Meeting Notes March 19, 2019
Willoughby City Council Meeting Summary Notes
March 19, 2019
Tonight's Council Meeting was a potpourri of items addressed. We started with an Executive Session addressing pending litigation and the 2019 Budget influenced by "collective bargaining matters." There was also an Environmental Planning Committee Meeting, prior to the council meeting addressing plans for an Industrial Building expansion on Ben Hur. Council also spent time completing their discussions on the proposed 2019 Operating Budget.
PRIOR TO THE REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING
SPECIAL MEETING/EXECUTIVE SESSION*
The purpose of the Special Council Meeting/Executive Session in accordance with ORC 121.22(G)(3) and (4) is to discuss pending litigation and collective bargaining matters.
ENVIRONMENTAL PLANNING COMMITTEE MEETING
The purpose of the Environmental Planning Committee Meeting is to review EAS #4-3-19
· This is a proposed project for a 13,994 sq.ft. masonry wall office building addition to an existing 55,000 sq. ft. building at 3860 Ben Hur Avenue occupied by Weiss, NA.
· This EAS was reviewed with the following items to be addressed
· Planning Commission will be asked to look at Parking, Green Space and Landscaping for the project.
FINANCE COMMITTEE MEETING
The purpose of the Finance Committee Meeting is to discuss the 2019 operating Budget
The meeting took around one hour focusing on completing discussion on the remaining Budget Items not covered in the last Council Meeting.
· For the record
o 80% of the operating budget is for personnel
o 70% of the monies coming in are from income tax (which is flat at this time)
o We are looking at approximately a 2.5% inflation rate for the city
LEGISLATIVE CAUCUS
The general purpose of the Legislative Caucus meeting is to review and discuss the legislation on the Regular Council. More on the legislation covered later in this summary.
AGENDA
REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING
MARCH 19, 2019
ROLL CALL
PRAYER AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE (Councilman Kary)
APPROVAL OF MINUTES- Regular Council Meeting of March 5, 2019
STANDING AND REGULAR COMMITTEE REPORTS
PLANNING COMMISSION REPORT
There was a Committee Report from Planning Commission where it was shared by Councilman Kary the coming in front of Council soon is the Ridgewood Greens Subdivision Final Plat for approval. I shared with Council that there is a housing project proposed on the old Johnnycake Golf Course Property in Mentor and Willoughby. The Final Plat was approved by Mentor Planning Commission, as well as their Council. It will now come in front of us for Final Plat Approval.
There are a few concerns.
Mentor has a condition in their approval that there will be a Service Road constructed when the project starts. That Service Road will travel from Phase 1 which starts on Mentor Avenue and moves South to Ridge Road.
Willoughby has a condition in their approval that there will be NO CONSTRUCTION ROAD to Ridge Road.
This presents the issue of definitions. To Mentor, a Service Road is one which will ONLY be used by their Safety Forces. NO construction traffic.
That is Willoughby’s reason for using the term NO CONSTRUCTION ROAD. When this comes in front of Council we need to watch that our conditions remain in effect. There will be no construction traffic using the Ridge Road side of the project, at all. This is critical for all three phases of the project. Eventually, there will be a fully developed road that will travel from Mentor Avenue to Ridge Road in Willoughby.
CORRESPONDENCE
None
PUBLIC PORTION
There were some comments made by the public about the 2019 Budget where the individual did not feel the Administration and Council really were being truthful to the public. There was an inference that the Budget was trying to set the community up of a tax levy.
· This was shown to be inaccurate and both the Administration and Council addressed the comment.
· There was and is a great deal of transparency in the process and this was emphasized.
Questions also came up about the Union Point Project (the old Willoughby Union High School)
· It was explained that Parcel B is being developed.
· Parcel A which is the Main Building is not “not being developed” as was planned
· The developer fell short in their goals and plans
· The city is now seeking new potential developers
· The city may actually put out an RFP for developers
· The city will continue to maintain the building
· The building is insured
The Old BP building on the corner of Erie and Vine/Mentor Ave was questioned.
· Citizens Bank has started work on the site.
· They will be moving there from their current site near Point Park.
· There are no plans yet for the property that they will vacate.
NEW BUSINESS
RESOLUTION NO.2019-18
A resolution approving EAS #2-2-19 for construction of a single story Community Building and Outdoor Swimming Pool located at 37411 GroveAvenue (WillogroveApartments).
This EAS was reviewed by the Environmental Planning Committee and sent to Planning Commissions for review. They addressed it at a public meeting and approved the plans as well as "this" EAS. The zoning for the apartments allows the creation of this community building as well as a pool. There was some concern with storm-water mitigation and "easy" ingress/egress for the Fire Department, but all those issues are taken care of with some revisions to the plan.
The application submitted by Jonathan Cana, RA, Senior Architect/Production Manager,forconstructionofasinglestorycommunitybuildingandoutdoorswimmingpoollocated at37411GroveAvenue(WillogroveApartments)isapproved,andtheCouncilherebydetermines that, based on environmental considerations, such project shall be allowed to commence or be constructed subject to compliance with all applicable ordinances and regulations of the City of Willoughby and statutes of the State ofOhio.
ORDINANCE NO. 2019-19
An ordinance amending Chapter 913 of the Codified Ordinances of the City of Willoughby, Ohio, titled, "Sanitary Sewerage Systems Charges"; specifically, Section 913.10, titled, "Surcharge for Extra-StrengthWastes".
913.10 SURCHARGE FOR EXTRA-STRENGTHWASTES.
(a) The following terms...
(c) When the total suspended solids, C.B.O.D., C.O.D., phosphorus and/or oil and grease of a water or waste accepted for admission to the system exceed the values of their constituents for normal sewage, the excess concentration in any or all, as the case may be, shall be subject to a surcharge asfollows:
(1) Pounds of excess suspended solids per dayx
$0.39per lb. = S.S. surcharge.
(2) Pounds of excess C.B.O.D. per day x $0.45 per lb.= C.B.O.Dsurcharge.
(3) Pounds of excess C.O.D. per dayx
$0.21per lb. = C.O.D. surcharge.
(4) Pounds of excess phosphorus per dayx
$0.68 per lb. = phosphorus surcharge.
(5) Pounds of excess oil and grease per dayx
$0.39per lb. = oil and grease surcharge.
In addition to the above surcharges, the City shall have the right to surcharge any user for the discharge of any other pollutant into the sewerage system.
SECTION 2.That the existing Section 913.10 of the City's Ordinances is hereby repealed in that said Section is superseded by this legislation.
RESOLUTION NO. 2019-20
A resolution authorizing the Mayor to submit a loan application and enter into a loan agreement with the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency, Division of Environmental and Financial Assistance, and the Ohio Water Development Authority, through the Water Pollution Control Loan Fund, for planning, design and/or construction of the WPCC Capacity Enhancement Project; designating a dedicated repayment source for the loan.
Legislation (Resolution 2019-20) has been prepared for your consideration at Tuesday's meeting authorizing the Mayor to make application for and enter into an agreement with Ohio EPA for a low-interest loan through the Ohio EPA Water Pollution Control Loan Fund (WPCLF). The project is required by Ohio EPA to reduce the frequency and volume of sewage bypassing to Lake Erie. The project was authorized by Council last year and the plans are nearing completion. The estimated construction cost for the project is $3,283,200 and the current WPCLF interest rate is 2.17%. The project will increase the treatment capacity of the WPCC and utilize available storage within the plant instead of building the originally proposed equalization basin just outside the WPCC.
This loan is to help complete upgrades to the facility offsetting the need to create a new plant.
RESOLUTION NO. 2019-21
A resolution to make appropriations for current expenses and other expenditures of the City of Willoughby, Ohio, during the period ending December 31, 2019.
*I apologize for not adding all the Budget Numbers in this Summary. Just too much trouble with the formatting!!!!! SORRY
If you would like to review them they may be accessed from the Council Secretary @ City Hall
RESOLUTION NO. 2019-22
A resolution granting a temporary right of entry to the driveway and parking lot, and removal of three (3) trees at Gilson Park, owned by the City of Willoughby, to Lake Metropolitan Housing Authority and Independent Tree, LLC.
There are three trees on our property that need removal. There are also trees on the property of the Apartment Complex to be removed. There is some bank stabilization assessment necessary in the area. The trees need to be removed now due to the Indiana Bat. We must only cut trees between October 15 and March 31.
MAYORS REPORT
· The redevelopment of Union Point was addressed again by the Mayor (the properties where the old Willoughby Union High stood).
o It was explained that Parcel B is being developed.
o Parcel A which is the Main Building is not “not being developed” as was planned
o The developer fell short in their goals and plans
o The city is now seeking new potential developers
o The city may actually put out an RFP for developers
o The city will continue to maintain the building
o Our costs will come back from the sale of the property
o The building is insured
DIRECTOR’S REPORTS
No Director Reports
Service Director Lee Bock did remind all the Yard Waste Pickup starts April 1
COUNCIL REPORTS
Ward 5 Councilman
Dan Anderson shared he is having his Ward Meeting April 8th, 7 pm at City Hall
Ward 6 Councilman
Bob Harrold Shared he is having his Ward Meeting April 18th, 7 pm at Fire Station #1
ADJOURNMENT
COMMENTS BY COUNCILMAN KARY
These comments may or may not be related to what took place at the Council Meeting
· I am repeating notes from my last summary due to their relevance to the questions that I receive via emails, calls and social media postings
· The announcement of my Spring Ward 2 Meeting.
Monday, May 6th, 2019
6:30 pm
1969 Lost Nation Road
CLASSIC JET CENTER
· There have been a ton of questions, on Social Media, regarding the trees being cut down across from the Airport. Let me clarify what is happening.
o The Airport, now owned by the Lake County Ohio Port & Economic Development Authority has required the privately owned properties across from the airport to have the trees on their site removed. This is being done to create the required "clear zone" that leads to the runway traveling East and West. The airport is covering the cost of tree removal. "The trees are not being removed because the properties are sold and being developed at this time.”
o Further South, on the corner of Lost Nation Road and SOUTH of Western Parkway there is a lot, that sold recently to a developer that will build on that land. He is also in the process of purchasing the next lot traveling north between Western Parkway and Aquarius Parkway.
o The next TWO lots on the same side, again traveling North
o Between Aquarius Parkway and Tamarac AND the empty lot north of Tamarac are all owned at this time by Cleveland Clinic. They are currently working to sell these properties for Development.
o NOTE: ALL THESE LOTS ARE ZONED GENERAL BUSINESS
o The trees being removed are not as old as some think. Back in the '60s those lots stood empty. There were Tamarac Golf Course and a Driving Range in those locations.
· I will be holding a meeting at the Two Town Ditch Detention Pond on Tamarac March 20, 2019.
· I will be meeting with
o Steve Norris, President of the Clusters of Cross Creek
o Jim Sayles, Willoughby City Engineer
o Kristen Hebebrand, Chagrin River Watershed Partners (Project Manager)
Our goal is to discuss the condition of this pond and assure that it is in the best condition possible to maintain the movement of storm-water from the Two Town Ditch to Lake Erie.
This is part of the master plan on Storm-water Management in Ward 2.
I will also be meeting, as was mentioned in other reports with residents affected by Ward Creek (April or May)
NOTE
The views I express in these Council Meeting Summaries are my own and do not reflect any official view or position of the City of Willoughby. The “official” Council Minutesare posted on the City of Willoughby Website http://willoughbyohio.com/government/city-council/.