positions: The BZA position became available when Sean Blake was voted onto the Planning Commission. Similarly, one of the Fair Housing Board vacancies was created when Brian Wollet was voted onto the BZA. The other vacancy is the result of someone retiring from the board. Those who are interested in any of the three positions should submit an application and resume to Clerk of Council Elizabeth Limestahl. The deadline for submission is Jan. 31. For more information email limestahle@cityofmentor.com or call 440-974-5754.
Thursday, January 12, 2012
The Board of Zoning Appeals also elected its chairman, vice chairman and secretary
- GOVERNMENT
- Jason Lea
-
Thursday, January 12, 2012
The Board of Zoning Appeals approved a variance so Advent Lutheran Church could have an illuminated sign in its front yard. The lit sign would replace a dilapidated wooden sign that the church installed in 1995, Mentor Planning Administrator Ric Spence said. While the city code does not allow lit signs in residential zones, the BZA has allowed exceptions before for churches, schools and other public organizations, Spence said. Bruce Langguth, a spokesman for Agile Sign, said the illuminated sign would be 150 feet away from any neighbor's property. "We believe this is something that won't be an annoyance to neighbors and it will allow the chuch to promote its activities," Langguth said. BZA members asked if the church would cooperate with …
Friday, November 11, 2011
Chairman Charles Pinkerman breaks rank with others and votes against extending the deadline
- GOVERNMENT
- Jason Lea
-
Friday, November 11, 2011
The Mentor Board of Zoning Appeals decided to give JTO Inc. and Jiggy Ltd. more time to move a topsoil mound in a flood plain near Diamond Center Drive behind Trask Plaza. The BZA gave the companies a 6-month extension. However, they did not vote unanimously as BZA Chairman Charles Pinkerman broke rank and voted against it. The companies made the mound because they had stripped the topsoil so they could reroute and improve the nearby Wasson Ditch, said Timothy Posar of Jiggy Ltd. This is all part of a project to make 54 acres of the 91-acre plot suitable for development, Posar added. Posar said they had received permission from the Army Corps of Engineers to do the project, but they had not realized they also needed approval from the city …
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
JTO Inc. and Jiggy Ltd. are requesting a variance that will five them more time to remove a topsoil mound in an area that has been ruled a flood plain
- GOVERNMENT
- Jason Lea
-
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
Mentor's Board of Zoning Appeals will meet 7 p.m. Wednesday at City Hall. One of the items on the agenda is a request from JTO Inc. and Jiggy Ltd., seeking a 6-month extension on an order from Flood Plain Administrator James Decker. Decker ordered the businesses to remove a 30 ft. by 300 ft. by 7 ft. topsoil mound that is in a flood plain on Diamond Center Drive behind Trask Plaza. The deadline for Decker's order is approaching and the businesses are asking for more time to do it. "None of the activities that have aken place have (impacted) or will (impact) the ability of the flood plain to function," the businesses said in their variance request. The BZA's complete agenda is attached to this story as a PDF.
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
The Board is scheduled to vote on a 816-sq-ft garage this evening
- GOVERNMENT
- Jason Lea
-
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
The Board of Zoning Appeals will meet today at 7 p.m. in Mentor City Hall. The BZA is scheduled to vote on a proposed 816-square-foot garage on South Grove Road. Without a permit, the city code does not allow a garage larger than 576 square feet. The owner, Beth Greiner, said the new garage would replace a 580-square-foot garage whose roof has collapsed and needs to be torn down. It would also replace a nearby 19-foot-by-25-foot shed that Greiner hopes to demolish soon. Also on the BZA's agenda: The petitioners, Vytas Apanavicius and Vicki Culotta, said they need the addition to accommodate their growing family and cannot build in any other direction. The BZA's agenda for the meeting is attached to this story as a PDF.
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Variances will allow new signs for the Mentor mall and new automotive store
During its meeting Tuesday at city hall, the Mentor Board of Zoning Appeals approved a variance to allow the Great Lakes Mall to install a new freestanding sign on Mentor Avenue, which is part of the mall’s multimillion-dollar renovation project. The new 391-square-foot sign will stand a little over 32 feet in height and replace the existing 305-square-foot sign that is 30 feet tall. A variance was required because city code requires a maximum height for a freestanding sign of 15 feet in height with a maximum area of 120 square feet. The mall also plans to replace its freestanding sign on Johnny Cake Ridge Road with a monument sign, which complies with city code. In May, the mall began internal renovations that include changing the mall’s …
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
The Board of Zoning Appeals is scheduled to vote tonight on whether or not the Mentor mall can have a 475-square-foot freestanding sign
- GOVERNMENT
- Jason Lea
-
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
The Mentor Board of Zoning Appeals is scheduled to meet 7 p.m. today at City Hall. One of the items on its agenda pertains to the Great Lakes Mall's ongoing renovations. The mall has requested to have a freestanding sign that is 475 square feet and 32 feet high. Under usual circumstances, the largest freestanding sign allowed for a shopping center the mall's size is 120 square feet and 15 feet tall. The mall already began internal renovations in May. Internal changes don't require a vote from the Planning Commission or BZA. The mall's multimillion-dollar renovation includes: Also on the BZA's agenda tonight: The auto parts store has requested that it be allowed to have 72-square-foot sidewall signs facing Center Street and State Route 2, …
