Residents urge Bolton Estate preservation and press council on recurring foul odor; city says county and Ohio EPA assisting

Janice Habinski told council she moved to Mentor in 1954 and urged elected officials to preserve and adapt the Bolton Estate as a community asset, suggesting uses such as dining, event space and boutique lodging to protect the site from parcelization and incompatible development.

Later in the public comment period, resident Jake Balanek described recurring sewer-like odors in northern Mentor and asked what avenues the city is pursuing after years of reports. City staff said the county utility has been flushing and testing lines, that the city and county have been documenting odor reports, and that the Ohio EPA has issued findings related to a pretreatment program at a Painesville Township facility the city had identified for follow-up. City staff also noted the marsh and decaying phragmites can create intermittent, sewer-like smells depending on water levels and weather, and said the city is coordinating with county and state partners to identify the source before pursuing any enforcement or legal action.

Why it matters: The odor has been reported for multiple years by residents; staff described multi-agency testing and said further identification of the source is necessary before legal remedies or enforcement can be pursued.