Cleveland Heights City Council meeting highlights 6-6-11

JUNE 6, 2011

• Jason Stein takes Mark Tumeo’s seat
• House donated to city
• Zoning appeals
• Development plan
• Lead remediation
• Land bank agreement
• 1003 Greyton Road
• 3320 DeSota
• Updating the city code
• Cain Park brochure
• Elbon Road sewer repairs

All council members were present.

Jason Stein takes Mark Tumeo’s seat

Jason Stein was appointed and sworn in to the council seat recently vacated by Mark Tumeo and will serve through December 31, 2011. If he wishes to serve the remaining two years of Tumeo’s term, he will have to run to retain his seat in the November election. Stein has previously served on the Cleveland Heights-University Heights Public Library Board of Trustees, the citizens advisory committee, and the Cleveland Heights-University Heights School Facilities Committee. Mayor Kelley welcomed Stein and announced that he will serve as chair of the administrative services committee, vice chair of the public safety and health committee, and member of the community relations and recreation committee. Council Member Stephens will now chair the finance committee.

House donated to city

Council approved the donation, from REO Clearinghouse, of a house at 859 Nelaview Road, which the city will demolish.

Zoning appeals

Council approved four zoning variances to:

• Waldorf Partners Ltd. Partnership, 2300 Overlook Road, to permit the conversion of 12 three-bedroom apartments into 24 one-bedroom apartments that would range in size from 540 square feet to 630 square feet, while providing no additional parking. The zoning code specifies a minimum of 700 square feet per unit and two parking spaces per unit, of which one space per unit must be enclosed.
• Samyel Goldstein, 3451 Euclid Heights Boulevard, to permit a 13’ x 20’ driveway turnaround to be located six feet from the right-of-way and projecting eight feet into the corner side yard. The zoning code permits no projection of pavement into a corner side yard.
• John Emerman, doing business as Luna Bakery & Café, 2482 Fairmount Boulevard, to permit expansion of the existing nonconforming pole sign by adding a 3.5-square-foot rolling pin sculpture. The zoning code does not allow expansion of a nonconforming sign.
• Randy and Amy Paine, 2502 Marlboro Road, to permit construction of a new one-story, two-car detached garage and to maintain the existing attached two-car garage. The zoning code calls for a maximum of one garage per zoning lot.

Development plan

Council adopted the Strategic Development Plan for the City of Cleveland Heights as prepared and recommended by the Planning Commission and amended by council. The document provides a guide to the future development of the city. The plan’s seven goals include increasing the tax base through new development, improving infrastructure, and encouraging sustainable practices for all development activities.

Lead remediation

Council approved a three-year renewal of an agreement with the Cuyahoga County Department of Development for a grant for lead remediation work. The $512,500 grant will be administered by the Housing Preservation Office and used for lead remediation in at least fifty dwelling units occupied by one or more children under the age of six. The agreement requires a matching contribution of $51,250 from the homeowner’s funds and /or Community Development Block Grant funds. This is the city’s fourth such contract. Cleveland Heights is the only city in Cuyahoga County able to undertake this initiative on its own.

Land bank agreement

Council amended a memorandum of understanding with the Cuyahoga County Land Reutilization Corporation (land bank) for the land bank to act as the city’s agent in connection with nuisance abatement in properties in the city, including the demolition of unsafe vacant properties. This will help coordinate policies and procedures for the maintenance and resale of foreclosed properties within Cleveland Heights that are owned by the land bank.

1003 Greyton Road

Council authorized the sale of city-owned property at 1003 Greyton Road, which had been rehabilitated with federal Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP) funds and for which a purchase offer has been made for $76,900. The authorization also provides $5,000 down-payment assistance for the purchaser.

3320 DeSota Avenue

Council declared the property at 3320 DeSota Avenue to be a nuisance and authorized demolition at a cost of $13,000.

Updating the city code

Council approved an agreement with the Walter H. Drane Company for the annual update of the city’s codified ordinances for the years 2011, 2012 and 2013.

Cain Park brochure

Vice Mayor Evans presented the 2011 Cain Park Brochure, which lists all the events for the summer season, including the Arts Festival, which will be held July 8-10. She thanked the staff for their good work in producing this 46-page publication.

Elbon Road sewer repairs

Council authorized an agreement with Fabrizi Trucking and Paving Company for emergency sewer repairs on Elbon Road at a cost of $64,708.53.

LWV observers: Katherine Solender and Lisa Peters.

These meeting summaries are abstracted from LWV observers’ written reports. The summaries have been edited and prepared by Anne McFarland, Charlene Morse, and Maryann Barnes. To receive email postings of full reports, send an email to mbarnes9515@gmail.com or join through Google groups using “lwv-chuh observer reports” as a search phrase.

These reports contain member observation and selected highlights of public meetings and are not official statements of the Heights Chapter of the League of Women Voters Cuyahoga Area. This disclaimer must accompany any redistribution of these reports.