Hermitage commissioners voted unanimously Wednesday against rezoning 15 acres near the Shenango Valley Freeway and state Route 18 for commercial development.

It was the third time in a decade that commissioners turned down a developer's rezoning request on the property, which is in a office-building zone.

Heritage Development Corp., near Cleveland, requested the rezoning in September. Heritage said it wanted to develop a retail plaza on the 15 rezoned acres and 11 neighboring acres that are already zoned commercial.

The company did not say which retailers or restaurants expressed interest in the land, but said it was a logical and appealing place for development because it sits in the core of the city and along two major thoroughfares.

It also said a retail center could generate more than $300,000 in tax revenue, compared to the $5,400 it generates now.

In denying the request, commissioners cited concerns of nearby residents, a desire to focus on the city's 240 unused commercial acres and confidence in past plans and studies that said the land in question was designed for office buildings rather than retailers and restaurants.

While Commissioner Larry Gurrera called the land a "prime piece of property," he said he rejected the request because of the concerns of residents and a generally ailing business climate.

"That is a nice piece of land. It's hard to say no. But I felt that the concerns of residents were more important," said Commissioner Joseph Augustine.

"The land is zoned the way it's zoned for a purpose," said Commissioner James P. "Pat" White, citing the city's comprehensive plan and Route 18 south corridor study, costly efforts which called for no changes in land use.

Commissioner Sylvia Stull echoed White, saying she believes the retail center could "impose on the safety and welfare of our citizens and our community."

Commissioner President William Scanlon said he felt it was important to "protect the residential neighborhood and those who live here."

Commissioners said they expect to see the issue crop up again. Not all of them were excited about the prospect. "I hope developers will think twice before coming in the future (with a rezoning request for the land). I don't want to have to do this again," White said.

Minutes after his request was denied, Brian Grassa of Heritage Development did not rule out the possibility of winding up before the board again with a similar request.

"There's no mistake why this issue keeps coming back up again," Grassa said prior to the board vote. "This corner is crucial to the continued success of the community's business district."

When asked if he would contest the decision, Grassa said, "We respect their decision. We are not a company that is looking for litigious situations."

Hermitage lawyer John Reed spoke on behalf of Heritage. Reed said the land has been "actively marketed" for years for an office building but there has been no interest. He added that a retail center would not damage the nearby neighborhood and would be "appropriate commercial development within the city core ... not sprawl."

"We want a big box like (Heritage is) looking for," said Ron Yates, vice president of the Pittsburgh-based Glimcher Group, which owns Hermitage Hills Plaza.

The plaza, which has lost four tenants including anchor stores Ames and Heilig-Myers, is across the Freeway from the 15 acres that Heritage asked to be rezoned.

"The big boxes they claim they're chasing, we're chasing the same ones. We believe we are the center of town," Yates said.