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STAFF REPORT
To: Municipal Planning

Prepared By: Ronald M. Traub, Director

Commission

Economic & Community Development

Meeting Date:

October 20, 2016

Applicant:

Jeff Kauerz for AutoZone Development, LLC (tenant) and Susan Stanovsek (property
owner)

Requested Action:

Conditional Use Permit and Preliminary Site Plan

Purpose:

To construct an auto parts store.

Existing Zoning:

B-2, General Business

Parcel ID Number:

16-A-001-F-00-001-0

Location:

7418 Mentor Avenue

Size:

7,381 sq. ft. building on 0.61-acre site

Existing Land Use: Noosa Bistro Restaurant

Surrounding Land
Use and Zoning:

North: Multi-tenant commercial buildings; zoned B-2, General Business

East: Bicycle Hub; zoned B-2, General Business
South: Midland Moor Subdivision #3; zoned R-2, Single Family Residential
West: Midas; zoned B-2, General Business

Zoning History:

The building was constructed in 1963 for Burger Chef. In 1982 the restaurant was
converted to Mimi Ribs, 1997 it was rebranded Redback Jacks and in 2002 it was
renamed Noosa Bistro.

Applicable
Regulations:

1133 Site Development Plans

1135 Conditional Use Permits
1162.11 Buffering Requirements
1162 Landscaping, Screening and Buffering
1162.07 Location Standards (a) (5)
1173.07 Access Drives and Parking Aisles (3)

Public Utilities:

The site is served by all utilities

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Engineering Comments:
BUILDING
{B6*} A Building Permit is required for new buildings. Plans shall be submitted for permit review by the
Chief Building Official for conformance with the Ohio Building Code and necessary permits obtained.
STORMWATER/SUBDIVISION
{ST18} Erosion control plan including schedule for installation to be included in construction plans. (Refer to
Chapter 1353 of the Mentor Code of Ordinances)

Route storm water runoff from rear roof leader 202 to storm sewer on Mentor Ave. rather than
discharging at the rear corner of the lot.

CIVIL/SITE
{CS1}

Final site plan to conform to City standards (available upon request) as part of next submittal.

{CS4} Existing or proposed commercial drive apron access shall be improved to conform to the O.D.O.T.
Location and Design Manual Section 800 and Chapter 1173.05(e) of the Mentor City Code. 15 (minimum)
turnout radii required. 24 (minimum) throat width required.
{CS7}

All utilities servicing site shall be bored under Mentor Ave. as necessary.

{CS9} If pavement open cut is proposed for any utility on Mentor Ave., it will require approval from Mentor
City Council. Right-of-way permit and Council approval to be coordinated through City Engineering
Department.
{CS14} All existing utilities and proposed service connections shall be indicated on plan in their entirety.
{CS15} All existing cracked, and/or damaged, substandard sidewalk along front property line shall be
replaced.
{CS19} If any existing drive apron is to be abandoned, reconstruct curb to match adjacent curbing. Area
behind curb shall be restored.
TRAFFIC
{T1}
Provide copies of filed cross easements between adjoining properties to permit traffic movement as
proposed and required by permit plan.
{T2.2) The results of the trip generation study do not indicate traffic impacts significant enough to require a
traffic impact study.
(C6)
Handicap parking with van accessibility and curb ramps shall be provided and be designed in
accordance with Chapter 11 of the Ohio Building Code. Handicap signing and mounting heights shall be
detailed on the plans. Signs shall be mounted to a 7 height to bottom of sign.
Fire Department Comments:

Request knox box entry system order at knoxbox.com

Police Department Comments:

No Comment

Analysis:

The applicant proposes to construct an auto parts store (AutoZone) at 7418 Mentor Avenue. The
site is located on the south side of Mentor Avenue, east of the intersection with Reynolds Road.

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The property is zoned B-2, General Business. A restaurant was constructed on the site in 1963
and will be demolished to accommodate the auto parts store.
The proposed building will be set back 76 ft. from the street right-of-way on Mentor Avenue, 7.8
ft. from the east line, 54 ft. from the west property line, and 20 ft. from the rear property line. All
of the building setbacks meet the minimum setback requirements established for the B-2,
General Business district.
The floor plan indicates that the majority of the building will be occupied by shelves for storage
of merchandise. The restrooms will be located at the southeast corner of the building. The stock
room will be located at the rear of the building and wrap around the east side of the building and
a portion will be located behind the sales counters at the front of the building.
Access to the site is provided by a 24-ft. wide drive apron onto Mentor Avenue. Per 1173.07
Access Drives and Parking Aisles (3), a 28-ft. minimum, two-way access width is required for
land-use establishments requiring truck delivers in order to provide adequate maneuvering width
for ingress and egress into the parking lot from the street right-of-way. The property currently
has two curb cuts and the easterly one will be eliminated. The site plan indicates a cross-access
easement on the west side of the site providing access to the Midas parking lot. The applicant
will need to provide the City with a copy of the cross-access easement. The results of the trip
generation study are not significant enough to require a traffic impact study.
The parking lot is setback the minimum ten (10) feet from Mentor Avenue. The minimum
number of spaces required for an auto part store is 22 spaces while the maximum is 29 spaces;
the site provides for 28 spaces including two (2) handicapped spaces. A bike rack is proposed to
be located adjacent to the main entrance on the west side of the building and provides for two (2)
spaces. The site plan indicates a loading space at the south west corner of the building near the
dumpster enclosure.
The applicant has submitted a Conditional Use Permit (CUP) application for a reduction of the
setback and landscape requirements for the buffer area. Per 1162.11 Buffering Requirements, a
retail store adjacent to R-1R-5 zoning districts require Buffer Type C which includes a
minimum 20-ft. setback with four (4) canopy trees, six (6) understory trees, nine (9) shrubs and
three (3) evergreen/conifers per 100 linear ft. plus an eight (8)-ft. solid fence or masonry wall. A
5 ft. by 5 ft. concrete pad and trash enclosure are located within the 20-ft. buffer setback. The
Administration is recommending that no encroachments shall be permitted in the minimum 20-ft.
buffer setback.
The proposed buffer plantings include four (4) canopy trees, nineteen (19) shrubs; the plan does
not include any understory trees, conifers or fencing. The site grading plan indicates a grade
change of approximately six (6) to seven (7) ft. within the buffer area, sloping back to an existing
detention pond of the Midland Moor Subdivision #3. Due to the grade change, it may be
appropriate to install the required eight (8) ft. high fencing at the north side of the buffer on
either side of the building. The buffer plan shall be revised to include the required planting
within the 20-ft. buffer.
The preliminary landscape plan provides for three (3) street trees along Mentor Avenue and
shrubs and ground cover in the landscape islands. Per 1162.07 Location Standards (a) (5), the
minimum dimensions for landscape islands are nine (9)-ft. wide by 18-ft. in length and requires a
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shade tree of at least two (2) in. in caliper. Per 1162.07 Location Standards (c), landscape
plantings within mulched beds shall be required along the front building foundation and building
entrances and shall consist of a mixture of annuals, perennials, groundcovers, ornamental and
evergreen shrubs and ornamental trees. The landscape plan will need to be revised to meet the
code. The applicant is advised underground irrigation is required and a landscape bond in the
amount of 100 percent of the cost of the plant material and cost of installation is required prior to
the issuance of a building permit.
The preliminary building elevations indicate the building will be constructed with eight (8) in.
smooth face concrete masonry units with a four (4) in. band approximately twelve (12) ft. from
the ground. The building colors will be dark grey (foundation) medium gray, an eight (8) in.
band of white, sixteen (16) in. band of red, four (4) in. band of dark gray then two bands of white
with an orange band between the two white bands. The area above the windows on the north and
west elevations will have a seven and a half ft. white E.F.I.S panel on which the sign will be
located. The Administration would note that the sign will be located on a fourteen (14) -ft.
overhang; per Chapter 1171.18 (e) (2) Signs in Commercial and Industrial Districts the sign is
required to be centered on the wall which corresponds to the interior dimensions of the building.
The proposed sign is also larger than the code would permit.
A photometric plan indicates the level of lighting at the property line near the trash dumpster is
approximately 20.44 lux which is in excess of the maximum 11 lux that is allowed. The outdoor
light pole height is indicated at 28 ft. The poles can be no higher than the height of the building,
which is 19 ft. The proposed fixtures will be LED and will be fully shielded per the code
requirements.
The Administration is recommending the CUP (Buffer) and preliminary site plan be tabled and
revised so there are no encroachments within the buffer, installation of an eight (8)-ft. solid fence
and required planting be installed in the 20-ft. buffer. In addition, the preliminary site plan shall
include foundation planting and appropriate size landscape island with shade trees.
Conditional Use Permit Conditions:
Preliminary Site Conditions:

Exhibits:

Conditional Use Permit, Site Plan, Building Elevations, Landscape Plan, Color Rendiering, GIS
Map

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