Portage Crossing Update: Legislation Could Head to City Council Soon

Cuyahoga Falls officials believe it won't be long now before city council sees before it some Portage Crossing legislation.

Development Director Sue Truby was prompted by Councilwoman Mary Ellen Pyke Monday night to give an update on the Portage Crossing progress and when city officials and residents could hear that legislation in a public forum.

The answer? Within the next several weeks, Truby said.

She said the city is working on several "legal matters," which include easements with adjoining property owners. The city also has to work through environmental issues with the Environmental Protection Agency. Those issues include where detention ponds can and cannot go.

"All these issues are important to finalize because they are all contingent upon closing," Truby said.

Original plans for Menards and Giant Eagle to anchor Portage Crossing were sidetracked in November 2012 after Stark Enterprises was unable to clear room for the proposed 240,000-square-foot, two-story home improvement store when the owner of a nearby Pizza Hut refused to sell his land. 

"That affected the developer's site plan, which consequently affected the public improvements that we're making as well," she said. "So we're working through both of those issues."

According to Mayor Don Robart's state of the city address: "After several attempts to reconcile with the land owner, it as determined that the Pizza Hut would not be relocated and therefore, Menards could no longer be considered as the northern anchor for Portage Crossing."

However, development department officials have found another site for Menards within the Falls.

Robart talks more about the Portage Crossing project in pages 27-30 of his state of the city address here.

Check back with Cuyahoga Falls Patch as more information becomes available about the progress of Portage Crossing.