Council discusses Lakewood Community Vision tonight

[Peter Grossetti]

The Committee of the Whole will meet Monday, July 8, 2013 at 6:30 PM in the Jury Room of Lakewood City Hall, 12650 Detroit Road, Lakewood, Ohio. The agenda is as follows:

RESOLUTION NO. 8654-13 – A RESOLUTION to concur with the Lakewood Planning Commission in the adoption of the updated Lakewood Community Vision. (Referred to Committee 5-6-13)

Brian Powers, Chair
COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE

[Peter Grossetti]

Here is the 03-28-13 wokring draft of the Community Vision Update (as posted at onelakewood.com).

CVUpdateWorkingDraft03-28-13.pdf

(222.46 KiB) Downloaded 154 times

I'm pretty sure this is the iteration being considered.

[Peter Grossetti]

Back in February, I asked Dru Siley:

Once Council passes the final version, how is the document "used"? What kind of "teeth" does it have? How does this effort become "law" or an ordinance? Or is it merely a suggested guideline?

His response:

The vision is adopted as a guiding document and then other plans can be adopted as additions to the vision. These plans get into more specifics and action steps. For example, the Detroit Streetscape Plan and the Bicycle Master Plan have both been adopted by Council in recent years as action plan additions to the community vision.


I would characterize the Vision as an outline of aspirations against which potential action (ex: legislative, project, infrastructure, organizational) is measured. For example, the Vision is referenced in the zoning code as a guiding document against which the application of the code and the policies of the Commission are measured.

The vision is not a check list of accomplishments. The vision can give context to debate and discussion about Lakewood by laying out community goals and objectives. How those goals and objectives are accomplished lives in the realm of a public give and take. Also, the vision is not a guidebook just for local government. Though we convened the conversation and produced the document – the input and language came from the community – and can be used by any member of the community.

[Jim O'Bryan]

Peter

It reads, as did the last one, like a proper "Mission Statement."

.

[Peter Grossetti]

Just got word from Director Siley that there is an April 4 revised iteration.

Here you go:

CV_Update_Working_Draft_04-04-13[2].docx

(87.87 KiB) Downloaded 124 times

[Betsy Voinovich]

Wow, Peter I just read this whole thing.

I'm shocked that nowhere in the entire document is it mentioned that responsible development needs to take in the health of Lakewood's existing residential neighborhoods.

This "vision" overlooks ALL the major conflicts we've had in the past couple of years. I was really looking to this document to see that this was being acknowledged and dealt with. The last vision specifically mentioned preservation of our neighborhoods, and quality of life in these neighborhoods in the light of development.

All of the streets that border Detroit have had to take one in the guts for the development of Detroit. Particularly the grease pit streets like Gladys and Andrews.

The entire conflict with Grace and Cohassett, and the encroachment into their neighborhood of the bizarrely structured new Drug Mart----- the encroachment and obvious destruction to the real estate values of the houses that are on the streets on either side of the new McDonald's, the streets that border Duncan Donuts. Grease, drive throughs, disruption of traffic, light, smells, enjoyment of their neighborhoods.

The only acknowledgment of the quality of life of residents mentioned is the quality of the housing stock itself. Peaceful enjoyment of your house and your neighborhood--not having your street become a thoroughfare for a fast food restaurant or all-night drugstore-- is not mentioned.

I am not against development, and we've all been over the pros and cons of each of these situtations.

Obviously as we move into the 21st century and Lakewood remains viable as a community, development is necessary. There is a mention of "high quality development."

It is equally important that our greatest resource, not just our housing stock but the desirablity of living in our neighborhoods and homes is protected, maintained, and developed into the 21st century. Where is the statement that Lakewood's biggest industry, what we really have to offer, is how great it is to live in our neighborhoods and our homes?

What shocks me is that this document contains no acknowledgment, and no structure for handling these potential conflicts of interest when they arise. It's as if quality of life in your house, on your street, in your neighborhood, is either a given, or it's NOT IMPORTANT.

Ask the people who live on the streets I've mentioned what it's like to live there now.

Ask them if they think, with housing values becoming more stable, they would be able to sell their house at the same price that they could have before dumpsters, ones set aside just for grease, appeared over their side or back fences. Ask them about listening to crickets in the summer and hearing "Do you want fries with that?" from a tinny speaker into the night, as hungry people zoom up right next to their homes.

People looking at residential real estate in Lakewood would be well-advised to stay away from houses on the ends of streets, particularly Detroit.

I can't believe this didn't come up in ANY of the verbiage used in this document. It was specifically stated in the last one. I will find it.

I think it's a good thing that it can be continuously updated, but look at its principal focus areas:

Six Focus Areas:

Commercial Development – retention, attraction, redevelopment
Community Wellness – environment, health, activity
Education & Culture – access, facilities, technology
Housing – stewardship, options, quality
Mobility – options, ease of movement, services
Safety – safety forces, feeling safe, crime

Is the word "neighborhood" ever mentioned?

Wow.

Peter, I had no time to attend these sessions. Was quality of life and preservation of our neighborhoods mentioned and discussed, and I'm just missing it?

Betsy Voinovich

[Scott Meeson]

Wow, Peter I just read this whole thing.

I'm shocked that nowhere in the entire document is it mentioned that responsible development needs to take in the health of Lakewood's existing residential neighborhoods.

This "vision" overlooks ALL the major conflicts we've had in the past couple of years. I was really looking to this document to see that this was being acknowledged and dealt with. The last vision specifically mentioned preservation of our neighborhoods, and quality of life in these neighborhoods in the light of development.

All of the streets that border Detroit have had to take one in the guts for the development of Detroit. Particularly the grease pit streets like Gladys and Andrews.

The entire conflict with Grace and Cohassett, and the encroachment into their neighborhood of the bizarrely structured new Drug Mart----- the encroachment and obvious destruction to the real estate values of the houses that are on the streets on either side of the new McDonald's, the streets that border Duncan Donuts. Grease, drive throughs, disruption of traffic, light, smells, enjoyment of their neighborhoods.

The only acknowledgment of the quality of life of residents mentioned is the quality of the housing stock itself. Peaceful enjoyment of your house and your neighborhood--not having your street become a thoroughfare for a fast food restaurant or all-night drugstore-- is not mentioned.

I am not against development, and we've all been over the pros and cons of each of these situtations.

Obviously as we move into the 21st century and Lakewood remains viable as a community, development is necessary. There is a mention of "high quality development."

It is equally important that our greatest resource, not just our housing stock but the desirablity of living in our neighborhoods and homes is protected, maintained, and developed into the 21st century. Where is the statement that Lakewood's biggest industry, what we really have to offer, is how great it is to live in our neighborhoods and our homes?

What shocks me is that this document contains no acknowledgment, and no structure for handling these potential conflicts of interest when they arise. It's as if quality of life in your house, on your street, in your neighborhood, is either a given, or it's NOT IMPORTANT.

Ask the people who live on the streets I've mentioned what it's like to live there now.

Ask them if they think, with housing values becoming more stable, they would be able to sell their house at the same price that they could have before dumpsters, ones set aside just for grease, appeared over their side or back fences. Ask them about listening to crickets in the summer and hearing "Do you want fries with that?" from a tinny speaker into the night, as hungry people zoom up right next to their homes.

People looking at residential real estate in Lakewood would be well-advised to stay away from houses on the ends of streets, particularly Detroit.

I can't believe this didn't come up in ANY of the verbiage used in this document. It was specifically stated in the last one. I will find it.

I think it's a good thing that it can be continuously updated, but look at its principal focus areas:

Six Focus Areas:

Commercial Development – retention, attraction, redevelopment
Community Wellness – environment, health, activity
Education & Culture – access, facilities, technology
Housing – stewardship, options, quality
Mobility – options, ease of movement, services
Safety – safety forces, feeling safe, crime

Is the word "neighborhood" ever mentioned?

Wow.

Peter, I had no time to attend these sessions. Was quality of life and preservation of our neighborhoods mentioned and discussed, and I'm just missing it?

Betsy Voinovich

Betsy,

Neighborhoods are being preserved by updating buildings and parcels(Detroit Ave) from a blighted condition to a condition that offers vitality and hope to what otherwise appeared to be "run-down" areas of this city. I'm sure empty parking lots and a run down theater is what we all desire (as they surely increased property values)....but gosh darn it, these other lousy businesses find Lakewood to be an attractive investment/opportunity. If we could only wait until the perfect businesses would find Lakewood on the map...then utopia would be achieved.

Change is a constant! The names and types of businesses in Lakewood is rotational, as we add a few-we lose a few...that's the nature of business.

If you're living near a commercially zoned area in Lakewood? Buyer Beware!! Don't like living near a commercially zoned area in Lakewood? Move!



Scott

[Betsy Voinovich]

Hey Scott,

I think you lay out the problem pretty well. You seem solidly on one side of this. McDonald's, 4 dollar stores, 6 drugstores, excellent! We should grab what we can get, beggars can't be choosers.

Are we beggars? Travel and Leisure just rated us one of the 10 coolest suburbs in the country. Because of our large number of chain drug stores? No!


The problem is that it is not black and white.

There should be a vetting process that involves the neighborhoods up front.

You should not be on one side of this or the other.

There needs to be a way to discuss this and work it out. You cannot disagree with the idea that housing values have declined and neighborhoods, or just streets, like Woodward, have become much less attractive because of our new (not new, McDonald's just moved) commercial developments. (Drug Mart east wasn't new either.)

The fact that this is an issue should be addressed.

This is my point.

Not that commercial development is bad.

My point is that the the residents, neighborhoods, have a value, and should have a voice. Beyond, "If you don't like it-- Move!"

The community vision committee should have a statement that acknowledges that the quality of life, living in Lakewood, in our amazing neighborhoods, has a value. Even if you live near commercial districts.

Betsy Voinovich

[Scott Meeson]

Hey Betsy,

Is this what you're referencing: http://www.travelandleisure.com/articles/coolest-suburbs-worth-a-visit/4 ?

Scott

[Betsy Voinovich]

Scott---

I really don't know, and I guess that since my point isn't "visiting Lakewood" but living here that I don't want to get stuck on that. I looked at it, yeah we're by Lake Erie and we have great restaurants, and an authentic small town feel-- great for visiting, but even greater for actually living here.

We are actually an authentic place where neighbors know each other. Lakewood as a place to live. My point is that making sure that this is preserved in the face of commercial development is important and worth addressing in any Community Vision statement.

Again, not that development is bad, but that what's being lost in order to develop should be addressed. McDonald's better than old theater? Perhaps if neighborhood groups had had a head's up that that property was up for sale, and been more proactive, something else could have happened there.

The neighbors know of the value of their own neighborhood.Their value should be represented in the way we speak of our city.

Betsy Voinovich