The Observation Deck

As I drive along Clifton, I see the worst looking trash sitting on the tree lawns, a toilet and soiled mattresses. How ugly is that? There should be a law. "Glad" should come out with durable plastic bags large enough to contain a discarded toilet, pink, so everyone will know what it is, but we wont have to look at it. Especially on our apartment lined streets, like Clifton, Lake Rd and Edgewater Drive. The "Gold Coast" Those apartment building have enough money to have their trash picked up behind the building, not in our face. not on the tree lawns.

Jackie,

There are laws on the books relating to putting trash out early. Nothing is supposed to be on the tree lawn before 6:00 P.M. Even on some of Lakewood's nicest streets, garbage is still sitting out days and days before garbage day. This is because people know nothing will be done. It is as simple as the Broken Windows Theory.

In addition, some of the items that are put out could be deemed public health hazards, such as bed-bug-ridden mattresses and furniture. What does this say about the type of residents Lakewood is attracting?

This is very similar to the streetlight issue. It appears that I am the only one paying attention to this as well. I have reported over 110 burned-out streetlights in Lakewood to CEI since November. I have about ten more to call in this week, which should bring the total to near 120. Why am I doing all of this work? Aren't councilpersons and the mayor supposed to be keeping some tabs on this as well? The streetlight in front of City Hall sat burned out for over a year before I finally called it in. Seriously? All of the nighttime council meetings that all of these city employees and officials go to and nobody ever noticed?

Back on topic, I will say that the system for dealing with unsightliness on Lakewood's tree lawns needs an overhaul. All public works departments (water, parks, streets, refuse, etc.) are all on one radio system. Couldn't employees from other city departments be instructed to call the refuse department on the radio and let them know addresses of early and late garbage set-outs? Could police be given the authority to cite homeowners or residents that place trash out early when they are not otherwise busy? Could building inspectors also be given this authority?

Below is an example of some of the unsightliness I have observed in Lakewood recently:

Lori Allen _ wrote: Below is an example of some of the unsightliness I have observed in Lakewood recently:

Ms.Allen,
Those tree lawns are miserable. Why not email that video to the mayor and councilmen and ask them what part of their job they are actually doing? And, more politely, ask for specific policy/action by city department heads?

regards, b

Lori Allen _ wrote:
Below is an example of some of the unsightliness I have observed in Lakewood recently:

Another way to look at this would be:

A new used furniture store opens on the former hospital site in the "downtown Lakewood business district revitalization area"---right next to the "We Buy Gold" and "Hair n Nails" anchor tenants.

Brian

You hit the nail on the head.

Where are the "national developers" that Summers claimed were interested in that land - all 6 acres of it! Not a peep!

And now that the Clinic pulled out early instead of waiting until the Avon HOSPITAL opened, like they promised, there is nothing there and there won't be until 2017 - two years of empty buildings with no economic activity where there once was 1000 plus workers.

People who think some big box national retailer is coming in there are totally delusional.

My prediction is it will resemble this fiasco in Lexington KY- The city was promised a new city center and let developers tear down virtually the entire center of the city, filled with irreplaceable historic buildings, in 2008. The multi-block area sat idle as an open field for several years while they wrangled over financing and exactly what would be built, since all the developers really were only interested if there was a steady supply of 'free" public money. In 2013 they dug a huge hole to begin building, then the developer backed out again. Now the city is trying to force the developer to fill the gaping hole in the center of downtown. No buildings, no activity, nothing promised came to fruition and now the city is literally "in the hole," 8 years later, with nothing to show but a huge pit right in the center of the downtown and spending money on litigation.

http://www.kentucky.com/news/local/coun ... 98459.html


Why people are so willing to trust developers is beyond me. Unless there is plenty of public money, they aren't interested and they certainly are not interested in what's best for the city and it's people- just what puts the most money in their pocket.

Folks, you hijacked the thread. It is about the early trash set outs here in Lakewood. It has nothing to do with the hospital.

So sorry to here Bridgit, about tearing down the town center for nothing. I'm breathless, I cannot protest enough about the destruction of our historic neighborhoods. Can you imagine what Euclid Avenue would be look like, if all the original mansions were still there? The shops and stores, priceless, and gone forever. It pains my heart, like seeing a defenseless animal being taken down for no reason. Can't replace it, like a life, gone.

This thread, is like a tree, it branches out into different directions, all still part of the tree, but with an assortment of limbs, reaching out in many ways, blossoming with different angles, it's all good, the tree is healthy.

When I renovated my apartment, in the rafters, in the ceilings and walls, I slipped in my Plain Dealer newspapers, in plastic bags, I wrapped up a little bit of each of 6 years of renovation, so whoever takes over, or god forbid, tear down, all these "time container" articles will be exposed, for everyone's enjoyment. 9 / 11, Obama, Hillary, the great basketball player, James, Greg's Doggie photography Studio. me...

Where is the enforcement? Can't the city deputize some employees? Again, all public works departments are on the same radio system. Can't streets radio refuse for example, when they see something like this?

Wow! Saw all this in one day (today).

Lori, so much of that video is furniture, not necessarily trash. I've only been here since 97, so like a 19 year blink of an eye compared to some of you, but the entire time I've lived here it's been standard practice to put furniture and other "still useable" items on the tree lawn for others to take before the truck comes through. The people that taught me this grew up here in the late 70s and 80s. It was shocking to me, because in the many, many, many communities I grew up in (I never lived in a house for more than 2 years before I was 23 and I lived in 5 different states) you would NEVER consider taking stuff from someone's treelawn, whether it looked like they were throwing it out or not.

So are you saying that you'd like this practice of letting the neighborhood exchange up old headboards or dressers or tables stopped?

PS - Im definitely not talking about the mattresses and obvious trash. That kind of thing is dumpy and looks terrible and heaven help anyone who thinks its a good idea to take a mattress on a treelawn that you know nothing about.

todd vainisi wrote:Lori, so much of that video is furniture, not necessarily trash. I've only been here since 97, so like a 19 year blink of an eye compared to some of you, but the entire time I've lived here it's been standard practice to put furniture and other "still useable" items on the tree lawn for others to take before the truck comes through. The people that taught me this grew up here in the late 70s and 80s. It was shocking to me, because in the many, many, many communities I grew up in (I never lived in a house for more than 2 years before I was 23 and I lived in 5 different states) you would NEVER consider taking stuff from someone's treelawn, whether it looked like they were throwing it out or not.

So are you saying that you'd like this practice of letting the neighborhood exchange up old headboards or dressers or tables stopped?

PS - Im definitely not talking about the mattresses and obvious trash. That kind of thing is dumpy and looks terrible and heaven help anyone who thinks its a good idea to take a mattress on a treelawn that you know nothing about.

According to Lakewood Codified Ordinance 1777.01:

The owner, occupant or person having the charge or management of any lot or parcel of land situated within the City, whether the same be improved or unimproved, vacant or occupied, shall not permit refuse or debris to be placed on the tree lawn for collection prior to 6:00 p.m. on the evening before regular refuse collection for that property.

The majority of the items put out are furniture and mattresses. Rarely is any of the furniture reusable. The majority of it is either:

A. Badly stained
B. Crawling with bed bugs
C. Torn/ripped/decayed beyond usability

I can drive by furniture on a Monday (when garbage day is Friday), drive by again on Thursday night, and the same furniture is still there. I don't think taking items such as furniture and the like is as popular as it once was. You never know where that stuff has been, if it has bedbugs, or what have you. Items like televisions, electronics, etc. are a different story, but they account for a much smaller portion of these "early set-outs".

To answer your question: If it is before 6:00 P.M. on the night before garbage day, I would like to see this small furniture/headboard exchange ended. When these items sit out for days and days before garbage day and over weekends, it can lower property values, deter potential future residents, and decrease the sense of neighborhood pride.

FWIW.

Last week's beautiful tree lawns !

Where are the mayor and council? They don't see any of this? Any of it at all? If they do, do they do anything about it?

May 10th Thru 13th - so much garbage in such a short time.



Note: The purpose of this is not to defame Lakewood. Rather, it is to motivate city leaders (A.K.A. Summers & Company) to address the issue. However, this will continue until an improvement is noticed.