Council Meeting Highlights (11/14/2022)

Nov 15, 2022

Cleveland (Nov. 14, 2022) – City Council held its regular Monday meeting tonight, both in person in Council Chambers and through live streaming. The next regular meeting will be Monday Nov. 21st. Here are tonight’s highlights:

Introduced Legislation:

Cleveland Harbor Eastern Embayment Resilience Study:  Council is being asked to authorize the city to enter into a multi-party agreement for the Cleveland Harbor Eastern Embayment Resilience Study (CHEERS) that may remake the east side lakefront.

The Cleveland Metroparks has received a $985,000 grant from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation for the study The CHEERS plan would transform the east side lakefront by building habitat and expanding parks, protecting the critical infrastructure of Interstate 90 along the shore, and stabilizing the unpredictable wave action adjacent to key recreation and transportation facilities.

The CHEERS plan is supported by six partners: the Black Environmental Leaders Association, the City of Cleveland, Cleveland-Cuyahoga County Port Authority, Metroparks, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, and the Ohio Department of Transportation. As a requirement of Metroparks’ grant, the Partners are committing to a total local match of $985,000

The City of Cleveland wants to commit $150,000 towards the design of a plan for 79 acres of new in-water and nearshore habitat and public parkland along Cleveland’s Lake Erie shoreline, as well as $10,000 in in-kind services  This legislation now goes to the City Planning Commission, Finance, and Law departments before coming back to the Council Committees of  Development Planning & Sustainability and Finance Diversity Equity & Inclusion before a full council vote. Ord. No. 1202-2022

30-Year TIF Requested for Bridgeworks Development: The former Cuyahoga County Bridge Garage, located at 2429 West Superior Avenue, was purchased in 2021 with developers set on redeveloping the project into the mixed-use development “Bridgeworks” with retail, housing, office, a hotel, and parking. The acreage of the project site is just over 2 acres.

The site contains elements that will be preserved like the historic entrance to the streetcar level beneath the Detroit-Superior Bridge, and other building facades on site. Bridgeworks is planned to be a mixed-use development. The main project include 140 residential units, 12,000 square feet of class-A office space, ground floor commercial space, a 130-room hotel, and a parking garage with 210 spaces. The 11th floor will include a 120-seat restaurant and bar, 30-seat rooftop patio and other amenities. Total project costs are expected to exceed $100 million, with approximately $73 million in estimated hard construction costs. The developers are requesting a 30-Year, Non-School Tax Increment Financing from the city. The TIF diverts the increase in future property taxes – based on improvements – for up to 30 years though it does not exempt the developer from payment in lieu of taxes (PILOTS) to ensure CMSD receives what it would have otherwise received but for the TIF.

The city is requesting the developers to reach various city goals or other objectives for:

• Minority Business Enterprise/Female Business Enterprise/Cleveland Area Small Business participation
• Fannie Lewis Cleveland Residential Employment participation
• A Workforce Development Agreement for all new jobs
• A Community Benefits Agreement

This legislation goes to Economic Development, City Planning Commission, Finance, and Law departments before going before Council Committees Development Planning & Sustainability, and Finance Diversity Equity & Inclusion before a full council vote. Ord. No. 1213-2022