March 18, 2019

Rocky River City Council Committee-of-the-Whole Meeting March 18, 2019 Page 1 of 3

CITY OF ROCKY RIVER

March 18, 2019

The meeting of the Committee-of-the-Whole was called to order by Mr. Moran, President of Council, immediately following the Public Hearing in the David J. Cook Council Chambers.

Council Members Present: Mr. Hunt, Mr. Shepherd, Mr. O’Donnell, Mr. Furry,

Mr. Sindelar, Mr. Klym, Mr. Moran

Administration: Mayor Bobst, Director Costello

Law Director: Mr. Bemer

The meeting was opened with the Pledge of Allegiance.

MAYOR’S REPORT:

The Mayor announced that the Arbor Day Foundation in partnership with the US Forest Service has recognized the City of Rocky River as a Tree City USA. This year, 2019, marks the 35th year of being recognized. Thank you to Director Costello and Shelley Sollars who prepared the submission and Rich Snyder who was the city’s arborist and is now the Service Commissioner. Planting a tree is one of the few community infrastructure investments that actually increases in value over time. The city has planted over 1500 trees over the last several years.

Director Costello also submitted a grant application to the Ohio EPA for their 319 Funds for the restoration of Spencer Creek at Bradstreet’s Landing. This project goes along with the Pier Project and the Pedestrian Bridge. The request is for $336,000, the city’s contribution will be $224,000 with a grand total of about $560,000 for the Spencer Creek Project. The Mayor said that as the project moves along and is funded, she will talk more about the scope of the project which was set forth in the Master Plan for Bradstreet’s Landing with many community members.

The city lost two trophies over the weekend. The city did not bring home the Basketball Challenge Cup Trophy but will be back at it again next year. Congratulations to the high school faculty who beat the City Challengers. Thank you to the Council members who played along with Coach Bemer. Congratulations to North Olmsted who was the winning team in the North Park River Wellness Program initiated by the Wellness Center and sponsored by Fairview Hospital and the Cleveland Clinic Health System. Rocky River had great participation and a few of the residents received special awards for the good work accomplished during this program.

The Senior Center Trivia Team is continuing to win and will move on to the semi-finals competing against the City of Lakewood. The winner will receive a donation to their Senior Center.

COMMITTEE REPORTS: Planning, Zoning and Economic Development: President Moran said that there was a Design Review meeting this evening regarding the Avalon/Parklawn project discussed at last week’s meeting. The meeting went well and this project will move forward. Tomorrow evening is a Planning Commission Meeting concerning 20150 Center Ridge Road, the Airko Building along with some issues regarding drive throughs. Mr. Moran will be out of town and unable to make this meeting. It begins at 7:00 p.m.

COMMUNICATION & ANNOUNCEMENTS: NONE Rocky River City Council Committee-of-the-Whole Meeting March 18, 2019 Page 2 of 3

UNFINISHED BUSINESS:

ORDINANCE NO. 88-18: Mr. Moran said that this ordinance was just discussed at the Public Hearing and is a zoning change request on Wooster Road. This ordinance has been read twice and will be read for a third time next week. This is a Public Facility zoning moving to an R-2 zoning. Plans were presented and the Planning Commission did approve the zoning change.

 Mr. Furry commented that when this was first proposed, he had trouble grasping the two-family description, but after further review he is fine with it. Mr. Furry stated that the county classifies it differently in his business than the city zoning classification.

 Mr. Klym said he is still thinking over the definition of a two-family house. The current definition is: “A dwelling having an exterior appearance of a single family house designed to contain two dwelling units occupied by two families living independently of each other.” The definition makes him think of a typical double on Westmoor and that area. He is struggling with the fact that this development looks like a cluster development and unfortunately there is not enough square footage for it to be called a cluster development in the city’s code. He struggles with the Planning Commission looking at these structures as two family houses. There are six different parcels and six different residencies. It is a nice development and the property needs to be worked on but he worries about the precedent set for the future. This seems to defeat the reason for the city’s Development Code. It is really more of a procedural and technical matter for future development that does not quite meet the definition of the city’s code.

 Mr. Sindelar asked for clarification if each unit would have their own permanent parcel number. Mr. Parnell responded yes. Typically, a two family home has the same permanent parcel number and a two family either up and down or side by side. He seconds Mr. Klym’s sentiments and is concerned with procedural technical issues with the terminology.

ORDINANCE NO. 18-19: Mr. O’Donnell said that this is the annual ordinance regarding the Valleyview sanitary sewer lines that run into Lakewood and he anticipates three full reads. This authorizes the City of Rocky River to pay the City of Lakewood for providing this service. The City of Rocky River would incur significant costs if a new pump would need to be built. The Valleyview residents pay the same amount as all Rocky River residents.

 Mr. Klym said that currently Rocky River residents pay $38.00 per mcf compared to Lakewood residents that pay $75.00 per mcf.

ORDINANCE NO. 19-19: Mr. O’Donnell said that this ordinance has been read once and is approving that the city might use bond proceeds to pay the city back for the replacement of the new ladder truck and the new police station. This ordinance is not approving these projects for these amounts but is required by the Ohio Revised Code. The cost amounts will come before Council many times prior to the completion of either of these projects.

ORDINANCE NO. 20-19: Mr. Klym said that this is an ordinance proposing the increase of the outdoor swimming pool fees and was discussed at the Committee-of-the-Whole Meeting at the beginning of this month. This deals with a proposed increase for the outdoor pool fees concerning the Early Bird Pass and Regular Pool Pass as well as a Daily Admission. The increases are about $1.00 each. There are a couple fees with no increases for seniors as well as a decrease of .50 for seniors for the daily admission rate. Mr. Mehling is willing to attend a meeting if anyone has any other questions. The last time fees were increased was 2016.

 Mr. Sindelar asked for the comparison with surrounding areas. Rocky River will be charging $86.00 for a non-early bird summer pool pass; Bay Village is $91.00 plus an additional $2.00 fee; Avon is $80.00;

Rocky River City Council Committee-of-the-Whole Meeting March 18, 2019 Page 3 of 3

Westlake will be $100.00; and Avon Lake is $70.00. Rocky River may be a little higher regarding daily rates but that is why the senior cost is being lowered .50.

 Mr. Moran asked if the pool will be less crowded with Westlake residents not using the city’s pool this summer. Mr. Klym said it all depends on how warm it is and what the weather looks like. About 100 families from Westlake took advantage of using Rocky River’s pool last summer. Rocky River obtained some used chaise lounge chairs from Westlake that they were no longer using.

ORDINANCE NO. 21-19: Mr. Shepherd said that this ordinance authorizes the Mayor to enter into a Collective Bargaining Agreement with the Teamsters Local 436 who represents certain employees in the Service Department and certain employees in the Recreation Department. This follows the pattern of other Collective Bargaining Units in the city. Mr. Shepherd corrected the amounts stated at last week’s meeting. Mr. Shepherd said that Council would need to look at the increase for the first year, multiply that by three, the increase for the second year is multiplied by two and then add the third year in. These are modest increases. The Mayor added that the total uniform allowance increase is $12,900 over the life of the contract.

ORDINANCE NO. 22-19: Councilman O’Donnell said that this ordinance is required and is a companion ordinance to 21-19. Amended Ordinance No. 13-19 was passed establishing the annual salaries and now that the collective bargaining negotiations are complete for the service department the ordinance needs to be amended to include these changes. There was a Special Meeting regarding this ordinance because it needs to be passed within 30 days. The third read will be next week.

ORDINANCE NO. 23-19: Mr. Klym said that this ordinance deals with increased fees at the Hamilton Ice Skating Rink. These fees have not been increased since 2015. The Learn to Skate Figure Skating Program will increase $10.00 for the six-week session but the skate rental fee is being removed to include skates with the lessons. This is actually a decrease for the overall cost. The youth hockey teams have increased due to the cost increase of USA Hockey and these increases need to be absorbed. Rink rentals will also be increased but have not been increased in a number of years. This is a popular program. Mr. Klym has a question for Mr. Mehling regarding the removal of Patch Free Style Moves in the Field as he is not quite sure what that is.

NEW BUSINESS: NONE

MISCELLANEOUS BUSINESS: Mr. Moran received a phone call regarding garbage being placed out the day before pick-up. Mr. Moran wanted to remind Council that garbage can be placed out the evening before pick up but not before 7:00 p.m. Refuse collection information can be found on the city’s webpage and also on the informational card all residents received in the mail.

City Council’s new email addresses will be updated on the city’s webpage.

Mr. Moran wished Mr. Shepherd a Happy Birthday!

As there was no further business by members of Council, the meeting was adjourned at 8:00 p.m.

________________________

James W. Moran Susan G. Pease

President of Council Clerk of Council