Dear Joe,
Seven years ago my wife and I built our dream home on West Ridge. Within a year after moving in our new home our basement flooded as well as the basements of many of our good neighbors homes (after our home was built). Our worst flood occurred on June 22, 2006, when the water and sewage level reach 4 feet. Seeing no action and receiving no help from the Mayor or Council, we were left no choice but to take legal action against the city. Since that time we have discovered that our lot was once deemed unbuildable and was a place for storm water to collect. An engineer has recommended that the city buy back our home, tear it down and install a water retention basin. We can’t take any more. We want out. Can you help?
Flooded Dreams
Dear Flooded Dreams,
The most difficult part of walking door to door is to hear our residents and neighbors speak of their many negative experiences, especially those similar to yours. The disturbing part is two-fold in your current hardship. First it sounds like your home should have never been allowed to be built on the lot, so we need to find out what went wrong and how this was allowed to happen. Second it seems that by building your home it has adversely affected your neighbors, increasing their susceptibility of flooding. We need to find a solution to your plight, settle litigation (if any) and research all information as to who, what, why and where someone allowed your home to be built at all. Hold those accountable and if at all possible seek compensation. If putting a retention basin where your home now sits will solve your neighborhood flooding and you are willing to move, then that’s what the city should do.
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Dear Mr. Price,
What can you tell me about the AHEK vs. Broadview Heights lawsuit? Why are they suing us and what can we do?
Concerned Resident
Dear Concerned Resident,
The AHEK group has partnered with developers and seeks to bring retail at the Northwest corner of I-77 and Route 82. This land, which includes portions of a landfill, is zoned for commercial office and retail is prohibited. Originally AHEK wanted to develop an all retail site. Past Mayors and Councils have held fast to the past where the voters have refused zoning changes for retail. AHEK, Inc. filed suit and a lengthy (and costly) legal battle could been fought.
Recently, Council has agreed to allow the voters decide by vote in the November 6th general election about rezoning this property. AHEK has agreed to drop the lawsuit if the voters approve a project that will allow 60% retail and 40% office use in a special zoning application. This will most likely involve two large retailers (big box), offices and hopefully dining and entertainment.
I support the vote and the settlement as proposed and here’s why: It will end a potentially disastrous lawsuit against the City. Lawyers representing the city have repeatedly stated that the City will prevail in the lawsuit if it goes forward, unfortunately that is exactly what lawyers representing the City of Mayfield Heights told their Mayor and City Council before a $3 MILLION judgment was given against the city, and the developer was allowed to proceed with the project anyway. While many on Council here feel there is no similarity between the two lawsuits, The Cleveland Plain Dealer stated that the suits were overall very similar and that the City of Broadview Heights could lose as well. I also believe that we need the economic development now more than ever. Our population has grown, the burden on city services is increasing and overall this specific project is not a very large project. The infrastructure will accommodate the project and we need to generate some interest in the commercial development community here in Broadview Heights. NO ADDITIONAL RETAIL will be allowed to go beyond the scope of this special district without a future vote of the residents.
Please think of this: If you wanted to invest $50 million in a multi-level office complex would you build it on a landfill? A landfill is where there will be greater foundation requirements, foundation, driveway and parking lot settling issues. After 30+ years of waiting for multi-level offices that will never come, build it, and let this be the first seed in development of the business district we have needed for decades. For those who oppose big retail I ask, support this one project, well away from our residential homes and nothing more at this time. Then let’s together evaluate the impact this has made on our community and finances before considering anything else.
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Hello Joe,
My wife and I live on Anthony Drive. You left a card at my front door yesterday, sorry I was not home to meet you personally. Recently in speaking with the Mayor I shared with him my concerns of the many gas wells going into our city. He boasted about the $100,000 of income from the three wells the city owns and that he has plans for two more. Do we need two more gas wells and are we really making $100,000 a year from the three wells the city owns?
Hard to Believe
Dear Hard to Believe,
The city does have three of the 27 gas wells operating in our city. Deregulation of the gas well industry has opened the door to what I call gas well mania. While I understand why many have chosen to profit from the mineral rights they own, unfortunately it has at times pitted neighbor against neighbor. This has raised many concerns for safety and of course the long-term environmental impact gas wells may have on our city and its residents.
The three gas wells are generating the $100,000 annually in needed revenue for our city. Before entering into any additional contract negations I would first want to address the nearby residential concerns and the specific financial terms of the contract. The City of Independence currently has just two gas wells producing $130k annually in income compared to our three. This of course is based on volume of gas pulled from the ground as well as other contract considerations, including how much we are being paid per cfm.
The question is this: Have we negotiated the best contract for our mineral rights? The City of Independence is averaging 65 thousand dollars per gas well while Broadview Heights is averaging only 33 thousand dollars. I know that the income is derived from volume and price. Is the volume from our wells lower, and or are we being paid a lower price for our minerals?
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Dear Joe,
Two years ago my wife and I along with our two daughters moved from Brecksville to Broadview Heights. We did so because we needed a home with room to grow. We purchased our home on Breckenridge, we love our home our neighbors. What we don’t love is our city’s recreation, our city’s shopping and dining. Is it me or are the residents here willing to always accept compliancy? Why do we have so much less that other cities around us? We now want to move back to Brecksville. What will you do to improve our city? What can you do? Is there any hope?
Sadly Disappointment
Dear Sadly Disappointed,
First, Thank you for locating your family and foThank you for locating your family and for your investment in Broadview Heights. I sense your disappointment and I hope you’ll find promise in my answer.
Second, DON’T GIVE UP! Broadview Heights will have more to offer you and your family. I do see the day when we all will be proud of our investment in Broadview Heights.
As you and many residents have addressed disappointment in so many ways I want you to know what I intend to do about it. All the issues you address and many more that exist will take money (finances) and time. So let’s address the most important of the two, money! We need to build city finances. This will come from either real estate tax and or income tax. No one (myself included) wants an increase in real estate tax so let’s focus on income tax. How to build it and where will it come from?
Economic Development, real economic development, not the lip service economic development the current administration claims is alive and well in Broadview Heights. In my Summer 2007 Edition of The Broadview Heights Banner I introduced the state and federal program of Tax Increment Financing (TIF’S or commonly known as TIF Districts). Here’s a brief explanation of how it works and why it will work here. By creating TIF Districts (multiple, one just one) along the Rt82 corridor, working with the State of Ohio we will widen Rt82 from I77 to town center. The money will come from the use of Tifs and State funding.
The widening of Route 82 would greatly improve access to the commercial properties along the area, which will immediately increase commercial property value and commercial real estate taxes (benefiting the city, city schools, county and state). Now that the commercial property owners have the added burden of increased real estate tax on undeveloped land, this provides an incentive for the owners to develop the land to cover the addition tax burden. When the land is developed, again the property value increases considerably (as does the support of the city, city schools, county and state). And as the development is completed, employers locate here, employing workers here, generating a greater and stronger income tax base (benefiting the CITY!) here.
Tax Increment Financing is an economic development machine! It provides money to districts that invest in infrastructure that then increases property values that then develops sites and ultimately creates jobs. All of above-mentioned funds then free up municipal finances and strengthen municipal finances to be used in addressing the community’s needs today and our wants (such as recreation) in the not so distant future!
Tax Increment Financing has been available to Broadview Heights since it’s inception in 1993. According to The Ohio Department of Taxation the City of Broadview Heights has no Tif districts and to date the city has never applied for or designated a district as a Tif district. WHY?
If elected We will use Tax Increment Financing and We will see progress here! Again, Don’t Give Up! Keep hope alive, stick together, and we will make Broadview Heights the city it can be!
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