The Observation Deck

Dear Mr. Powers - First let me thank you and the other council persons at large for your efforts on behalf of the residents of Grace Ave. Sincerely- thank you.

I think it would be edifying for those unfamiliar with the issues you referenced to provide a quick summary.

Lighting - there are approximately 50 lights on the Drug Mart site. For almost 4 months we asked the Mayor and Mr. Siley to get Drug Mart to address 2 lights out of the 50 which neighbors had identified as shining into their bedrooms. For almost 4 months the Mayor dragged his feet, insisting that he needed to come into our bedrooms before he would act. During that period of inaction our next door neighbors Don Tollett and Annie Caswell had lights shining into their children's bedrooms. You'll remember that they had a letter read at the Committee of the Whole in which they referenced lights shining into their children's room as well as the truck traffic as reasons why they moved out of Lakewood. It took almost 4 months to put 2 shields around 2 lights. Problem solved. For the record we have no doubt those lights would still be shining into our homes if you hadn't intervened. Thank you.

Drug Mart's fence - part of it still sits on the white house's property. And because Drug Mart sloped the land on the Grace side of the fence it still sits considerably lower than the Cohassett side. We don't believe anything was resolved on this issue, but we've moved on.

Traffic- no one on Grace is contesting the increased traffic which has resulted from an out of scale store at the bottom of our street. Plain and simple this is about trucks which Drug Mart promised (in front of the Mayor, Mr. Siley, the Planning Commission and residents of Lakewood) would never be on our street. Period. It's right there in the transcripts of the Planning Commission meetings, repeated 6 times by Drug Mart, applauded and repeated by Mr. Siley and referenced by a committee member before the vote. Now Drug Mart doesn't want to live up to those promises and that's good enough for the Mayor, Mr. Siley and the Planning Commission. But we have to live with the consequences of semis on our street and it's not good enough for us. To be fair I'm not sure I would characterize this as a difference of opinion.

Finally regarding Mr. Siley and your statement that he is not "unfairly biased in favor of commercial concerns over residential concerns" I would invite you and everyone else to read Colleen Cotter's piece in the Lakewood Observer, including the time-line. Judge for yourself whether this is appropriate behavior for a public servant. Brian we have only met a few times but I can't imagine you conducting yourself in the manner that Mr. Siley has throughout this process.

All of us on Grace respect the job that you and the other members of the City Council do and we look forward to working with you in the future.

Sincerely, Mark Buckley

Yeah boy it sure was better in Lakewood when we had old decrepit car dealers and movie theaters on Detroit keeping that old town feeling alive

Bill Burnett wrote:Yeah boy it sure was better in Lakewood when we had old decrepit car dealers and movie theaters on Detroit keeping that old town feeling alive

Bill

I am just curious where you think I am on record wanting to save the Detroit Theater, any
Car Lot that was empty. I am not even in favor of spending one dime on the Westwood
Theater? Do not remember me chained to any of them threatening to stage a sit in?

Change is not bad, not evil.

But change for change's sake is not intelligent either.

And when the change disrupts citizens, residents and families it should be done with
respect and as little impact as possible on residents. I am thinking this is why WE vote
and businesses do not. Allows us to keep all of this in balance.

Question to Schools and City Hall - RIGHT NOW how many dollars and cents are we ahead
in tax dollars for whoring out Woodward for a BIG McDonald's sign on a residential street?

How many dollars more are we getting for putting the hit on residents on two beautiful
streets that cared enough to keep the Victorian thing going? I mean they took one for
the team, our 7th Drug Store (which is busy) and another Family Dollar (empty)?

In high paying jobs where are we at?

In the high end stores that would turn this city around as promised from the West End on?
While Family Dollar is the upscale Dollar Store but no Dollar Tree?

We are selling out our gold, our families, our homes, our history for Sim City faux dollars of
empty promises.

If the glass was half full and falling I could understand the wild panic to get ANYTHING in
here. But let's not forget since Tom George Days we have been one of the top cities in the
area, and cool, and hip and desirable.

We don't have to be whores.

And city hall should always work FOR the residents.

FWIW


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Bill Burnett wrote:Yeah boy it sure was better in Lakewood when we had old decrepit car dealers and movie theaters on Detroit keeping that old town feeling alive

At least then there was hope for something better.

Meg Ostrowski wrote:
At least then there was hope for something better.

Ah, prime example of Lakewood's battered spouse syndrome?

Peter Grossetti wrote:

Meg Ostrowski wrote:
At least then there was hope for something better.

Ah, prime example of Lakewood's battered spouse syndrome?

Hi Peter--

I don't think you've got the battered spouse syndrome quite right in this context. The battered spouse does not speak up. The battered spouse sits there and thinks, "If I keep my mouth shut maybe it won't get worse, maybe that was the last time something like that will happen. If I keep my head low, and smile at the person who hurt me, pretend like nothing's wrong, maybe it will be okay." Maybe when a whole city does it you get a lot of dollar stores. (But only in certain places.)

When you speak up and say, "My home and community had more value than blasting it with bright light and grease 24 hours a day with a completely unhealthy fast food chain. I was trying to keep it together, until more members of my family joined me to figure out a way to put something beautiful here that had value for the future. Now that is impossible, and the fact that such bad decisions were made will make it even more difficult for something beautiful and worthy of my town to decide to locate here in the future" -- that is not battered spouse syndrome.

That is someone speaking up and explaining the damage that has been done.

"You don't value what we have here. You're hurting our family, you're trashing our home, you're destroying our future. Either you're leaving or I'm leaving and since I live here, and you're elected by me, it's going to be you."

That's the opposite of battered spouse syndrome.

Betsy Voinovich

So... this might not be the best time to suggest a banjo sing-a-long?

Back to the banjo....quickly!

STOP!

The proper phrase is, “battered resident syndrome.”

Carry on.

Betsy Voinovich wrote:"My home and community had more value than blasting it with bright light and grease 24 hours a day with a completely unhealthy fast food chain. I was trying to keep it together, until more members of my family joined me to figure out a way to put something beautiful here that had value for the future. Now that is impossible, and the fact that such bad decisions were made will make it even more difficult for something beautiful and worthy of my town to decide to locate here in the future."

***

"You don't value what we have here. You're hurting our family, you're trashing our home, you're destroying our future. Either you're leaving or I'm leaving and since I live here, and you're elected by me, it's going to be you."

Well said, Betsy!

Matthew John Markling wrote:But I find this study and conclusion hard to believe:

Summers said he believes it is safest for trucks to use the Grace and Cohassett entrances and exits for the Discount Drug Mart parking lot.

......
"It takes them about one minute to exit and go down to Detroit and get off the street, so we're talking about a half-hour a week spread throughout the week," Summers said.

"My point is, the safest place for a pedestrian and a vehicle to meet is at an intersection because everybody's antenna is up as opposed to pulling out of the apron of a driveway or the middle of a parking lot," Summers said.

He said allowing large trucks to exit onto the side streets of Grace and Cohassett and then enter onto Detroit was safer for pedestrians.

http://www.cleveland.com/lakewood/index ... er_default

Well...

I like and respect the Mayor and think that overall he and council have done a fine job.

But...

If the safest and best option for all concerned is to allow Drug Mart deliveries to be made via Grace why were the residents told that deliveries would not be made via Grace?

Wouldn't it have been better if the City and the Planning Commission made it clear during the review process that there would be no restrictions?

Why promise the residents restrictions on deliveries and assure the residents throughout the process that there would be restrictions if the Mayor and Planning Commission new from the first that there would be no restrictions?

Would the permit have been granted if the City had told the residents at the very first meeting that there would be no restrictions?

Was the permit granted based on a lie? Or did the City just realize the other day that restrictions on truck traffic was unsafe?

It seems the City traded Lakewood's Victorian District for a drug store and traded Rockport housing development for a Value World. I think it a bad trade. It would have been better for all if Value World and Drug Mart were located on W. 117th.

Most cities in Cuyahoga County are fighting for taxpaying residents not cheap development. This combination of Drug Mart and Value World drive away residents and encourage cheap development. An odd strategy.

And when the change disrupts citizens, residents and families it should be done with
respect and as little impact as possible on residents. I am thinking this is why WE vote
and businesses do not. Allows us to keep all of this in balance.

I'm sorry but in my opinion having a couple of trucks each day drive on 150 feet of Grace way down at the end of the street away from any houses hardly qualifies as a disruption

Just for the sake of accuracy, there is a house right on top of the curb cut on Grace. There is a house directly opposite the curb cut on Grace. There is an apartment building north of the curb cut on Grace. 30 of us (and not everyone could make it) went to the Committee of the Whole to say these trucks are having a very negative effect on the quality of life on our street.

mark buckley wrote:Just for the sake of accuracy, there is a house right on top of the curb cut on Grace. There is a house directly opposite the curb cut on Grace. There is an apartment building north of the curb cut on Grace. 30 of us (and not everyone could make it) went to the Committee of the Whole to say these trucks are having a very negative effect on the quality of life on our street.

Without conditional use there would be no Drug Mart. Drug Mart made this promise to get the permit:

"Limit truck traffic to Detroit. We've done it. All of our truck traffic comes in here, goes out, backs into the loading dock and goes back out Detroit. We've eliminated all truck traffic off Cohassett and Grace

Did they know at the time that they had no intention of honoring that commitment and if so can the conditional use be rescinded?

It is clear that the promise to recognize the right of quiet enjoyment was key to getting the building built. Since you have no support at City Hall the residents of Grace may have to hire their own attorney to force the City to rescind the permit and have the building torn down.

Bill Call wrote:

mark buckley wrote:Just for the sake of accuracy, there is a house right on top of the curb cut on Grace. There is a house directly opposite the curb cut on Grace. There is an apartment building north of the curb cut on Grace. 30 of us (and not everyone could make it) went to the Committee of the Whole to say these trucks are having a very negative effect on the quality of life on our street.

Without conditional use there would be no Drug Mart. Drug Mart made this promise to get the permit:

"Limit truck traffic to Detroit. We've done it. All of our truck traffic comes in here, goes out, backs into the loading dock and goes back out Detroit. We've eliminated all truck traffic off Cohassett and Grace

Did they know at the time that they had no intention of honoring that commitment and if so can the conditional use be rescinded?

It is clear that the promise to recognize the right of quiet enjoyment was key to getting the building built. Since you have no support at City Hall the residents of Grace may have to hire their own attorney to force the City to rescind the permit and have the building torn down.

Bill,

I posted the following in the “DowntowN Looks Better!” thread:

Matthew John Markling wrote:

Friedrich Nietzsche wrote:Success has always been a great liar.

http://www.lakewoodobserver.com/forum/posting.php?mode=quote&f=7&p=88277

Under this Administration, lies seem to be what City Hall and its commercial partners have built their mutual relationship upon with Lakewood residents.

When speaking with "City Hall and Friends," you need to always check whether their fingers are crossed.





Matt

Matt, Bill, Mark, Peter others

What we are actually witnessing is not an isolated incident, but an erosion of City Hall and
how they work with, respect, and even answer to the residents that voted them in.

You have to go back to see why and how they have slowly decided it was best to be tricky
(lying is such a negative term) with the residents which cannot be trusted because they
think we are stupid, and unable to understand their little plans. When in fact they are
usually such simple plans and ideas residents have trouble understanding why do it, as it
is ridiculous, silly, unfounded in truth, or even realistic critical thought.

Coupled with what we always hear about the mayor "well he is a nice guy, but..."
and the Planning Department "well what do you expect they are not...."
Americans love "nice people" and we all root for the constant underachievers doing better
than we expected. This is where comments like, "Well at least they are trying" and
"Well it is better than an empty lot" comes from. Glee over it not being a
radioactive dumping ground or worse which is what we all really fear, and know could
happen. After all Mayor FitzGerald wanted a County Jail on Alamda that would house
"The cream of the crop" county prisoners.

I understand the mistrust from politicians. Especially some of these politicians that were
desperate to replace 1,500 residents with a cheesecake factory to keep their taxes low,
which lost by only 47 votes(thank god) They were never able to understand that they
were getting rid of 1,500 people to secure dollars and cents, not even hundreds of dollars
in personal wealth. Saying "Well THEY should take on for the team." But close loses are
always harder to swallow than close wins.

So the process started, LakewoodAlive (version 1) started to educate us "IDIOTS"
on the need for Commercial Economic Development. A complete BS op, to get a Cheese
Cake Factory or ANY big box chain here at all costs, no matter how they had to do it.
Hence the ecstasy over "5 Guys," "Best Taco Bell, "Bob Evans," and "Family Dollar." Taking
residential dollars that should have been used on housing and parks, and pump them into
a DowntowN commercial region that could not afford to care for itself as most do.
Example: Coventry, Kept nice by the Coventry SID, the businesses on Coventry working to
make Coventry better without grabbing residential dollars.

Of course one needs to understands that CDCs and even faux CDCs make their money
being the tools of industry, and serve the commercial while giving lip service to the
residents. At least that is my experience with the twenty or so I deal with. They are not
evil, they just believe more in commercial development than residential, after all one
Dollar Store can kick in thousands, two blocks of residential might only get them $100 or less.

So an over achieving city hall powered by the BS of Commercial Development being our
only savior, headed by "nice" people but, well lets say just nice special people trying
their best to fix this city that is only rated continuously as one of the best in the area, is a
tough job. How do you even get anything more without tax breaks, bad choices, mediocre
developments, and misstruths to the residents.


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