City of Lakewood, Ohio

Why is the 2010 Census so important to Lakewood?

noreply@blogger.com (Office of Community Relations) — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 18:55:00 +0000

What do the twenty roads repaired and resurfaced in 2009, Lakewood public and private school students and first time homebuyers have in common? They all benefit from the City of Lakewood’s status as an “Entitlement Community”. The federal government bestows this designation annually on a formula basis. One of the principal components of the formula is population. A city must have a population of 50,000 or more persons in order to qualify as an Entitlement Community and the population count is based upon the decennial census report. Lakewood’s total population has decreased by approximately 10,000 persons each of the past three decennial census periods. Lakewood’s 2008 population estimate is 50,704 (source C.W.R.U. NEOCANDO database). Our community is very close to falling below the 50,000 population mark!

What will happen to our Entitlement Community status if Lakewood’s population falls below 50,000? Should the final census report reveal that our population is below 50,000, Lakewood would be eligible for only one more year of full federal entitlement funding. The fund allocation would be decreased by 50% in year two and all funding would cease in year three. This change would affect Title I school funding as well as Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) used for a variety of City initiatives including park improvements, street reconstruction, commercial and vacant property revitalization, childcare scholarship assistance, services for older adults, and low interest loans. CDBG grants also support a number of important programs conducted by community organizations including the Beck Center, Lakewood Christian Service Center, Lakewood Alive, and North Coast Health Ministry.

What can we do as a community to ensure that everyone in Lakewood is counted? First, every resident must complete and return the census questionnaire that will be mailed in March. Next, remind your neighbors, friends and family to return their forms then help spread the census message through your church, community organization, school or business via web sites, newsletters, emails or Facebook communications.

Click here for more information about the 2010 Census.

Eat Well Lakewood

noreply@blogger.com (Office of Community Relations) — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 22:13:00 +0000

Come to this FREE event and prepare to change your eating habits, and your life! Eat Well Lakewood will be held on Saturday, February 27 from 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM at Lakewood High School, 14100 Franklin Boulevard.

The day will include chef demonstrations, mini-workshop in the kitchen, and a vendor fair featuring local restaurants and service providers offering tips on nutrition and healthy . An added benefit: you'll get to check out Lakewood High School's beautiful new culinary arts facility which serves the West Shore Career Technical program.

At 1:00 PM, Ernie Logsdon, executive chef for the Nature’s Bin, will demonstrate ways to prepare many colorful vegetable delights. Beginning at 2:00 PM, Jim Perko, executive chef for the Cleveland Clinic, and Dr. Mladen Golubic will teach participants how the food you eat can enhance your health and reverse chronic diseases. At 3:00 PM, Eric Lowrey, former pastry chef and instructor, will demonstrate how to prepare a healthy meal quickly and share tips on keeping fit on a tight budget.

Click here for more information.

Are you looking to buy your first home?

noreply@blogger.com (Office of Community Relations) — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 18:44:00 +0000

Lakewood's First Time Homebuyers HOME Program provides one of the best mortgage financing packages available to qualified first time home buyers interested in purchasing a Lakewood home. Assistance, which comes in the form of a 0% interest, no monthly payment second mortgage is used to assist with both down payment and closing costs.

The City will be holding a First Time Homebuyers Seminar on Wednesday, February 24, 2010 at 6:00 PM in the City Hall Auditorium, 12650 Detroit Avenue. This seminar is offered once a month to prospective homebuyers and is mandatory for those seeking assistance through the HOME Program. There are some steps you need to take prior to attending the seminar, so please call the Division of Community Development at (216) 529-4663 and they will provide you with all of the details.

Click here to find out more about the HOME program and to see eligibility requirements. If you have any questions, please call the Division of Community Development at (216) 529-4663.

2009 Financial Overview: In the Black

noreply@blogger.com (The City of Lakewood, Ohio) — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 17:10:00 +0000

How Much Was Earned, Where Did It Go & What Do We Owe?

The City ended 2009 in the black with its General Fund revenues exceeding Expenditures. The General Fund is the City's primary operating fund that pays for Police, Fire, Refuse and all the other services that make the City tick. Revenue for the General Fund comes primarily from Income Tax, which was up almost 2% due to a one-time Tax Amnesty that took place this year.

The City's Property Tax goes to various functions such as the General Fund, to pay for debt related to capital projects, and to pay for police and fire pension costs.

The largest capital investments during 2009 was Street projects. More streets were resurfaced this year than there have been in any of the last 20 years. The City resurfaced over 7.5 miles of street, which is more than triple the average done in recent years. This was accomplished through Federal Stimulus monies, debt financing, and good timing when the City when out to bid the projects early in the year.

The City has six Enterprise or Revenue Funds. These funds are supported solely by the revenues received from those specific operations via the water and sewer rates and parking meters. The over $18.5 million in revenues from these sources can only be spent on these functions. So revenue from the water rates can only be spent on water operations and capital, sewer revenue only on sewer operations and capital, and so on.

For more information on City of Lakewood Finances including budgets and audit reports, visit the Finance Department web page.

Tax Amnesty Initiative Nets Half-Million Plus for City

noreply@blogger.com (The City of Lakewood, Ohio) — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 19:50:00 +0000

Good news: In 2009, the City of Lakewood launched the first phase of a new initiative to collect delinquent income taxes. This first phase, a one-time income tax amnesty program, was implemented to ensure that every taxpayer is aware of and contributing to the funding of city services (police, fire, street maintenance, blogging, etc). Many took advantage of this opportunity to “wipe the slate clean” and from July 21, 2009 until September 30, 2009, the City of Lakewood collected $567,000 in delinquent tax dollars and processed 2,200 delinquent tax returns.

There is still time for taxpayers to file delinquent tax returns before the second phase- the one with penalties--is instituted later this year. The Lakewood Municipal Income Tax Division is located at 12805 Detroit Avenue in the City Hall Annex Building on the corner of Detroit and Alameda Avenue. No appointment is necessary. The Income Tax Division will assist with free Lakewood tax return preparation or assistance during regular business hours, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Monday through Friday.

The Division can address any questions or concerns in person, by phone at (216) 529-6620, or by email at taxdept@lakewoodoh.net during their regular business hours. Frequently asked questions, additional information, and/or tax forms are available here.

Lakewood Plaza Facelift at ABR (aka "Drug Mart Plaza")

noreply@blogger.com (The City of Lakewood, Ohio) — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 16:36:00 +0000

At Thursday’s Architectural Board of Review, the board is going to see an updated proposal for the redevelopment of the site known as Drug Mart Plaza.

The owner’s proposal reflects many of the recommendations from the Detroit Avenue Streetscape Plan. For example, the slant-in parking in the front will be and replaced with wider sidewalks for pedestrian friendliness and outdoor dining. It also proposed to completely renovate the façade of the building on all four sides, including adding windows, awnings and lighting, while removing the overhang in front. When finished, the plaza will look brand new, though the building footprint will not change (similar to the 5Guys redevelopment at 15008 Detroit).

Often times they go through a number of iterations before they are approved by the Architectural Board of Review. This is the second review meeting, and the public is welcome (encouraged) to attend and give input on the proposal. Join us at ABR to give the newest proposal a look.

Point of interest: the shopping plaza is actually called “Lakewood Plaza,” and was originally named “Mars Plaza.” The photo above is the original Mars Plaza.

Update: Downtown Signage Program Approved by Planning Commission

noreply@blogger.com (The City of Lakewood, Ohio) — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 00:47:00 +0000

At Thursday night's Planning Commission meeting, the Commission voted to approve the proposal for the Downtown Wayfinding and Signage Plan. The plan is available in its entirety here.

Downtown Signage Proposal - Thursday's Planning Commission

noreply@blogger.com (The City of Lakewood, Ohio) — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 16:56:00 +0000

At Thursday's Planning Commission meeting, the Commission will consider a proposal for new signage and wayfinding in Lakewood's downtown district.

A key recommendation for the downtown area of Detroit Avenue (Bunts to Arthur) from the Detroit Avenue Streetscape Plan (adopted in 2008) was the need for a creative and purposeful solution to brand the downtown district through a signage and wayfinding program. A program of this type provides visitors, business owners and residents the identification, direction and orientation necessary to support and enhance the Downtown Lakewood district.

Lakewood Alive, who earned a grant from Heritage Ohio to facilitate the process, formed a volunteer Downtown Signage Committee made up of Lakewood residents to assist the public engagement process. As part of the design process, input was solicited to help shape the plan through community meetings, business and resident surveys and presentations to both the Planning Commission and Architectural Board of Review. Even sample signs were created and placed downtown for public review and comment.

Planning Commission meets the first Thursday of every month at 7pm in the Auditorium at City Hall.

We're Hiring: Certified Mechanic

noreply@blogger.com (The City of Lakewood, Ohio) — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 11:49:00 +0000

The City of Lakewood, has an outstanding opportunity for a certified seasoned mechanic to join our team of professionals in the Division of Fleet Management.

Successful candidates must have 5 years or more of experience as a Mechanic preferably in a Fleet environment, possess a High School Diploma or GED equivalent, a valid Class A Commercial Drivers License (with less than 8 points) and tanker and passenger endorsements and possess ASE or related certificates, master level preferred. In compliance with Federal law, the successful candidate must be certified in Heating and Air Conditioning recirculation, recycling and recovery as required by Section 609 of the amended Clean Air Act.

The wage range for this position is $22.55 to $22.98 per hour. Interested candidates meeting these requirements may apply in the Office of Human Resources at Lakewood City Hall, 12650 Detroit Avenue or may download an application in PDF format from the Human Resources page on the website.

View the detailed description here.

The City of Lakewood is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Demolition is Over, Construction Begins on New Office Building This Week

noreply@blogger.com (The City of Lakewood, Ohio) — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 16:47:00 +0000

This week, construction on the first office building built in Lakewood for many, many years will commence with the pouring of the foundation at the corner of Spring Garden and Detroit Avenue.

17513 Detroit Avenue, the site of the former Lakewood Christian Church, was purchased by a private developer to accommodate a long term tenant: the Department of the Interior’s Social Security Office. This tenant looked throughout the western suburbs for a new site, and Lakewood worked hard to retain them. In addition to retaining $4.4 Million in annual payroll and dozens of employees, the new site will also be added to the city’s property tax roles to benefit the city and schools.

The new construction is located at an intersection that has been busy recently: it’s also the site of the new Dunkin Donuts, that used to be an under-used parking lot, also owned by the Lakewood Christian Church.

By the way, Lakewood Christian Church is still Lakewood. They are currently “nesting” at 12501 Lake Ave.

City Wins Grant for Madison Avenue Planning

noreply@blogger.com (The City of Lakewood, Ohio) — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 18:19:00 +0000

The City of Lakewood recently won a $50,000 competitive grant to plan for Madison Avenue Streetscape improvements. The city won the competitive award from NOACA’s Transportation for Livable Communities Initiative (TLCI) Program.

The TLCI program, supported by funds that originate from the Federal Highway Administration, provides grants and technical assistance for transportation planning activities that promote sustainable development, economic development, and alternatives to the single-occupant vehicles.

The proposed planning project, to be called Madison East, will include the that area of the City of Lakewood bordered by Madison Avenue to the north, Clarence Avenue to the west, Bramley Avenue and the Greater Cleveland RTA Rapid Tracks to the south, and W. 117th Street to the east.

Through a number of public meetings, public engagement, site surveys, historical study, and evaluation of alternatives, the study will deliver strategies to improve the pedestrian access, traffic movement, and the streetscape of Madison Avenue in the neighborhood. It will also complement the Department of Planning and Development’s Birdtown/Madison East neighborhood planning efforts already underway.

Detroit Avenue underwent a similar study that was adopted into the City’s Community Vision in 2008. We'll start the public involvement pieces in March.

Listening to Lakewood Town Hall Meeting on Thursday

noreply@blogger.com (Office of Community Relations) — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 23:51:00 +0000

Mayor Ed FitzGerald and his team will be holding a town hall meeting on Thursday, January 28 at 7:00 p.m. at the Meridian, 12550 Lake Avenue. You will have the opportunity to learn about recent developments within the city, including: street repairs, quality control in parks, fiscal stability, and important initiatives including wellness, safety, housing and environmental issues for the City of Lakewood.

This is your chance to be heard and to join the Mayor and his team in building the future of Lakewood.

Salvaging Great Materials from Unsalvageable Properties

noreply@blogger.com (The City of Lakewood, Ohio) — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 22:26:00 +0000

Last winter, Mayor FitzGerald initiated a housing initiative to encourage investment in our neighborhoods and to strengthen our housing code enforcement efforts city wide.

After being cited, most properties come into compliance quickly. (In fact, you can report violations you see here) In some rare but visible instances, properties have fallen into such neglect that they cannot be reasonably repaired. Recently, the City of Lakewood has acquired these properties and demolished them.

Even though these properties were declared a public nuisance, they still may harbor some of the characteristics and assets that make Lakewood homes great. That’s why before demolition, the City partners with the Lakewood Historical Society to remove the valuable and significant materials that remain inside otherwise dilapidated properties.

In a recent weekend, 11 volunteers from the Lakewood Historical Society put in a combined 52 hours of salvage work.

Items removed include leaded and colored glass windows, interior doors and drawers, cabinet and door hardware, stair handrails, woodwork, trim pieces and other items. The historical society plans to hold an architectural salvage sale sometime during 2010. We’ll make sure to share the time, date, and some of the materials in this space soon.

Community Diversity Potluck to be held on January 21

noreply@blogger.com (Office of Community Relations) — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 18:38:00 +0000

The Lakewood Community Relations Advisory Commission and Lakewood High School’s Race and Diversity (RAD) Club will hold a Community Diversity Potluck on Thursday, January 21, 2010 from 5:30 PM to 8:00 PM in the Woman's Club Pavilion at Lakewood Park, 14532 Lake Avenue. The theme for the potluck is "The World Lives in Lakewood". Attendees are asked to bring a dish to serve six that represents your family or cultural tradition(s). Beverages and tableware will be provided.

This is a great opportunity to greet neighbors and make new friends. There will be fun activities for all ages.

Snow Reminders

noreply@blogger.com (Office of Community Relations) — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 21:54:00 +0000

Please Remember To Shovel Your Sidewalks

Lakewood’s walkability is one of our city’s features, even in the winter. Your help clearing sidewalks for students and other pedestrians is needed to help keep Lakewood a great place to live. In fact, it not just a courtesy, it’s the law.

Lakewood Codified Ordinance Section 521.06 requires every property owner to remove snow and ice from the sidewalks. Busineses are required to have the snow and ice removed by 9:00 AM everyday in the business district.

Emergency Snow Parking Bans

Whenever there is snow fall of two (2) inches or more within a twenty-four (24) hour period, the emergency snow ban takes effect. The emergency snow ban is needed to allow plows to clear streets for emergency vehicles and ordinary traffic as well as move mounds of snow to accomodate parking once the ban is lifted.

When the emergency snow ban is in effect, parking is not permitted on streets posted as emergency snow ban streets. Motorists should always consult the posted signs, and be advised that in the event of a snow fall of two inches or more, the emergency snow parking bans will be enforced.

Please help the City of Lakewood clear the streets by removing your vehicles from the street during these snow emergencies. Vehicles may be re-parked after plowing has been completed.

Jobs with the US Census Coming to Lakewood

noreply@blogger.com (The City of Lakewood, Ohio) — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 21:04:00 +0000

The City of Lakewood, in partnership with the U.S. Census Bureau, will host a Census Job Fair on Wednesday, January 13, 2010 from 5:30 PM to 8:30 PM in the Lakewood City Hall Auditorium, 12650 Detroit Avenue.

Census recruiters and top regional officials will be assisting Lakewood and Cuyahoga County residents with their... part-time and full-time employment searches. They will introduce area residents to the benefits of becoming part of the 2010 Census team and highlight the importance of community involvement in obtaining a complete count.

At the job fair, residents will have the opportunity to not only find out about census positions and testing requirements, but will also have the chance to take part in a confidential 30 minute pre-employment screening test on location. The officials at the fair will also provide on-site help to aid prospective employees with any uncertainties related to the simple or more complex test questions. Further information about employment or community involvement, future testing dates and literature will be available.

Also visit http://2010.census.gov.

Bailey Building Update

noreply@blogger.com (The City of Lakewood, Ohio) — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 17:27:00 +0000

At last night's meeting of the Architectural Board of Review, Then Design Architects (TDA) presented updates on the redevelopment of the Bailey Building. TDA explained to the Board that the building was even in better shape than originally thought and much of the upper storey detailing was still in tact. Sills and cornices that had been damaged when the building was covered with the concrete curtain wall in the 60's will be rebuilt with synthetic material to match the existing stone. The upper floor windows are in production and are likely to start being installed in February. The first floor demolition is nearly complete and installation of the new storefronts is slated to begin by March.

H1N1 Vaccination Clinic to be held on Sunday

noreply@blogger.com (Office of Community Relations) — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 21:27:00 +0000

The Cuyahoga County Board of Health and the Northeast Ohio Public Health Partnership will hold a free H1N1 Vaccination Clinic on Sunday, December 13, 2009 from 9:00 AM to 12:30 PM at Garfield Middle School, 13114 Detroit Avenue.

The Clinic is open to anyone who would like to receive the vaccination. Children under 10 years of age that were vaccinated anytime before November 16th can also get their second dose.

Handicap parking will be available at Garfield. General parking is available at Lakewood City Hall, 12650 Detroit Avenue or 12701 Detroit Avenue. Because parking is limited, individuals are encouraged to use public transportation to get to the clinic.

Click here to pre-register for the vaccination.

For more information about the H1N1 clinics, call the Cuyahoga County Board of Health at (216) 201-2001 and select option 5.

Light the Night

mayor@lakewoodoh.net (Mayor Ed FitzGerald) — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 15:46:00 +0000

Like most of you, I thought FirstEnergy's plan to charge customers $21 for 2 energy efficient light bulbs was absurd and a ripoff. Instead of just complaining about this proposal from FirstEnergy, we've come up with a locally based alternative, which improves public safety at the same time. We're calling it "Light the Night."

Lakewood’s Neighborhood Block Club Program is kicking off the "Light the Night" campaign to encourage residents to leave their porch lights on at night as a safety mechanism. Many crimes happen at night and the block clubs are hoping that lighting the neighborhood just might help deter crime.

As part of the Light the Night campaign, the City has partnered with Lakewood Hardware, 16608 Madison Avenue, to offer residents affordable high-efficiency light bulbs. During the month of December, Lakewood Hardware will sell two 75-watt high-efficiency light bulbs for $5.00. They will also provide a recycling container in their store to recycle burned out light bulbs.

Lakewood will kick-off the Light the Night program on Saturday,
December 5, 2009 as part of it annual holiday celebration, Light Up Lakewood. Residents are encouraged to leave their porch lights as they attend Light Up Lakewood on December 5. Residents can purchase the discounted high-efficiency light bulbs at Lakewood Hardware throughout the month of December.

This project is a pefect combination of promoting safety, increasing energy efficiency, and partnering with a local business, all at the same time. I hope you consider participating.

Cheap Eats Features Lakewood

noreply@blogger.com (The City of Lakewood, Ohio) — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 21:36:00 +0000

This month's Cleveland Magazine features a number Lakewood restaurants in its annual "Cheap Eats" feature. Check out some of the below (and click through to the actual article for more).

Under $5
Spicy Chicken Chili
Souper Market
14809 Detroit Ave., Lakewood
(216) 712-7292

Under $10
World’s Best Fried Bologna Sandwich
Beer Engine
15315 Madison Ave., Lakewood
(216) 226-BEER
buckeyebeerengine.com

Arayiss Pitza
Aladdin’s Eatery
14524 Detroit Avenue
(216) 226-2020

Under $15
Atlantic Salmon BLT
Pier W
12700 Lake Ave., Lakewood
(216) 228-2250
pierw.com

Lakewood Ranked as THE Best Place to Raise Your Kids in Ohio

noreply@blogger.com (The City of Lakewood, Ohio) — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 20:53:00 +0000

Check out this snippet from Business Week Magazine, which ranked Lakewood as THE Best Place to Raise Your Kids for 2010.

We all know that with our new schools, great parks and fantastic neighborhoods that Lakewood is the best community to raise a family, but it's great to see that others are noticing too.

Business Week used data that included "school performance, number of schools, household expenditures, crime rates, air quality, job growth, family income, museums, parks, theaters, other amenities, and diversity." They gave the highest weights to affordability, safety and school performance.

Here's the link. The main article is available here.

Other Communities Recognizing Lakewood Development

noreply@blogger.com (The City of Lakewood, Ohio) — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 21:43:00 +0000

Check out this article from the Morning Journal, where one journalist sought out "suburban downtowns that are finding ways to not only survive in the rocky economy, but to even grow." The Morning Journal profiled a couple successful downtowns, and Lakewood was featured.

Retail Occupancy Rates Up, Again, in Third Quarter

noreply@blogger.com (The City of Lakewood, Ohio) — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 19:26:00 +0000

The Lakewood Department of Planning and Development prepares a quarterly commercial space availability report that measures retail occupancy. The latest report indicates that retail occupancy is up 2% from the previous quarter, continuing a trend of increased occupancy citywide. Both Madison and Detroit Avenues saw retail occupancy rise amid new construction and retail rehab city wide.

While the numbers themselves show a positive outlook for the city, actually seeing these spaces under construction and filling with new tenants is even better. Panera Bread opened on Tuesday in the INA Building at St. Charles and Detroit. The building is undergoing a multi-million dollar renovation and will be accompanied by new tenants in coming months. Nearly across the street at 15000 Detroit will feature a newly renovated complex featuring Five Guys Burgers & Fries and other tenants opening after Thanksgiving.

When will my leaves be collected?

noreply@blogger.com (Office of Community Relations) — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 16:02:00 +0000

Leaf collection began on Monday, November 2nd. City crews started working on Clifton and Lake. Once they are finished collecting on Clifton and Lake, they will start citywide collection beginning at the west end of the city and working east.

You can find a daily update of the leaf collection schedule at http://www.onelakewood.com/leafcollection . Check back each day to see where the crews are in the city and how close they are to your street.

Residents are reminded to rake leaves onto tree lawns as close to the curb as possible. Raking leaves into the street will slow the collection process and may cause basement flooding. Please do not bag leaves during the Fall Leaf Collection, just place them on your tree lawn.

Leaf collection will continue until approximately December 11th, weather permitting. The number of citywide collections will be weather dependent. Residents are encouraged to place their leaves out as soon as possible to ensure collection.

Leaf Pickup Begins

noreply@blogger.com (The City of Lakewood, Ohio) — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 13:06:00 +0000

The City of Lakewood will begin collecting loose leaves on Monday, November 2, 2009 and will continue until approximately December 11, 2009, weather permitting. Starting Monday, residents don’t have to bag loose leaves – just leave them on the curb (not in the street) and city crews will pick them up.

Because there are TONS of leaves on Clifton Boulevard and Lake Avenue (we love those old, huge trees), those streets will be collected separately. Collection crews will start working at the east end of Clifton Boulevard and Lake Avenue and work west until completed. After crews have completed Clifton and Lake, they will collect leaves citywide starting from the west end and working east.

The number of citywide collection trips depends on the weather, so please place your leaves out as soon as possible to avoid missing your collection. Additional pick-ups begin for Clifton and Lake again on November 16 and November 30. There will be no collection on November 26 and November 27 because of Thanksgiving.