Outdoor recreation facilities put on hold
by Sue Serdinak
May 15 village council meeting
Although Mayor Michael Wheeler and Richfield Village Council have agreed to build a basketball court at Richfield Woods Park and tennis and pickleball courts on village property, possibly near Town Hall, both projects are on hold.
Wheeler and council debated for several months where the pickleball and tennis courts should be built, with the mayor recommending a site east and south of the Town Hall/Senior Center complex. Councilman Charles Boester, chair of the planning and zoning commission, argued that earlier plans placed a sports complex south of the library. He and other council members asked that a planning expert advise them on the layout for the courts and parking.
Wheeler announced that planner Rob Morgan would have a design ready to show council In June.
Wheeler also announced that construction of the basketball court in Richfield Woods has been delayed, because it was learned that the site is soggy. He said it would cost about $30,000 to correct the water problem.
A resolution was passed to hire Snider Recreation to install playground equipment at Richfield Woods for no more than $110,888. Recreation Director John Piepsny reported that the cost is $39,000 less than budgeted and will cover the extra expense of the basketball court. Piepsny said it would be 12-16 weeks before the equipment is installed.
Columbaria approved
Council suspended readings and approved a resolution to advertise for bids to construct three columbaria at Fairview Cemetery. According to the plan recommended by the cemetery board, one columbarium would be constructed in the center of Section E of the cemetery.
The cemetery board also recommended to council that the height of headstones in the cemetery be regulated to permit raised headstones in some rows but only flush headstones in other rows.
Councilperson Bobbie Beshara said she favored allowing only flush headstones throughout the cemetery because they require less landscaping maintenance. Wheeler concurred less lawn maintenance is required for flat stones, but said he likes raised headstones.
Councilperson Jeff Stoppenhagen, council representative to the cemetery board, said the board didn’t want the cemetery to look like a memorial garden. He moved that council allow the variation of headstone heights as recommended by the cemetery board, and council unanimously approved.
Councilmembers thanked Stoppenhagen and the members of the cemetery board for their years of work on the cemetery design and rules. They cited former councilperson Pat Healey for her efforts.
Sewer problem
Council also passed legislation to solicit proposals to correct sewer line in Glencairn Forest. According to Councilperson Ralph Waszak, an eroded streambed caused the manhole to be exposed. He said Summit County and ODOT have corrected similar erosion problems and an estimated repair would be about $350,000.
Paying for the repair is complicated, because the village owns the sewer line but the exposed sewer manhole in Glencairn is in the township.
Law Director Ben Chojnacki said there are restrictions on what a municipality can charge residents. However, in the absence of a contract, there are no restrictions on the rate a municipality can charge its utility customers.
Councilperson Rick Hudak said the problem needs to be addressed, and he wants the village to recoup the cost from the property owners in Glencairn. He reminded council that township residents voted to secede from the village after the Glencairn development was constructed.
“Annexation is another option. If they opted to annex, I would have less of a problem spending Richfield Village funds to do this repair,” Hudak said.
Waszak added that the village would need to get approvals from the Army Corp of Engineers and the EPA before remediation can start.
He added that the village’s mainline sewer is aging and would need repairs in the near future.
Insurance
Council approved an agreement with Roundstone Management to provide health insurance for 68 full-time employees at a cost to the village of $1.57 million for 12 months. This is a 2.9% increase over the previous year.
Employees contribute 13.5% of the premium and are in the Medical Mutual network.
Hudak thanked finance Director Sandy Turk on her efforts to get the best deal.
Zoning concerns
Stoppenhagen cited several zoning infractions he has observed, mostly on the north end of town. He cited violations by Fleet Fixes and On-Call Waterproofing on Brecksville Road.
“The owner is basically thumbing his nose at us. … Something has to be done,” he said.
He also said that trucks at the Pilot station often block the roadway, causing a traffic backup.
“We’re starting to lose control over our town. … I think we need to be more aggressive with these guys than we have been,” he said.
Planning and Zoning Director Brian Frantz said he has been working with the law director about violation enforcement.
Fitness center
Council approved amending the zoning code for the Kinross and Stonegate planned commerce districts.
Frantz recommended making several changes to the permitted and conditionally permitted uses in the districts. Drive-thru windows and outdoor storage would not be permitted. He recommended that hospitals, medical centers, pharmacies, dry cleaners and fitness centers be conditionally permitted.
Beshara said that fitness centers, not situated within a corporate building, should not be conditionally permitted in this district.
Waszak agreed, saying a large fitness center does not match the vision for a planned commerce district.
Council president Sue Ann Philippbar disagreed, saying the planning commission recommended allowing fitness centers as conditionally permitted.
Boester said that he originally thought fitness centers should be conditionally allowed but changed his mind because the zoning code allows fitness centers in other, more suitable locations.
Council approved the legislation, without allowing fitness centers. ∞