Here is the agenda for tonight’s Council Meeting:
In the Work Session, we will be discussing:
- Continuing discussing if the Criminal Activity Nuisance ordinance appeal needs to be changed. At this point, I believe that the Council has decided not to make any changes, and this should be the final discussion on this matter for the time being.
- Continuing the discussion of adding a fine to the ordinance that outlines when trash can be placed at the curb and when the trash cans should be in by. The current system only allows for a court appearance citation to be given, as opposed to a fine. This means that if the City cites you for a trash can being left out, you then get a court date, you show up at court and the court determines your fine. This is a rather involved process and full enforcement of the current ordinance could overload the court system with this relatively minor infraction. The argument is also made that because the penalty is so much time after the infraction, that it may not be effective. As I understand it, adding a straight fine though would add an issue as the police would then need to hand out the tickets and there may not be enough properly trained manpower to do that. This discussion will likely continue for a few sessions.
- Discussing the Board of Zoning appointment. Would you like to join a Board for the City? The City is currently accepting resumes for all of the Boards. If interested, please send your resume to Lorree Villers at lvillers@bedfordoh.gov or mail it to 165 Center Rd., Bedford, OH 44146
- Continuing discussions about the sign ordinances. The 2 items that sparked this discussion is considering clarifying whether or not window lights are allowed in the Historic District and, if we feel they are allowed by ordinance, should they be allowed and the fact that there is currently a ban on signage that sits in the right-of-way (aka the sidewalk). There was some question about the flags on the sidewalk from business owners, but a review of this part of the ordinance showed that it also bans sandwich boards, easels or any other kind of signage that might sit on the sidewalk. The window part is already being read in Regular session and we will be doing 3 readings.
- We will be finalizing the decision to hire a videography company to film and post Council meetings.
In the Regular session:
- Voting on making it so that in order to claim your rebate for joining Bedford Hts Community Center, you would need to do so during the length of your membership. I expect this to be a 2nd reading.
- Voting on banning window outlining lights in the Historic District. This will be a second reading.
- Accepting grant money from NOPEC
- Rezoning 17800 Broadway LLC & Qua, Inc. properties to be B-2A. This was apparently an oversight when the area around these properties were rezoned to B-2A. The business that is there has been there for some time and all surrounding properties are zoned as this.