PAINESVILLE, Ohio — News 5 is continuing our coverage on a hot topic in Lake County.
It deals with a land dispute between Painesville and Mentor over a vacant property at Brookstone and Shamrock Boulevards.
The two communities have been talking for the last two weeks, and on Tuesday, they met once again to talk about this property’s future at Mentor Civic Center.
We don’t just report the initial story—we follow through to its conclusion. Read and watch our previous reporting on this story below and see more stories that we've followed through on here.
City Council did not make too much headway on the land dispute between Mentor and Painesville, which Councilman Derrick Abney says he expected.
“My reading of the room, I kind of felt that. I kind of felt that they were all thinking still the same way from their previous way of thinking,” said Painesville Councilman Derrick Abney.
However, Abney said he’s optimistic the two communities will soon meet.
“I believe that if we continue the dialogue, if we continue the conversation and if we articulate this is such a manner for growth,” said Abney.
When News 5 first reported on this story, we learned Painesville wants to use the 215 acres of land within their city’s limits for economic development opportunities, whereas Mentor Law Director Joseph Szeman says the city wants to maintain it as it is.
“It’s not to sell it. It’s not to do anything with it currently or in the foreseeable future,” said Mentor Law Director Joseph Szeman at their previous meeting on Feb. 6, 2024.
While the property is in Painesville, it is also tied to Riverside Local School District and owned by Mentor, so Szeman says Mentor wants to continue using the land for preservation purposes.
At the same time, Szeman says Mentor hopes to establish police and sanitation regulations, which they say can help them enforce and charge violators in the Mentor Municipal Court.
“People are doing illegal things on our property up there and it’s time that the city more directly addressed,” said Szeman on Feb. 6.
City Manager Doug Lewis says he followed up on this concern with Painesville’s Police Department, asking for a report on calls received to the area.
“Since April of 2019, the Painesville Police Department responded to seven suspicious vehicles, one trespass call and one injured deer call,” said Painesville City Manager Doug Lewis.
Meanwhile, Mentor City Manager Kenneth Filipiak says they have created a community survey for people’s input.
“Obviously, we’d like to get a good idea of what our residents think. I mean there have been some different points of view,” said Filipiak.
“I respect the survey, but I respect our leader’s decision making as we were elected by the people,” said Abney.
The third reading of this ordinance will happen in two weeks, and News 5 plans to continue following through on this developing story.
