City of Chardon newsletter Fall 2015 Volume 30 : Number 2

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1 City of Chardon newsletter Fall 2015 Volume 30 : Number 2 FIRE DEPARTMENT OPEN HOUSE WHEN: Saturday, October 10, 2015 WHERE: 110 South Hambden Street TIME: Noon 4 p.m. City of Chardon residents are invited to tour the fire house, sit in a fire truck, view rescue vehicles, meet Sparkie, and talk with members of the department. Light refreshments will be served. Issue 32 on the Ballot Fire and Ambulance Levy In 2012, voters approved a 4-mill fire and ambulance renewal levy that had not changed since 2004, and an additional 1-mill levy. In November voters will be asked to renew these 5-mills for a period of three years. The renewal of the levy will not cost any new taxes to the residents of Chardon City. Since the last levy was approved in 2012, the following has been accomplished: n Continuation of 24-hour firefighter/paramedic staffing of five on duty. n Staffing at the Chardon Fire Department includes 36 paramedics, the most in Geauga County. n Continuation of staffing to handle multiple calls at one time. n Addition of a full-time Fire Prevention and Inspection Officer. n Replacement of a 1999 rescue squad in n After a grading by the Insurance Services Office (ISO) in February of 2015, The City s Class-4 rating was retained which is the best municipal rating in Geauga County. This rating helps keep insurance rates low for homeowners and businesses. Emergency Services that will be supported by the renewal of the levy include: n Replacement of a 1999 fire engine in early n Continuation of 24-hour firefighter/paramedic protection. n Continuation of children s fire safety education in the schools. n Continuation of fire prevention and inspection services, including plan review for new buildings and businesses, and home inspections for adoption services. n Fire extinguisher training for business employees. n CPR and first aid training for the public. n Replacement of firefighter turnout gear. n Continued excellence in emergency vehicle maintenance. n Continued firefighter and paramedic training. inside this issue: Issue Upcoming Events...3 Open House...1 Halloween...4 Capital Improvement...2 Historical District...5 Recovery House...2 Welcome...5 Fall/Winter Procedures...2 Bikepath Construction... 5 Chardon Tomorrow...3 Volunteers Needed...5 Bicycle Patrol...3 Important Numbers...6 As you consider this levy, please keep in mind the following facts: n Income from the levy can only be used to support fire and rescue services. n Fire and emergency rescue services are not supported by the City s income tax revenue. n The Chardon Fire Department continues to seek alternative funding in order to keep taxpayer cost down. n If the issue fails, the City will have no levy funding for fire and rescue services. If you have any questions about this levy, please contact the City Manager at (440)

2 2 The City s Capital Improvement Program Each year the city identifies projects for investment in its capital infrastructure. This document is known as the 5-Year Capital Improvement Program. The document ensures that the City s short and long-term infrastructure investments are matched to the City s needs and to the resources available to fund the projects. The Program is developed by taking the following factors into consideration: City Council goals, transportation, sanitary and storm sewer infrastructure needs, the City of Chardon Comprehensive Plan, City commitments, economic development goals, grant funding opportunities and anticipated revenues. The five-year program anticipates capital projects and is reviewed and updated annually to reflect the City s current priorities. Chardon City Council approved the Program at its September meeting. Capital projects can be new buildings, parks, roadway improvements and enhancements, sanitary and storm sewers, sidewalks, land acquisition, licensed vehicles, and machinery & equipment. The Program estimates an investment of $12,583,589 over the next five years. The two major projects anticipated for 2016 are: the construction of Meadowlands Drive Extension (including street, storm sewer, and water line construction) and Maple Avenue (including sanitary sewer, street, storm sewer, and water line construction). The Program also includes funding for engineering of the Moffett Avenue, Canfield Drive, and Canfield Extension Cul-de-sac projects as well as the purchase of two police vehicles and miscellaneous operating equipment for the Street, and Water & Sewer Departments. It is important to maintain the current assets of the City while positioning the infrastructure of Chardon to be prepared for the future. Thoughtful consideration and fiscal stewardship will continue to be the driving factors while accomplishing the capital improvements outlined in the Program. The Capital Improvement document can be found at the City s website at chardon.cc/201/plans. Recovery House Opens Its Doors Lake Geauga Recovery Center, an Ohio non-profit corporation licensed to provide addiction services, was issued a zoning certificate to operate a recovery house in the City of Chardon. A recovery house (3-5 residents) is a permitted use in all residential zoning districts within the City. The facilities are regulated by the Ohio Revised Code and Federal Fair Housing Act. A recovery house is where up to five (5) residents live after they have typically received three (3) or more months of successful rehab treatment at another facility for addiction. No notifications or public hearings (Planning Commission or City Council) are required under City Codified Ordinance for permitted uses. If you have any questions regarding recovery houses please contact the Planning & Zoning Department at (440) Leaf Collection As in past years, the City will be conducting a roadside leaf collection program. Weather permitting; the collection will start once a sufficient number of leaves have been put to the curb. Street crews will continue to pick up leaves throughout the neighborhoods until December 1. Leaves that are not collected this fall will be collected in the spring. Brush Collection The final brush collection for 2015 was on Monday, September 28. Please do not place any more brush along the roadway until the first collection next year. Information regarding dates and guidelines for the 2016 collection will be in the spring newsletter. Snow Removal With the approach of winter, please remember that it is the property/business owner s responsibility to keep their sidewalks clear. The City will continue to plow sidewalks as a service to the community. The sidewalks located around the schools are top priority for clearing. City employees cannot clear driveways filled-in by the sidewalk plow. Keeping the sidewalk clear of snow on both sides of the drive will help prevent this situation. Please inform anyone plowing snow from your property that City code prohibits pushing snow into the street. Snow Parking Ban In order for City snow plows to clear snow efficiently from parking lots and parking spaces, motorists are asked to refrain from having vehicles parked in these areas between the hours of midnight and 6 a.m. Please feel free to contact the office of Public Service at (440) for any questions or concerns that you may have.

3 3 Chardon Tomorrow, a not-for-profit civic and economic development organization, recently received notice of their acceptance into the Ohio Heritage Main Street Program. The Ohio Main Street Program works with communities across the state to revitalize their historic or traditional commercial areas and improve all aspects of their downtown areas. Chardon Tomorrow Accepted into the Heritage Ohio Main Street Program Chardon Tomorrow s mission is to preserve and enhance the character of Chardon by encouraging investment, fostering a sense of community and developing partnerships with community stakeholders to create a more vibrant and sustainable quality of life. Chardon Tomorrow s acceptance into the Main Street program will allow them to draw from best practices developed in other Main Street communities across the state to improve economic development, strengthen public participation and make Chardon a fun place to live, work and visit. As a Main Street Program member, Chardon Tomorrow can look forward to training, tools, information and networking they need for the City to strengthen its revitalization efforts. Since 2011, Chardon Tomorrow has been working towards this goal and the City is excited to support their efforts going forward. Chardon Police Start Bicycle Patrol Police officers on bicycles bring a new dimension to law enforcement and, more specifically, community policing efforts. In our continued focus on developing and strengthening ties with the community, putting officers on bicycles is a logical step for the Chardon Police Department, according to Chief Scott Niehus. Being on a bicycle gives the officer a chance to interact more closely with residents. Officers are more accessible to those on neighborhood streets, bike paths, walking paths, commercial parking lots and plazas. Being on a bicycle not only provides a more approachable officer, but it also lends itself to stealth for law enforcement efforts. Officers are able to access areas that the police cruisers cannot and, when needed, can do so more quietly and without detection. The bicycle is carried on a rack on the back of the patrol car so that the officer can quickly respond to calls when necessary, but yet have the bicycle available to the officer throughout their shift. The Chardon Police Bike Unit brings a new and innovative level of law enforcement and community policing to the visitors and citizens of the City of Chardon. Chardon Police Officers Mike Shaw and Paul Pfiester were the first officers to attend the certification course through the International Police Mountain Bike Association (IPMBA). The course is a full week consisting of both classroom learning and skills training. During the course the officers learned the laws pertaining to bicycle operations, basic bicycle nomenclature/repair, and safety/enforcement material in the classroom. For several hours each day, the officers practiced skills such as riding down stairs, jumping curbs, firearms use with the bicycle, and close quarter balancing and maneuvering skills. Each day also featured a long distance ride and an opportunity to interact with other bicycle officers from across the state. The officers are required to pass not only a written test at the end of the week, but also a skills test in order to achieve certification. The training prepares officers for the various situations and obstacles that a bike officer could encounter while on duty. fall/winter calendar of events OCTOBER 10 Fire Department Open House OCTOBER 31 Halloween Festivities 5:30 p.m.-7:30 p.m. Trick-or-Treat 7:30 p.m. parade followed by cider & donuts (sponsored by the police department) NOVEMBER 3 Election Day Please exercise your right to vote! NOVEMBER 11 Veterans Day Memorial Service 11 a.m. on the Square DECEMBER 3 Christmas Lighting Program Activities begin at 6:30 p.m. Lighting begins at 7 p.m. JANUARY 16 Winterfest Activities on the Square Time TBD

4 4 Watch Out for Children on Halloween As unbelievable as it may seem, fall is already upon us. Trick-or-Treat will be on Saturday, October 31 from 5:30-7:30 p.m. in the City of Chardon. As children take to the streets on Halloween to trick-or-treat, their risk of being injured by motorists increases greatly, according to Chief Niehus. In fact, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that Halloween is consistently one of the top three days for pedestrian injuries and fatalities, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that children are four times more likely to be struck by a motor vehicle on Halloween than any other day of the year. Because excited trick-or-treaters often forget about safety, motorists and parents must be even more alert. We hope that all motorists will be hyper-vigilant for children and pedestrians as the youngest treat-or-treaters will be out as it starts to get dark. Halloween is an extremely exciting and kid friendly holiday, which may cause kids to act out in an impulsive way. Please know where your children are at all times and do not allow them to go unsupervised. Chardon Police Officers will be on patrol during Trick-or-Treat again this year and by working together we can have a safe and Happy Halloween! Chief Scott Niehus Here are some tips from the AAA to help keep young ones safe on Halloween: Motorists n Slow down in residential neighborhoods and obey all traffic signs and signals. Drive at least five mph below the posted speed limit to give yourself extra time to react to children who may dart into the street. n Watch for children walking on roadways and curbs. In dark costumes, they ll be harder to see at night. n Look for children crossing the street. They may not be paying attention to traffic and cross the street mid-block or between parked cars. n Carefully enter and exit driveways and alleys. n Turn on your headlights to make yourself more visible even in the daylight. n Broaden your scanning by looking for children left and right into yards and front porches. Parents n Ensure an adult or an older responsible youth is available to supervise children under age 12. n Plan and discuss the route your trick-or-treaters will follow. n Instruct children to travel only in familiar areas and along established routes. n Teach children to stop only at well-lit houses and never enter a stranger s home or garage. n Establish a time for children to return home. n Tell children not to eat any treats until they get home. n Review trick-or-treating safety precautions, including pedestrian and traffic safety rules. n Make sure Halloween costumes are flame-retardant and visible with retro-reflective material. Trick-or-Treaters n Be bright at night wear retro-reflective tape on costumes and treat buckets to improve visibility to motorists and others. n Wear disguises that don t obstruct vision, and avoid facemasks. Instead, use nontoxic face paint. Also, watch the length of billowy costumes to help avoid tripping. n Ensure any props are flexible and blunt-tipped to avoid injury from tripping or horseplay. n Carry a flashlight containing fresh batteries, and place it face down in the treat bucket to free up one hand. Never shine it into the eyes of oncoming drivers. n Stay on sidewalks and avoid walking in streets if possible. n If there are no sidewalks, walk on the left side of the road, facing traffic. n Look both ways and listen for traffic before crossing the street. n Cross streets only at the corner, and never cross between parked vehicles or mid-block. n Trick-or-treat in a group if someone older cannot go with you. n Tell your parents where you are going. Halloween Activities Halloween activities in the City of Chardon will begin with Trick-or-Treating from 5:30-7:30 p.m. on Thursday, October, 31. The Halloween parade on the square starts at 7:30 p.m. followed by cider and doughnuts provided by the Chardon Police Department. Thanks to the Chardon Square Association for their assistance with this event.

5 Uptown Historical District Guidelines On September 10, 2015 City Council adopted a zoning overlay known as the Uptown Historical District. The guidelines for developed through the collaborative efforts of the Chardon Tomorrow Design Committee, City Architect Dominick Durante, Planning Commission and City Staff. The Uptown Historical District includes non-residential properties located within the C-2 Chardon Mixed Use District and the S Special District. It does not include residential properties that have been included in previous Historic Districts. The Uptown Historical District has been established to raise the minimum standards in and around the Square with regards to development. The overlay district gives Planning Commission additional design control over buildings that are being renovated around the Square. It also establishes a process for property owners wishing to demolish a building within the Uptown Historical District. The full text of the Uptown Historical District guidelines can be obtained by contacting the Planning & Zoning Department at (440) or syaney@chardon.cc. Welcome New Businesses! University Hospital Education Center 602 South Street Osteo Strong 520 Fifth Avenue n Wellness Chardon Family Eye Care 373 Center Street Mapleview Country Villa Nursing Home Facility 775 South Street Huntington Bank (Giant Eagle Branch) 351 Center Street Maple Highlands Trail Connector Bikepath Construction Underway Eclipse Company LLC (Chagrin Falls) is currently constructing the first phase of the Maple Highlands Trail Connector through Chardon. Maple Highlands Trail Phase 1 will run from the section of trail that was recently installed by the Geauga Park District on Fifth Avenue to Water Street. Construction began in June 2015 with completion tentatively scheduled for early October The total project cost including design, construction, and property acquisition is estimated to be $651,000 with $521,200 (80%) of the project being paid for by a Transportation Enhancement Grant from Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency. When completed, the Maple Highlands Trail Connector will connect the existing trail from South Street (SR 44) through the city with the trail that has been extended into the city along the old railroad right-of-way through the industrial park to Fifth Avenue by the Geauga Park District. Volunteers Needed on City Boards and Commissions The City of Chardon has openings on the cable television commission, tax incentive review council, public power commission, board of ethics review, shade tree commission and audit committee. To be eligible to serve, an individual must be a registered voter and a resident of the City of Chardon. Anyone interested in serving in one of these positions should submit a letter of interest to the office of the Clerk of Council, Amy Day, located at 111 Water Street, Chardon, Ohio or aday@chardon.cc.

6 VOTE NOVEMBER 3rd! PRESORTED STANDARD U.S. POSTAGE PAID CHARDON, OH PERMIT #24 City Council Meetings Council meetings are held on the second Thursday of every month at 6:30 p.m. located at 111 Water Street. Stay facebook.com/cityofchardon City Administration City Manager Randal B. Sharpe Finance Director Mate Rogonjic Planning/Zoning Administrator Steven Yaney Director of Public Service Paul Hornyak Chief of Police Scott Niehus Director of Parks/Recreation Joe Rodriguez Elected Officials Mayor Philip King Council Members Andrew Blackley John Mallen Nancy McArthur Dan Meleski Deborah Reiter Jeffrey Smock Important Numbers Administration Finance Water & Sewer Police (non-emergency) Planning & Zoning Public Service Streets EMERGENCY...911