Cleveland Heights City Council meeting highlights 11-21-22

NOVEMBER 21, 2022, regular meeting

 

  • Public comments
  • Mayor’s report
  • Clerk of council’s report
  • Agreements approved 
  • Speed limit reductions
  • Cedar-Lee-Meadowbrook
  • First readings of new legislation
  • Council member comments
  • Committee of the whole

 

Present were Mayor Kahlil Seren, Council President Melody Joy Hart, Council Vice President Craig Cobb, and Council Members Tony Cuda, Gail Larson, Anthony Mattox, Jr., Josie Moore, and Davida Russell. Also present were Addie Balester, clerk of council, and William Hanna, law director. The meeting ran for one hour.

Public comments

Allen McCann, Cleveland Heights Senior Hockey League, and Jay Tekus, Cleveland Heights Youth Hockey Association, urged the city to reopen the south ice rink in the Community Center.

Two residents complained about recent snow removal.

A member of Friends of Horseshoe Lake raised concerns about initial and ongoing costs to the city of the Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District’s plan for Horseshoe Lake.

A member of Beth El The Heights Synagogue requested ARPA funds to replace the synagogue’s HVAC system and windows and to add solar panels.

Mayor’s report

Mayor Seren recognized and thanked city staff, residents, merchants, F&C Development Inc, City Architecture Inc, and others who had supported the Cedar-Lee Meadowbrook development.

Clerk of council’s report

Ms. Balester reported that the Ohio Division of Liquor Control had received two applications for transfers of permits: from Myron’s Beverage to Market on Lee, 2256 Lee Rd.; and from Cedartown Restaurant Group LLC to YLT Heights LLC (Nighttown), 12383-87-89-93 Cedar Rd.

Agreements approved 

On first reading, council authorized two equipment purchases: 1) with Valley Ford Truck, Inc. for a full size pick-up truck for the Utilities Division of the Department of Public Works; and 2) with Gledhill Road Machinery Company for the purchase of a Salt-Spreader and Plow Package.

Also on first reading, council accepted funding from the Ohio Department of Transportation to upgrade traffic signals at six intersections on Monticello Blvd. and to remove signals at the Monticello/Quarry Drive and Forest Hills Blvd/Mount Vernon Blvd. intersections.

Council authorized several agreements on second reading including: 

  • One with Rubicon Global, LLC, for Software Services for the Department of Public Works, Division of Refuse Collection.
  • Purchase of a Freightliner 114SD Tandem Axle Cab and Chassis from Valley Freightliner & Western Star for the Department of Public Works.
  • Two agreements with Cuyahoga County for 1) services to help maintain the city’s sanitary and storm sewers and 2) resurfacing Warrensville Center Road from Mayfield Road to the city’s south corporation line.

Speed limit reductions

On second reading, council approved legislation to reduce speed limits to 25 miles per hour on several major streets in Cleveland Heights. They first had to eliminate these streets from the section of the traffic code designating these as “through streets” and add then them as “non-through streets.” Affected were Euclid Heights Blvd. from Coventry Road to South Taylor Road, North Taylor Road and Nobel Road from Monticello Blvd. to the north corporation line, South Taylor Road from Fairmount Blvd. to Euclid Heights Blvd. and all of Lee Road. Other changes designated Wilmar Court and Andrews Court as “alleys.” 

Cedar-Lee-Meadowbrook

On fifth reading, council approved an ordinance for the Cedar-Lee-Meadowbrook development that declares property improvements a public purpose exempt from real property taxation; makes provision for the collection of service payments in lieu of taxes (PILOT); establishes an urban redevelopment tax increment equivalent fund (TIF) for the deposit of the service payments; and authorizes a compensation agreement with the Cleveland Heights-University Heights (CH-UH) City School District. Prior to approval, the legislation was amended by substitution, ensuring that all previous changes were included in the current version. 

First readings of new legislation

Several new pieces of legislation were presented without a vote including: 

  • A resolution to permit on-street overnight permit parking on specified portions of Kensington, Hillcrest, Belmar, Glenmont, and Eddington Roads until December 31, 2023. 
  • Authorization of an amended agreement with Start Right CDC for use of Community Development Block Grant funds to assist with its Good Neighbor Home Rehab Program. 
  • Authorizations of an agreement with the Economic and Community Development Institute for Program Management Services for Small Business Support Programs.
  • Three resolutions adopting fees for administration of the Architectural Board of Review, Landmark Commission, and zoning code.
  • Amendment of appropriations for 2023 by substitution to reflect changes to the municipal court budget. 

Council member comments

Council President Hart announced that she had appointed Mr. Cobb to council’s Municipal Services and Environmental Sustainability Committee and Ms. Larson to the council’s Housing and Building Committee. Responsibilities of council’s Finance Committee are now assigned to the Committee of the Whole. She reported that hearings for the 2023 budget were underway, and recordings are available on the city’s website. She thanked the mayor and CH-UH board of education for reaching agreement on the Cedar-Lee-Meadowbrook project financing.

Mr. Cuda announced that the Housing and Building Committee’s Dec. 5, 4:30 p.m. meeting will hear concerns from tenants and landlords. He also urged residents to watch the budget hearings.

Ms. Moore reported that the Municipal Services and Environmental Sustainability Committee is conducting early discussions about requiring owners of multi-unit rental residences to provide recycling service for tenants. She also addressed the mass shooting at a Colorado Springs gay nightclub and urged that more than rhetoric is needed to support LGBTQ neighbors.

Mr. Mattox announced that the Planning and Development Committee is working on a GAP Financing program. He thanked the city for its recognition of Barbara Boyd.

Ms. Russell thanked those who participated in the recent Landlord-Tenant 101 event and urged both tenants and landlords to care for their properties.

Ms. Larson stated that the Public Safety and Health Committee is in the early stages of exploring a sidewalk repair program and a sidewalk snow removal program.

Mr. Cobb reported that the Nov. 29, 11:30 a.m. Administrative Services Committee meeting will continue work on a Charter Review Commission.

Committee of the whole

An executive session was held to consider the terms of sale or lease of city-owned property.

Mayor Seren explained the factors leading to proposed legislation changing speed limits on several roads including making progress on achieving Vision Zero, which was adopted August 2021, and the difference in accident severity between crashes at 25 and 35 miles per hour. A Cleveland Heights police captain reported that the change in speed limit would not significantly change the department’s speeding enforcement.

Mayor Seren and Law Director Hanna explained that the requested amendments to legislation for the 2023 budget and for the Cedar-Lee-Meadowbrook financing were to ensure that the current versions include all the most recent changes.

Jessica Schantz and Brian Iorio presented the Citizens’ Advisory Committee report. Ms. Larson recommended increasing the allocation to Start Right CDC’s Hunger Center from $10,000 to $15,000.

Mayor Seren updated the status of the NOPEC electricity program. NOPEC is continuing to transfer its customers to other electricity providers and to defend its program before the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio.

Council and mayor discussed current procedures for issuing proclamations and the suggestion that council develop guidelines and procedures for issuing proclamations separate from those from the mayor.

In light of needs for end-of-year business, council decided to keep the scheduled Dec. 5 meeting, to re-schedule the Dec. 19 meeting to Dec. 16 during the day, and to have possibly a third meeting Dec. 28, 29, or 30. A sufficient number of council members would be available to reach a quorum on those dates.

Upcoming council meetings will be Dec. 5 and Dec. 16.

LWV Observer: Jill Tatem.

Meeting packets, legislation, and other information can be found on the city website at: https://www.clevelandheights.com/1142/2021-Agendas-and-Minutes 

Videos of council meetings can be viewed on the “City of Cleveland Heights, OH” YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/ClevelandHeightsOH

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Volume 16, Issue 1, Posted 11:54 AM, 12.12.2022