Minutes of the Cuyahoga County Planning Commission/Solid Waste Policy Committee
February 11, 2004
ATTENDANCE
Attachment A lists the attendance at this meeting, at which the following matters were
discussed.
MINUTES
On a motion by Mayor Hruby, seconded by Mayor Patton, the minutes of the January 14, 2004
meeting were approved.
RESOLUTIONS
On a motion by Mayor Hruby, seconded by Mayor Rawson, the Planning Commission unanimously
approved Resolution No. 040211 - A, approving an Inter-Agency Agreement with the Cuyahoga
County Department of Employment Services to manage the Work Access and Transportation Program.
On a motion by Mayor Rawson, seconded by Mayor Hruby, the Planning Commission unanimously approved Resolution No. 040211 - B, approving a contract extension with the Cuyahoga County Department of Development to provide planning services.
SOLID WASTE UPDATE
Pat Holland, Director of the Solid Waste District, reported that a Request for Proposal (RFP),
to hire a consultant to assist in the preparation of the Solid Waste Plan Update, which is due
in October 2005, will be issued on March 1, 2004. Mr. Holland stated that a copy of the RFP
has been placed in each of the Committee members' meeting packet.
Mr. Holland reported that there would be a preproposal meeting in late March and that the RFP's were due on April 12.
Mr. Holland stated that he would be asking several Policy members to volunteer to participate on a Screening Committee. He stated that the staff will shortlist the candidates based on qualifications and refer the most qualified applicants to the screening committee for review and recommendation. Mr. Holland stated that it was his intent to have the review completed by the May 12th Policy Committee meeting and to take the recommendation to the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) so that it will be considered when the BOCC awards the contract.
ELECTION OF OFFICERS
Mr. Alsenas reported that Commissioner McCormack would be delayed and unable to attend the
meeting and stated that the Commissioner requested that the election of officers be postponed
until the March 10, 2004 meeting because there are two vacant seats on the CPC.
On a motion by Mayor Hruby, seconded by Mr. Ronayne, the Planning Commission agreed to delay the election of officers until the March 10, 2004 meeting.
COMMUNITY AND REGIONAL ISSUES
Mr. Alsenas reported that there is an Innerbelt Scoping Committee meeting scheduled for the next
day at which the Ohio Department of Transportation will be asking for the Committee to adopt
the Recommended Design Concept and Scope that has been proposed by ODOT. Mr. Alsenas explained
that this would complete Phases 1 through 4 of ODOT's 14-step Project Development Process for
Major Projects. In addition, ODOT is proposing to disband the Scoping Committee, because its work
has been completed.
Mr. Alsenas reported that the City of Cleveland has conveyed to ODOT its concerns about some three components of the project and asked Mr. Ronayne to explain.
Mr. Ronayne stated that the City of Cleveland is comfortable with about 70% of the design concept and scope. He stated that the City will approve the Recommended Design and Scope with the condition that ODOT formally appear before the City Planning Commission for project review and approval at regular intervals as work proceeds between Phases 5 through 11 of the 14-step process. The City feels that this entire project is catalytic to improving the Cleveland transportation system.
Mr. Ronayne explained that the City has concerns about logistics and access to and from the downtown and the surrounding Innerbelt neighborhoods in relation to the Central Innerbelt, the Innerbelt Trench and the Innerbelt Curve.
Mr. Alsenas stated that the County Administrator's Office has expressed similar concerns. He stated that the whole process has been very open and participatory and agreed with Mr. Ronayne that it had a lot to do with Mr. Craig Hebebrand's work on the project.
Mr. Alsenas explained that ODOT's proposal to disband the Scoping Committee and divide it into four subcommittees is the wrong way to proceed. Mr. Alsenas stated that most people feel that ODOT has to treat this project as a system and that changing something in one area will have an effect in another area and that only a Scoping Committee looking at the big picture will be able to provide the proper oversight.
Hugh Shannon asked if the County Planning Commission has any responsibility to review this project for the rest of the community, or should it be NOACA?
Mayor Longo stated that one of the pitfalls to this process is that there is no project manager to provide continuous oversight as the project moves through the ODOT planning process. He stated that the City and the County have to be in control and that private enterprises such as Team NEO have to be brought in to understand the implications of this project. Mayor Longo stated that a project of this size and scope individuals try to preserve their interests. If there was a project manager to stay on top of the project and make sure that no one individual or group starts to dominate the decision making.
Mayor Longo continued stating that the city and county need to work together and get this to happen.
Mayor Hruby stated that with all the negative things being said about Cleveland right now the Innerbelt project is a tremendously positive project to have happen and there is really nothing being said about it.
Mayor Rawson agreed and stated that maybe the Project Manager should be addressing the land use issues.
Mr. Alsenas stated that on behalf of the Planning Commission, he would take this message to the Scoping Committee tomorrow.
The meeting was adjourned.
