Solon Safety Committee OKs Giant Eagle Site Plan

The Solon safety committee signed off Wednesday on the site plan for a redesigned Solar Center, including a new .

Wednesday's action was needed before the project can receive final approval from the city, came after the committee received a briefing from the city's traffic engineer. The committee examined the site plan from a safety perspective.

Traffic Engineer Kevin Westbrooks told the committee that the reconfigured shopping center should have roughly the same amount of traffic since all the access points will remain the same and the square footage of commercial space will only increase slightly.

"Because of access points not changing, the size not changing and uses that are going to be somewhat similar, we didn’t see a need for big changes to the traffic patterns out there," Westbrooks said.

Police Chief Chris Viland and Fire Chief Bill Shaw both said they saw no problems with the plans as presented.

The Solar Shopping Center sits in the middle of town at the SOM Center and Aurora roads intersection.

Echo Solon, a local arm of Echo Realty, wants to build a new, freestanding 92,000 square foot Giant Eagle and redesign the rest of the plaza. Solon officials are supporting the project, calling it the first major upgrade of a shopping plaza in Solon history and a key part of the city master plan.

But the project needs roughly 20 variances or other approvals from the Solon Planning Commission, and ultimately other solon city council committees and the full city council, before the developers can build.

The clock is ticking, because Echo must receive its approvals by April 12, when its purchase agreement for the plaza expires.

Officials hope to put the plans to vote in the Solon Planning Commission on Feb. 28, making way for a city council vote in March.