Cleveland Heights City Council special meeting highlights 7-30-2018

JULY 30, 2018

 

  • Objections to liquor license renewals
  • Community reinvestment area
  • Cedar Lee SID services plan
  • Cedar Lee SID assessment equalization board
  • Meadowbrook and Lee
  • Stadium Square
  • FutureHeights agreement
  • State Bicycle Route 80
  • Meadowbrook and Lee counsel

 

All council members were present: Mayor Carol Roe, Vice Mayor Melissa Yasinow, Mary Dunbar, Kahlil Seren, Jason Stein, Cheryl L. Stephens and Michael N. Ungar. The meeting lasted from 7:38 to 8:10 p.m. 

Objections to liquor license renewals

Based on the high number of complaint calls to police, council approved two resolutions objecting to the renewal of all current state-issued liquor permits for: 1) KS Klub LLC, doing business as B Side Liquor Lounge & Arcade, 2785 Euclid Heights Blvd., and 2) Zooz Limited, doing business as City & East Hookah Bar, 2781 Euclid Heights Blvd., and requesting that hearings on these renewals be held in Cuyahoga County.

Community reinvestment area

Council passed, on fourth reading, an ordinance implementing Sections 3735.65 through 3735.70 of the Ohio Revised Code, defining the boundaries of a community reinvestment area in the city. The ordinance also designates a housing officer to administer the program and establishes a community reinvestment housing council and a tax incentive review council. The aim is to create incentives to assist and encourage development throughout the city, especially in areas that have not enjoyed reinvestment from remodeling or new construction of residential, mixed use, commercial and/or industrial properties.

Cedar Lee SID services plan

Council adopted a resolution calling for a five-year public services plan for the Cedar Lee Special Improvement District (SID) with 100 percent of the cost to be paid for by special assessments. The assessments will be based on a percentage of the tax value of each property assessed, and will be recalculated on an annual basis over the five-year period to accommodate fluctuating property values due to improvements and new construction.

Cedar Lee SID assessment equalization board

Council adopted a resolution appointing an assessment equalization board to hear objections related to the estimated assessments for the public services plan for the Cedar Lee SID. The three assessment equalization board members are Jeff Rink, Leonard Horowitz and Michelle Kolbe.

Meadowbrook and Lee

Council passed, on second reading, a resolution authorizing the city manager to negotiate a non-binding memorandum of understanding with Cedar Lee Connection, LLC, concerning development at the site known as “Meadowbrook & Lee.” Council approved Mr. Ungar’s recusal from the vote on this legislation (his law firm has a client relationship with one of the developers).

Stadium Square

Council heard the second reading of a resolution authorizing the city manager to apply for a grant through the Ohio Historic Preservation Tax Credit Pipeline Initiative to nominate a five-building historic district at the corner of South Taylor and Superior Park Roads, historically known as “Stadium Square.” This includes three addresses on South Taylor Road (1932-46,1912-26,1908) and two on Superior Park Drive (3433 and 3440).

FutureHeights agreement

Council approved a resolution authorizing an agreement with FutureHeights for services as a community development corporation for the city. Under the agreement, the city will provide FutureHeights with up to $140,000 over two years, which will enable the hiring of a staff specialist in real estate development. The agreement is broad and flexible in scope and allows FutureHeights to define their own activities, budget, and performance metrics subject to city approval. For now, the focus will be on residential housing in terms of both rehabilitation and infill development. In the future, with additional funding, activities might expand to commercial development.  

State Bicycle Route 80

Council adopted a resolution of approval and support for State Bicycle Route 80, to be officially designated as such by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO), which has selected a series of corridors crossing Ohio for development as U.S. Bicycle Routes.

Meadowbrook and Lee counsel

Council authorized an agreement with Tucker Ellis LLP to serve as counsel to the city in connection with the Meadowbrook & Lee development. The fee paid to the firm shall not exceed $85,000. The city recently retained Tucker Ellis for legal representation in regard to the “Top of the Hill” project and has been satisfied with the firm’s services.

The next regular meeting will be Tuesday, September 4, 2018, at 7:30 p.m. Council will recess for the month of August. Because of Rosh Hashana, the Committee of the Whole meeting scheduled for September 10 will be moved to a date later that week.

LWV Observer: Katherine Solender.

To receive email postings of full reports, send an email to maryannbarnes@lwvgreatercleveland.org 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 of Greater Cleveland. This disclaimer must accompany any redistribution of these reports. 

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