Statement Regarding City of Mentor’s Proposed Legislation No.24-O-014

Painesville City Council and Administration expresses their deep concern regarding the proposed legislation listed on Mentor’s City Council agenda for their February 6 council meeting. The ordinance, No.24-O-014, seeks to put 215 acres of land in conservation that the City of Mentor acquired in 2020 within Painesville City limits. Placing the land into conservation would stop future economic development and potentially derail the future SR 44 Jackson Street Interchange proposed in the Painesville area of Brookstone Blvd and Shamrock Blvd.

 

While the legislation claims the area to be “public conservation lands”, such lands are actually deemed to be of low-quality wetland. The area has been delineated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and is considered suitable for development. For 30 years, the City of Mentor has proudly developed the neighboring area, Diamond Centre Drive, within their city limits with multiple home improvement stores, a wholesale retailer, restaurants, and more.

 

In passing this legislation, Mentor City Council seeks to control land located in another city’s jurisdiction to prevent the economic advancement of its neighbor. The latest legislation joins a long list of aggressive attacks over the past 20 years from the City of Mentor to prevent Painesville from developing the area and creating potential jobs for its diverse workforce and the region at large.

 

In 2023, the City of Painesville proposed a 50/50 Joint Economic Development District (JEDD) agreement with the City of Mentor for the property within Painesville, to put an end to the long-standing issues. The City of Mentor has so far declined this proposal, which would have conservatively generated $4.7 million in tax revenue for Mentor over the next 20 years, with the City of Painesville being responsible for all infrastructure and public service response in the JEDD. This would be in addition to the profit the City of Mentor would make from the sale of the land they acquired.

 

Members of Painesville City Council and Administration will be present at Mentor’s City Council meeting on Tuesday, February 6 at 7:00 p.m. in Council Chambers located on the third floor of the Mentor Municipal Center, 8500 Civic Center Blvd. All City Council meetings are open to the public.