Regionalism, is it really time to give up and fold?

[Richard Cole]

[quote="Jim O'BryanTrends will come and go, but clean, safe, fun cities will never go out of fashion.[/quote]

The outward expansion of suburbia, I believe, is now beyond a trend. Land is not a scarce resource, and developers will, and can, develop as the market will allow. Often, public resources are used to encourage the outward expansion.

I think most Lakewood residents appreciate the city that Jacobs descibed, that has so many attributes in Lakewood - the Library, resteraunts, bars, porches - walking talking neighbors.

There are pros and cons to consolidation of services, County government etc etc, but one, and it's only one, possible advantage of a strong regional presense is to coordinate land-use policy. If there is a political will to limit outward expansion by a strong regional entity, i.e. effectively create a scarcity of developable land, the lessening of centrifugal forces will benefit Lakewood.

A moratorium for the next decade on any housing built on land zoned agricultural in the last 15 years?

Sounds like a pipe dream - and a big "if".

[Justine Cooper]

Jim,
On a sidenote to regionalism and to what you said, I attended a funeral for a high school friend from Parma this week and saw people I hadn't seen in twenty years. One friend has been living in Fla. and was complaining about how depressing it was here and why did we stay (not the most polite I know). When I told him I relocated to Lakewood, his reply was "Oh, well if you are going to be anywhere in Ohio then Lakewood or Coventry are it"! Just thought I would share that. Lakewood will always be unique and attractive to many so the ones who don't want to be here should go, and if some want to regionalize it with Cleveland, I hope they fail. Are they open or not honest about how they feel? I don't see many out cheerleading for regionalism?

[chris richards]

touted by you and the Observer that LPL was ranked #1, that the Cleveland Public Library and Cuyahoga Public Libraries were in the top of their ranks as well.

While I can understand your disappointment and having not been hired by the LPL while they had no open positions, it seems that have colored your view towards bith Mr. Warren and the LPL. In America it is your right.
.

Again you assume. I have never tried, or thought about working for the LPL, therefore would have no ill feelings of not being hired when there were no positions.

Again, you were discussing regionalism and how you assume that it would deteriorate city services like the library. I think I did very well to point out that Cleveland Public Library and Cuyahoga County Public Library are just as good and even exceed in areas as the LPL.

That's all.

[Jim O'Bryan]

Chris

My apology, was only going by what was written on your blog when our paths first crossed.

To the point, I could see someone trying to bring it in, but would not like to see the LPL go regional.

It is bad enough that we are losing Ken Warren, but to lose the entire system to the county? I personally think it would just be wrong.

Thanks for the correction Chris.

.

[John Brennan]

Richard,

You should read what Jacobs says about regional planning and metropolitan government. Chapters 11, 16, and 21 in the DLGAC. I don't think that she would entirely agree with you.

John Brennan

Given the very powerful centrifugal forces that exert an incredible force to expand the outer reaches of an urban conglomeration, the centripetal counterweights of Lakewood are in danger of being swamped.

If land use is left to individual communities to determine, and those communities benefit from freeways, shopping malls, hospitals etc etc I fear that the centrifugal tendancies will define the future of inner ring suburbs. Without addressing why the centrifugal forces are so dominant, the great American city of Jane Jacobs will be lost and the isolation of mini-van family exurbs will continue unabated.

[Richard Cole]

Richard,

You should read what Jacobs says about regional planning and metropolitan government. Chapters 11, 16, and 21 in the DLGAC. I don't think that she would entirely agree with you.

John Brennan

John - I think it's that I dont entirely agree with everything contained in DLAGC.

[Jim O'Bryan]

John - I think it's that I dont entirely agree with everything contained in DLAGC.

Richard/John

I would also say I do not agree with everything. You have to take many of the things she says and apply it to the city.

Yesterday I was speaking with a leader of the green movement in Northern Ohio, and we were talking about his 9-5 job, and how things are affecting them. He works at a pretty large "attraction" in Cleveland, and CLE+ came up. His take was that there was no way they could serve a region that large. As was pointed out in the Chamber discussion, the CLE+ region has the same financial resources as many third world countries?! So we should roll over for the World Bank? His feeling was they scooped in to grab the counties most in need and/or the most vulnerable to the snake oil. That he had never seen anyone geek over regionalism that is not paid to be a regionalist, or the flock they lead. That as Bill mentions it always leads to larger government and larger er, ah er problems.

Justine

You are correct as I mentioned above the only people calling for regionalism is those that have been paid to pimp regionalism. This is why the thousands of little meetings, to pour the vague references into people minds. Well in Avon... Well in Youngstown... Well it is working all over the world... The weak walk away thinking and saying that, with no actual case studies.



As we were told...The chart on the left represents tha manufacturing base in Cleveland right now. Of course you want to be higher and farther right. Well the chart on the right represents Cleveland with regionalism. See, See, don't you get it? Regionalism is better! ?

But what about now in this tough economy?

Well regionalism helps you feel better about that too!


In this chart the red line represents the national average. The blue line Cleveland and region. As you can plainly see by the two areas circled, Cleveland is not as bad off when the entire country is tanking as when it is doing well. The gap between us and them is closer now! ? So we should hope for a tanking America?

Follow up with a couple questions of the hundreds asked at "Voices and Choices" In voices and choices 85% of the people there looked forward to regionalism. Huh? So 85% of the people at a pro regionalism conference, after being show stuff like this, thought regionalism was better. Really? Go figure?

This stuff is insane.

"People that read the Lakewood Observer have a better level of reading than those that can't read it." Obviously the key is the Observer. The LO can cure illiteracy. Don't you get it?

Back to the point of this thread. If the Lakewood Chamber of Commerce run by a non-Lakewood resident or business owner thinks rolling over for regionalism and losing much of home rule is good, that I can understand. After all the Lakewood CoC best/biggest member is or was The Mentor Captains! But when other business and supposedly pro-economic development groups like LakewoodAlive back regionalism, I start thinking of wolves in sheep's clothing. Now as was pointed out numerous times, one of their founders is paid to be pro-regionalism, and very active in that. But how does that affect the job they do to build economic development in Lakewood?

Does Lakewood really need malls and factories, or do they need good residents and businesses to fill the stores on Madison and Detroit? Is this why they are so ineffectual, in a desperate attempt to serve two masters, the poorer one is used and abused. Is this why so many back channel meetings, so much hush, hush, so many secrets and so few actions? In an attempt to grab and secure $$$$ and power Lakewood loses again and again?

So why did two pro-Lakewood groups host a leaders meeting with REGIONALISM as the main course? Have they given up? Or are they preparing to sacrifice the lamb?

Me, as pointed out time and time again. I can see where regionalism might work for 90% of the region. Places fighting over factories, malls etc. But there are also certain gems in the "region" worth saving, rebuilding, cherishing, and keeping different from becoming just another city in the region.

I do not benefit financially from regionalism or fighting regionalism. I am involved in both hyper local papers and regional specialty community papers.

I write this because I love that Lakewood is different, and maybe we should learn to amplify what we have instead of chasing the "fondue" of the time. When marketing, it is always better to have a product that stands out from the rest.

Can a person really serve two masters?

FWIW