COUNTY PLANNING NEWSLETTER
July 2026
| | 2026 Community Planning Service Program Awards | | |
County Planning is excited to announce five new projects that were awarded planning services as part of our annual Community Planning Services Program (CPSP). Through CPSP, County Planning offers its professional planning services to communities on a competitive basis and at reduced cost. This year, applications were made available in April 2026, and 12 applications were received and evaluated. The applications requested a variety of planning services including master plans, zoning code updates, active transportation plans, site plans, trails & wayfinding plans, corridor plans, mapping, and parks & open space plans. On June 26, the following Cuyahoga County communities were awarded planning services for these projects:
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Bedford Heights: Master Plan
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Oakwood Village: Master Plan
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Rocky River: Detroit Road Corridor and Streetscape Plan
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Seven Hills: Park Connectivity Study
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Shaker Heights: Online Interactive Map
Projects will kick off in the coming months following detailed scoping and will include robust community engagement, with web pages, public meetings, surveys, and draft materials. Gathering input from community leaders, community stakeholders, and residents is a key component of formulating the plans that we produce. The completed plans will provide guidance for implementing recommended actions.
| | Cleveland Foundation Grant Award for Unified Zoning Code | | County Planning has been awarded a grant of $150,000 from the Cleveland Foundation to advance the Unified Zoning Code initiative. This initiative is a coordinated effort to address outdated zoning regulations with modernized standards that will unlock development opportunities. The project aims to reduce barriers with an opt-in zoning ordinance that will be held and maintained by County Planning, yet adopted and administered by individual communities. | | Applications Released for Infrastructure Grants & Loans | | |
County Planning, in its role as administrator of the Ohio Public Works Commission's State Infrastructure Programs for Cuyahoga County, has released applications for the next round of funding. Approximately $35 million is available for State Fiscal Year 2028 which began July 1, 2026. This state program, funded through proceeds from a voted statewide bond issue, offers grants and loans through four programs.
These programs fund local public infrastructure improvements for road, bridges, water supply, wastewater treatment, septic system conversion, storm water collection, and solid waste disposal projects. After the applications are evaluated and ranked, the recommendations are sent to the OPWC for further review.
Important dates to note:
| | Reminder: Comprehensive Safety Action Plan RFP | | Please remember that responses to the request for proposals to develop a Comprehensive Safety Action Plan for Cuyahoga County are due by July 20. In response to inquiries, County Planning staff composed a set of frequently asked questions about the application process. | | Clean Ohio Program Applications Received | | |
On behalf of the Ohio Public Works Commission (OPWC), County Planning administers the state-funded Clean Ohio Greenspace Conservation Program for Cuyahoga County. Clean Ohio's fiscal year 2027 allocation to Cuyahoga County will be approximately $3.2 million, with funding available for projects that preserve, improve, and permanently protect open spaces, sensitive ecological areas, and riparian corridors. Recommendations for funding are made by the Cuyahoga County Natural Resources Assistance Council (NRAC).
Four projects were submitted by the application deadline of June 19, 2026. The applicants and projects are:
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Bay Village: Cahoon Creek Riparian Corridor Enhancement Project
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Cleveland Metroparks & West Creek Conservancy: West Creek Reservation Expansion and Preservation
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Cleveland Metroparks: Irishtown Bend Park Improvements
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Cleveland Metroparks: Land Preservation in the East Branch Rocky River Watershed
The evaluation of these projects is currently underway. Applicant interviews will be held on July 22. Project scores will then be evaluated by the NRAC on August 19, with the final recommendations for funding made to the OPWC in early fall. The OPWC will announce the projects that are awarded funding in December.
| | On Saturday, June 27, Cuyahoga County opened the lower deck of the Veterans Memorial Bridge to the public. Over 9,600 people attended this annual event that provided a unique look at this transportation venue that was shuttered in the 1950s. Cuyahoga County is currently looking at ways to invigorate this beautiful public asset for eventual use and County Planning staff who participated were among the over 100 county employees from various departments who gave tours and answered questions. Our thanks to County Planning's Anette Linden, Srushti Rahigude, and Paul Triolo for volunteering. | | Images courtesy of Cuyahoga County | |
Public Feedback Opportunities for the Bedford Master Plan
County Planning relies on community engagement when developing plans for communities. We will be at Bedford's Liberty Days on July 11 and 12 to speak with residents about their community and gather input for the Bedford Master Plan.
Bike-with-a-Mayor in Richmond Heights
You can join Richmond Heights leaders for a Bike-with-a-Mayor ride on Saturday, July 11, from 10:00 to 11:30 a.m.
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Thanks for taking the time to read our newsletter! If you found the information valuable, please consider forwarding it to a friend or colleague. Please let us know if there are opportunities for us to collaborate with you.
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