Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen moves closer to opening Painesville Township location

Jul. 11—Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen recently moved one step closer to opening a Painesville Township location, with its site plan being approved by the township's Zoning Commission on July 10.

The proposed restaurant will be built at 2168 Mentor Ave., which is on the corner with Waterford Lane and near the Mentor city line. Township Planning and Zoning Director Harley DeLeon said that developers expect to begin site work in November, start construction in January and finish the project next June.

The site plan was presented by Michael Couch, an architect with Arkinetics Architects and Urbanists in Cleveland. He told the commission that the new Popeyes will be built "ground up" and "include site improvements as well as landscaping and water maintenance."

The side bordering Waterford will include a drive-through window, which he said will be fed by a two-lane driveway.

DeLeon noted that the proposal goes "above and beyond" the township's minimum landscaping requirements.

"The applicant took it upon themselves to over-landscape the site, to ensure that the site itself is aesthetically pleasing," she said, adding, "That wasn't a requirement on our end, so I think that they'll be a good neighbor, it seems."

The architectural design was revised to more closely align with the township's "Western Reserve" standard, DeLeon noted. The building will include a brick veneer, cedar-like metal siding, parapets and cornices.

According to commission Chairman Ted Galuschik, the restaurant is set to measure 2,802 square feet.

Commission members raised concerns that the landscaping would make it difficult for motorists pulling out of Waterford to see traffic coming from the east. They amended the plan to remove a tree and move a mound further back from Mentor Avenue.

The plan was then approved by Galuschik, commission member Mark Ruth and alternate member Jim Corrigan. No other commission members were present.