The Mentor Planning Commission tabled a preliminary site plan for Clean Express Auto Wash on Mentor Avenue during their July 24 meeting, citing concerns about traffic flow and customer navigation outside the property boundaries.
Meeting Details: Chairman Brian Cook called the meeting to order at 7 p.m. Present were members David Rossetti, Geoffrey Varga, George Hadden, and Cook. Excused were Richard Thiedemann, John Crocker, and John Perkovich.
Car Wash Project: The commission reviewed a revised site plan for the car wash at 9361 Mentor Avenue, presented by Jeff Plotts with Nefin Associates. The plan represents a 180-degree flip from the original design, moving traffic flow to the north side of the property.
The project includes two 10-foot-wide emergency bailout lanes with “do not enter” signage, cones, and striping. These lanes would only be used when staff manually direct customers during wash malfunctions or vehicle breakdowns.
Traffic Study Results: Traffic engineer Kevin Westbrooks reported the facility expects 39 cars during peak hours, with traffic split roughly 50-50 between eastbound and westbound Mentor Avenue. The study found no material impact on intersection operations.
Commission Concerns: Varga raised questions about customer confusion navigating to and from the site, particularly for those unfamiliar with the area. He worried about drivers making poor decisions when confused about exit routes.
“When people get confused, they make bad decisions,” Varga said, expressing concern about customers potentially causing problems at the already congested Mentor Avenue and Heisley Road intersection.
Hadden noted existing traffic issues at the intersection, particularly with southbound Heisley Road traffic and the access road near Salvation Army.
Easement Agreements: Joe Buchi with Clean Express confirmed both Speedway and Walmart approved modifications to the shared access easements, agreeing to limit the southern drive to emergency use while maintaining full access on the northern drive.
Legal counsel Majid Makhlouf confirmed the law director approved the easement paperwork, which was posted on the city agenda.
Administration Recommendations: City administration recommended removing the western emergency bypass lane to avoid additional congestion and suggested adding stop signs on the back of “do not enter” signs for safety.
Next Steps: The commission tabled the application to allow time for developing specific signage conditions. Cook emphasized the need for detailed signage plans addressing customer navigation concerns.
The item will return to the August 14 agenda, still ahead of the next council meeting scheduled for August 19.
Hours of Operation: The proposed car wash would operate 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday.
Other Business: The commission also left amendments to city ordinances regarding short-term rentals on the table due to lack of quorum on that specific item.
The next regular meeting is scheduled for August 14 at 7 p.m.
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