09/01/1998 Meeting Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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Council Minutes of 9/1/98 Mr. Miller, Chairperson of the Transportation Committee: 1) The committee met on August 24 to discuss Ordinance 98-90. Present were committee chairman Miller, committee members McKay and Limpert; Councilpersons Nashar, O'Grady, Gareau and Saringer. Ordinance 98-90 provides for the removal of aright-of--way sign and the installation of a stop sign in its place at the intersections of Maplehurst and Westlawn Drive. City Traffic Engineer Griffith noted in a memo that he recommended the yield sign be replaced with a stop sign. The committee recommended approval. AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION Sharon Lepore, 5551 Quail Run, addressed Council regarding Resolution 98-82 concerning the Crocker-Stearns extension. She and her neighbors have closely followed this project through the years and have voiced their feelings and concerns to Council. They have never asked Council to stop this project because they know the citizens of North Olmsted voted for it. They have come to Council only to ask for protection from the road. They are now concerned that people who have not followed this issue as closely as they have will be misled by the resolution. Mrs. Lepore noted that the EPA wetlands study is not yet complete, and the project cannot move forward until its completion. This resolution cannot change that. She feels the resolution may lead other citizens to believe that the city and/or Council has the power to control when this project can begin. It is her belief that this resolution cannot control the EPA and that the people of North Olmsted should be informed. Instead of the legislation, she believes it would be better to inform people that the decision rests with the EPA, a federal government agency. Mrs. Lepore said some citizens are wondering if the funds for North Olmsted's portion will be available in 2001 and whether taxes will be raised to pay for the project. Mrs. Lepore read the following letter from Jeffrey Tasse, 5522 Quail Run, who could not attend the meeting because of a previous commitment: "Dear Council Members, we of Pheasant's Walk- Quail Run Civic Association are puzzled by Resolution 98-82 which two Councilmen have introduced to maintain the current schedule of the Crocker-Stearns extension. This resolution mirrors the failed Resolution 97-12 introduced last year by the same two Councilmen. It seems like a waste of valuable Council time. The Crocker-Stearns project eventually was approved after two votes by North Olmsted voters in 1987 at a time when they expected equal cooperation from Westlake in extending Route 252 north of Lorain to meet a widened Columbia Road. Have we been duped since Westlake has no intention of widening Columbia? Notice that Westlake, like the other progressive communities such as Chardon, successfully fights to keep megastores like K-Mart and Wal-Mart out of their towns while we raze our remaining natural resources to welcome them. Westlake, Bay Village, Avon Lake and other neighboring communities all anticipate our bulldozing of natural forest at the west end of North Olmsted for the extension of Crocker-Stearns as long as it benefits from their development. They retain the green space while we build another road. Has anyone ever proven the benefit of Crocker-Stearns to North Olmsted? It does little except introduce a major concrete corridor into the front and back yards of our neighbors. Once again, Councilman George Nashar shows clear thinking when he opposes the resolution since it implies the city controls the timetable of the project. It `'~" does not. And, therefore, we question the motives behind the resolution. We have read 5 ,,~,_ ~ ,. ~~ ~.~.. ......~, ~r~_ _.. ,. .,, .. ,