Planning Commission - Regular Meeting

here. Mayor Burke here. Council person Conwell present. Mayor Dy Jones. Mayor Gallow here. Fields here. Mayor Curts here. Mayor here. Joseph Nani here. Mayor Weiss here. Mayor Wheelo. You have a quorum. Thank you. Uh do you have any comments from the public first? All right. Hearing none, we'll just Just go just keep on moving. Uh will uh please review the minutes from the March 12th board meeting. Are there any changes needed

to approve? We have a motion approved. Do you have a second? Second. Motion from Mayor Weiss. Second from Mayor Burke. Any discussion? All in favor, please say I. Any opposed? Thank you. Let's go ahead and move then to I guess it's okay. We'll uh we need to stop. We need to stop. We'll stop. Great. We have a recognition for Mike De for his service. So, I thought we could do before we got into the body of the But if he doesn't show up, we've got this lovely gift that we'll raffle off. We'll come back to it. Yeah. All right. We'll uh move then to resolution number 260409A.

Thank you. Uh Eric Engel will be presenting today. Thank you. All right. Good afternoon everyone. I don't know where to point this to you. Thanks.

Okay. Uh so resolution number 260409A uh is for a preliminary plan extension. The applicant in owner is PMRO William Thomas Construction 3 LTD and the applicant himself is Mr. Thomas Simon. Uh so the applicant is requesting a second extension of approval of the preliminary plan for phase three of the Pemro Place subdivision originally approved April 14th, 2022 and subsequently approved for a first extension on April 11th, 2024. The property in question is located on the northwest corner of the intersection of Shady and Jennings Road instead Township is and is identified by permit parcel number 26506003. Um so again map kind of showcasing there what has been completed thus far.

Sorry. Thank you. Um so yeah uh it should be noted to the PER place uh it began in 20 in 2003 with the uh overall approval of the uh master plan there um which proposed 218 town homes to be built in four phases there. Just to note that uh in March 2022 uh the uh Penroke Place uh folks they submitted a preliminary plan for phase three uh which was subsequently approved. Um the three the phase three proposes the creation of 50 sublots for single family detached town homes on roughly 9 acres just above nine nine acres there. Uh this phase also includes includes the creation of open space blocks H and the continuation of open space block G which I'll show here in a minute. Um roughly 1300 lineal feet of roadway and 2600 lineal feet of sidewalk to be incorporated in that. So again just parceling out um the phase three there. Phases one and two have already subsequently been done with phase four off to the west there as well. Uh I'll just want to note too that surrounding land uses include single family residential uh to the east, west, and south and then to the north right adjacent is Interstate 80 there. Um so with this it's kind of just showcasing the the the 50 uh lots there. Um, and then to the south of really the phase to the north and south is the open space blocks uh that I just noted. Uh, so then the phase 3 preliminary plan obviously was conditionally approved by the county planning commission via resolution number 220414B on April 14th, 2022. As mentioned, the conditions of approval really kind of involve and involved mostly sanitary infrastructure needs. So updates to the storm and sanitary improvements, soil and sediment controls, and safety uh roadway safety measures as well. So the plan commission extended the

approval of that phase 3 preliminary for Pembroke Place on April 11, 2024 with resolution number 240411D. Uh and so meeting the conditions of approval has taken uh the developer longer than anticipated and a complete set of improvement plans has not yet been submitted to the Department of Public Works. So those efforts are still still ongoing there. So the previous phases as I mentioned have been completed at this point. Um the developer still needs more time to complete that phase three. Uh those improvement plans which again are more more or less they have to meet all the standards set by public works. Um and so on March 17th, 2026, Mr. Tom Simon requested that final preliminary plan extension in order to remain compliant uh while those final infrastructure drawings uh modifications and updates are being finalized. Since the first extension, the developer and the engineer have been in contact with the Department of Public Works uh to receive those approval of the improvement plans for phase three and those conversations again like I'd mentioned are still currently ongoing. The applicant has indicated where additional site improvements are required and processes have been difficult due to changing infrastructure design standards. Obviously, over the lifetime of this 20-year project, things are going to change. So, again, setting that as a difficulty there. Engineering of the previous phases has been complete as I mentioned uh submitted and approved by the p by planning commission as well as public works respectively. Uh since then many studies and modifications have been required delaying the completion of phase three and as of mid-March 2026 the engineering is down to kind of one last set of updates as indicated by the applicant which will be submitted to public works hopefully in the coming months to get that finalized and approved. Uh the county commission uh county planning commission staff has reviewed uh Penrook Place's request uh for phase three preliminary plan extension is consulted with Homestead

Township the uh public works department and other reviewing entities as such. So uh again planning staff has reviewed and all entities have reviewed and are recommending that the phase three pen place preliminary plan be extended for an additional two years. Uh and then this extension of approval is subject to the conditions set forth and that original approving resolution resolution number 220414B. This is the final extension allowed uh before there would be the the final extension allowed uh before the applicant would need to resubmit the preliminary plan and restart the entire approval process over again. And that's pursuant to section 1045 uh six of the 2020 Kaihoga County Land Development Regulations. Should be noted that if approved, the expiration date for the Pemrook Place phase 3 preliminary plan will be set for April 9th, 2028 at that point. So then moving into next steps. Once the developer meets all conditions uh set forth in resolution 220414B and has satisfied all requirements of the improvement plan stage of the subdivision as set forth in section 1046 of the county res county subdivision regulations. Developer may construct improvements notifying the county department of public works for inspection during and after said construction. After improvements have been installed, inspected and found sufficient, the developer then may submit a final plat for CRO Place phase 3 to the Kaihoga County Planning Commission for review and ultimate approval there. And then as I noted, final plat approval for phase 3 shall be obtained before April 9th, 2028. Uh with that, I will turn it over to you all if you have any questions. Mr. Tom Simon, the applicant is here if you have any questions for him as well.

Any questions from commission? New York. Uh my question is this. You know, I've been uh part of this commission since 2022. It seems like we're we're always seeing uh extensions. We're always seeing somewhat of delays. Um and we're hearing from the township that it may be the county uh obviously the county public works has been around for a while. What What is the actual what are the big delays that public works is seeing? Are we meeting some of the standards for storm water or is there a specific issue?

Yeah. No, that's I think that's a great question. Um, and my apologies. I was not here during that whole process and and maybe uh Tom can speak more to this as far as specifics, but the understanding that I had was that certain plans were submitted under previous requirements. Obviously, within that 20-year timeline, things are going to update. I don't think I think it was maybe just some miscommunication between the developer and public works at that point as far as what may have been required versus what was submitted. And so again, there was just been a lot of back and forth with that. Um I know there's been, you know, turnover and ownership with this particular project as well as turnover in engineers as well. Um again, I don't know.

Looks like Mr. Simon's ready to say a few things. Thank you. I'm happy to fill in blanks as much as you'd like to hear me ramble on. Would it be possible to go back to your uh slide that showed the overhead view? Uh yeah, actually the right right. Yeah, that's that's perfect. So ju so just quickly just a little bit of background. So Pemrook Place was originally approved um in I think 2003. I was still in grade school then. But uh it was originally PY Homes was one of the was a developer working with Forest City. Uh I think it came along when the sewer work was done along along Shady. Anyway, a a a quick history. So Pemrook phase one, the entire the entire project was uh not only approved, it was all design, it was all engineered, all the engineering was done and approved. I think the first phase went in maybe in ' 0405. Phase one went in. Uh phase two then got paved. PY left. They didn't leave town. They left this project. I don't know why. Uh Gross Builders came in. They built a handful of buildings and then they left. So the project basically failed twice. Um we we bought the remaining land and at that time this street was was paved out to here. This entire project was designed as Eric said for town home buildings. They were mostly five and six unit town homes. Okay. So we went to the township and we said look we'd this project should finish. We we'd like to finish that's what we do. We're local builders. We build uh attainable I don't like to use the word affordable but attainable high quality homes. That's

what we do. Okay. We don't build half a million and up. You know, we're in that we have product in the market at 2099 in Lorraine County up to about 350. So it it's it's a there's a big need there, but it's I will say it's very difficult to satisfy that need because of costs and everything that goes with it. So anyway, we had all of these. This area here was all built and um had begun building here attached town home buildings. So we came to the township, this was COVID era, and we said, "Look, if we come in here and build more town homes, we're going to kill all the people that own homes in this community." Because if you're going to come and buy a town home, you're going to buy the new one because it's only a little bit more money, right? So, we said what we'd like to do is come in, bring the density down a little bit, the number of units down. So, this was all set up for another 48 homes. We brought it down to 42, worked with the township to get uh variances that allowed us to build de detached homes, and that's what we did. And and and uh it it was terrific. Then we came over here to phase three where there was no infrastructure in the ground. That's when things became very very difficult because the whole site was designed and engineered and then we came to the county public works said oh well you know we need to to work at all of the new standards. So, like I get it for a new subdivision, but we're tying on to sewers that existed, designs that existed that were all approved by previous planners, previous engineers. So, it's just been uh a challenge, but we've worked through most of the issues. We're down to one or two, but you know, was kind of like we we brought a complete set of plans and then we get comments back, well, we need to study the entire storm source system that you're tying on to. We study the

storm source system. Okay. Now we need to now mind you every time we go from an engineer needing to just change a a a pipe size from you know they can change pipe size from 8 inch to 10 inch that doesn't take much time but when it's study the entire system that t they have to schedule it it takes a lot of time so anyway we go from uh uh you know study this and then submit study that then submit study that so fine it's just taken a decent amount of time in the meantime we're a small operation We don't operate in 10 subdivisions at once. So, we have to set priorities. And so, this one's about ready to go. We've figured out the issues. The engineer uh will be submitting another set of drawings here fairly shortly. And and then we'll we hope to we hope to roll forward. And that's a lot of talk, but you get the picture.

When are you are you anticipating uh that those uh plans will be ready? I I expect that they'll be ready to submit. I mean, they're almost ready to submit now. They're just waiting for the go from me along the way. We just keep writing checks and and spending money. So, you know, we're going to resubmit. We've already talked to county. Everybody knows what we're doing. Just a matter of finishing it up. And so, we'll be submitting as it's getting close to time for us to be ready to roll in and and do the work. So if I could too, I know I mean I'm not an engineer, but I know in other plans some of the previous regulations allowed the T or dead ends. Now in current subdivision regulations, it's more of a culde-sac type correct emergency service response,

right? U radius and turning radius. So a lot of those kind of things change with changes configuration of roadways. Plus, I will say just the amount of development that's happened in the township over the last 20 years and hydraulic studies have become more and more important for the developments. likely components of this as well beyond the physical design of the site. But suffice to say, it sounds like the full two-year extension is not going to be needed. It's really coming up now because we're at we're a couple of days away from the original extension. That that that's right. That's right. Y please, what constitutes well the extension? Sure.

But then what do you have to do to be in compliance with the extension? How many have to be built or what? Tell me completed or just my understanding is this is a more of a procedural thing. My understanding is we have to be to the point where we can submit the plat for approval. Approved year ago. There's no real timeline. You you fulfilled your commitment as far as this is concerned. Once once we get to Platt, my understanding is you come to you're you're at plat either when the improvements are all done and in or you post the financial guarantee to put the improvements in. Right. So, correct.

Yep. You're absolutely right. Yeah. So, essentially once public works approves in house those improvement plans that just gives them the go-ahhead to hit the ground running with construction, right, for those improvements. Obviously, we're going to need to see, as you mentioned, guarantees in place for all of that. There's a whole list of requirements for that final plat, but basically that gives them the go-ahhead to proceed with that concurrently as they construct those improvements. Correct. Yeah.

And so, yeah, they'll have two years, if granted, two more years to get that to us, you all as the body to approve that final plat. And for what it's worth, the the delays have not been uh much of the delay has not been on us. we submit and then public works, you know, it's a different situation for them, too. I also think they had some staffing problems. The primary engineer that we were working with is no longer with the county through this time frame. So, I'm making phone calls and sending emails, but there was nobody at the other end. But, but we didn't know that. So, so you know, but we'd submit. It would take them a while to get back with the next project for us to do. And you know there was a lot there was a lot of downtime then in in between. So it it hasn't it hasn't been just on us but it's all been justified. I'm not not saying it's it's not but it's just a unique situation.

We'll go to Mayor Orchid and then council members. I'll just say I think you know as I've been following this for the last four four years. Um I think and and this is just a wild guess. You know, I don't know really if if the issue lies with the county, uh, but more in the fact that just the the township is not incorporated. I I believe that may be our issue. So, that's that's something that has nothing to do with you or Allan. Maybe that's something that we need to talk to the trustees about.

Exactly what I was going to say. But what I've I've been here since 2011 and Homemstead Township has exploded and the county planning commission has been here to try to, you know, adjust to all these changes and it's not workable anymore. You're right, they're growing. The population's growing. Um, director, we've talked about it being a good idea to incorporate the the township because it can't be on us to be handling all of the township's business. in my opinion, you know, the trustees, I don't I don't think they're here. Um, so it's a step we're a step away from what's happening at the local level and I really think it's important that that is I think the the disconnect. That's what I want to say. And it's important that we comply. I mean, all these these water issues that I've observed over these years, it's really important. I'm sorry that it's just it's not convenient and there's extensions and but we've got to do it right. I mean, that's our job and and nobody's going to step aside and expedite if we think that there's going to be issues with drainage and the other houses getting flooded. No way. You know, that's we can't do that. So, it's just a circumstance that I hope can can

change as the population reaches a certain level. Um, what number is do we know what that is? Okay. For the township there, yeah, there are just over 14,000. Please, if I could just add and to Mr. Simon and to Eric too, I mean just that if you are not getting response from public works side, please do feel feel free to reach out to me and Eric and just let us know so we can help move things along.

Yeah, that that that was an anomaly. Uh you know, we we learned that that particular individual maybe I don't really know but maybe there were I don't know health issues or whatever. I think he took extended time off and then just ended up leaving um kind of out of nowhere was my understanding. Uh but that's not the only factor. But again, it's just been a lot of stuff and all kind of unique and and that's okay and you're exactly right. Just stuff needs to get done and you know we're working through it and we're pretty much through it and there you go. Thank you. Thank you for being here.

Sure. Okay. My pleasure. Sorry for the rambling. No worries. Uh any other questions or comments? Uh very good. Then do we have a motion to approve the extension of of uh approve the extension? Thank you very much. We have a second from Mayor Orchid. So we have a motion from Council Member Conwell. Uh any other questions, comments? All in favor, please say I. Any opposed? Thank you very much. Thank you, Mr. Gas. Great. Uh, next we have resolution 260409B.

Thank you. Uh, this is a resolution approving the infrastructure improvement program and administrative cost agreement with OPWC for fiscal year 2028 round 41.

Good afternoon everyone. Nice to be here. Um, this is an annual thing. I think most of you know what this is, but we are contracted with the Ohio Public Works Commission to manage the state capital improvement funding program through uh district one which is us district one public works committee operating committee. So um just a little background the whole program was established in the late 80s. It's governed by the Ohio Revised Code and we administer it. Um our district is district one public works integrating committee and the members who ultimately make the decisions about everything. There's two from Kyogre County and that's Mike De and Nicole English. Two from the largest municipality which is Cleveland and that's Bonnie T and J. Rosa and then um two from the suburbs and it's Mayor Weiss and Mayor Kumar and then we have one member of the public and that's Caitlyn Millius. Um then the team that does the work of the evaluations, I'm the liazison. Uh we have it's one person from the county, one from the largest municipality and one from a suburb. So we have Matt Pastoelli here from the county. We have Paul Fatika from the city of Cleveland and Tony Armano from the suburbs. He's the engineer for the city of Bura. And the programs the skip program that's grant and loan and there's a revolving loan program. So these are interest free loans. When the municipalities pay them back, they go into the revolving loan program that keeps regenerating itself. There's the local transportation improvement program, the ELT program, which comes from a different source of funding. So it comes from the gasoline tax. So there's some components where you cannot blend those two funds, get them all. Uh then there's a small

government um commission for communities that are under 5,000. If they are not funded through the regular program, there's a chance can be funded different pot of money. It's a state competition for those and then there's an emergency program. So this past round we had uh roughly $40 million um or um you know divvied up according to the grant, the loan and then the LTIP. And we awarded funding to 24 projects we have recommended for funding. They're not officially funded until the state funds them and that happens in uh June but um typically the recommendations are taken. So out of 34 projects there were 24 in the standard program. We also submitted for um for the small government programed. So this resolution is to authorize Mary uh us to coordinate and minister the program. We assist the applicants. um we conduct site visits and evaluate and the resolution is for um the cost agreement and the budget authorizing Mary to enter into contract and authorizing Mary to sign off on our requests for reimbursement. So we are not spending money, we are getting money. So this is $65,000 that comes to us to administer the program. Any questions?

Is this the old sorry um issue one? Real good. He hearing no other questions. Do we have a motion to approve the administrative cost agreement and uh to authorize the executive director to uh Mr. Motion from council member uh Simon uh second from Mayor Kurts. Any other discussion? Oh no. Yes. Very good. We have Mayor Weiss abstaining. Do we need to do a roll call vote or Okay, we need to do a roll call. Miss Alvarado

Iber. I Fields. Yes. Yes. Mayor, yes. Simon. Yes. Thank you very much. Thank you. Now we've got resolution 26049 is running out of time. Mr. Deer is running out of time. He has not been spotted. Uh thank you. Resolution uh 260409 Patrick Huitt will be presented today.

Thank you members of the board. I'll take my time now. Um, this afternoon we are requesting approval of the resolution to authorize the acceptance of funds and contribution of ININD services for the development of the Kyoga County Unified Zoning Code. We have talked about this a number of times. Um, and this is the first of likely a series of resolutions and contracts that will be coming before you as we get this project underway. Uh so as you may recall the unified zoning code is a comprehensive zoning ordinance that will be held and maintained by the Kyahogi County Planning Commission but that will be adopted and administered by individual communities. The idea here is to uh assist in modernizing zoning regulations to help unlock development opportunities and doing that through a shared platform. That platform would be updated regularly by county planning while still preserving local administrative authority and approvals so that communities can continue to shape their own growth. Uh we have done a little bit of refining since we last met as it pertains to estimated costs and to funding. Uh based on the work that we've been doing, we estimate that a consulting firm will cost approximately $400,000 to undertake this work. uh and that on the county planning side, we estimate putting in approximately $445,000 of uh our own staff time to help administer this uh and attend public engagements. In total, that would bring the cost for approximately seven communities to $845,000. We do already and we're excited to announce have a number of funding sources. Um the Kyhoga Land Bank and the Akran Cleveland Association of Realtors both have committed $25,000 uh for a total of $50,000 towards this project. And we just last week submitted a grant request for $150,000 to the

Cleveland Foundation. Uh we also anticipate requesting from communities a contribution of approximately $35,000 uh per community. for seven communities that would total $245,000. Uh if all those do come through as we anticipate that would be $445,000 towards this project. Um we do have a number of other uh funding organizations that we've been speaking to. So we hope that we can continue to fund raise uh but we would also be providing inind services that could cover that remaining gap. When we look at a timeline, this is a long project and that's one of the reasons why we're coming to you today. Uh looking at this, if that fundraising does come through as anticipated, uh contracting and fundraising would continue through the end of quarter 3 of 2026. We would begin looking for a consulting firm later this year and begin development by the end of the year of this code. That would include both the development and general public outreach as well as towards the end of that a legal review of that code. We would then move into the adoption process in 2028. Uh that could take a little bit and we outlined three steps. The first which will again come back to you at some point would be to establish an official committee of the board. Uh that would uh be made up theoretically by a group that you would determine uh but that could be the communities that have participated in the unified zoning code to help provide a recommendation on any changes as well as initial adoption of the code. Then the comm uh county planning commission board would adopt the code before we would go out to communities to request their adoption of the county planning commission's code. From there we would look to roll out maintenance and tracking. This would really be ongoing uh but starting there into 2029 and continuing forward uh from that point. That $845,000 would cover this period of time for that project.

Today we're asking for two items. First is to request approval to accept funds for the development and maintenance of the Kyahogi County Unified Zoning Code. So that initial $50,000 that we already have committed as well as any additional appropriations that might be sent our way from uh grants and funding sources and to request approval to authorize the executive director Mary to contribute our inind services in support of this project. We don't typically ask you for approval to um authorize in kind support, but because of the scale and longevity of this plan, we wanted to bring this to you early to get that uh level of support from the board to undertake this work. With that, I'm happy to entertain anyone. Thank you.

So, I guess one question that I'll have is there a timeline with regards to uh spending these grant dollars. Often times there's a year or two deadline or is it fairly open? The two that we received already were fairly open-ended. Uh the Cleveland Foundation, we requested a two-year grant period on that one.

We gave ourselves some time on that. Um and I think the other point is this is going to be structured much like safet roads for all in terms of the OBM fiscal side where there'll be an accounting unit that the dollars uh go to so that we have money to reimburse the consultant mixing operating funds. So now that we've got the commitment, that's something that OBM to set that up so that those dollars can deposit into that account that they pay. One requirement of the Akran Cleveland Association of Realtors funds was that we would present it to their organization so that they can have it as a learning opportunity for them as well. We thought that that was for us as well.

Yeah. Uh I guess the other only other question I had is there any assistance that you need in terms of securing additional funds in terms of you know support or outreach?

We would certainly uh take any assistance uh from anyone on the board with potential uh funding opportunities. We have done outreach to the first suburbs consortium uh to mayors and managers but we also have been working with our partners to understand other funding opportunities that are out there. Uh and we've had a number of conversations that we've been tracking with other organizations. There are a few who have indicated that they may be willing in the future uh to further fund some of this effort uh including some of our current funders that might uh be willing to fund again in future years, but nothing as committed as the ones that we've uh presented today. We are meeting with the consortium communities, those communities that have uh indicated their interest uh in late April and we'll be rolling out uh the contracting process as well as the engagement process to make sure that everybody feels comfortable as we enter uh into contract for this.

I think just to add on to that point, we have met with another foundation and a lot of it is that education piece. This is something unknown to so many. So really getting an understanding of it, gradually introducing it to their boards and other things. So, we've got a not a no but not a right now. And so, again, this is going to be two three years. So, it's not like if we don't get the funding up front as long as we get those initial commitments to cover the cost of consultant will continue going and then additional fund raise for unments and other costs. And then I guess I just have one more question that really more for the members of the planning commission. Is there a need to separate the vote to accept the fund from the vote to approve the inind services or folks feel like we just put them in one vote? It's all

It's all in one resolution. One resolution. There we go. All right. So, do we have a motion to both approve uh the acceptance of the funds and to authorize in kind services? Motion from Mayor Burke. Second. Second from Mayor B. We're almost there. Um uh any other discussion? All in favor please say I. I. Any opposed? Right. That's it. And uh TE director. Thanks Patrick.

Yep. Just for me and I know we are doing very well on time. Unfortunately, um Mike De must been pulled away. He has not returned back to his office. So we'll have to just give him his gift in secret. I text Nicole. So So um the county executive did a resolution in honor of his service. on the board to share. Anyway, we'll move on. Uh, so just a few highlights and updates for you as we go through. We're already in April, which is so hard to believe. And I want to thank you for doing three backtoback um board meetings. We are not having a May board meeting as far as I can tell or control. So get a little repeat. We'll be back at you. Um, so our annual report just before this meeting, we were putting the final touches on that. So, I just want to thank the team, Susan and Kevin, who have led the effort. So, thank you huge to them. It's been an ongoing effort on top of all the work that everyone's doing every day. Luke, Patrick, Dan, Alex, uh we brought Alex in at the last minute really and just her design eye and graphic ability. And so, I think we've got some lessons learned for doing it next year. But just a huge thank you to everybody for fitting it in and they're on top of their existing work and then just really our whole entire team for all the work that they do in the communities and just really making an impact. And I'm always so proud the feedback on the team and the work that they're doing and so we'll just keep going and you know keep doing the more the same for this year. So just want to thank you uh to everybody there um that's coming out today. So after this meeting I'll send out a link to all of you. So it's an online um annual report and then we'll go post it publicly and get it on social media and all those fun things. So um community planning services program if you remember this was our old planning grant program. We took out the word planning grant because we actually giving money and so we cleared that up last year, the year before. Um but it is time again to open that up for applications for communities to apply for our services. Um so we are going to be opening applications on April 20th. Um then

people can have uh time for answering asking any questions. May 8th will be the deadline for any questions to come in. Um applications will then be due May 20th at 3M and we will be making award announcements by July 1st. So we still have active projects on all four of the ones that we awarded last year. So we're trying to give some space to finish those up and then try and stagger the new work going on. So very similar to the uh previous years and what we're um going to be taking in. It could be community planning, it could be technical services, but more information to come on that. And so I'll make sure once we release that I send it with all of you so you can share too with your fellow mayors and uh communities to make sure everybody knows it's out there. And uh Jim Solder from our will be leading effort in those Q&A period. Patriots and roads for all. I don't think I told you, but maybe I did, but we actually have executed our contract. I think it happened between the last meeting and this one. So, we now have a fully signed and executed contract with the Federal Highway Administration for our safe streets and roads for all award from 2024. Um, so we are excited to kick off the work. Uh, this is a $600,000 reimburseable grant. So, we've worked with uh OBM and fiscal to have an advancement of the $300,000 for this year um so that we had money to pay a consultant. Most likely we're not going to be able to spend all of that in this year. Um so we'll request it to be moved into the following year for whatever balance there is. Um we do have $150,000 inind match that we're required. So that will be a lot of our internal work and helping with um outreach and public engagement, but we're looking to kick that off with our uh project team and peer cohort communities, which are other communities that have also received SS for a um grant dollars and have active projects or in the process of starting that. So it's really a coordinated effort. Um and we want to make sure that we catch everybody that may have gotten awards since we originally got our award in

2024. So um Jim Sonhalter will be the project manager on that. Megan Cheney and our team will be leading that effort. And so this is again another big um bold effort and working with a lot of community a lot of outreach to communities um and it'll probably be we've got a three-year contract with FHWA to finish it. So we'll be putting out an RFQ for a consultant for this project as well. And so this is again a comprehensive safety action plan for Kyog County. Um so we're really excited about that. really looking at some of these high frequent crash intersections and fatal um inter crashes. So um looking at bike, pedestrian, and automobile. So um excited to get that work finally started. Um opportunity zones. I'm not sure how much you're talking about this locally in your community, but this is a chance now that we are going to be redoing opportunity zones. So this is originally designated in 2017 where there was big investments for new projects um in c census tracks. There are new eligibility um sorry areas in 2026 of different census tracks. Some of them align with previous ones but not all. Um so we have met internally uh with our GIS team um Patrick and others and we've worked with other departments to kind of take a look at where are the to corridors where are there some known projects already um with these eligible areas to see if we can try and coordinate in within the county on who's going to be requesting um opportunity areas in their community. So, um I know there's been outreach for suburbs consortium. We've reached out to RTA. I don't know Mark, I know Tom McNair and I think Chris you spoke. Um just trying to think about where some of this big efforts are because there's a portal that's going to be opening supposed to open already. It's not open yet, but sometime this month um where you can make recommendations in that portal and then the governor would make recommendations to the US Treasury Treasury in July. So, I don't know if

you want to say anything on this.

Yeah, I'll just add that uh the last com uh communication with the Ohio Department of Development is that they may not have the portal open by the end of this month, but they'll at least have the timeline. So, we'll know what the expectations are when it comes to the communities that do have uh eligible census tracks for them to be able to uh to uh submit their recommendations. Uh what we're reminding everybody, they're hearing this from the state, but also from us, is that uh only 20% tracks can be chosen uh by the governor. Uh so it's uh important to uh choose wisely when it comes to what those recommendations are rather than choosing everything that's eligible. Really focus in on those areas that uh not only need the investment but are able to leverage the type of investment that would come through the opportunities of designation.

So it's not that you have to you know work with everybody at the county to express that information, but if you do have areas that you've identified you're thinking this I would encourage you to talk to Chris um and just kind of figure out how we can look a little bit coordinated as a county versus everyone competing with each other and to be able to provide the support. Absolutely. Yeah. So we can do all kinds of mapping. I know um Patrick found today was it the urban urban institute has done some analysis um and so he's requested some information from their mapping to see if we can share that as well. So I think the more the more we know the better um on how we can make some educated recommendations here. Well, that's it for me. Any

questions? Any old business? Any new business? Any motion to adjurnn? Motion from Mayor Weiss, second from Miss Fields. Oh, from Mayor Curt. All right. Thank you very much. Thank you. Look at that. their hearing.