Minutes of the Cuyahoga County Planning Commission/Solid Waste Policy Committee
July 9, 2009
ATTENDANCE
Attachment A lists the attendance at this meeting, at which the following matters were discussed.
CALL TO ORDER
The meeting was called to order by Mr. Pat Smock for Commissioner Jimmy Dimora, President of the
Planning Commission and Solid Waste Policy Committee.
MINUTES
On motion by Mayor Kelley, seconded by Mayor Procuk, the minutes of the April 23, 2009 Planning
Commission and Solid Waste Policy Committee meetings were adopted with the noted correction.
RESOLUTIONS
General
On a motion by Mayor Kelley, seconded by Mayor Procuk, Resolution No. 090709-A, approving the
Administrative Services Agreement with the District One (Cuyahoga County) Public Works Integrating
Committee (DOPWIC) to administer the State Issue One Program for State Fiscal Year 2010 was approved
with Mayor Welo and Ms. Forbes for Commissioner Hagan abstaining as members of the DOPWIC.
On a motion by Mayor Blomquist, seconded by Mayor Welo, Resolution No. 090709-B, authorizing a contract for mapping services with the Cuyahoga County Soil and Water Conservation District was unanimously approved.
On a motion by Mayor Procuk, seconded by Mayor Kelley, Resolution No. 090709-C, granting a one-year extension of the approval of the preliminary layout of Grand Oaks Subdivision, proposed to be located in Olmsted Township, was unanimously approved.
COMMUNITY AND REGIONAL ISSUES
While awaiting the arrival of the presiding officer to officially convene the meeting, Mr. Alsenas
introduced the Community and Regional Issues to the Commission making several announcements and reports.
Mr. Alsenas discussed a report to County Elected Officials from Ann Hill of Governor Strickland's Office which provided an update of estimated funds allocated to Cuyahoga County through the various American Recovery and Reinvestment Act resources and programs totaling approximately $254 Million.
Mr. Alsenas reported that Cuyahoga County had been awarded a $5.7 Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG) Program from the Department of Energy (DOE). He reported that an application had been submitted to DOE outlining how the funds were to be used and that the County was waiting for approval. Mr. Alsenas explained that five (5) communities in Cuyahoga County received direct allocations: Cleveland, Cleveland Heights, Euclid, Lakewood, Parma and Strongsville.
Mr. Alsenas outlined for the CPC the five (5) projects contained in the County's application:
- Developing a county-wide long-term strategy for a Green Economy-$250,000;
- Retrofitting County Buildings and Facilities-$1.5 Million;
- Developing a Master Plan for the use of Renewable Energy and Advanced Technologies- $100,000;
- Conducting a Solar and Wind Turbine Demonstration Project at the Cuyahoga County Fairgrounds-$400,000; and
- Implementing a Municipal Competitive Grant Program-$3.1 Million.
For purposes of the grant application, the CPC staff surveyed the fifty-three (53) non-direct allocation communities to determine how many communities had done an energy audit and what types of projects they were planning to implement. Mr. Alsenas reported that there was a fifty-percent (50%) response rate to the survey and it was apparent that many of the communities had not even done an energy audit. It was determined that the first phase of the Municipal Competitive Grant Program would be awards to communities to determine their energy efficiency and conservation objectives.
Mr. Alsenas announced that the Clean Ohio Conservation Program, staffed by the CPC, has $6.8 million in funding available for projects in 2009. He stated that the applications were due August 31, 2009.
Mr. Alsenas also announced that the State Issue One Program, also staffed by the CPC, had been notified that $35 million was available in 2010. He stated that the applications would be made available on August 3, 2009; that an Application Workshop would take place on August 26, 2009; and that the deadline for submitting the applications was September 25, 2009.
Next, Mr. Alsenas reported that the Green Bulkhead project had received, in the regular federal fiscal year budget appropriations process, a $1.25 million dollar appropriation. Mr. Alsenas discussed a recent trip to Washington, D.C. to engage legislators in a conversation underscoring the relevance and importance of the Green Bulkhead project and asking for their support. Mr. Alsenas noted that the Green Bulkhead project will very likely generate major economic development benefits for Cuyahoga County.
Mr. Alsenas also reported that the CPC has requested a $275,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Commerce's Economic Development Administration (EDA) for the design and engineering of a lakefront bridge connector across the Norfolk Southern railroad tracks to connect the west bank of the Flats to Whiskey Island. He stated that if successful in the design and engineering phase, the CPC will seek $15 million dollars to construct the bridge which is integral to linking Wendy Park to the Towpath Trail.
Ms. Carol Thaler discussed the CPC's participation in the Lake Erie Allegheny Partnership for Biodiversity (LEAP). Ms. Thaler explained that CPC is one of approximately 40 local member organizations of LEAP. She stated that LEAP is one of five conservation organizations including Chicago Wilderness, Houston Wilderness and the Portland Metro Greenways that are working with Federal agencies and Congress to bring in new funding to the region. This new funding would allow the work of LEAP to advance federal environmental goals and establish a new relationship between US Fish and Wildlife Service and US Forest Service and urban areas.
Ms. Thaler stated that the work of the nationwide conservation collaboration is based on the projections of the Regional Plan Association of New York. Their program called "America 2050," is an initiative to meet the infrastructure, economic development and environmental challenges of the nation. America 2050's premise is that the U.S. population will increase by 130 million people by 2050 leading to the question of "How will we assimilate in urban areas?"
Ms. Thaler shared an "Emerging Megaregions" map prepared by the Regional Plan Association. The map was developed based on projections of (1) rapid population growth; (2) global climate change; (3) the rise in foreign trade; (4) sprawling and inefficient land use patterns; (5) uneven and inequitable growth within and between the megaregions; and (6) infrastructure systems that are reaching capacity.
Ms. Thaler offered that beyond striving to meet conservation goals, an understanding of the implications of the emerging Great Lakes megaregion may reveal opportunities to reshape our region's relationship with other Federal funding sources including transportation, infrastructure, housing and urban development and the agriculture.
Ms. Thaler reported that she and representatives from the other conservation organizations recently met in Washington, D.C, to lobby for support of a measure introduced by Senator Durbin of Illinois. Ultimately, the measure did not survive, but garnered considerable bi-partisan support. Ms. Thaler ended stating that the CPC's participation in efforts like this demonstrates our leadership in the region and nation.
Mr. Alsenas noted that on June 4, 2009 the CPC and Entrepreneurs for Sustainability (E4S) organized a meeting with Janine Benyus, the founder of the Biomimicry Guild, to discuss bringing a chapter of the Guild to Cleveland. The presence of the Guild in Cleveland would help shape the future of economic development in Cuyahoga County and reshape our regional economy.
Mr. Alsenas reported on the Census Bureau's annual estimates of population for counties and communities. He showed four maps that highlighted the trends indicated by the data noting various caveats in interpretation, and referred the CPC members to the individual community data provided in the written report.
SOLID WASTE REPORT
Ms. Bickett reported that the Solid Waste District (SWD) had sent to each member of the CPC and Solid
Waste Policy Committee a copy of the (SWD) 2008 Annual Report highlighting the progress of the SWD in
meeting the State's waste reduction and recycling requirements.
Ms. Bickett reported that overall in 2008 Cuyahoga County generated about 3 million tons in trash. The good news, she reported, is that about one-half or 1.4 million tons of trash was recycled. She reported that the SWD also exceeded the state's requirement for residential, commercial and industrial trash recycling. The District recycles 26.1% of residential waste and 81% of commercial and industrial waste.
Ms. Bickett stated that the 1.5 million tons of trash that is not recycled is aggregated at transfer stations and hauled to landfills in other parts of the state since Cuyahoga County does not have an operating landfill. She reported that Cuyahoga County, twenty-two (22) communities collect their own trash and thirty-seven (37) communities have contracts with private providers.
Using a map for illustration, Ms. Bickett indicated that because of the merger between Allied Waste and Republic, the SWD is seeing dominance in the market by the larger private companies. Ms. Bickett discussed the comments submitted by the SWD to the U.S. Department of Justice recommending divestitures to increase competition in the market. Ms. Bickett indicated that the current resolution does not include the SWD's recommendations. A brief discussion ensued.
Ms. Bickett ended by highlighting the Phone Book Recycling Campaign marketing media event.
SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT DISTRICT REPORT
The director referred the Committee to the written report.
CPC PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS
The director referred the Committee to the written Project Highlights.
OLD BUSINESS
Mayor Welo asked how information about federal stimulus funding could be coordinated and reported.
Mr. Alsenas stated that there is information on the State of Ohio's website and that the County has
assigned a person to work on grant management and facilitation. A brief discussion ensued.
On motion by Mayor Blomquist and seconded by Mayor Welo, the meeting was adjourned.
Cuyahoga County Planning Commission/Solid Waste Policy Committee
| July 9, 2009 Attendance Record | |
|---|---|
| Member | Present |
| Mayor Robert Blomquist | Yes |
| Mr. James Danek for Mr. Robert Brown | Yes |
| Commissioner Jimmy Dimora | Yes, by Mr. Smock |
| Commissioner Timothy Hagan | Yes, by Ms. Forbes |
| Commissioner Peter Lawson Jones | Yes, by Ms. Davis |
| Mayor Edward Kelley | Yes |
| Mayor Thomas Longo | No |
| Mayor Eileen Patton | No |
| Mayor Kenneth Patton | No |
| Mayor Michael Procuk | Yes |
| Mayor Georgine Welo | Yes |
| SOLID WASTE POLICY COMMITTEE | |
| Ms. Virginia Aveni | Yes |
| Mr. Martin McGann | Yes |
| Others: Paul Alsenas, Kristin Hopkins, Claire Kilbane, Dan Meaney, Carol Thaler | |
