Discount Drug Mart gets Planning Commission's OK for North Ridgeville store

NORTH RIDGEVILLE — Discount Drug Mart took another step toward increasing its presence in Lorain County last week when the North Ridgeville Planning Commission gave its unanimous approval to site plans for a new store in the area of Bagley and Lorain Roads. The proposed 28,470 square foot store will be housed in a new building with a single-lane drive-thru pharmacy at its northwest corner. Assuming the plans receive all additional approvals necessary, construction is anticipated this year with a goal of opening in the fall, said Tyler Rice, an architect with Cleveland's Fabo Architecture in his presentation to the Planning Commission. An existing pond on the site will "remain as it is with minimal impact to it, or modifying it," Rice added. Drawings of the building itself show an exterior façade typical of other Drug Mart locations, with a pole sign. In his comments on the project, Mayor Kevin Corcoran suggested that architects consider a ground sign due to the pole sign looking inconsistent with the character of the area. He pointed to a ground sign at the adjacent Danbury Senior Living facility, but overall expressed excitement for the project. "We're looking forward to the grand opening and having Discount Drug Mart and their employees and owners join our city," Corcoran wrote. Rice said the architects will revise and resubmit their plans to feature a ground sign. Asked by City Councilman and Planning Commission member Bruce Abens if the architecture firm might consider adding a fence along the property lines, Rice said they could look into it, but they are currently proposing "evergreen bushes that grow to 6 feet in height" to help reduce any potential headlights seen by neighbors. Planning Commission member Steve Ali asked if the parking lot lighting from the store would be diffused to avoid bothering neighboring residents. A photometric plan to be submitted with final drawings will state that all of the proposed lights will have shields or be angled into the property, Rice said. Deliveries to the store would take place Monday through Friday between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m., with occasional Saturday deliveries between 8 a.m. and noon. There are no current plans for Drug Mart to share the site with any other tenants, Rice said. A traffic impact study must be conducted per city code, and Drug Mart would be asked to make any modifications in the public right-of-way if the study deems it necessary, said City Engineer Dan Rodriguez. Contact Dylan Reynolds at (440) 329-7123 or dreynolds@chroniclet.com. Follow him on Twitter @drey1357.