Short-Term Rentals

Council passed Ordinance 2024-38 by a vote of 6-1. This ordinance creates a requirement for anyone renting a room or entire home for less than 30 days to register annually with the village, and meet safety standards.

I didn’t vote for it because – as written – the process is opaque and complaint-driven. Registered Short-term Rental properties won’t be listed on the village website, so there will be no easy way for neighbors to know which properties are legal. Registrations are not required to be displayed on short-term rental platform listings, so renters will have no easy way of determining which properties are legal. I preferred an alternate version that includes additional Hosting Platform Accountability measures.

Park Events

The commission voted to recommend the Chagrin Documentary Film Festival request to use Triangle Park as in past years.

Geese in Riverside Park

…are still a problem. Rob says the village is looking into services to deal with them.

Ohio Historical Marker

We discussed again the possibility of a second Ohio Historical Marker (like the one by the popcorn shop) to be placed near the entrance to Riverside Park along the hardware store side. The topic would be New Deal projects in Chagrin Falls, like the wall on Grove Hill and the old Post Office. Anne will follow up with John at the Chagrin History Center to fill him in.

Architectural Board of Review Member Appointment

Ordinance 2024-32 was left on readings. This ordinance updates the code to reflect changes that were approved by voters in the March 2024 Primary Election. The change adds two additional voting members chosen by Council. Five people have applied, and applications are being accepted until July 31.

Short Term Rental Regulations

Ordinance 2024-38 was left on readings. This ordinance adds a new chapter to the code for the purpose of regulating short-term rentals by requiring registration with the village. I don’t think the rules are enforceable in their current form. I’ve asked the law director add Platform Accountability measures to ensure compliance and give the administration a way to de-list illegal short-term rentals.

Although I was the only member present I was joined by Council members Angie DeBernardo, Don Gutierrez, and Andrew Rockey, CAO Rob Jamieson, Chief of Police Amber Dacek, and Paul Ciupa and Aleksa Cyvas from CT Consultants (the village engineering firm).

I called this meeting to continue the work that we started at the end of 2023, when council submitted a list of Requests for CT Consultants. We asked for guidance regarding a variety of changes we could implement to make our downtown a safer and more welcoming place for pedestrians.

Park Events

Shakespeare by the Falls will be held on August 10 & 11 in Riverside Park. Safe Routes Chagrin will host students from the Intermediate School once again for Walk to Town in Riverside Park.

Strategic Plan

We again discussed the desire for a survey to better understand what the community wants from their village parks. Anne will request that the topic be added to the next Facilities & Services Committee agenda. Rob mentioned that the City of Shaker Heights is currently undertaking a Recreation Strategic Plan.

July 4th Community Event

Chagrin History Center

Strategic Plan

June 10 Facilities & Services meeting

The Grove Hill Park Commission met this morning, where it was announced by Chair Nancy Rogoff that bids for the remaining work to repair the Cottage Street retaining wall and planting to stabilize the adjacent hillsides would not be released until June of this year. Plans for this work were developed, approved, and budgeted for 2023. Part of the wall repair work was completed in the fall of 2023, until it stopped due to the weather.

Blossom

Blossom Time will return to Riverside Park for the long weekend leading up to Memorial Day. There will be some adjustments to the layout to make it work with the Main Street Bridge rehabilitation project, but the changes should be relatively minor and confined to the front of Riverside along the wing wall. I’ll be recommending the event application to council on Monday evening.

Riverside Park Pavilion

Council previously voted to build a new pavilion on the eastern edge of the park. The Village Engineer is putting together some options for us to consider. This project will be in the 2024 budget, with construction likely starting in the second half of the year.