Medina County Planning Commission approves the Market at Medina line preliminary plan extension request

MEDINA — The Medina County Planning Commission approved a final preliminary plan extension request made by the Market at Medina Line development on Wednesday. The Market at Medina Line is a development by Menard Inc. and includes 13 sublots across 126.2 total acres. The preliminary plan was approved in December 2019, with the final plat, Phase 1 being approved in January 2021. It was stated by the board that no changes were made to the preliminary plan and that the board was only looking at approving a time extension. Tom O'Neil, a representative for Menard Inc., requested the planning commission approve a final extension for the project. "The reason for the extension was that Menard Inc. and the township were successful in concluding a litigation that advanced to the Ohio Supreme Court," O'Neil said. "It was too late in the year to get underway; we just didn't have time to plan and start the project. We are requesting a third extension to get those plans completed and get ready for commencement of construction in the spring of 2024." O'Neil said that once the construction has begun, it will take at least a year to complete. Several residents of Granger Township asked the planning commission to deny the extension on grounds of the impact of increased traffic, the effects on the houses near the development, and the potential for increased crime in the area. They also question the impact of a development this size in a rural area like Granger Township. Several spoke against decisions made by the Granger Township Trustees regarding the Market at Medina Line. Medina County Department of Planning Services & Fair Housing Director Denise Testa said that with this extension, the Market at Medina can proceed. "They're working on the construction plans and the final plat phase 1," Testa said. "We don't have a deadline for our modifications. What happens is when we review the final plat, because that is a recorded document, we ensure that all of the modifications have been met prior to signing the final plat." Testa said that the planning commission review process covers a wide range of agencies that review all the board's plans. "There are some agencies that we request comments from that don't necessarily have regulations that are required to be followed as part of the plan," Testa said. "However, it is still an important part of the process because if there is something like what the Medina County Park District had to say, we will follow up on that. We will follow the regulations that guide those principles." The modification by the Medina County Park District that Testa mentions states that the park district is interested in an area to the north of the proposed planned development's limits due to the district's desire to protect the headwaters of Yellow Creek. The board stated that this modification was an optional modification. After hearing the comments from the applicant and the public, the planning commission voted to approve the preliminary plan extension. Testa said that out of 11 representatives who could have voted, nine attended and all voted to approve the extension. Testa said that this extension expires on Nov. 1, 2024, and that it was approved with modifications. Contact reporter Patrick Rhonemus at (330) 721–4050 or prhonemus@medina-gazette.com.