Street Repaving Update

Cleveland Heights completes repaving on thirteen roads

North Park, Maple, Parkhill, Yellowstone, Northampton, Bayreuth, Hanover, Goodnor, Marlindale, East Scarborough, Kingston, Whitby, and Euclid Heights Boulevard—the city's road contractor has completed final paving on these roadways. Final striping of the roadways remains.

Please be aware of your surroundings when driving these roads. Follow the directions of the roadway crews. Thank you for your patience.

Yellowstone Road (Noble to Monticello)

The 'base course' has been installed. The contractor is installing catch-basins and a new crosswalk at the intersection of Hartwood Road this week. The 'surface course' will be installed the week of August 25. All vehicles must be off the street by 7 am to ensure work can continue. No through traffic will be permitted on Yellowstone until after the week of August 25, 2025.

East Fairfax (Lee to Taylor)

Roadway work started this week. Crews are installing new curbs and partial aprons on the north side of Fairfax and conducting repairs on the south side of the street.

Residents, please note:

Street parking is prohibited after 7 am
Follow posted signs and construction notices from the contractor
Trash pickup will take place from 6 - 7 am [place items out by 6 am]
The estimated completion time is 3 - 4 weeks, weather permitting.

Bellfield Avenue Valve Replacement (Cleveland Water)

Cleveland Water Department valve replacements are complete. Seeding and mulching of the tree lawns where work was done will be conducted this week.

Thank you for your patience during this construction season.

Park Synagogue Redevelopment

At its August 18 meeting, Mayor Kahlil Seren introduced two items for First Reading to support redevelopment of the former Park Synagogue (3300 Mayfield Rd.) into a mixed-use arts campus with improved public access.

ORDINANCE NO. 167-2025(PD) — Authorizes the Mayor to provide a $1.25 million loan to Sustainable Communities Associates to “undertake construction improvements to the Mendelsohn Building for the use of the same as an educational and cultural facility as part of an overall renovation of the Property.”
ORDINANCE NO. 168-2025(PD) — Introduced to “execute a grant agreement with [non-profit group] Friends of Mendelsohn in the sum of $750,000.00 to fund trails, walkways, sidewalks, site lighting, and landscaping improvements to the property located at 3300 Mayfield Road.” This grant would help maintain forested areas and restore/enhance public walking paths and Dugway Brook on the site.

From the Mayor

“The Park Synagogue project is near-universally understood as an important and catalytic redevelopment opportunity for the City of Cleveland Heights. The direct and indirect benefits of this project will provide value to the people of Cleveland Heights for generations. After almost four years of work and partnership with Sustainable Community Associates, we are close to the finish line. The ball is in City Council’s court now; I hope they see how critical it is for the City to continue to support such a major step in our evolution as a city.”

— Mayor Kahlil Seren

What’s next: These items received First Reading on August 18 and will return to Council for further consideration.

City meetings are posted on the Cleveland Heights YouTube channel: youtube.com/user/ClevelandHeightsOH.

Residents are encouraged to follow the discussion and share feedback as Council considers these measures.

Capital Projects 2025 Update

Cleveland Heights’ Capital Projects Map was recently updated to reflect changes in the 2025 road-resurfacing schedule—part of the administration’s 2025 Capital Projects Plan proposed by Mayor Kahlil Seren and adopted by City Council, with delivery led by Public Works and partner utilities.

Updates include:

Maple Road revised to show only the section being repaved
Windsor Road removed
Northampton Road repaving added
Walden Road resurfacing added
Goodnor Road (between Cedar and Superior) resurfacing added
Marlindale Road added

On March 17, 2025, Public Works Director Collette Clinkscale reported to City Council that this year’s plan includes a substantial slate of road and underground-utility improvements:

14 road resurfacing projects
19 lead-based waterline replacements (by Cleveland Water)
4 sewer line replacement projects
3 gas line replacements
27 sanitary/storm sewer separation projects
2 parking lot repavings
2 parking garage repairs, plus numerous catch-basin repairs and road surface crack-sealing jobs

The City’s Public Works Department is having a very busy year. “We have a very aggressive schedule,” Clinkscale confirmed.

Notable projects include major repairs to the Surrey Road parking garage in the Cedar-Fairmount District (completed) and a federally funded water-and-sewer line replacement on Yellowstone Road between Noble Road and Monticello Boulevard (underway). The Yellowstone project is supported by ARPA dollars—federal funding incorporated into the City’s capital program by the Seren administration and approved by Council.

“We have a lot of ARPA-funded projects to work through,” Clinkscale said, noting there is significant work to complete before the end of 2026, when ARPA dollars must be fully expended.

Cleveland Heights Brings Building Department Fully In-House

Cleveland Heights has completed its transition to an entirely in-house Building Department, ending the City’s use of a third-party inspection vendor. With two inspectors hired this summer, the City now has four inspectors serving the public, supported by three permit technicians.

In 2024, Mayor Kahlil Seren appointed Chief Building Official (CBO) Eric Elmi and directed an administrative transition to restore in-house permitting and inspections. Working with City Council, the administration proposed staffing and updates to the fee and permit structure to improve accountability and service.

New hires & capacity

In August, CBO Eric Elmi hired John Dasher and Reza Rowshan—both Plumbing and Building specialists—bringing the inspection team to four and positioning the department to conclude its contract with SAFEbuilt. This vendor had provided inspections before the City’s move to an elected-mayor form of government.

“With this move, we’re ensuring contractors are more informed,” Elmi said, adding that a department goal is to increase awareness among contractors that permits protect them and their customers—Cleveland Heights residents and building owners. “The culture will change as word gets around. If you work in Cleveland Heights, you have to get a permit.”

Elmi noted that updated penalty fees will help deter unpermitted work and that field presence will increase: “On top of the fee structure being updated, penalty fees are significant enough to weed out the bad apples. This behavior of work without permit we hope will be decreased by inspectors in the field.”

Why in-house matters

Bringing the Building Department in-house strengthens responsiveness, oversight, and coordination with Planning, Housing, and Code Enforcement. While third-party services provided a bridge, operating with City staff supports consistent standards, better communication, and proactive field work.

Cleveland Heights pursues Bicycle Friendly Community renewal

In 2014, Cleveland Heights was first recognized by the League of American Bicyclists as a Bronze Bicycle Friendly Community (BFC). Today, Cleveland Heights is among 460 communities nationwide with this designation—reflecting progress made and room to grow. The League provides a roadmap to help cities reach the next level; for Cleveland Heights, that goal is Silver. This renewal effort is part of the administration’s mobility and safety priorities advanced by Mayor Kahlil Seren and adopted by City Council.

To support the renewal, the League is conducting a survey of cyclists in Cleveland Heights. Responses will guide where to focus improvements—attracting more residents to bike, educating drivers to share the road, and adopting standards that make streets more bicycle-friendly.

In 2018, Cleveland Heights—working closely with its citizen-led Transportation Advisory Committee (now the Transportation & Mobility Committee)—adopted a Complete & Green Streets ordinance requiring bike, pedestrian, transit, and green infrastructure in major road projects. At the time, it was recognized nationally for its vision of “moving people, not just vehicles.”

More recently, the City produced a Comprehensive & Equitable Safety Action Plan (CESAP) and a Regional Active Transportation Plan—data-driven documents shaped by resident input. City Council adopted these plans via mayor-introduced legislation, and they now guide how the City prioritizes bike/ped investments (for example, by following nationally recognized bike-friendly design manuals).

In addition, Cleveland Heights has adopted a traffic-calming plan, installed speed humps and roundabouts, and is working toward a Cuyahoga County–sponsored bike share agreement. These on-the-ground steps align with the administration’s safety program while reflecting Council’s policy direction and resident feedback.

Cleveland Heights encourages cyclists of all ages and abilities to take the survey and share their experience riding in the city. The League will use the results to determine the City’s BFC status and identify areas for improvement, with an update expected this fall.

Join a City Board or Commission

Cleveland Heights City Council is accepting applications from residents to serve on several boards and commissions. If you’re passionate about shaping our community, we encourage you to apply.

Current Vacancies:

Board of Zoning Appeals — 1 vacancy
Citizens Advisory Committee — 5 vacancies (open to applicants from any neighborhood)
Commission on Aging — multiple vacancies
Landmark Commission — 1 vacancy
Environmental Sustainability Committee — 1 vacancy

How to Apply:

Submit an application: Apply online or download the form and return it by:
Email: abalester@clevelandheights.gov
Drop-off: Cleveland Heights City Hall, 40 Severance Circle

Deadline (extended): Monday, August 25, 2025 at 9:00 AM (ET).

Questions? Email abalester@clevelandheights.gov

Fair Housing Workshops: Know Your Rights

(Free—Registration Required)

The City of Cleveland Heights and the Fair Housing Center for Rights & Research are offering two free, in-person seminars to help residents and landlords understand their rights and responsibilities under fair housing law.

Topics include:

• Federal, State & Local Fair Housing Laws

• Protected Classes

• Additional Protections for People with Disabilities

• Prohibited Acts

• Emerging Issues

• Goals of Fair Housing

For Landlords

Thursday, August 28, 2025 | 5:30–7:30 PM

Lee Road Branch, Heights Libraries

(2345 Lee Rd, Cleveland Heights, OH 44118)

Or register by phone: (216) 306-2539

Questions?

Fair Housing Center for Rights & Research

Email: education@thehousingcenter.org

Upcoming City Town Halls – 1 Monticello Blvd at 6:15 PM

Join us for a series of community town halls focused on transparency, local priorities, and two-way conversation. All events will be held at 1 Monticello Blvd and begin at 6:15 PM.

Thursday, August 28, 2025

We look forward to hearing from you.

Miss a Meeting? Watch on YouTube

City meetings are posted on the Cleveland Heights YouTube channel: youtube.com/user/ClevelandHeightsOH.

Please note: Videos not recorded at City Hall may require editing and are typically uploaded a day or two later, depending on departmental workload.

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