Petros presents site plan for Concordia development, public hearing set

by Laura Bednar

Jan. 7 planning commission meeting

The Independence Planning Commission had its first look at the preliminary site plan for the subdivision on the former Concordia property at Brecksville and Stone roads.

Greg Modic, the president of land development for Petros Development Group, presented the site plan, which showed four new homes in addition to the originally proposed 53. Independence Economic Development Director Jessica Hyser said Concordia has expressed interest in selling another portion of its land behind the church for the four homes, as well as the easements along the proposed driveway for the development.

Modic stressed the plans focus on stormwater management. “We look at it as a whole, not just develop around it,” he said. The plan is to build high-capacity stormwater management ponds and diversion swales to redirect water to existing discharge channels and slow the speed of the water going down Stone Road. 

Modic said he is an engineer and will oversee the design, approval and construction of the project. He added that there are many studies left for Petros to complete.

An environmental study has been done, according to Modic, who said that Petros hired an outside consultant to evaluate the reported dumpsite on the northern portion of the property. The results stated that the debris on the land was 90-95% glass bottles with minor residential garbage. No chemicals were detected in soil samples. He said the site was evaluated using residential standards instead of commercial standards because residential is more stringent.

Planning commission member Cheryl Chase said it is a “gorgeous property” and the community has a “level of protectiveness over it, and that’s why we want to be careful.”

Planning commission Chair William Gutermuth asked how Petros would address wetlands on the property. Modic said just under half an acre of the wetlands were granted jurisdictional determination, which is a federal classification regulated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. This means Petros can purchase mitigation, or wetlands within a watershed in a separate location, allowing them to build over some wetland on the Concordia property. A second half an acre of wetlands will be preserved on the east side of the property.

Gutermuth also asked, “How much of the property will be clear cut?” Modic said the property would be completely clear-cut. Gutermuth suggested Petros look to add some trees in the development where possible to make up for the removal.

On the south side of the property, which abuts the parking lot for the Cleveland Clinic Business Operations Center on Brecksville Road, Modic said Petros plans to add screening for the homes to block headlights. This could be trees or fencing.

The gas well and tanks on the property are active, and Modic said the company that owns them would handle their maintenance. The homes are 100 feet from the gas tanks and 50 feet from the gas well. According to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, “The division does not regulate distance between new homes and existing wells or tanks, so there is no minimum distance.”

Hemlock Trail access is still planned and conversations are ongoing with Dick Pace, the owner of the Independence Technology Center property easements on Brecksville Road that would connect the trail.

The homes themselves will be zero-entry, meaning no steps to get inside. Modic said the homes will have varying backyard drops based on location and some homes will have a walkout or step-down basement. All homes will have a two-car garage while some homes have an option for a three-car garage. The cost of the homes will be in the upper $400,000s to low $500,000s for a 40-foot lot, the lower $500,000s for a 45-foot lot and mid to upper $500,000s for a 50-foot lot.

Petros will hire Donald G. Bohning & Associates to perform the engineering and site design and will bid out the home building to a contractor. Modic said Petros will conduct at least a two-month engineering study and after gaining city approval, hopes to break ground in July or August.A public hearing will be held before the next planning commission meeting on Feb. 4 at 5 p.m. The planning commission can vote following the public hearing to recommend that city council approve the site plan. If not, the commission has until its March meeting to make a recommendation.