Stricter Rules Governing Fire Pits
Council President Kevin Butler (Ward I) called the June 21, 2010 Council Meeting to order at 7:40 P.M. The first order of business was to excuse the absence of Councilwoman Mary Louise Madigan (Ward IV) who was on her way to Washington D.C. for work related training.
Councilwoman Monique Smith (At-Large) then read a communication from the Rules and Ordinances Committee regarding staff evaluations for the Council Office. They want to make the process more formal and standardized. They decided to go with a system that already works and copied it from what the Human Resources office already uses.
Next Councilman Brian Powers (At-Large) read a communication asking Council to consider working with businesses to come up with incentives that would encourage city employees to become, and stay, Lakewood residents. He brings this up as the School Board is looking into similar possibilities, working with First Federal of Lakewood to maybe offer incentives to Board employees. Councilman Powers said that the City should look into the same kinds of incentives and possibly team up with the Board and the Library. He said though the Hospital is the largest tax payer in the City, it is often overlooked that the City is the largest employer and only 30% of City employees live in the City. Councilman Powers made a point to clarify that he is only looking to create incentives for employees to live in Lakewood, not requirements.
Council received the communication and referred it to the Committee of the Whole.
Councilman Tom Bullock (Ward II) then read a communication asking Council to consider alternate, on site, storm water treatment in the City. Starting with the EPA requiring the City to start making changes to come in to compliance with currant laws, the City raised water rates to cover the those costs as well as the rising treatment costs. During the deliberation of raising the water rates the idea was discussed of offering incentives for property owners that practice their own form of waste water management such as rain barrels, disconnected down spouts, rain gardens or porous concrete. If this is done it could save the City money in treatment cost. Also, if enough of it is done it could save the City the enormous cost of digging several giant underground overflow cisterns that would be required by the EPA.
Under the recommendation of the City engineer, Councilman Bullock submitted an ordinance that would allow property owners to disconnect downspouts without prior approval from the engineer. He states that the practice of connecting down spouts to sewers is inefficient and based on out dated thinking rather then today’s best practices.
He also asked that the Building Commission look into whether it should create guidelines for the instillation of rain barrels and other onsite water treatment. Along with creating guidelines he suggested they updating the Building Codes so that terms surrounding the use and placement of these structures are clear. He hopes by creating attractive incentives, rather than just dozens of houses the city could have hundreds or thousands with their own onsite storm water treatment.
Though Councilman Bullock wished to submit his communication to both the Public Works Committee and the Building Commission it was decided to only refer it to the Public Works Committee first.
Next Councilman Bullock asked council to pass a resolution that would require the Planning Commission to create a citywide comprehensive bicycle and pedestrian plan. He said that because Lakewood was a street car city it is naturally laid out to be bicycle and pedestrian friendly, but that it has yet to be fully realized. Earlier in the year, he stated, the Public Works Committee discussed ways to improve facilities, routes and safety of cyclists starting with simple things like expanding bike parking. However during the conversation it was discussed that the lack of a comprehensive bike and pedestrian plan causes difficulty when making traffic, building code, and spending decisions that are rational. Bullock is optimistic that by integrating aspects of this Plan in the planning of roads and other land use projects that the City will discover it can affordably integrate these aspects into construction and maintenance projects already being done, as opposed to being done on there own. Finally he stated that he believed that having this plan would make Lakewood more successful at winning state and federal transportation funds as these agencies have encouraged cities to integrate these aspects.
The resolution was referred to the Public Works Committee for further discussion.
Chief Mroz then introduced a few changes to the City’s current Fire Code. The first change is the addition of a new chapter of the code regarding the policies of open burning within the City limits. As fire pits and outdoor grilling have increased in popularity over the last several years it has become necessary for the City to clarify the regulations regarding the use of these appliances as well as offer options for stricter enforcement of repeat offenders. The second change he introduced would allow fire official to issue a citation on site for violation to maximum capacity loads and front and side yard grilling and storage. Both ordinances were referred to the Public Safety Committee.
After a few comments from the public, Council President Butler adjourned the meeting at 8:53 P.M.
At the next meeting of Council, on July 6, Council President Butler called the meeting to order at 7:34 P.M. Director of Human Services, Dorothy Buckon, then started off the meeting buy asking Council to pass a resolution thanking William “Bill” Hritz for over 20 years of service to the Ohio Senior Health Insurance Information Program (OSHIP). In February of 1990 Bill completed specialized training with the State and began offering OSHIP services for seniors at the Division of Aging. He became known for his dependability and attention to detail and excelled at the program's goal of eliminating the fears of senior when dealing with their medical bills. Director Buckon said he, “Always preformed his service with a great degree of knowledge, compassion, [and] patience,” and that he, “Will be missed by both seniors and staff members.”
Council Members Kevin Butler, Mary Louise Madigan and Nickie Antonio each thanked Mr. Hritz and than Council passed the resolution.
Director of Public Works, Joseph Beno, then asked Council to pass an ordinance that would be the final legislation on the Detroit traffic signal construction. The ordinance is for appropriating the money for the City’s portion of the cost. The entire cost of the project is approximately $2.1 million dollars, of which the City’s total responsibility is $641,593.20 dollars. The money will go to the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) for handling the construction. The ordinance was referred to the Public Works Committee to be considered.
Next the director of the Planning and Development Department, Nathan Kelly, introduced two ordinances that would change items in the Building Code. The first changes the distance property owners are allowed to build structures relative to the right of way on Madison and Detroit. Currently that distance is 25 feet. The change to the ordinance would make the new distance 0-5 feet. The reason the Planning Department wants to do this is so that new buildings are consistent with the majority of the buildings on those streets creating an urban street wall. Also he notes moving commercial buildings away from adjacent residences and requiring parking to the rear as possible benefits to this change. With the flexibility of the 0-5’ regulation it gives building owners some options which may allow them to widen the sidewalk or set up an outdoor dining area.
The second change Director Kelly proposed was to allow dining establishments in multi-family, high density, residential districts, this being the area of the high rises and condos down on Lake and Edgewater. As of right now the current building code dose not allow restaurants to exist in those areas, despite the fact that both the Carlyle and Winton Place have had restaurants operating in those districts for years. The reason for the change is to first update the Building Code so it coincides with the existence of these restaurants, and also make it possible so that the area that formerly housed Swingo’s on the Lake can be filled by a new establishment. Without this change that can not be done.
Both ordinances were referred to the Planning Commission to be considered.
Director Kelly then continued by asking Council to consider an ordinance that clarifies and changes some features of the City’s Building Code regarding signs. The City currently has fairly strict guidelines regulating the use of signage in the City. Last year, after Councilwoman Antonio had spoken to some Madison businesses that had some issues with the City regarding their signs, asked that the regulations be looked at, and possibly changed, to make it easier for businesses to have a little more leeway with their signs. At the time she was specifically discussing shingle signs, however the changes hope to simplify and expedite the process of all signs being approved. Businesses will have hearings and approval meetings to go to. Language was clarified and some of the more restricting aspects removed allowing businesses to have a little bit more freedom they were able to enjoy before. The ordinance was referred to the Economic Development Committee for consideration.
Having come to the end of the agenda items, Council President Butler opened the floor to the administration and Council members. Councilwoman Antonio thank the Public works Department, and everyone else involved, on such a fantastic Fourth of July. She said she loved how smoothly and safe everything went and was very impressed at how clean the park looked even just the next day.
Mayor Ed Fitzgerald then wanted to make Council aware that on July 8th the trial between the City of Lakewood and the City of Rocky River over the Lakewood Dog Park was still going to move forward. Unfortunately the last try at a settlement failed so the trial will move forward. The Mayor said he believes it could be a somewhat lengthy trial, at least continuing the following week, and that upwards of 20 witnesses will be called.
With no more comments from the Administration or Council, Council President Butler adjourned the meeting at 8:20 P.M.