Portage Crossing Groundbreaking Slated for Fall

To the dismay of eager consumers, construction of the much-anticipated Portage Crossing development will be pushed back to some time this fall.

The original plan called for Stark Enterprises to purchase the necessary 29 acres of State Road property by July 31, but that deadline has been pushed back to Oct. 31 to address a proposed zoning change brought forth by the developer and the Cuyahoga Falls Planning Commission, according to the Fred Guerra.  

Sue Truby, the city's development director, asked City Council on July 30 for the deadline extension and the measure passed 9-1. Ken Barnhart was absent from the meeting and Carol Klinger cast the dissenting vote, according to council clerk Cathy Meacham. 

Once council returns from its month-long  summer break, it will hold a public hearing on Sept. 10 to address the zoning change per Truby's measure. 

During the hearing, Stark Enterprises will discuss changing the zoning of the acreage from mixed use (commercial and residential) to solely commercial. 

Reason being, the and Giant Eagle anchor stores would need to conform to mixed use (MU-4) regulations, which would hamper and complicate the construction of the sprawling big box stores, said Guerra.

"Switching to commercial would simplify the process and get us to where we need to be," he said.

If all goes as planned, the zoning change should take effect by the end of September.

For additional information, refer to the planning commission pdf attached to the article.