Cleveland · issues
Civic issues
Topics getting the most attention in Cleveland public meetings, ranked by how frequently they come up.
Cleveland Public Power Strategic Plan & Reliability
CPP presented its new strategic plan focusing on grid reliability, safety, customer service, and vegetation management, while council members pushed for stricter timelines and answers regarding frequent outages.
Animal Control and Dangerous Dog Regulation Alignment
Council members and safety officials debated the effectiveness of the city's $212,000 third-party wildlife trapping contract with Freeman. Experts noted that trapping healthy animals creates a 'vacuum effect' that actually increases nuisance wildlife, leading to proposed shifts toward education and deterrence.
Bright City Lighting System Contract Modification
A resident advocated for a city program to replace outdated lighting fixtures in senior homes to improve safety and prevent falls.
Chapter 630 Nuisance Abatement Enforcement
Council members reviewed enforcement data on the city's property nuisance ordinance, which targets problem properties and absentee landlords with escalating fines and tax liens. Officials reported 47 active nuisance properties citywide.
Connect and Protect grant delays
A three-year grant awarded in 2023 was supposed to end September 30, 2026, but its biggest piece — mental health dispatchers — still hasn't started because of the city's slow contracting. Councilwoman Howse-Jones called the delay embarrassing and demanded accountability before 2027.
Traffic enforcement gaps
Council members say residents are demanding speed tables because they see almost no traffic enforcement. The chair has 36 streets requesting speed tables and says requests for enforcement have gone unmet; police say every officer can enforce traffic but calls for service come first.
State Vocational Planning Center Landmark Designation
The city is officially recognizing the historic former Cleveland Trust Company branch at Kamm's Corners as a landmark to celebrate neighborhood history and architecture.
Cleveland Hopkins Airport Biofilm Treatment Plant
Port control is upgrading de-icing collection systems at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport to prevent chemical runoff from creating harmful nuisance biofilms in local waterways like Rocky River.
Upcoming City Council Legislative Review
City Council members are meeting in caucus to go over upcoming legislation and discuss local policies before they reach the full council floor.
County Jail Relocation and City Court Renovation Costs
The city is evaluating lease extensions with Cuyahoga County for the municipal court and police division spaces inside the Justice Center.
Public Safety Administration Facility at Former Miles School
The city is proposing to purchase and renovate the recently closed Miles School on the southeast side to house Fire and EMS administrative offices and a youth vocational program. While officials highlight the opportunity to decentralize operations and partner with CMSD, some council members and union representatives have expressed strong concerns about the distance from downtown and project costs.
Stokes Boulevard and Wade Park Avenue Resurfacing Projects
The committee advanced multiple major street resurfacing projects across the city, including State Road, Shaker Boulevard, and Brookpark Road. These projects incorporate federal and state funding, roadway repairs, and traffic calming features such as protected bike lanes and speed tables.
ODOT Transportation and Infrastructure Partnerships
ODOT wants to install new traffic warning signs and detection cameras along I-90 and SR-176. Council members raised concerns about city maintenance responsibilities and potential data collection capabilities.
Ethics and Discretionary Food Assistance in Cleveland
Council members and experts debated whether distributing grocery cards and other discretionary aid to low-income residents constitutes ethical constituent service or problematic political patronage.
Warren Road Bridge Deck Replacement over I-90
The city is partnering with the state to replace the aging deck on the Warren Road bridge over Interstate 90, keeping commuter routes safe.
Cleveland Hopkins International Airport Infrastructure and Training
Cleveland is continuing its contract with Air Force One, Inc. to service heating and cooling systems at both Hopkins and Burke Lakefront airports to keep facilities operating properly.
Data Center Permit Moratorium Extension
Council announced upcoming public meetings to address data center developments and community concerns regarding energy and infrastructure impacts.
Good Food Retailer Certification and Tax Credit Program
State Representative Terrence Upchurch and Council members urged support for House Bill 543, which provides small grants to retail chains in food deserts to offer fresh produce.
Opposition to Federal Census Bureau Demographic Rule Changes
Council strongly condemned proposed federal census rules that would exclude undocumented residents and noncitizens while dropping race and ethnicity questions. Leaders warned it would severely damage federal funding and civil rights protections.
Cleveland EMS Training and Paracemic Pipeline
City officials discussed EMS staffing levels, vehicle deployment, and expanded training agreements with vocational academies to ensure full staffing and rapid emergency response across all wards.
Shore-to-Core-to-Shore TIF and Federal Infrastructure Grant
Cleveland received a $1.15 million federal grant to hire technical advisors for major lakefront and riverfront development projects. Council members pressed officials on how these funds will be used, particularly regarding potential changes to the Shoreway and coordination with development corporations.
Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District Big Creek Storage Tunnel Easements and Park Impacts
The Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District is acquiring easements at Emory and Estabrook parks for a major stormwater tunnel project, providing over $670,000 for park improvements and restoration.
Proposed Waste Collection Citation and Civil Enforcement Overhaul
Waste collection officials discussed the purchase of 10,000 to 12,000 replacement trash carts, street receptacles, and compactors. Council members raised concerns regarding bulk pickup guidelines, trash cart return enforcement, and resident communication during weather emergencies.
Temporary Employment Contracts and Workplace Safety
Lawmakers approved annual contracts for temporary and seasonal workers used by public works and parks, implementing strict new rules prohibiting weapons and drugs on the job to protect regular city employees.
Air Pollution Control Code Overhaul
Cleveland is considering its first major overhaul of its air pollution control code in nearly 50 years to address cumulative health impacts, indoor air quality, and industrial emissions.
Police District Facilities Modernization Update
Leopardo provided an update on the $21 million energy savings performance contract upgrading all five police district buildings, improving HVAC, boilers, and officer morale.
Municipal Bond Authorizations for Capital Improvements
The council approved a series of major bond ordinances authorizing up to millions in borrowing for street repairs, park upgrades, municipal buildings, and public works vehicles.
Juvenile Diversion and PASS Program Oversight
The committee reviewed the operation of the PASS Program, which helps direct at-risk youth away from the criminal justice system. Council members discussed officer discretion, parental consent barriers, and mandated quarterly reporting to ensure accountability.
Brook Park Development Traffic and Airport Impact Coordination
Council members raised concerns about traffic congestion and potential parking spillover at Cleveland Hopkins Airport resulting from proposed stadium developments in Brook Park. Officials discussed the need for localized traffic modeling to verify NOACA estimates regarding event-day travel times.
Accessibility and Communication Services for Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Residents
Community advocates testified on the lack of proper sign language interpretation and communication access for deaf residents in public meetings and law enforcement interactions.
Automated External Defibrillator (AED) Legislation Initiative
Advocates urged the City Council to pass legislation requiring increased deployment of AEDs across the city to improve sudden cardiac arrest survival rates.
Outsourcing City Employee Benefit and Training Programs
City Council members raised significant concerns regarding the city's heavy reliance on third-party consultants and outside firms for human resources functions such as FMLA, EAP, and executive recruitment, questioning whether internal staff capacity should be rebuilt instead.
Public Utilities Infrastructure Maintenance and Proprietary Contracts
The committee advanced multiple requirement contracts and non-competitive agreements for the Department of Public Utilities to maintain drinking water systems, Cleveland Public Power electrical grids, Lake Erie water quality buoys, and underwater facilities.
Food Shop License Fees and Inspection Operations
City officials reviewed annual food safety fees and inspection workloads, with council members raising concerns about fees for temporary event vendors and staffing levels in the health department.
Playhouse Square Parking Lot Lease and Development Option
The city is leasing a municipal parking lot at 1301-1325 Chester Avenue to Playhouse Square Foundation for 10 years, with an option to buy for $1.6 million. The deal aims to support the entertainment district's growth while securing steady revenue and future development potential.
Lake Erie Water Quality Monitoring
The city renewed its partnership with the Cleveland Water Alliance to maintain four monitoring buoys in Lake Erie, providing critical early warnings for algae blooms and water temperature shifts.
CMSD Extracurricular Funding and Athletic Facility Conditions
Council members debated allocating nearly $1 million to support CMSD extracurricular and athletic programs while raising serious concerns about inadequate security, poor facility maintenance, and unfulfilled promises for school athletic tracks like John Marshall High School.
E-bike Rebate Program
Cleveland is teaming up with Bike Cleveland to launch a pilot e-bike rebate program, putting cash back in residents' pockets for buying eco-friendly rides. If you've been eyeing an electric bike to get around town cheaper and greener, now is your chance to save.
Age-Friendly Mail Access Initiative for Seniors
Councilman Starr introduced a resolution urging the USPS to work with city council, CMHA, and senior housing providers to install secure outgoing mail slots in senior residential buildings.
Liquor License Renewal
Cleveland City Council is moving to block a local restaurant's liquor license renewal due to ongoing neighborhood controversies. If this place is in your rotation, keep an eye out—it could face major changes or even shut down depending on how the city handles the permit.
Playhouse Square DORA Establishment
The city considered establishing a Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area (DORA) for the Playhouse Square theater district to allow open containers during community events and arts festivals.
Regional Development Deal
Cleveland City Council just greenlit a major regional deal with Brook Park focused on the I-X Center, clearing the path for big new developments out that way. This agreement sets up future growth and collaboration between the city and suburbs.
FirstEnergy Proposed Rate Increase
Council members raised serious concerns over First Energy's request to lower state reliability standards and allow longer power outage response times, highlighting past corporate scandals and the vital need for reliable electrical service.
Citywide Towing and Impoundment Fee Restructuring
Cleveland is updating its towing regulations and raising standard fees for the first time since 2014 to help local towers combat inflation, diesel prices, and labor costs. However, council members successfully intervened to keep stolen vehicle recovery fees from jumping, shielding crime victims from unfair extra costs.
Community Relations Board Appointee Review
Council members challenged Community Relations Board re-appointees on the lack of clear strategic plans, measurable goals, and data tracking for intergroup and interracial relations within the city.
Data Center Prohibition in Form-Based Zoning
In response to resident concerns, council members and city planners added an amendment explicitly banning large-scale data centers from the newly rezoned areas.
Landfill Solar Power Generation Facilities
The city is using federal grant funds to build solar power arrays on former landfill sites to reduce energy costs and promote clean energy.
Admissions Tax Exemption for Local Music Venues
Councilman Harsh introduced legislation to raise the admissions tax exemption capacity limit from 150 to 750 seats to help struggling local independent music clubs recover from pandemic losses.
DigitalC Broadband Expansion and 2025 Progress Report
The city authorized 2025 funding payments to DigitalC following a verified performance audit, praising the local non-profit for successfully connecting households to digital infrastructure.
DigitalC Broadband Subscription Funding & Performance Monitoring
The city approved a $4.35 million payment to DigitalC for 2025 internet subscriptions and digital adoption. Following past reporting issues, the city instituted mandatory quarterly reviews and internal audits to track performance metrics.