Village Council Early February Meeting

Village Council met Monday evening, where the police department recognized their Officer of the Year, we all learned a little bit about odor control at the wastewater treatment plant, and the Carriage Stone sidewalk plan passed another big milestone.

Quick Hits

Jason Fischer is CFPD’s 2024 Officer of the Year
Council authorized the administration to put the Evergreen Cemetery Expansion project out to bid
At the request of some downwind neighbors, the village will continue working to improve odor control at the Wastewater Treatment Plant
Council approved all event applications from the Jaycees and United Methodist Church

Carriage Stone Sidewalks

After more than twenty years (!) of off-and-on discussions Carriage Stone sidewalks are one step closer to becoming reality. Council passed a Resolution of Necessity by a vote of 6 - 0 (one council member was absent). Although I was an early proponent of this project the decision to vote in favor of it was not an easy one. The majority of the cost of construction (estimated to be around $10,000 each) will be borne by the neighboring property owners, and support for the project was not unanimous. Earlier this year an anonymous survey was sent to all 35 of those who will be assessed. The survey consisted of a single question: are you in favor of or opposed to building a sidewalk?

Parks Commission February Meeting

The Parks Commission met Wednesday and reviewed a lot of park event applications, caught up on business in Riverside and Grove Hill Parks, and heard a proposal from Dogwood Valley Garden Club.

Housekeeping

Anne Wombwell de Coningh was reelected chair, and the December meeting minutes were approved.

Park Event Applications

A year’s worth of Jaycees event applications were recommended to council, including the Easter Egg Hunt, Blossom Time, Trucks by the Falls, Oktubafest, Holiday Display, Lighting of the Greens, and Deck the Falls.

Facilities & Services Committee January Meeting

The Facilities & Services Committee will meet Thursday evening, January 30 at 7:00 pm in Council Chambers at Village Hall.

Erinn Grube was elected chairperson, followed by a presentation on the Evergreen Hill Cemetery Stream Daylighting and Gravesite Expansion projects.

A satellite photo of Evergreen Cemetery in Chagrin Falls, Ohio. The left (south) side of the plan shows a stream -- currently underground in a culvert -- that will be daylighted, and several areas that will be made suitable for additional gravesites. — Evergreen Cemetery Expansion Plan

Village Council Late January Meeting

Village Council will met Monday and confirmed new appointments to village boards and commissions, extended the moratorium on grave sales for the remainder of 2025, and reviewed a few legislative items.

Appointments to Boards & Commissions

Council confirmed the Mayor’s appointments to various boards and commissions. Most terms are for three years, except the Board of Zoning Appeals and Planning & Zoning Commission which are four years. The complete list of members can be viewed at the Unofficial Codified Ordinances of Chagrin Falls Ohio: Committees, Boards, and Commissions.

Evergreen Cemetery

Due to limited availability, Council voted to extend the moratorium on pre-sales of full size graves for the remainder of 2025. Graves will be sold in cases of immediate need. Plans to expand the cemetery and provide additional inventory are in the works.

Safety Committee January Meeting

The Safety Committee will meet Monday evening, January 27 at 6:30 pm in Council Chambers at Village Hall.

We’ll elect a chairperson, continue our review of the Downtown Traffic and Safety Study (PDF), and consider making permanent the 3-way stop at the intersection of East Orange, North, and Mill Streets.

Village Council Early January Meeting

Council held our first regular meeting of the year with a mix of new and old business, and some very good news for the village.

More Infrastructure Improvements Coming

The village has been awarded $3,500,000 for water and wastewater infrastructure as part of the Thomas R. Carper Water Resources Development Act of 2024, which was signed into law by President Biden on January 4, 2024. This money will go a long way towards repairing and replacing the remaining sections of our century-plus old stormwater and sanitary sewer infrastructure.