No More Free Lunch?

Video below: Service Director Ed Gallagher is an advocate for instituting a fee for garbage collection: “Everybody’s paying for rubbish.” He also makes the statement, “There’s no longer a free lunch.” The collection of brown yard waste bags has ceased. Mr. Gallagher explains that a brown bag full of grass clippings weighs 60 pounds. Interestingly, the city has recommended that residents may now dispose of those bags by bringing them to the service garage.

Council President David Miller makes reference to the tax credit rollback legislation uproar of 2010. “This conversation also germinated when the tax credit was rolled back and then put back on. That it was a more fair option regarding everybody having skin in the game.”

• time: 3 min. 58 sec.

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2 Videos below: 3 well informed citizens voice their concerns about rising salaries and the creation of new positions during a meeting on June 21, 2010. 

• time: 7 min. 34 sec.

• time: 6 min. 16 sec.

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Please also see the previous related SEO posts:


Cash For Trash
Snow Job
Pure Rubbish
One Or The Other

Forgone Formalities

Video below:  April 14, 2011 - Planning Commission members vote   5-0 in favor of clearing the way for big box retail development at the former site of Oakwood Country Club.

Ordinance 763.01: Circumstances justifying amendments; review of amendments. 

Planning commission member Tracie Zamiska makes a few elaborate statements justifying her decision on the Oakwood property. She quoted Ordinance 763.01 as being, “…what we use as our basis and guideline…” referring to the planning commission recommendation to approve the rezoning from R75-residential to C2-commercial. In part, Ordinance 763.01 states any zoning amendment, “…will not be detrimental to the adjacent property owners…”

Oakwood is partially located in an area of South Euclid which results in more abutting properties in Cleveland Heights. It appears any concerns of detriment from those adjacent property owners were not part of the decision making process.

Ms. Zamiska said,” When we were looking at opposition, it primarily did not come from people in our community.” Commission member Jennifer West echoed the same sentiment as part of her evaluation. “I know there’s been quite a bit of opposition, and I’ve also noticed that in that opposition in my estimate, probably 98% of it was from outside our city.”

This could be considered contrary to the objectives of 763.01. Despite claims of similar maneuvers being upheld in court, it could be construed as improper. It doesn’t seem to be in accordance with South Euclid’s “Good Neighbor” policies. 

It was also explained that “spot zoning” is not occurring, but rather, “spot planning” which is taking place in conjunction with the amendment of the city’s Master Plan.  Huh?  Is that to say the Master Plan favored the Oakwood property remaining residential, so they amended it for the developer because he wants it commercial?  Can anyone verify if that’s a fair assessment of what just happened? 

 

• time: 12 min. 17 sec.

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Video below:  March 10, 2011 – Planning Commission Meeting – A sampling of South Euclid citizens voicing their opposition to rezoning the Oakwood property C2-commercial. 

• time: 13 min. 20 sec.

Please see the previous related posts:

Oakwood Country Club For Sale
Uneven Playing Field
More About Oakwood

Cash For Trash

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Click here to view the above meeting information
at the city website.

Please click to read the online version of the above article at the cleveland.com website, which includes their reader's comments.