Planning Commission - Regular Meeting

chair in the meeting. So, please bear with me. Excuse me. I object to it. Just kidding, Joe. Just kidding. Thank you. I'm gonna make Let's see. You guys are going to love this. But first order of business, um, can you can you please call the roll call? Mayor B. Council person Conwell Jones here. Director Deber Mayor Gallow here. Mara Fields here. Mayor here. Mayor here. Council Simon, Mayor Weiss here, Mayor We

here. And we do have a quorum. So, we'll move forward with the uh Is there anybody for public comment today. No one. Okay, moving right along. Uh the next item is the approval of the minutes for the July 10th, 2025 board meeting. Can I have a motion to approve those? And a second. Second. All in favor? I. Motion passes. Thank you very much. The next item is the resolution number 2550814- thequick administrative cost agreement ratification. Elaine Price present on this item today.

Good afternoon. I'm Elaine Price. I am on the team at county planning. I'm the green space and trails and I'm now running the state capital improvement program. So this is a annual um activity and event um that we contract with the Ohio Public Works Commission to manage the state capital program. So um just a little bit of overview, I think most of you know this, but the Ohio Public Works Commission or OPWC was established in the 80s. It's governed by revised code section 164 and we our agency has been the organization that manages the application process and review. Um we are district one um Kyhoga County is district one. Our leadership um is called the district one public works integrating committee or the dwick and it is composed of for our bylaws um two members from Kyoga County and that's Michael De and Nicole English uh two members from the largest community that's Cleveland's that's Bonnie Ten and Jamie D. Rosa two members from the suburbs appointed by the mayors and managers association and that's mayors Paul Kumar and Mayor David Weiss and then from the private sector and that is currently Caitlyn Millius. We get applications in, they're all coordinated and reviewed and scored by a team of engineers plus myself. Again, one representative from the county, it's Matt Ptoelli, one from the largest municipality, that's Paul Fatika, and one from the suburbs, Tony Armano, who is the engineer for the city of Berea.

And he is the veteran on our team. been doing this for over 20 years.

Um the programs really briefly uh state capital improvement program is a combination of grants and loans. part of it, the revolving loan program. That is when a municipality or an organization um takes out a loan and they pay it back, the payment comes back to us in district one. So that's very positive. There's also the local transportation improvement program or LTIP is managed within this, but that comes exclusively from gasoline tax. So that money is exclusively for road, bridge, and culvert. Um the small government program for communities that are 5,000 people or less and that's a separate pot of money, but we get to we have applicants and we get to recommend those. And then the emergency program is for catastrophic events and the state has a lot of money for that. What I thought it'd be useful to show you um is our funding. And what I'm showing here is for what we the year we just concluded on the left, which was round 39. And you can kind of see the breakdown of we had a little over 18 million through the skip program. The LTIP program was just under 7 million. The revolving loan had about 9 million. So we had a total of uh just under 35 million. And we gave that away. But in addition, we were able to submit five projects. All five of the projects we submitted were funded to just over two million. So our total from the last round was um just under 37 million in projects allocated and that was 15 projects in the standard program, five through small government out of 34 applications. This round we have been funded at almost 22 million under the program, the Lchip program, just over seven million. The

revolving loan program uh just under seven million for a total of just over 35 million. We don't know how much money is in the total program for small government, but the state is really emphasizing small government this year. They are begging us to get more programs, more applications in and not we will be able to submit seven projects rather than five plus two contingency projects. So we'll be able to submit um nine projects for recommendation. So um my role as the liaison I basically have four major areas of responsibility. I coordinate and minister all of the program. I assist the applicants through training, workshops, coaching sessions as well as the staff and the OPWC staff. I'm part of the I coordinate the evaluation. I'm part of the team that evaluates the project scores them and then recommends them to the DOWIC for their recommendation to the state and I also lead the creation updating of all of the materials that are used throughout the process. So, um we are here Today, this resolution again is requesting the um approval of the program cost agreement. Um the ratifying the signing of the contract. Um that's what this is about. And the total dollar value is up to 65,000. And again, I want to remind everyone is this is a not a contract where we're paying someone 65, they're paying us 65,000. So um and that's for this year that goes um July 1 through June.

Any questions? Just a quick question if um how do you how is small government defined five a community of or you know village or a township of 5,000 the same question. Do they have to match the money or do they just do it?

Um, that's a very good question. Um, there are several different criteria that are used in the scoring process and one of those criteria you get a certain number of points for what you as a community are putting in and or other funds. So maybe if you've got funds from the sewer district or from ODOT, those are all brought into the application and the more money a community brings to the the more points they get. So, you don't have to, but you're more likely to score well if you bring some money to the table.

Any other questions? Would anyone like to make a motion to pass the sign up? Sorry, I was I was going to make one point. Just this one is a ratification because I've already had to sign the document. So that's not our typical process obviously, but through the state they go through Ohio workswise. So we don't get anything really in advance. We get an email that says sign here and so we were off cycle because of ENRAC going at a different time and realized this had not yet been to the board. But rather than the contract lapsing, we did sign electronically. So it's really to ratify the signature of that contract.

Sure. Absolutely. We did have a motion in a second, right? Second. Okay. And then if we can do a roll call, please. Yes. Yes.

Yes. Mayor, yes. Mayor, yes. Mayor addresses. Okay. Thank you everyone. Thank you. The next item is resolution number 2550814-B. Uh before we get into the presentation, I just wanted to give everyone heads up that I'll need to recuse myself on this one. uh because there's currently some uh unanswered legal questions relative to any type of u conflict of interest because I also represent the county and it's a contract between this body and the county. So I we already reviewed that with law until that's answered this is the path of least resistance.

Thank you Jill. And I think just yeah Patrick will be presenting on this as just a few notes as you real as you know I sent out a different um document with red line track changes we did not have the contract in front of us when I needed to send out the board mailing last week and so there was a a conversation about it getting a letter to us by that board mailing but that didn't happen. So there's in your packet today the redline version. I also have the copy of the version that was included in your board packet. If you want to look side by side let me know and I'll get you one of those copies. But you did get both of them electronically but I do have the one the packet if you wanted to compare side by side.

Absolutely. Uh thank you again Patrick Huitt. Um thanks for the opportunity today to present the first amendment to the inter agency agreement uh with the Kyogre County Department of Housing and Community Development. Uh this is the first amendment to a contract that was passed starting September 1st, 2023. That was originally a two-year contract. So we are extending that. Uh, as Mary mentioned, there was an original contract that was included in, excuse me, an original resolution included in the packet and an amended resolution. Uh, on the left, the original resolution included verbiage calling this an extension and amendment. It is now being called the first amendment. Uh, originally, it also mentioned that uh, the $50,000 in new funds would be coming from the general fund. It will actually be coming from the county housing fund. The original contract also included an additional $100,000. I'll explain this a little bit. Um adding it to the previous award that we had. Um that is no longer included. We have an unspent balance of $63,000 from the original contract. We will continue drawing down on that and request additional funding in the future if we need to. Uh that means that the original two excuse me $150,000 of new funds that we were going to add is now being changed to describe a not to exceed amount of $200,000. I swear there's a great graphic that Laura put together and the count uh so uh the first amendment to that agreement including the scope is attached as well as the amended resolution. So here's that graphic. So, we were originally awarded in 2023 $150,000 uh for a variety of uh uh activities. We have expended $87,000 of that $150,000, which means we have approximately

$63,000 remaining. Uh we are going to extend that contract and continue drawing down that $63,000, but the Department of Housing and Community Development would like to add $50,000 in new funds for a new scope of work. Together, that original contract of $150,000 plus the 50,000 in new funds means a new not to exceed amount of $200,000. Uh so we will be reutilizing that remaining balance for previously funded professional planning services. Those included a variety of topics including environmental record reviews. Uh these are an assist that we provide to the department uh to get grants through the environmental review process. We also provide some assistance as it relates to the CDBG program and we provide GIS and planning technical assistance as well. We will continue to provide those services and draw down that $63,000. The $50,000 will be going towards a residential vacant lot analysis. This is in a way an update to our single family zoning analysis that we did in the first suburbs, but also a change. Uh so again, this is based on that single family zoning analysis. At the time of that analysis, we were uh just working with 19 communities. We provided an overview of housing stats from 2009 to 2020. And we analyzed the zoning of 19 first uh suburbs to identify issues and barriers to developing uh infill housing. We calculated and mapped that there were more than 5,300 potential infill lots just within the single family zoning districts within the first suburbs where there could be the potential for new housing in the future. And that graphic on the right showcases where those are by An additional piece of background uh is that the county recently released its uh

Kyogre County housing study. Uh this scope of work in front of you would help to support and further that housing study. Uh that study demonstrated the need to share and track housing data. Uh the department of housing and community development is looking to contract with us to help advance that through the work of this uh first agreement first amendment. So what will that scope of work look like? So the residential vacant lot analysis that that $50,000 will cover includes two parts. One is an updated housing trends report. So originally we provided data points on population, median sales price, number of sales, single uh number of singles family homes, demolitions and abatements. We will update that data from 2020 to 2025 for the first suburbs where we had already collected that data. Because this is housing fund dollars, we will also expand that to the rest of the county. So all of the other suburbs of the county, uh we will provide those numbers and that data for the remaining suburbs. We will also work on an info lot inventory and mapper. So that online mapper will allow us to track where new housing has been constructed on those vacant lots since 2021. We also are now just a little bit more adept than we were as when we first put that project together. So we're going to streamline the process for identifying not just infill single family lots, but also other residential vacant lots for potential development. And we're going to create a mapper with that data that will better be able identify the lots and allow developers, cities, uh your staff, uh to use that tool to understand those lots, their size, etc., uh to hopefully move along infill development more rapidly. So, uh in conclusion, we are requesting approval of amended resolution 25814B. That is the first amendment to the inter agency agreement that extends the

contract for two years through August 31st, 2027 for a not to exceed amount of $200,000. That includes utilizing the remaining original balance of $63,000 approximately and adding $50,000 in housing funds to perform the new scope of the residential vacant lot analysis. Any questions from anyone? At this time, I'd like a motion. Anybody second? Okay. Andette, can you please do a roll call vote on the street as well? Yes.

Mayor Fields. Yes. Yes. Thank you very much. The next item we have on our agenda is a presentation regarding Maple Heights and the evolving Southgate area redevelopment plan. Thank you. We got Nicole, senior planner planning commission to present on us today.

Good afternoon. Um again, my name is Nicole Lair. I'm a senior planner. Um the Maple Heights evolving south area redevelopment plan was part of the services program for the 2024 year. Um, city of Maple Heights entered into a contract for those professional services on April 16th, 2024 and their city council just approved the final project on January or excuse me, July 2nd of this year. Um, what I want to do is give you an update of what that process was for their final project. Um so the purpose in the background so it was to explore development opportunities in and around the Southgate area to further the walkability and retail diversity of the area. So um we provided recommendations for region development improvements that could include mixed use development, additional residential options which included senior housing, town homes and apartments and development of additional public green space. As you can see on the map, this is our project context. So, we looked at the actual Southgate area um footprint and looked at about a mile buffer around that Southgate area, which includes residential areas and existing businesses. Um the major streets and corridors that kind of border the Southgate area is Libby Road north um to the north, Northfield Road to the east, Morrisville Center, Warersville Center Road to the west, and Southgate Park Boulevard which is to the south which also includes um some businesses that are kind of fronting Southgate Park Boulevard. So we went through our standard planning process where we did a current conditions analysis, vision and developmental scenarios. We looked at recommendations in preferred development scenarios, implementation strategies and put that all together into the final

document which was the evolving Southgate area redevelopment plan. Throughout this process, we had community engagement where we went out to the community and asked for their feedback and input. had a project team of 15 members um which included um staff and um city staff um residents and key stakeholders stakeholders. We had two public meetings where we had approximately 45 meeting attendees and as you can see one of our young attendees was a little kid which we were so thrilled to see because he was truly involved in the process. He asked us questions, he wrote down comments. He he told us what he wanted to see. So that was pretty cool.

We had an online survey throughout the process. So for people that couldn't come to our meetings, we had an online survey that asked the same questions that were in person and we had 62 total survey respondents and had about 154 individual written comments. We took all that information. Come on. We took all that information to put it together to create a guiding um a vision and guiding principles for the south area. So with all that feedback, our current conditions analysis, talking to the project team, talking to the community, we came with basically what the themes were from the community input. And that input was that the Southgate area will be revitalized to become a unique and vibrant mixeduse district that is safe and welcoming for all residents and visitors, that is livable, accessible, and connected to affordable and diverse housing options, and that offers green spaces that fosters an engaged community. Those five concepts help support the vision for the area. So ultimately, the Southgate area will become that that graphic that you see to the right, safe and welcoming, live livable, connected, green and vibrant. So using our vision statement and our guiding principles, that's how we came across with the recommendations. From those recommendations, we kind of broke it out into practical shortterm um practical short-term strategies and safety best practices based on what we heard from the community and visionary or long-term strategies. the practical short-term strategies. These are outlines. Um these outline strategies and actions that take less than five years to

and they help to kind of foster or kind of support those five strategies that we just talked about. So we looked at the short-term strategies in terms of SEP headed which is um crime prevention through environmental design. Um safety and the appearance of safety was very important to the residents um to ensure that Southgate and the area maintains or stays a welcoming environment. So we added some um best practices for how to kind of achieve that and something that could be done in less than five years. It's something that could be ongoing. Um and those concept and the concept of SEP headed natural surveillance, territorial enforcement, access control, activity support and maintenance. So increase exterior lighting. Mark um boundaries with signage and fencing. Limit the number of curb cuts. Foster more activities such as um you know public public programs and events. and work with property owners to ensure that landscaping is well maintained. Um and along with those um safety best practices, we had the actual short-term strategies which were kind of put into these five categories. Southgate area connectivity and accessibility. The Southgate Park Boulevard environmental mixed use and environ economic development and neighborhood developments and new housing opportunities. And as you can see to the map to the left to the right, sorry, you'll see those areas kind of highlighted. So that's what we were kind of focused on as part of our recommendations for the long-term vision. Um the long-term strategies, these are actions

that will take five or more years to implement and these are specific to the transit center at Southgate and also to the eastern portion of South area. These are going to be ones that these recommendations are more of they're going to be more conceptual in design. They're going to need more community input, more community conversation, um more talks between the city and whoever is the um the property owner for South. So, we presented these recommendations. We presented them in phases. So with the Southgate transit area in purple, um kind of phase it out to what those recommendations would look like. Um the eastern area also any major corridors we would add or suggest adding to kind of improve the walkability and accessibility and any new streets that would um encompass. So one of those recommendations were for major corridors. So looking at the Northfield Road, we kind of created a streetscape where we recommendation to reimagine Libby Road, Northfield, and Morrisville to kind of slow the pedestrian uh to make it a slower pedestrian street at Trees and Landscaping and make it more bicycle and pedestrian friendly. and then also talked about partnering with its neighbor of Eford Heights to kind of reimagine Northville and then also incorporate a degree of pattern. Uh for the Southgate Transit Center, um we had a number of recommendations. Partner with um Southgate itself to relocate some existing businesses. Consider consolidating parking for both transit users and shoppers. Enhance existing green areas. So that's including seating, walking paths and

lighting and partner with GC GCTA and south gate to consider like a three party RP. So that's on the western side. on the eastern side of the property. We talked about working with current and future Southgate area ownership to attract mixed use development to targeted development sites and incorporate a green plaza um to incorporate more green spaces through phase development. So this is what Southgate looks like now. Material of what it looks like now. recommendations. Slide. There we go. This is what we propose with our recommendations. Um, as you can see to the left, um, the Southeast Transit Center where we proposed trans u mixed use development. We proposed consolidated parking and we proposed upgraded green space. For the eastern side, we you know did the same recommendations for upgraded green space, um the duplex, town homes, and mixed use development. So, kind of filling out, revitalizing the area, making it more um more attractive, more more friendly, and just bringing it back or evolving it back to the south gate of the past. Um as part of this plan, we also gave them recommendations. Um and we As part of those recommendations, we um asked the city to kind of prioritize those implement um those strategies and kind of highlighted those, gave them ones that would be the most impactful, ones that they can do now, ones can work on

that will kind of spur or um be a catalyst for future development. We also gave them early win, so things that they can do right now. Um they're high priority actions that can be implemented quickly and impact such as zoning related actions and strategies. We did that for um the best pract safety best practices and for the short-term strategies and we gave them a funding stratey strategies and resources list of organizations or programs that they can use to apply for funding. And that was the evolving sound gates area redevelopment plan. And I think during the time you were doing that, it went up for sale or

Yeah, it did. It went up for sale literally four months before we finished the project, but we didn't know about that until a month before project. The opportunity. I think this is where we talk about planning and why in planning is so important because now if you've got a new property owner coming in, you've already got some recommendations that could be set forth pretty easily um with the city buy in and proving plan. So, great work on that. Excuse me. Quick question on that. Understanding that there is it is for sale. Does the realtor know that this plan is done so they can talk to the potential new owners? I don't know. We're hoping that maybe the city Yeah.

Yeah. Because we gave the city a um that image that you saw, the one sheeter with all the designs, we give that to the city for them to use when they're talking to potential owners and developers and things coming in. you know, we have a plan. You know, this is something that we can work on. Um, you know, because it's an everchanging document. So, we're hoping that this helps spur conversation and help see what the city would like for it to happen. Great. Thank you. Thank you. I think it's just important sometimes to show, you know, projects that we complete, we give these awards and then sometimes you don't hear about it. So, um, now that we completed that and they accepted, it was glad to provide an update on the project.

Thanks. Okay, we are moving right along. Thank you, executive director.

Okay. Um, so we will go fairly quickly through this. Um, the first issue is just not issue, but the current state of affairs is the 2026 2027 banual budget planning is underway. I'm sure you've all seen the news lately with the budget deficits uh projected for the county. Um, we are not isolated from that as you guys know. I report to you as a board, but our funding comes from uh the county general fund. So, we have been in early discussions about uh funding going into the next two years and as well as our current budget. Um we knew there would be shortfalls last year and required additional appropriation to cover salaries and benefits. Um we are forecasting similar situation this year. So, we are working every way we can to um save costs. Um but I know going into the next two years is going to be uh challenging. Um as you know we've got a compensation policy where we do annual mid midyear reviews that um are associated with merit awards. Um you know right now there is a hiring freeze across the county. And so thankfully we are fully staffed right now except for one vacancy that wasn't funded. Um but our authorized strength number is 21 and that's we've got um people in seats and so hopeful that that continues to be the way that we go forward. Um but just you know understanding the delicate position we're in that we are not we are a non-executive agency um but fully dependent on the county. Um we're in a bit of a pickle. Um but you know working through that working with office of budget management and fiscal office and the um county executives team. So we'll continue working through that. uh we have been successful in being very strategic in repurposing some of our revenues that we bring in. So those revenues that we bring in that are from plans that we do for communities at a very reduced cost. Um and so we were able to repurpose uh some of those to go towards some of our professional development costs this year. So really

that going back to like my people are my biggest asset and I've got to you know do what I can to make sure that they're taken care of and that we're continuing um as they are experts in the field getting their professional education and education credits done. So, um we have been very conservative and making some tough choices on what we can and can't um cover, but um we need continue to do so next year. But, um at this point, there's not a firm budget defined, but we've had our initial meeting identified and communicated potential shortfalls for the next two years. And so, those have been shared and then we'll continue the conversations as we go through the fall. Um so, not not that's where we are and we're going to stay positive and keep on doing the work we're doing. Um, and I wanted to give you a quick update on the 2025 work plan as well as our 2025 strategic imperatives. I passed out um, a graphic there. We'll call it our report card for right now. If you remember back in February, uh, it was the first time we really put on paper what our work plan for 2025 was. I think it's very important to say, you know, how do we know if we're successful in a year and if we don't identify what we plan to do? And so the work plan really is the external facing and that's what I shared with you uh at the board meeting in February. And then internally is really the strategic imperatism and initiatives. So it's parallel path to that. But really we have big thanks to Patrick for continuing to help us stay organized with this. But big spreadsheets with activities and metrics and very measurable um measurable activities and metrics so that we can see you know are what we're supposed to be doing are we doing that? Where are we falling short? what may need to be identified. So, um really actively tracking that and we knew there'll be some easy wins as we've been working through this. Um going into next year, I'd like to have this really defined early in the year versus this far into the year, but um it was new for us and we're still working through it, but I think we're in a really good place. Um so, you've got this in front of you for

the work plan. They're very similar. Um but, you know, they the strategic imperatives really take it the next step. So, um, when we look at where we are to date, um, and I'll share a deck the deck with you after, as well as some additional reports, um, on where we are, but, um, we're looking to be on schedule, you know, goal of the awarding for CPS plans. We've done that. We hosted the TOD summit. We've published the our community's data book. So, um, we've got about 9% of those metrics that we included originally that might need to be modified. Um, and one of those is example of the safe streets and roads for all. As I mentioned at the last board meeting, due to capacity issues, we've um deferred our decision until Q1 2026 with the federal FHWA on that project. So, we therefore have not um contracted with the firm to do that work. But um I I hope you know this is really where we try to make sure what we outline we're doing is the best for the communities and it's within our capacity to do the work. Uh and so I think we're we're on schedule. um across all the different topics. You can see the various percentages that we have been complete. Um some more than others just depending on timing of getting reimbursements out for some of the grant programs, but really the goal is not to get 100% of everything we've outlined, but get to 80%. Um so I think we're well on our way there. And if there's things that require modification, we'll be looking, you know, to adjust those as we go. And then in terms of the strategic imperatives, that's the second page of the handout that I gave you. A lot more detail, a lot more specific activities. Um, and we'll have different managers in the uh on our team that'll be leading those efforts and working with other team members to keep pushing things forward. Um, but the majority, you know, were complet on schedule of getting those metrics done for the strategic imperatives as well. Um, we updated the evaluation, our annual evaluation forms, which was a goal presented at four conferences. We've established community survey standards. So looking at, you

know, when we do surveys, are they really um random surveys? Probably not because we have a target audience we're looking at. So really defining the audience that we're looking at and how those responses come in so that we've got validation. Along with that, uh we also attended a college career fair. So that makes sure beyond just our walls here and the footprint of Kyhoga County, uh we're looking for talent outside for our internships and others. And so that was the first time we had done that in a long while. Um, so about 8% of the metrics need to be modified. Um, the website update is a big one. You've heard that before. It's probably been three years that we've been kind of kicking that can down the road, but it's a it's a big lift in terms of funding and so we don't have that identified yet, but u we have a lot of lot of information on there and on our website now just trying to make it um last update Kevin was 20 14. Um Kevin does an amazing job of keeping all that content in some order and fashion. Um but you know websites have come a long way since then and so trying to look at something that's maybe more user friendly and updated in the future. So we'll be working to continue finding uh resources for that. Um but again project progress is being made across all of the street comparatives and again 80% goal with this. Uh some are a little farther behind but they are underway and so I think we'll be in good shape you know come the end of the year. So we'll keep you up to date as we move through those. And I think that was really for me. So,

is there any old business? Um, one item for new business. I'm just requesting that everybody tell Mike Deber that this meeting is for 10 minutes long almost. And if there's nothing else, uh, adjourn the meeting. So, September is tentative. I don't think I don't know if we're gonna have to come back, but I know we've had a marathon of months in a row. So, I thank you. if you didn't get one on the way in, take one on the way out. But thank you all for everything and your support team at County Planning for doing all the work that they do. Move to adjourn. Yes. Second.

I think that was Mayor maybe.