MEETING NOTES NOVEMBER 1, 2022
Willoughby City Council Meeting Summary
• November 1, 2022 •
Ken Kary • Councilman Ward 2
NOTE
These notes “are not” the official minutes for Willoughby City Council.
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 Minutes are posted on the City of Willoughby Website
https://willoughbyohio.com/city-council/
Committee Meetings: THESE COMMITTEE MEETINGS WERE CANCELLED DUE TO THE ABSENCE OF COUNCILMEN ANDERSON AND KARY
ENVIRONMENTAL PLANNING COMMITTEE MEETING:
Committee: Ken Kary, Dan Anderson, Dan Garry
*The purpose of the Environmental Planning Committee meeting is to review:
EAS #12-6-22
Rezoning of 17.416 acres of real property located on Pelton Road, PPN #27B0390000300 from Limited Industrial (L-1) to General Industrial (G-1).
SAFETY COMMITTEE MEETING:
Committee: John Tomaselli, Ken Kary, Dan Anderson
**The purpose of the Safety Committee is to discuss the purchase of Municipal property.
AGENDA
REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING
November 1, 2022
Absent: Councilmen Anderson and Kary
PUBLIC HEARING - 7:10 p.m.
Rezoning Pelton Road
Clerk Novak read the legal notice for the public hearing to be held tonight for the proposed rezoning on Pelton Road
Those Speaking in Favor-
Jeff Ruple, 8836 Shetland Court, Kirtland – Mr. Ruple said he is happy with the progress of the project. He said he believes it will be a good use of the property.
David Novak, Barrington Consulting Group, 9114 Tyler Blvd., Mentor – Mr. Novak said he is in favor of the rezoning. He said the property lacks some of the fundamental utilities including sanitary sewer, water, gas and electricity. He feels it is a great use for the property as it’s wedged in between two railroad tracks with no neighbors that would be affected by the project.
John Ruple, 37904 Erie Road, Willoughby – Mr. Ruple said he is in favor of the rezoning because he believes it is a good application for the property.
Greg Patt, 38005 Brown Avenue, Willoughby – Mr. Patt said he is speaking in favor of the rezoning for a different reason. He feels there are too many zoning codes, and he believes the code needs to be reviewed. He said this would be a great use for the property; it’s nothing but industrial.
Those Speaking in Opposition-
No one spoke.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES-
Regular Council Meeting of October 18, 2022
STANDING AND REGULAR COMMITTEE REPORTS
Safety Committee, Mr. Tomaselli – Mr. Tomaselli said there was another meeting regarding the purchase of the Meister Media building on October 27th, where the focus was on funding. Sudsina & Associates attended the meeting as financial advisors for the City; they have a lot of experience in using public funds as a funding source and how to work that into levies if that is the path the City decides to take. There was discussion regarding the timeline and what needs to happen before the City may go to the voters for a safety levy. Ms. Bosley presented a historical review of the Fire Department levy from a few years back. He said the City needs to notify the Lake County Board of Elections by February 1st if the City wants to be on the May 2023 ballot.
Parks & Recreation Committee, Ms. Sievers – Reported there will be a committee meeting in January 2023 to review surveys and review the Todd Field amphitheater project. Mayor Fiala said the same consulting firm would be at the City to check the amphitheater and Osborne Park projects.
CORRESPONDENCE
No correspondence
PUBLIC PORTION
Dave Radachy, Lake County Planning & Community Development Director – Mr. Radachy said the Ohio Chapter of the American Planning Association has an awards program called APA Great Places in Ohio, which is a biennial program that honors outstanding physical spaces that planners have made permanent through careful planning and unbridled imagination in Ohio. Lake County nominated Willoughby’s downtown as a great place in Ohio because it is a textbook case of how planning has worked well to create a wonderful space through a comprehensive plan and following proper codes to create the downtown gem of Willoughby. The Mayor accepted the award on behalf of the City.
Greg Patt, 38005 Brown Avenue, Willoughby – Mr. Patt explained the difference between a Special Improvement District (SID) and a Residential Income District (RID). He said with a SID, owners tax themselves, and the City collects the money and gives it back to the owners. He said with a RID; the City takes the amount of money the county takes. He said this means the county will no longer get the money for the senior levy he voted for or any other levy he voted for. He said the money goes into a specific fund that can only be spent in a small geographic area versus having the money go into the general fund.
John Klco, 38784 Wood Road, Willoughby – Mr. Klco said the condominiums at the end of the street put their trash cans out on Wood Road. He would like to propose some sort of enclosure where these trash cans can go. Mr. Tomaselli feels there should be some enclosure for the trash cans on their property. Mr. Tomaselli will work with Mr. Cloe to resolve this issue.
NEW BUSINESS
RESOLUTION NO. 2022-136 Motion carried 5 to 0
A resolution authorizing the Director of Finance to transfer funds from the Senior Center Capital Fund to the General Bond Fund and declaring an emergency.
Finance Director Bosley said this transfer is the least amount of senior levy money put aside many years ago to be used for a building; $110,000 will be used towards the debt on the senior center this year.
RESOLUTION NO. 2022-137 Motion carried 5 to 0
A resolution authorizing the Mayor to enter Amendment No. 1 to the Contract Agreement between the City of Willoughby and Chagrin River Watershed Partners, Inc., thereby extending the contractual deadline until December 31, 2023.
Law Director Lucas said this extension was requested by the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) and Chagrin River Watershed Partners. The original deadline was December 31, 2022.
RESOLUTION NO. 2022-138 Tabled
A resolution approving EAS #12-6-22(a) for the rezoning of 17.416 acres of real property located on Pelton Road and further identified as Permanent Parcel No. 2780390000300 from Limited Industrial (L-I) to General Industrial (G-I).
Mr. Carr said there was no quorum for the Environmental Planning Committee tonight therefore, it is recommended this resolution and the next ordinance be tabled. Mr. Carr said the public hearing for the rezoning would take place this evening.
ORDINANCE NO. 2022-139 Tabled
An ordinance amending the zone map of the City of Willoughby, Ohio, to reclassify
17.416 acres of certain real property located at O Pelton Road (Permanent Parcel No. 2780390000300) from Limited Industrial (L-I) to General Industrial (G-I).
No discussion.
RESOLUTION NO. 2022-140 Motion carried 5 to 0
A resolution authorizing an expenditure of $24,999 for purchasing one (1) 2023 Maverick AWD SuperCrew from Classic Ford for use by the Building Department and declaring an emergency.
Service Director Palmisano said he feels the City was fortunate to get this vehicle ordered.
RESOLUTION NO. 2022-141 - Amended 10/31/22 Motion carried 5 to 0
A resolution authorizing an expenditure of $47,030 for purchasing one (1) 2022 2023 F250 4x4 from Classic Ford for use by the Parks and Recreation Department and declaring an emergency.
The Director of Public Service received three (3) quotes for the purchase of one (1) 2023 F250 4x4; and the quote received from Classic Ford in the amount of $47,030 for the purchase of one (1) 2023 F250 4x4 was, in the opinion of the Council of the City, the lowest and best bid received.
Mr. Carr asked about the model year change in this resolution. Mr. Palmisano said the quote came in on 2022; the order will not open until November 7th. This will allow the City to place a bid on it and secure the purchase on 2023. The price does not include the plow. Mr. Tomaselli asked how much a plow cost. Mr. Palmisano said as of today; they run about $9,000; he is looking at purchasing one through Best Truck.
RESOLUTION NO. 2022-142 Motion carried 5 to 0
A resolution authorizing an expenditure of $130,935 for purchasing three (3) 2023 Chevrolet Tahoe PPVs from Ganley Chevrolet of Aurora for use by the Willoughby Police Department and declaring an emergency.
Chief Schultz said an order for the vehicles was placed as soon as the capital funds were approved. He said a few weeks ago, he was informed that the order had been canceled, but he was told he could be added to the 2023 list for $9,000 more per vehicle. He said Assistant Chief Tartaglia found three vehicles a little bit cheaper and should be able to obtain them in November.
ORDINANCE NO. 2022-143 1Yes (Carr) 4 No (Merhar, Sievers, Tomaselli, Garry Motion Defeated 1 to 4
An Ordinance declaring 100% of improvements to certain parcels of real property to be a public purpose, describing the public infrastructure improvements to be made to benefit those parcels, requiring the owners of the improvements thereon to make service payments instead of taxes, establishing a Shepherd's Glen Municipal Public Improvement Tax Increment Equivalent Fund for the deposit of such service payments and related matters.
Mr. Lucas said the matter of taking care of a detention pond and necessary changes regarding that have been made to the amended homeowner’s association and filed with the Lake County Recorder’s office. The developer will come in this week and prepare the paperwork to file with the Lake County Auditor’s office. Mr. Carr said there are two existing Residential Incentive Districts (RIDs) along the SOM Center corridor; this will be the third RID to help pay for infrastructure improvements along the corridor tied to the stormwater master plan. The stormwater master plan includes the eventual need for a capacity line on SOM Center and Aspenwood. He said the City now has a good funding source for those initiatives, sidewalks, and for the City’s contribution of the Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency’s (NOACA) bike path on SOM Center. Mr. Tomaselli asked what the RID for Shepard’s Glen covers. Mr. Lucas said the Shepard’s Glen RID covers infrastructure on Euclid Avenue and SOM Center Road. Mr. Merhar asked if the RID was not in a place where would the tax dollars go. Mr. Lucas said the money would go to the schools and to the general fund. He said for general purposes, this limits the money to the area that the tax residential incentive development district is with specific identification of improvements which is public infrastructure. Mr. Carr said the city and county money is affected, not the school money.
Discussion: Mr. Merhar asked why the City hasn’t discussed doing a SID instead of a RID; he said it seems like the City is using funds from all residents to benefit a small portion of the City. Mr. Lucas said historically the SID areas have been along the shoreline of Willoughby to enable, in part, the properties contiguous to Lake Erie to set up environmental protection for the erosion in the area. He said the RIDs have all been limited to new residential areas, in part, to take care of increased burdens on the infrastructure in the area. It could also provide sidewalks. Mayor Fiala said typically, SIDs are geographically bound and identify a specific number of properties. In the case of the lakefront SID, all lakefront property owners were identified, and they effectively taxed themselves for erosion control. The downtown SID involved the downtown business owners who would have taxed themselves to help pay for security and other enhancements for downtown. A certain percentage of the geographic area has to vote for it to proceed. Mr. Tomaselli said the participating homes are specific; his tax dollars on Harmondale are not used in Shepard’s Glen RID. Mr. Merhar said those in the RID are not paying for the City services because that money is going into the RID. Mayor Fiala said the RID money can only be used in the area where the RID is in effect; that money can only be used along the Rt. 91 corridor specifically for infrastructure i.e., sanitary sewers, stormwater management, or sidewalks.
NOTE:
For accuracy, this section has been copied from the council meeting minutes
MAYORS REPORT
Mayor Fiala said there would be a meeting tomorrow night at the Senior Center to discuss the new Police Station. He said the meeting would review the history of the existing station, the need for a new Police Station, and a broad brush look at associated costs.
DIRECTOR’S REPORTS
Service Director Palmisano – Mr. Palmisano thanked Council for passing Resolution No. 2022-140 and 2022-141. The Service Department is in the middle of leaf pick up with all vehicles out. He said they are averaging four to five streets per day per truck. Leaf pick up will continue until the first week of December.
Police Chief Schultz – Regarding the recent incidents in the City over the last week, Chief Schultz said the Police Department, Fire Department and Service Department and City employees are the best and finest. Chief Schultz presented a proclamation to Stacia Wills for assisting Patrol Officer Stacee Wright during an incident resulting from a traffic stop on September 10th on Lost Nation Road. Chief Schultz thanked Council for the passage of Resolution No. 2022-142.
Parks & Recreation Director Keller – No report. Mr. Carr thanked Ms. Keller for the recent Trick or Treat Trail; it was very well done.
COUNCIL REPORTS
No reports
ADJOURNMENT
COMMENTS BY COUNCILMAN KARY
I am excited to share with the city of Willoughby, especially Ward 2, the installation of two PUBLIC BENCHES on Lost Nation Road and the Lake County Executive Airport. These Landscaped Public Benches were a collaboration between myself, former Mayor Dave Anderson (Executive Director of the Lake County Port Authority, and Patty Fulop (Airport Manager). This past summer, I approached Dave Anderson with the idea of “dressing up” the appearance of the Airport on Lost Nation Road. He immediately was in favor of my thoughts for the installation of Public Benches/Landscaping off the sidewalk. Not only would these benches provide an upgrade in aesthetics, but they would also provide the many pedestrians a “resting/viewing” station on Lost Nation Road. Today, November 8th, construction is underway on these two stations to sit and rest, view the activity of planes landing and taking off, or just a spot to “take a break.” I hope all of Willoughby enjoys this start to upgrade the presence of the Airport in our city. Look for “more to come” soon.
ENJOY
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 Minutes are posted on the
City of Willoughby Website
https://willoughbyohio.com/city-council/