Planning Committee – October 2015 – meeting notes

University Area Commission October Planning Committee Meeting

October 5, 2015 Northwood and High Building 7:00

The meeting started at 7:08 P.M.

Commissioners Grado, Volkman Mankin, Young, Keeny, Krupp and Beeman were present. Commissioners Uhas-Sauer and Sharvin were excused.

Replacement sandstone curbs

The German Village Society is exploring the use of sandstone curbs in historic districts when curbs need to be replaced. Currently, concrete curbs are used for replacement. The German Village Society is seeking support from other societies and commissions in the city that contain historic districts that have sandstone curbs. The German Village Society has located a source for replacement sandstone in northern Ohio.

The committee would like to get more details. There was a discussion about cost and whether the money would come from UIRF monies. There was also a discussion about whether this would negate or delay other projects. The committee chair will contact the German Village Society about additional details and a possible presentation about the sandstone curbs.

The Glen Echo bridge rail replacement

With a recent list of the UIRF projects in hand the committee voted 6-0 to support the use of the UIRF monies to leverage the cost of the installation of a historic balustrade on the Glen Echo bridge. The city and ODOT are short $150,000 for the project and the city has indicated that the Clintonville and University area commissions allocate a portion of their UIRF monies for the project. The Clintonville Area Commission has already done voted in the affirmative.

The most recent UIRF list included $500,000 for a planted median on High Street. The committee felt that this project was unnecessary in light of the proposed Phase IV High Street improvements and that $75,000 of this project funding could be applied to the bridge rail.

Commissioner Krupp made the motion , seconded by Commissioner Keeny. The committee voted 6-0 to reallocate the planted median funds to the bridge. The matter will be presented to the full commission on October 21, 2015.

Permit Parking

The city has rescinded its offer to let the area commission institute permit parking guidelines. Instead, the city will allow the commission to comment on their proposed permit parking guidelines.

The committee discussed making district-wide permit parking and exploring funding sources to do so if the city would not. However, not having a firm grasp on the matter at hand planning committee members are going to check their districts at various times of the day to assess the parking situation. The committee also discussed the effect of landlords having tenants pay for the their-off-street parking and its effects on on-street parking. The end result was that the committee is still exploring the issue.

The STEP program

At the request of Commissioner Grado the committee discussed the STEP program and its effect on Greek housing. He noted that a number of cases had come before the zoning committee where the size of the building was proposed to be radically expanded. He also noted that the University is not requiring Greek houses to participate. In addition, it was noted, that to date, no formal guidelines have come from the University proper. There was also the question of whether private landlords can also become certified for the STEP program. The committee will continue to attempt to figure out exactly what is going on with the STEP program and off-campus housing.

The meeting adjourned at 8:07 P.M.

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