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THE CLEVELAND HEIGHTS VISIONING PROCESS
Our Community Creating a Vision for Our Future
In October, 1999, Cleveland Heights Council began a visioning process to determine priorities that would guide our community into the future. After an application process, Council selected 25 residents (including two students) to form the Visioning Committee. The committee, with the assistance of PKG Consultants, worked for eighteen months reviewing data, attending town meetings, forming task forces and formulating six key themes for the Vision.
The Vision document was presented to Council in October 2001. A summary of the document, sent to all Cleveland Heights households in November 2001, offered an overview of the Visioning Committee's final recommendations. In March 2002, City Council formally adopted the Visioning Committee's report 'as a guide to assist the City in meeting its stated Mission and Goals' (Resolution No. 40-2002). Cleveland Heights Council divided the Visioning recommendations and ideas into the six Committees of Council. In October 2002, a Visioning update meeting was held. The Mayor and Council discussed initiatives, answered questions, and heard comments from residents. Updates are printed in FOCUS and on this web site.
Visioning Update
The Visioning Report recommendations and ideas continued to be addressed by the Committees of Council. Some of the initiatives being implemented are:
Beautification of neighborhoods, parks and greenspaces:
- Hanging flower baskets and plantings are placed each summer around the city - in Cain Park, in front of City Hall and the Community Center.
- Thousands of bulbs are planted each fall.
- Perennial beds have been planted throughout the city.
- New entrance signs are planned for major intersections in the city and have already been installed at all Parks.
Capital projects to ensure the viability of our infrastructure:
- Renovations were made to Cumberland Pool, Denison Park, the Cain Park amphitheater and Fire Station #2.
- Forest Hill Park parking lots were repaved and improved lighting has been installed in City parking lots.
- The City rebuilt the ring road (Severance Circle) and provided pedestrian amenities around Severance Town Center (i.e., bike lanes, benches).
- Parking was added to the Community Center.
- Major street projects (i.e. Euclid Heights Boulevard, Meadowbrook, Fairmount Boulevard) have been started or are scheduled to begin.
Supporting our youth:
- Council and the School Board continue to meet to discuss common goals.
- Intergenerational programming with senior residents and youth continue.
- Community Center programming continues to expand (i.e., soccer, karate, middle school activity nights).
- The promotion of the Youth Scholarship Fund has expanded both to raiser scholarship funds and to distribute funds to youth.
Civic vitality:
- Programming for seniors continues to be increased (book clubs, discussion groups, etc.).
- A successful senior health fair was held in 2002, followed by senior forums each year on a variety of subjects.
- One-floor housing information is provided by the Heights Housing Service to all interested seniors.
Promoting an arts environment:
- Almost 100 Heights artists have submitted information for an arts registry to be compiled.
- Collaborations in the arts resulted in more public art and concerts.
- A page in FOCUS Magazine is devoted to the arts in our city.
Improving the quality of life:
- To address noise problems, a new noise ordinance was passed in 2002 to hold landlords accountable for disturbances from their tenants; the ordinance has been expanded to add nuisances and to provide for the option to bill landlords for tenant behavior.
- Community Relations staff are working closely with Housing Inspections on neighborhood issues.
- A Tenant Handbook has been prepared and distributed to all new renters.
New construction and revitalization of existing housing stock and commercial districts:
- New townhome and condo developments are progressing throughout the city.
- City staff continues to work on attracting new business to the community. Updated marketing materials are being used.
- The old JCC site will become a residential development.
Zoning Code Review:
- Revisions to the Zoning Code make approval for outdoor dining, fencing, bike racks and home occupations more efficient.
- Other Zoning Code changes continue to be under consideration.
Preservation of existing housing:
- The City has contracted with the Cleveland Restoration Society of assist homeowners in preserving the historic nature of their houses.
- The Euclid Golf and Ambler Heights historic districts have been listed on the National Register of Historic places.
- A historic preservation database will be established at the Superior Schoolhouse.
- Residents are being advised about Cuyahoga County's low-interest loan programs for historic preservation.
- Free Schoolhouse lectures on history and preservation topics are presented on a regular basis.
Traffic calming:
- 'Street prints' were installed in a pilot project on Scarborough to slow traffic.
- Installation of street prints on crosswalks in merchant areas is also being considered.
Customer-driven City services:
- 160 City employees underwent customer-service training.
- Council has taken Visioning recommendations into consideration when making appointments to boards and commissions.
- All employees are advised monthly on customer services issues.
- All City letters will be reviewed to be made more customer service-oriented.
For a copy of the Visioning Summary, click here.
For a copy of the full Visioning Report, click here.
For more information, contact Julie Alandt at 216-291-5811 or email jalandt@clvhts.com.
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