This Week in Shaker©

An Independent E-Letter for the Residents of Shaker Heights, Ohio

Founded April 14, 2003

     Volume 7, Number 11                   Monday, March 23, 2009

Jane Wood, Editor                                                                  Street and Alley, Proofreaders

This Week in Shaker will be emailed every Sunday night or Monday morning,
if news warrants.
If you like it, pass it on; if you would like to be on the distribution list, email thisweekinshaker@sbcglobal.net.  

This issue has 6 pages.

News Briefs

• According to the Police Department’s “2008 action plan—4th quarter update,” the Chief is “investigating the possibility” of a regional special operations team.
• The Architectural Board of Review will meet with the Landmark Commission this week to discuss new playground equipment and storage structures at Plymouth Church.
• According to the City’s web site, Neighborhood Housing Services of Greater Cleveland is offering the two-family at 17423 Winslow Rd. to a firm or person who can rehab and restore it. Proposals are due April 3.
• City Council tonight (Monday) will consider hiring Parsons Brinckerhoff, Baker and Bialosky + Partners as consultants for the “Intermodal Transportation Center Program Plan for the Warrensville/Van Aken redevelopment area..”  The fee is not to exceed $88,748.  A second proposal was received from “Bowen (with Urban Engineering)” at $84,100.  The City will be reimbursed $79,375 from a $70,000 grant from NOACA and a $9,375 grant match from RTA, the project’s co-sponsor. The City’s grant match is $9,373.
• The City intends to enter into an agreement with the Ohio Department of Transportation cooperative purchasing program for rock salt for next winter.  It is not clear how much that will cost.
• Bids are due April 3 for the nuisance abatement and pavement marking programs.

City to Sell Parking Lot Behind Commercial Buildings

at Corner of Chagrin and Avalon

The Finance Committee last week (TWIS did not attend) authorized “an option for the sale of City-owned land (public parking lot) at the southwest corner of Chagrin and Avalon Roads to Bluewater Capital Partners.”  City Council tonight (Monday) will be asked to approve “a Purchase Option Agreement with Bluewater Capital Partners, LLC for the sale of six City-owned parcels at the price of $10,000 to facilitate redevelopment, authorizing the disposition of City-owned property without competitive bidding, and declaring an emergency.”

Bluewater Capital Partners is, according to a web site, “a real estate investment holding company and a general partner in real estate private equity funds.”  Its principal is also the COO of Allegro Realty, which several years ago [as Crescendo Properties] purchased 7 properties to the west of the firehouse on the south side of Chagrin Boulevard across the street from the Shaker Towne Centre strip shopping center.

The southwest corner has 3 commercial buildings with a parking lot behind them, according to Economic Development Department director Patrick Campbell.  TWIS could not find out precisely what Bluewater/Allegro intends to do with the parking lot. 

Last year Council voted to increase the “subordination limit”* for the City’s mortgage on the 7 commercial properties purchased by Crescendo Properties in 2006 from $2 million to $2.6 million and extended the term of the City’s promissory note and mortgage on them for an additional year (TWIS, Vol. 6, Issue 3, Jan. 21, 2008, and Vol. 6, Issue 44, Dec. 1, 2008). 

A memo last year from Law Department director Margaret Cannon and Economic Development Department director Patrick Campbell said, “This change would move the scheduled payoff date from Dec. 31, 2008 to Dec. 31, 2009.”

Before Council extended the term of the promissory note and mortgage, this paragraph appeared in the Jan. 21, 2008, TWIS: “Before additional construction financing can be borrowed in excess of the original $2 million, the developer’s construction lender has stipulated that the City of Shaker Heights must raise its seller-financing purchase money mortgage subordination limit from the original $2 million to a new subordination limit of $2.6 million.  The original purchase money mortgage obtained by the City was for $560,000.  Exterior storefront renovation credits for all 7 buildings will result in the principal balance of that mortgage being reduced to $315,000 in early 2008.  This adjusted principal plus accrued interest will be due and payable to the City at the end of 2008.”

*A “subordination limit” means the City’s claim is subordinate to that of the construction lender’s, and if there is a default, the City would be second in line.

Police Will Sell K-9

If approved by City Council tonight (Monday), K-9 “Bohdy” will be sold to Worldwide Canine, Inc., for $2,500.  The Finance Committee last month approved spending $14,105 for a replacement.

According to the Finance Committee minutes of Feb. 17,  “D. Scott Lee, Chief of Police, stated that the Police Department identified a problem with one of the K-9s which had been donated to the department a few years ago.  This breed of dog is a high-drive dog, and through training and evaluation we have discovered although it is a good dog, the drive is so high that it has problems obeying commands.  This does not fit our goals and objectives for the K-9 program for the City of Shaker Heights.  Staff is requesting replacement and the K-9 has been removed from service.”

The minutes also said, “Council member [Nancy] Moore asked if this purchase is part of the 2009 capital budget.  She then asked about donated funds for the K-9 program.  Jeri E. Chaikin, Chief Administrative Officer, stated that it will be added to the 2009 capital budget.   Most of the K-9 replacements are made as part of the annual cycle of the capital budget.  Chief Lee stated that any donated money that was not spent was released back into the capital budget.”

City Council must approve the sale of any item for more than $2,000.

ABR, CPC Fees to Go Up

The Finance Committee last week (TWIS did not attend) approved raising fees for the Architectural Board of Review and the Board of Zoning Appeals/City Planning Commission.  It is on tonight’s (Monday) Council agenda.

According to a memo from Planning Department director Joyce Braverman, “Not all fees will be increased.  For those proposed to be updated, this amounts to a 50% increase.  It is a 17% increase for all fees, or an additional $3,700/year.”

The last fee increase, in 2006, raised fees 29% for the ABR, and 32% for the BZA/CPC, the memo said.  “The current proposal includes increases to existing fees, clarification of items/fees, a new category of fees for Architectural Board of Review and one new fee category for Board of Zoning Appeals/City Planning Commission,” the memo said.

According to the memo, “Total fees received in 2008 were $21,375, and after the increase it is expected total fees will be $25,095.”

Staff approvals will go from $10 to $15, conditional use permits, variance appeals and CPC reviews will go from $125 to $150, zoning “admin” modification and zoning compliance letters will go from $10 to $15, zoning resubmissions (new fee) will cost $25, sunroom/porch alterations will go from $75 to $100, window/door changes from $50 to $75, signage fee will go from $50 to $75, resubmissions will go from $25 to $40 and multiple reviews (new fee) will cost $25.

Law Department’s 2008 Wrap-Up

The Law Department’s end-of-the-year report was given to the Finance Committee last week. Highlights are as follows:

• 230 contracts prepared, 63 for Public Works and 167 for all other departments
• 891 pre-trials scheduled
• “Charges issued from this office were: 66 felonies; 117 misdemeanors; 197 housing summonses; and 11 building summonses.  There were 131 felony charges, 48 misdemeanor charges, and 345 housing summonses issued in 2007.”
• 3 prosecutor hearings conducted
• “25 Housing Code violation cases were scheduled for pre-prosecution hearings, with 3 cases in

compliance and 19 cases in progress.”

• 1 Building Code violation case was scheduled for a pre-prosecution hearing
• 134 certificate of occupancy cases were scheduled for pre-prosecution hearings
• 28 commercial occupancy permit cases were scheduled for pre-prosecution hearings
• 202 citizen inquiries
• Legislation: nuisance abatement ordinance changes, EMS fee increases, deposit and investment of City funds amendments, regulation of domestic animals amendments; second amendment to development agreement for south side of Chagrin.  “Third Amendment, Mortgage, and Note prepared for signature on December 17, 2008.  Submitted to County on September 11, 2008.  Awaiting determination.”

Police Department 4th Quarter Stats

Highlights of the Police Department’s statistics for the 4th quarter of 2008 are as follows:

• 44% clearance rate for Part I* crimes
• 16 cases sent to County Grand Jury
• 31 cases sent to County Juvenile Court
• 108 adult Part II** cases were investigated; 91.7% were cleared
• 49 juvenile Part II cases were investigated; 81.6% cleared
• 3 confidential/intelligence investigations
• 397 hours of surveillance
• 11 arrest warrants prepared; 1 search warrant executed
• 45 hours processing evidence
• Approximately 18,500 pieces of property/evidence in property room; 479 pieces taken in, 454 released; 4,000 pieces destroyed; 1 signed forfeiture order received
• 28 juveniles sent through community diversion program; 6 referred to other agencies
• 1 gun registration
• 9 domestic violence cases
• 15 juveniles cited for walking in the streets
• 13 bicycle warning letters sent
• 19 bicycles impounded
• 8 traffic complaints
• 78.5 hours “doing selective enforcement at high-accident intersections that resulted in 62 citations being issued”
• 37 letters sent for violations of the criminal activity nuisance ordinance
• Assisted Housing Inspection 9 times
• 72 “priority 1” calls for service; 3,262 “priority 2” calls; 2,335 “priority 3” calls; 1,245 “priority 4” calls; 172 “priority 5” calls
• Mutual aid received 2 times; given 29 times
• 92 “neighborhood problems” (not crime-related)
• 1,034 incident reports
• 215 accident reports
• 253 arrests made for criminal activity (adults); 140 juveniles
• 124 summonses issued
• 215 traffic accidents investigated
• 120 citations issued for traffic accidents
• 1,959 traffic citations issued (excluding accidents)
• 102 DUI arrests
• 432 radar citations
• 1,149 parking citations (excluding meters); 0 meter citations
• 24 abandoned/unregistered vehicles “corrected”
• 8 traffic complaints; 56 citations issued on traffic complaints
• 62 citations issued on “selective traffic enforcement”
• 319 prisoners booked into jail; 17 prisoners in “outside” facilities; 2 prisoner complaints; 7 prisoners received emergency medical assistance
• 492 public records requests processed
• 59 officers completed taser training
• 5 citizen complaints: “2 officers received additional training in hope of correcting the areas of concern”
• 4 crime prevention meetings conducted; average attendance: 18
• 28 “citizen education contacts”
• 3 home security surveys; 0 commercial security surveys
• 15 emergency repair (traffic signals & signs) calls
• 11 posts/56 signs erected or replaced

* Burglary, robbery, auto theft, theft, rape, assault, homicide and arson

** Damage to property, juvenile offenses, drugs and all other crimes not listed as Part I

Fire Department Year-End Review

Highlights of the Fire Department’s end-of-the-year statistics are as follows:

• 837 homes canvassed; 342 homes surveyed (for smoke detectors)
• 1,970 hours EMS training
• 177 “jump squad” EMS calls
• 564 commercial/multi-family inspections.  “Inspections were behind due to the EMS training in January and February and staffing shortages due to budgetary overtime restrictions.”
• 16 hydrants have defects; 7 are out of service; 300 flow tests performed
• 8 new CERT* members trained

*Community emergency response team

Real Estate Report

As of yesterday, Realtors had listed 247 single-family houses for sale* (excluding condominiums and townhomes) in Shaker Heights, as follows:

• $100,000 - $199,000: 74 (70 last issue)
• $200,000 - $299,000: 73 (69 last issue)
• $300,000 - $399,000: 21 (21 last issue)
• $400,000 - $499,000: 32 (31 last issue)
• $500,000 - $599,000: 19 (19 last issue)
• $600,000 - $699,000: 8 (7 last issue)
• $700,000 - $799,000: 4 (4 last issue)
• $800,000 - $899,000: 4 (4 last issue)
• $900,000 - $999,000: 4 (3 last issue)
• $1,000,000 - $1,999,000: 7 (6 last issue)
• $2,000,000 - $2,999,000: 1 (1 last issue)
• 3,000,000+: 0 (0 last issue)

In addition, there are 36 (36 last issue) houses priced under $100,000, for a grand total of 283.  There are also a number of rentals, including a Shaker Glen townhome.

As of Friday, there were 30 foreclosure sales pending (including 8 condominiums) and listed on the Cuyahoga County Sheriff’s web site.**  In addition to those, there are sometimes foreclosure sales listed by the U. S. District Court.

[Editor’s note:  TWIS has been reporting these numbers since March 12, 2007.]

*235 last issue

**31 last issue; addresses include 16625 Aldersyde, 17710 Chagrin, 3600 Chelton, 3615 Chelton, 3616 Chelton, 3365 Colwyn, 2631 Coventry, 2824 Coventry, 3650 Daleford, 13800 Fairhill #110, 13800 Fairhill #414, 22376 Fairmount, 22525 Fairmount, 23501 Hazelmere, 3686 Hildana, 2537-9 Kendall, 2870 Litchfield, 18133 Lomond, 3564 Normandy, 20933 Shelburne, 21800 South Woodland, 14 Sutton Place #14, 29 Sutton Place, 3039 Van Aken, 15610 Van Aken #23, 15610 Van Aken #28, 19101Q Van Aken, 19801 Van Aken #4, 3158 Warrington and 19213 Winslow.   [Editor’s note: This week’s foreclosed properties include those listed for Sheriff’s sale on March 23 and 30 and April 6, 13, 20 and 27.  Foreclosed properties are listed every week until they are sold or withdrawn; the total listed here, therefore, always includes some properties that have been listed in previous issues.]