Sagamore considers senior housing

by Laura Bednar

The Sagamore Hills Board of Zoning Appeals approved a conditional use permit for the construction of senior apartments at state Route 82 and Carter Road.

According to Philip Pirro, project manager with the Cleveland Clinic Foundation, the Clinic owns the property in question and is under contract to sell it to Grey Fox Capital, which will proceed with the construction process.

The property is currently zoned for commercial use, but senior living residential units are permitted if the builders meet the conditions outlined in the township zoning code. The units must be built on a parcel of at least 25 acres, there may be no more than six units per building, and there must be at least three different types of unit groupings. In addition, at least 40% of the land must remain as open space, and there can be no more than 4.5 units per development acre.

Ryan Sommers, representative from Grey Fox Capital, submitted a letter to the township stating that Grey Fox, in partnership with Petros Development Group, is proposing 140 luxury ranch-style apartment homes.

The letter said, “Our proposal includes two new private vehicular access points to the site along Carter Road and a replacement road entrance where an existing entrance currently is located to the Clinic facility along West Aurora Road.”

During the public hearing portion of the board of zoning appeals meeting in January, resident Mary Davis said, “140 units seems like a lot and [there’s] a lot of traffic on Carter Road and the 82 entrance to Brentwood.” She then asked if there was a plan to reduce traffic.

Project engineer Eric Kramer, from Donald Bohning & Associates, said as the project moved further along, a Summit County engineer would conduct traffic studies.

If approved by the planning commission, the senior living apartments would surround the existing Brentwood Health Care Center on West Aurora Road.

Kramer said two vacant buildings on the property – an emergency medical building and office structure ­– would be razed during construction. He added that the senior homes and streets would be private development, with no township involvement for snowplowing or other services.

Housing unit details

Steven Geisler from Pride One Construction outlined the design of each unit in the proposed “Parkview Senior Living” development. The first type is called “Mendoza” and includes two bedrooms, two bathrooms and a one-car garage for a total of 1,618 square feet. The second, “Canterbury and Windsor” includes two bedrooms and bathrooms and a two-car garage with a den and mudroom on end units for a total of 1,300 square feet. The third, “Sanibel” has two bedrooms and bathrooms, a two-car garage and office space for a total of 1,381 square feet.

Kramer explained that each unit would be one story tall with no basement. Each building could have anywhere from two to six units. In addition, the development would include a clubhouse for residents to gather for events, according to Geisler.

The homes would follow the federal standard of age restricted housing, which requires 80% of homes to be occupied by at least one person age 55 or older.

Community concerns

Sagamore resident John Davis said the property is “a natural environment area. We don’t want any more development. We are a township; [what’s next], we become a village?”

Sagamore Hills Zoning Commission member Dr. David Koncal addressed the resident at the public hearing, saying the commission has looked for a senior housing option for the township for four years.

“It allows for something we don’t have in the township,” he said. “You can’t stop development.”

Koncal added that because the property is zoned for commercial use, the commission was more concerned with a shopping center being built there.

Resident Jeff Polsen stated a concern about the culvert at Carter Road and water drainage. Kramer stated water will drain to the west and the plan was to leave a good portion of existing trees in the area to help with drainage and create a buffer between the development and surrounding residential homes.

Three stormwater management facilities were included in the site plan Kramer presented. The Summit County engineer must review all retention areas in a site plan before construction can proceed.

The board of zoning appeals unanimously approved the conditional use permit. The proposal now requires approval from the planning commission. ∞