Cleveland Heights City Council meeting highlights [6-20-11]

JUNE 20, 2011

• Kulas grant for Cain Park summer program
• Website redesign
• Buckingham condominium dumpsters
• Road projects
• Zoning variances
• Zoning code changes
• Fair housing study update
• Phoenix Coffee outdoor dining
• Technology center at Coventry school building
• DNA testing in criminal cases

Vice Mayor Phyllis L. Evans was absent.

Kulas grant for Cain Park summer program

Council accepted a $5,000 grant from the Kulas Foundation to support the 2011 summer program at Cain Park.

Website redesign

Council authorized an agreement with Vision Internet for redesigning the city’s primary website. Fifteen proposals had been received and evaluated. The agreement also includes the addition of three sub-sites (for the police department, Cain Park, and the recreation department), onsite training for staff, development of PDF interactive forms, content migration, payment options, and tech support. Compensation shall not exceed $45,260. A fall 2011 rollout is expected.

Buckingham condominium dumpsters

Council authorized an agreement with the Buckingham Condominium Association for an easement for the relocation of its dumpsters.

Road projects

Council voted to proceed with Taylor Road rehabilitation from Euclid Heights Boulevard to East Cleveland. The project includes pavement narrowing, base replacement, curbs, drainage improvements, resurfacing, and signal removals. Estimated costs are $876,040, less an Ohio Public Works Commission Grant of $438,020 and less a SIB loan for $438,020, leaving a balance due of $0.00. The city’s ultimate share of the cost will be known when final actual costs are determined.

Phase two of the Monticello Boulevard project, from Taylor Road to Mayfield Road, will begin July 12. Additionally, thirty streets will have surface improvements.

Zoning variances

Council approved seven zoning appeals including:

A variance for Dylan Properties, 3758 Berkeley Road, to permit the addition of a 7 foot 6 inch width to an existing to 10-foot wide driveway, set back 1 foot, 6 inches from the property line;

A variance for Alan Rocke and Christine Rom, 3266 Clarendon Road, to permit a new two-car garage to be located 2 feet, 3 inches from the west property line;

A variance for Heather Terrore, 3189 Monmouth Road, to permit a 4-foot tall ornamental metal fence in a corner side yard set back 3 feet, 6 inches from the Lee Road right-of-way.

A variance for Michael Salkind, 2412 Woodmere Road, to permit expansion of a nonconforming use by enclosing two rear porches that would result in the house being 7 feet from the existing garage and covering 33% of rear yard;

A variance for Lloyd J. Tucker, 3540 Northcliffe Road, to permit a new garage to be located 1 foot from the west property line and 5 feet from the existing house;

A variance for the Cleveland Heights-University Heights School District’s Noble Elementary School, 1293 Ardoon Street, to permit eight new parking spaces and connection of two nonconforming parking lots set back approximately 7 to 11 feet from Noble Road (Council Member Bonnie Caplan noted that this is a good example of planning for traffic flow and safety around schools and thanked planning director Wong for his assistance);

And, a variance for the Cuyahoga County Land Reutilization Corp, for a property at 1176 Sylvania Road, to permit a one-car garage with 2-foot side- and rear-yard setbacks. Council Member Cheryl Stephens, who works for the land bank, abstained from voting on this last variance.

Zoning code changes

An ordinance to change the zoning code in order to adopt regulations for adaptive reuse of existing non-residential buildings in residential districts was presented on first reading. “Industrial design” establishments, which may only create prototypes of products, but may not manufacture products for sale and distribution, are prohibited from outside storage or display. All business, servicing, processing and storage uses must be located within the building. The same restrictions apply to “research and development, limited” establishments where research and development is conducted in such industries as green technology, biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, medical instrumentation or supplies, communication and information technology, electronics and instrumentation, and computer hardware and software. Other amended subsections refer to day care centers and nursery schools in a school, religious institution, or conditionally permitted adaptively reused non-residential building. The planning commission will look at the ordinance at their July 13 meeting and a public hearing will take place July 25.

Fair housing study update

Council accepted the updated Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Study prepared by Mullin & Lonergan Associates. Periodic updates of the analysis are required as a condition for receiving Community Development Block Grand funds.

Phoenix Coffee outdoor dining

Council authorized an agreement with Phoenix Coffee, Inc. for the use of a portion of the right-of-way property on Coventry Road for the placement of an ice cream cart between June 20, 2011 through September 30, 2011 and for outdoor dining between the hours of 11 a.m. and 11 p.m.

Technology center at Coventry school building

Council contracted SGI Global Business Advisors, LLC for consulting services related to the establishment of a technology center at the former Coventry School and for company recruitment, including international companies. At this time the first two of four phases of the project will proceed. Compensation for such services shall not exceed $25,000 plus expenses as approved by the city manager.

DNA testing in criminal cases

Referring to recent publicity about DNA testing in criminal cases, Council Member Kenneth Montlack noted that, in the case in question, there was no DNA match because none had been entered into the state system for the individual’s previous arrests or incarcerations. Media reports have called for changes in policies and procedures, and the Cleveland Heights Police Department has done so. Montlack said that, in 12 years as an acting judge and 24 years on council, he has seen the Cleveland Heights Police Department thoroughly investigate all crimes, including many against women and domestic violence cases. He said the city and the police department are to be commended for commitment to equality and efficiency.

LWV observer: Patricia Solomon

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 e-mail postings of full reports, send an e-mail 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.