Cuyahoga County Planning Commission Weblog

At an open house on Tuesday, planners presented two alternate routes for stage three of the Towpath Trail extension in Cleveland. Construction of the leg between Steelyard Commons and Literary Road in Tremont could begin in 2012. Meanwhile, the cover story of this week's Scene is about allegations of impropriety in the process of awarding Clean Ohio Green Space Conservation Program grants. In a controversial decision last year, the Natural Resources Assistance Council recommended funding the acquisition of two properties in the Flats for the Towpath Trail.

Giant Eagle exercised a right in its lease and vetoed the plans to reopen the former Wal-Mart store at City View Center as the Cuyahoga Convention Center.

Empowering and Strengthening Ohio's People has begun writing about predatory lending and the foreclosure crisis at its new weblog.

Some environmentalists worry that the proposed waste-to-energy plant in Cleveland will not be as environmentally friendly as its proponents claim.

Governor Strickland told the Ohio Department of Transportation to re-evaluate the feasibility of including a multipurpose lane on the planned new Innerbelt Bridge. A Plain Dealer editorial notes that "for Strickland's call to make a real difference, ODOT planners need to bring open minds to a review they have staunchly resisted."

A group of Northeast Ohio public health and medical professionals recently met in Akron to discuss the findings (PDF) of the County Health Rankings report. Their next step will be to develop strategies for improving community health outcomes.

Now that they have reached purchase agreements for most of the properties for the planned Medical Mart, the Cuyahoga County Commissioners are expected to reject proposals for relocating the county offices. The new county government will decide whether or not to leave the County Administration Building on Lakeside Avenue.

A Plain Dealer editorial challenges the leaders of the Cleveland-Cuyahoga County Port Authority to be less secretive.

WCPN's Eric Wellman spoke with organizers and applicants in round two of the EfficientGovNow regionalism program, and Bob Paynter classified the 50 applications. The finalists will be announced on April 30 and public voting will occur in May.

At Friday's public forum on the planned Cleveland casino, panelists discussed the goals of the development and the challenges posed by each of the four potential sites. Rock Ventures still plans to break ground as soon as this fall, but now anticipates opening the casino in early 2013.

Update: Scene's Anastasia Pantsios also attended the event.

G2M Design Collaborative is continuing to develop a new master plan for the City of Broadview Heights.

At a recent public meeting, consultants for RTA described the five alternatives being studied in the Blue Line Corridor Extension Study.

Brent Larkin believes that Cleveland needs to close Burke Lakefront Airport and turn it into "a world-class development that could transform downtown." An editorial in the Sun Messenger encourages Cleveland and Cuyahoga County officials to coordinate their positions on the region's airports.

In a Plain Dealer op-ed, Dominic LoGalbo criticizes the disarray at the Cleveland-Cuyahoga County Port Authority, and encourages local leaders to reconsider the agency's roles.

A new food co-op opened on Carnegie Avenue. The Central Community Co-op will supply fresh produce to residents of Cleveland's Central neighborhood.

Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson delivered his fifth State of the City address on Thursday. He announced that a Chinese LED manufacturer will locate its American headquarters in Cleveland, talked about the City's sustainability initiatives, and proposed the creation of a countywide education authority. A Plain Dealer editorial called it "the kind of big thinking this region needs." The speech is available as text (PDF) and as audio.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's Sustainable Housing and Communities Listening Tour will stop in Cleveland (PDF) on March 10. The event will begin at 10:30 in the US Bank Centre Building at Playhouse Square.

The Ohio EPA will appeal the recent court decision which found that the state's pollution rules for small businesses violated the federal Clean Air Act.

Legislators from Great Lakes states introduced identical bipartisan bills in the U.S. House and Senate to support the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative. The legislation would restore 2011 funding to the 2010 level of $475 million, instead of the Obama administration's proposed $300 million. Great Lakes advocates are pleased.

The City of Cleveland is proceeding with the third and final phase of the Kamm's Corners streetscape project. Bidding opened to contractors on Thursday.

Sherrod Brown urged Governor Strickland to include a multipurpose lane on the planned new Innerbelt Bridge. Dennis Kucinich also continues to campaign for its inclusion.

The Greater Cleveland Partnership outlined its agenda for the year at its annual meeting on Thursday. The chamber's priorities include county government reform, renewal of the county health and human services levy and the state Third Frontier program, and investing in downtown Cleveland projects. Roldo Bartimole was indignant at the suggestions.

In his two newest columns, Steve Hoffman of the Akron Beacon Journal looked at policy recommendations from the Restoring Prosperity report released by Greater Ohio and the Brookings Institution. He first discussed school district consolidation and the reactions of political leaders. In the second piece, he looked at the costs of local government fragmentation and the prospects for reorganizing local government. Greater Ohio officials and state legislators also recently discussed the report at the Columbus Metropolitan Club.

Ohio Department of Transportation Director Jolene Molitoris expressed her support for the planned 3C Corridor passenger rail line. Her agency is still preparing a response to Ohio Senate President Bill Harris' questions about the project.

Update: video of the talk is now available.

An article in this week's issue of West Life offers more information about the Aerotropolis study being conducted by Cleveland State University. The study should be completed by the end of the month.

Four teams of designers and contractors hope to build the new Innerbelt Bridge in Cleveland, and submitted their qualifications to the Ohio Department of Transportation. ODOT will select three of the teams to prepare technical and price proposals and will announce the finalists on March 23. Greenlight Zine highlighted some of GreenCityBlueLake's questions about the project.

The spring 2010 issue of Next American City includes an article by Marc Lefkowitz about vacant land reuse policies and practices in Cleveland. He explored the reasons behind the problems and the variety of innovative initiatives currently underway. Terry Schwarz also spoke about urban regeneration at the recent TEDxCLE event.

The City of Cleveland hired Panzica Construction to build the new Collinwood Community Recreation Center. The conversion of the former Big Lots store near Euclid Beach State Park is scheduled to begin this spring.

The Ohio Supreme Court agreed to hear an appeal of Merrill v. Ohio, the Lake Erie property lines case. The date for oral arguments has not been set.

The next Levin College Forum is about land use law. It's titled Legal Implications of Zoning Decisions for Smart Planning and Development, and will take place on March 26.

Cindy Barber wants artists to relocate to North Collinwood. She proposes making houses owned by the Cuyahoga County Land Bank available to artists at reduced prices.

The Plain Dealer again called for reform of the Cleveland-Cuyahoga County Port Authority's board, this time saying that its size should be reduced by one-third.

The Gund Foundation made a $3.6 million, three-year grant to Neighborhood Progress, Inc. The foundation also awarded grants to the Downtown Cleveland Alliance, the GreenCityBlueLake Institute, and the Cuyahoga Valley Countryside Conservancy.

The Cleveland Coalition organized a panel discussion about integrating the planned Cleveland casino into the existing urban fabric. It will be held at 5:00 on Friday at the City Club, and the speakers will be David M. Schwarz, Len Komoroski, Tom Chema, and Christopher Diehl. Admission is free, but registration is requested.

While other Great Lakes ports received millions of dollars in federal stimulus grants, the Cleveland-Cuyahoga County Port Authority did not receive funding. The Port Authority applied for a TIGER grant, but was not one of the selected projects. It was the only application that the Port submitted. The Port Authority also dropped its plans to fill a slip and build a warehouse. Interim President Peter Raskind said, "The bottom line is we do not believe it's a good use of public money."

Leaders of Brecksville and Broadview Heights continue to discuss the potential development of the property at the southwest corner of Route 82 and I-77. The Jacobs Group had an option on the site, but it expired in January.

Bruce Katz of the Brookings Institution and Lavea Brachman of Greater Ohio, the organizations which jointly released the new Restoring Prosperity agenda, wrote about positioning Ohio's economy for future growth. They said that "Ohio is in a paradoxical moment: The present is painful, but the future could be promising. And in another paradox, its manufacturing heritage is part of the reason why."

The new signs for the Ohio & Erie National Heritage Canalway will be officially unveiled on Tuesday morning in a ceremony at West 25th Street and Detroit Avenue in Cleveland. About 320 signs will be installed along the 110-mile corridor.

Local governments in the 16-county Northeast Ohio region submitted 50 projects in the second round of the EfficientGovNow grant program. Sixteen of the applications are from Cuyahoga County communities, including a proposal from Moreland Hills, Orange Village, and Pepper Pike that would fund implementation of a forthcoming municipal collaboration study.

Update: organizers encourage public input on the project ideas.

Vicky Poole and Jack Hamilton have begun operating Gardens Under Glass, a hydroponic garden in the Galleria at Erieview in downtown Cleveland. The project is funded by a $30,000 start-up grant from the Civic Innovation Lab. Meanwhile, panelists on NEOtropolis discussed food policy and access to fresh foods.

Update: Fast Company also reported on the Galleria.

Cuyahoga County and MMPI selected LMN Architects of Seattle to develop conceptual designs for the planned Medical Mart and new convention center in Cleveland. The company will create schematic and design development drawings, but will not be the project's architect of record. LMN will also oversee the construction manager to ensure quality and avoid cost overruns. Concurrently, a citizens group raised questions about the project's financing.

A USGS study of the northern United States found levels of chloride above the recommended federal criteria in more than 40% of the urban streams tested. The elevated levels, likely attributable to the use of road salt, are harmful to aquatic plant and animal life. An ODOT representative described it as a "tradeoff between our safety and the environment."

Today's Plain Dealer looked at some of Cleveland's overlooked architectural treasures, including the Soldiers and Sailors Monument. Meanwhile, Cleveland Area History is working on a list of the 100 most significant landmarks in Cleveland.

Traffic congestion and travel times increased nationally in 2009, according to the annual Inrix National Traffic Scorecard. Congestion levels decreased in 2008 and reached their low point in spring 2009 before starting to rise again. The worst bottleneck in the Cleveland metropolitan area was the I-90 westbound interchange at Chester Avenue.

On Monday, Greater Ohio and the Brookings Institution unveiled the latest report in their Restoring Prosperity initiative. Titled "Transforming Ohio's Communities for the Next Economy", the report and executive summary (PDFs) lay out a policy agenda aimed at reinvigorating the state. It makes 39 short, medium, and long-term policy recommendations in three main areas: building on assets in Ohio's metropolitan areas, reforming state and local governments, and engaging and aligning with the federal government. One of its more discussed recommendations calls for consolidating Ohio school districts. An Akron Beacon Journal editorial said that the report "belongs at the center of this campaign year", and a Morning Journal editorial said that its "recommendations deserve careful consideration and study."

Update: the Plain Dealer was also encouraged by the report.

A Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Judge voided the sheriff's sale of the Cleveland Cold Storage building. The Ohio Department of Transportation still intends to demolish the building to make way for the planned new Innerbelt Bridge, but now may have to pay a higher price in its eminent domain acquisition.

Shaker Heights officials and John Carroll University administrators reached an agreement that establishes rules for off-campus student housing at Fairmount Circle over the next three years. The City had been considering zoning restrictions on the number of student-occupied units.

Update: a Sun Press editorial says that the agreement is good for both sides.

A Public Square redesign proposal from Neil Mohney of Forest City calls for closing the portions of Ontario Street and Superior Avenue in the square. He hopes to expand the dialogue to include ideas beyond the three concepts prepared by Field Operations.

Solon City Council sent the proposed Brainard Road warehouse rezoning to the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections. The issue will appear on the May 4 ballot.

The U.S. EPA unveiled an action plan for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative. It's the final version of a document that was released in December. It describes how federal agencies intend to implement the GLRI from 2010 through 2014, and identifies goals and actions that will be taken in five major focus areas. A New York Times editorial concluded that "the lakes' restoration will depend on strong and sustained political leadership."

Update: an Akron Beacon Journal editorial says that "the priorities established in the proposal ring true."

The Plain Dealer looked at the U.S. EPA study of PFC discharges in the wastewater of electroplating companies in Cleveland and Chicago. The Chicago Tribune reported on the subject last month.

Architect and real estate investor Richard Bowen wants to redevelop the former Key Gas Components facility as a $35 million mixed-use project. The development near Chester Avenue and East 66th Street in Cleveland's Midtown neighborhood would include a 70,000-square-foot medical office building, 150 senior housing units, 14,000 square feet of retail space, and two restaurants. The City of Cleveland is applying for a $191,947 Clean Ohio Assistance Fund grant that would help fund a Phase II environmental site assessment (PDF) and an asbestos survey.

Cleveland City Councilman Michael Polensek introduced legislation that calls for transferring control of lakefront parks in Cleveland to the Cleveland Metroparks. The parks are currently operated by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Cuyahoga County, and the port authority. Cleveland Lakefront State Park is owned by the City but leased to the state until 2028. Probate Judge Anthony Russo has also advocated for more involvement by the Metroparks.

Update: a Plain Dealer editorial supports the proposal.

The first phase of the Cedar Center redevelopment in South Euclid will include 49 units of senior housing in four stories above one story of retail space.

The City of Strongsville is seeking approval from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for the second phase of the Foltz Parkway extension project. It involves filling streams and wetlands for a planned expansion of the Strongsville Business & Technology Park.

The Ohio Turnpike published the results (PDF) of its noise mitigation pilot project. The study found that the T-top concrete noise walls installed in Berea were more effective than the median-mounted acoustic panels tested in Strongsville. The Turnpike Commission will consider the findings and decide its next steps.

Parma City Council approved a rezoning that will allow the construction of the planned senior housing development on State Road. It's the first time the City has used its new mixed-use zoning classification.

Attorney Richard Knoth, the vice chair of the Cleveland-Cuyahoga County Port Authority board, wrote a memo (PDF) that calls for closing Burke Lakefront Airport and relocating the port facilities to the site. Frank Jackson said Burke will remain open and that he remains committed to the East 55th Street port relocation plan. A Plain Dealer editorial says that "Cleveland needs all options on the table".

Ohio Senate President Bill Harris is skeptical about the value of the 3C Corridor and recently sent Governor Strickland a seven-page letter with questions about the planned passenger rail line. Republicans on the state controlling board may try to block the plans. Michael Douglas of the Akron Beacon Journal encourages Ohioans to think "less about today and more about what they will need in a decade and beyond."

The City of Lakewood posted the Birdtown Action Plan (PDF), a comprehensive plan prepared by a group of Cleveland State graduate students. An earlier version of the plan for the southeastern Lakewood neighborhood was called the Birdtown Flight Plan.

Northeast Ohio governments have so far submitted five projects in the second round of the EfficientGovNow program. The application deadline is February 26. Journalist Bob Paynter will be writing about the process.

Pepper Pike City Council did not accept an amended development plan for the Pointe at Sterling Lakes residential development. Developer Forest City wanted to decrease the size and increase the number of townhouse units in the gated subdivision.

A new report from the University of Wisconsin's Population Health Institute and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation ranked health outcomes and health factors in the United States by county for each state. In Ohio, Geauga and Medina counties were among the state's healthiest. Cuyahoga County ranked highly in clinical care, but poorly in morbidity, social and economic factors, and physical environment.

Update: the report was the subject of a Sound of Ideas program on WCPN.

Orange Village Council approved a set of sustainable building guidelines for new construction. The voluntary Orange Goes Green Certification Program provides standards tailored for Northeast Ohio's conditions.

The City of Brooklyn's landfill may have exceeded its capacity and could be permanently shut down by the Ohio EPA. It is the last active municipal solid waste landfill in Cuyahoga County.