Council Meeting Highlights

Sep 15, 2025

City Council convened its regular in-person meeting in Council Chambers, which was also live-streamed. The next meeting is Sept. 22nd. Below are the highlights from today's meeting:

City Adds Land to Metroparks Lease, New Improvements to Come: Council approved legislation amending the existing 99-year lease with the Metroparks for Rivergate Park, adding City-owned property on Merwin Avenue at the westerly edge of the Columbus Road Peninsula for construction, operation, and maintenance of park improvements, including a multi-purpose path that will connect Rivergate Park to Heritage Park and Settler Landing. Other improvements include signage and landscaping. Rivergate Park is a 2.8-acre park, operated by Metroparks, and located west of the Columbus Road Lift Bridge and west of Hart Crane Park, near Merwin’s Wharf, the Cleveland Rowing Foundation, and the City’s Crooked River Skate Park. Ord. No. 803-2025

Resolution and Presentation in Honor of Clothing Insecurity Awareness Day: Council adopted two resolutions, sponsored by Councilwoman Stephanie Howse-Jones, who also held a presentation for one of the organizations.

The first resolution, also sponsored by Councilwoman Deborah Gray, adopts September 15th as Clothing Insecurity Awareness Day. On September 15, 2025, grassroots organizations across the nation will rally together to bring awareness to a hidden crisis for children by recognizing the first National Clothing Insecurity Awareness Day. Some 2 in 5 children in the United States do not have the clothes to adequately dress themselves every day.

In support of National Clothing Awareness Day, PEARLS Girls Closet is conducting “The 1-Piece Promise” campaign, unique to the Cleveland area, and that specifically targets teen girls: the campaign pledges to find and donate one special, high-quality garment to girls who do not have access to such clothing. Res. No.1103-2025
________________________________________
The second resolution recognizes National Diaper Need Awareness Week, observed September 15 through 21, 2025, in the City of Cleveland, and honors and thanks the Diaper Bank of Greater Cleveland for its ongoing commitment to supporting families in need. Res. No. 1101-2025

Service Dogs Recognized: Council passed a resolution, declaring the month of September as National Service Dog Month in the City of Cleveland to recognize service dogs and the adults and children with disabilities in our community that they support. The resolution was sponsored by Council Members Brian Kazy, Kerry McCormack, Jasmin Santana, Michael Polensek, and Rebecca Maurer. Res. No. 1100-2025

Introductions

Legislation was introduced to amend the contract with The Osborn Engineering Company to provide additional services relating to the North Coast Connector Project, aka the Lakefront Pedestrian Bridge Connector. The costs of the additional continuing services to be performed by Osborn under the amendment shall not exceed $4.5 million. Ord. No. 1072-2025
________________________________________
A resolution was introduced, sponsored by Councilmember Jenny Spencer,  requesting that the Director of Transportation of the State of Ohio determine and declare a reasonable and safe speed limit of 30 miles per hour for Lake Avenue between West 117th Street and Detroit Avenue.

A Speed Zone Study completed by the Division of Traffic Engineering recommends 30 miles per hour as a safe and reasonable speed limit. The 30 miles per hour speed limit will be placed in effect following the Ohio Department of Transportation’s approval and the Division of Traffic Engineering’s installation of new speed limit signage. Res. No. 1097-2025