INNERBELT SAGA
W. 14th going toward Abbey, my rowhouse on other side of fence at right, exit ramp from I-90 West on left.
Post 6 of a series.
Sent: Sunday, March 27, 2011 11:39 PM
To: Lassiter, James
Subject: Fw: Innerbelt Bridge Design JUST what our overburdened sewer system doesn't need!
Dear Mr. Lassiter,
I am the elderly lady with disabilities who still tries to garden and is quite upset about the proposed planting of numerous maples within a block of my house. If you will scroll to the bottom and then work your way up you will see why.
Director Brown originally promised to let me know whenever he had new information. Upon following up, I learn that there is input from you to ODOT but I am to contact you about it. Surely he knows what it is, which leaves me with a sinking feeling that is bad news for me that he wants someone else to deliver, although I can’t help but think that you must surely agree with my points.
May I please known what your input was to ODOT and if unfavorable to me, your reasoning behind it.
Thank you.
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From: JLassiter [at] city [dot] cleveland [dot] oh [dot] us
Sent: Monday, March 28, 2011 3:44 PM
Subject: RE: Innerbelt Bridge Design JUST what our overburdened sewer system doesn't need!
Good afternoon Ms. Hinkle
After reviewing the plans for this project it seems that there is a diverse planting plan and Urban Forestry do not see a need to change it. Urban Forestry did add a few species that may be considered as suitable substitutions.
· Corylus colurna – Turkish Filbert
· Cercidiphyllum japonicum – Katsuratree
· Zelkova serrata – Japanese Zelkova
Perhaps a mix of these species along with the original maple selections would reduce the overall maple totals.
James Lassiter III, MBA
Manager
Department of Public Works
Urban Forestry Section
Office: 216-664-3253
Fax: 216-664-3233
Email: Jlassiter [at] city [dot] cleveland [dot] oh [dot] us
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Sent: Monday, March 28, 2011 6:53 PM
To: JLassiter [at] city [dot] cleveland [dot] oh [dot] us
Subject: Re: Innerbelt Bridge Design JUST what our overburdened sewer system doesn't need!
Thank you so very much for getting back to me so promptly.
It didn’t seem very diverse to me, heavily weighted toward maples. I am enclosing the last plan I received so you can see whether anything has changed. The maple is a beautiful tree, it is its seedlings that bother me as they don’t fall where I can mow over them.
You didn’t see a need to change the plan, but you added substitutions is a trifle confusing to me. What exactly did you advise ODOT and what has the city said, since ODOT “was open to planting trees other than maples but would want input from the City and the City's urban forester.”
Also, do you know whether ODOT is going to make any changes, such as using the substitutions you provided?
And, would you be the person to give me advice on my suggestions for the rugosas underplanted with no-mow herbs, perennials and self seeding annuals as landscaping along my short section of W. 14th so it will be acceptable to the City and likely to be accepted by ODOT? If not you, then who?
Thank you for your help.
Anita Hinkle, MBA in Finance
daughter of retired head of Soil Conservation Service in Washington County, IN who farmed before work, after work and weekends
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Sent: Tuesday, May 10, 2011 9:50 AM
To: Brown, Robert
Subject: Fw: P.S. Fw: Innerbelt Bridge Design JUST what our overburdened sewer system doesn't need!
Dear Director Brown,
Since I haven’t had any answer from Mr. Lassiter, I am once again turning to you for help in answering the questions in my emails of March 28 and 29 (below) .
Also, am I correct in gathering that it hasn’t been decided whether to charge for parking at the lot under the bridge? If not, how are the running repairs and more expensive renovation down the line to be paid for?
Lastly, will there be security cameras and if so, by whom will they be monitored?
As always, I am deeply appreciative.
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From: Brown, Robert
Sent: Tuesday, May 10, 2011 11:26 AM
To: Lassiter, James
Subject: FW: P.S. Fw: Innerbelt Bridge Design JUST what our overburdened sewer system doesn't need!
Importance: High
TO: James Lassiter
I appreciate the help you've already given on this matter. Can you look at the email below (and attachment) and respond to Ms. Hinkle? (She is copied on this email).
Thanks. I know that you are busy.
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From: JLassiter [at] city [dot] cleveland [dot] oh [dot] us
Sent: Tuesday, May 10, 2011 12:26 PM
To: rbrown [at] city [dot] cleveland [dot] oh [dot] us
Cc: Craig [dot] Hebebrand [at] dot [dot] state [dot] oh [dot] us ; SBalyint [at] city [dot] cleveland [dot] oh [dot] us ; kristentrolio [at] tremontwest [dot] org
Subject: RE: P.S. Fw: Innerbelt Bridge Design JUST what our overburdened sewer system doesn't need!
Director Brown,
Ms. Hinkle question from March 28th are answered below in italics; I forwarded Ms Hinkle’s’ email on or about March 28th to Kristen Trolio from the Tremont West Development Corporation. Thanks,
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Sent: Monday, March 28, 2011 6:53 PM
To: JLassiter [at] city [dot] cleveland [dot] oh [dot] us
Subject: Re: Innerbelt Bridge Design JUST what our overburdened sewer system doesn't need!
Thank you so very much for getting back to me so promptly.
It didn’t seem very diverse to me, heavily weighted toward maples. I am enclosing the last plan I received so you can see whether anything has changed. The maple is a beautiful tree, it is its seedlings that bother me as they don’t fall where I can mow over them.
You didn’t see a need to change the plan, but you added substitutions is a trifle confusing to me. What exactly did you advise ODOT and what has the city said, since ODOT “was open to planting trees other than maples but would want input from the City and the City's urban forester.” Ms. Hinkle, as I stated, ODOT does have a diverse tree planting plan and I suggested that the added species may be considered if ODOT wanted to change their plans. I forwarded the information to Craig Hebebrand, Project Manager for ODOT, and the decision to change species is solely up to him.
Also, do you know whether ODOT is going to make any changes, such as using the substitutions you provided? No I do not know of any changes; Craig Hebebrand will be able to answer that.
And, would you be the person to give me advice on my suggestions for the rugosas underplanted with no-mow herbs, perennials and self seeding annuals as landscaping along my short section of W. 14th so it will be acceptable to the City and likely to be accepted by ODOT? If not you, then who? Ms. Hinkle this question can be answered by ODOT officials as well.
Anita Hinkle, MBA in Finance, daughter of retired head of Soil Conservation Service in Washington County, IN who farmed before work, after work and weekends
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Sent: Tuesday, May 10, 2011 7:05 PM
To: rbrown [at] city [dot] cleveland [dot] oh [dot] us
Subject: Fw: P.S. Fw: Innerbelt Bridge Design JUST what our overburdened sewer system doesn't need!
Tsk, tsk. Doesn’t have your equitable temperament, does he.
Who is SBalyint [at] city [dot] cleveland [dot] oh [dot] us and why on earth did he send my email to Kristen? Mr. Hebebrand brought her to my home also, just announced she was coming, just like that the day before. Odd, and quite rude, I thought. Unless it is part of keeping TWDC informed on every little thing and she is a stand in for Chris Garland. I’d rather have had Chris.
ODOT “was open to planting trees other than maples but would want input from the City and the City's urban forester.” Am I correct in my inference that the City did not give any input beyond Mr. Lassiter’s non-committal, it is diverse but here are some you can consider if you want to entirely up to you if you want to ignore the nuisance they create (although I do appreciate his mentioning reducing the overall maple totals, which is why I don’t consider it diverse)?
40 of 106 shade trees type A are a maple
45 of 74 upright trees are one of two kinds of maple
or 85 out of 180
Adding 13 flowering trees in, 85 out of 193 total trees are one of three kinds of maple.
I don’t want to ask ODOT for help on what will be acceptable to the City and likely to be accepted by ODOT, I would have thought that was self evident. I believe ODOT will allow and may or may not consider input from the City. It doesn’t want any input from me, even though Mr. Hebebrand said I might contact him. TWDC has never been of any help to me in all of this. I originally wrote to Chris Garland, he didn’t bother to write back. Pity. Since their mission is “to maintain and improve the living, business and cultural conditions for all of Tremont,” not just their “chosen few” they could have been of great help to me and saved you the trouble of being my go-between.
Sent: Monday, May 23, 2011 4:31 AM
To: Brown, Robert
Subject: Fw: P.S. Fw: Innerbelt Bridge Design JUST what our overburdened sewer system doesn't need!
Dear Director Brown:
I apologize, I know you are very busy. Just wondering if you can answer these questions for me:
Do you have any answers from Chris Garland about my questions as to how the running repairs and more expensive renovation down the line for the big parking lot under the Innerbelt Bridge are to be paid for and whether there will there be security cameras and if so, by whom will they be monitored
Am I correct in my inference that the City did not give any input beyond Mr. Lassiter’s non-committal, it is diverse but here are some you can consider?
Can YOU suggest someone not at ODOT and evidently not in Forestry to give me advice on my suggestions for the rugosas underplanted with no-mow herbs, perennials and self seeding annuals as landscaping along my short section of W. 14th so it will be acceptable to the City and likely to be accepted by ODOT?
Who is SBalyint [at] city [dot] cleveland [dot] oh [dot] us that he should get a copy of my email?
Why do you think Mr. Lassiter sent my email to Kristen Trollio?
Again, my apologies and my deep gratitude for your wonderful help to this elderly constituent.
I hope you have a happy Memorial Day, as we remember our truest of heroes.
Anita Hinkle
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From: rbrown [at] city [dot] cleveland [dot] oh [dot] us
Sent: Sunday, May 29, 2011 7:56 PM
Subject: RE: P.S. Fw: Innerbelt Bridge Design JUST what our overburdened sewer system doesn't need!
Dear Ms. Hinkle:
I'm sorry for not responding to your earlier email. I did talk to Chris Garland about the management fo the parking lot. He said that they have not worked on the details yet. Because it would be partly a valet lot, I assume that funding would come, at least in part, from the valet fees. With respect to the landscape issues, as you can guess, this is well outside my area of expertise and the expertise of the city planners in my office. ODOT does not have staff with this expertise. I know that ODOT uses consultants on such issues. The best I can say is that you follow up with Mr. Lassiter and copy me on the email. I'll do what I can to help that way. I'm sorry that you have not received all the information you have requested.
With respect to copying the CDC staff on an email, it is common for the City to share community-related issues with the CDC (Kristin, in this case). With respect to Stephen Balyint, he is a colleague of Mr. Lassiter at the City.
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Sent: Monday, May 30, 2011 11:12 PM
To: Brown, Robert
Subject: Re: P.S. Fw: Innerbelt Bridge Design JUST what our overburdened sewer system doesn't need!
Dear Director Brown:
I will admit I was wondering why I hadn’t heard from you, so unlike you. I am sorry to see you so horribly swamped with work that you have to come into the office on a holiday (unless you had some relatives at your house you can only stand for so long, then it is a nice escape.)
I don’t know if you are aware that I have an MBA in finance from Indiana University and was an AVP in International Banking at Huntington Bank, originally joining Union Commerce, specializing in export-import. We’d never commit to building something without all the details. Contracts signed by the valet parking people and is there a floor that they must pay regardless. What if their permit is pulled for illegally parking at parking meters as tv shows them doing? What if there is a consolidation of CDC’s I think they are called, Tremont West is merged with another group, which has less funding and they decide they can’t afford to handle the parking lot any more. Then what?
Since St. John Cantius is certainly not going to let its parking lot be used, will the valets be forced to use this lot? Because it is really too far away for them to want to park there except for Parallax. Fat Cats did the right thing and has a parking lot. You do know that a number of restaurants and bars don’t have the required number of parking spaces, surely. I think some were formally excused which is wrong, wrong, wrong, given the neighborhood, others do as they please and never seem to pay the price. So many things wrong with inspectors, I do wish the FBI would hurry up its investigations. People not using valet parking also will decide it is too far and won’t want to pay.
My eye doctor told me he came here to go to a restaurant and didn’t find any parking, wasn’t going to use valet parking, drove a block without finding a space and was going to leave and go back home when he found a space. That space, of course, meant the residents on the street couldn’t park there. And we not only have double houses, we also have a lot with another double in the back. Some have drives where cars can be parked, some don’t. My neighbor with a four-suiter is furious that he can’t have designated parking in front of his house and isn’t allowed to put parking in the tree lawn. But the Southside bar just concreted over what looks like its entire tree lawn, and it looks horrible.
You didn’t address my question about security, I shudder to think what may go on in a mostly unused large lot right next door, even if there is a mound of dirt in between us.
Just as in general I don’t think my addressing questions to Mr. Hebebrand would be of any use, I really don’t think asking Mr. Lassiter would do anything more that make him even madder than he seems to be. Since he copied his colleague Mr. Balyint, who seems to be his subordinate, perhaps I could use that fact to email Mr. Balyint at a later date as to what the city would find acceptable.
Since you say ODOT has no staff with landscape expertise, which I can well believe, perhaps the landscape consultants for the first bridge wouldn’t mind talking to me about what would be viewed favorable for the second bridge. What is your opinion and would know who and how to reach him/her? (Although if they are the ones who selected those trees, arranged stiffly in straight lines, and put in tulips I must say that I am not impressed.)
I just took a picture of this mass of maple seeds on top of the sewer grate.
My roses have been in bud for two weeks and I keep expecting them to bloom any minute but so far they are holding out. This is from last year.
This rose on the wall is in full bloom. A tea-noisette, Gloire de Dijon is not supposed to live this far north, so I am quite proud of it. I think it will reach the second story windows this year. The clematis on the left is blooming heavily.
I hope you had a good holiday, sorry you have another email from me to read but I hope you enjoy the last two pictures.
All my best wishes and deep appreciation
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From: rbrown [at] city [dot] cleveland [dot] oh [dot] us
Sent: Tuesday, May 31, 2011 6:05 AM
Subject: RE: P.S. Fw: Innerbelt Bridge Design JUST what our overburdened sewer system doesn't need!
Dear Ms. Hinkle:
I will re-engage with Tremont West about the parking lot and its management and get back to you. There are other CDCs operating parking lots, such as the Ohio City CDC, so there is some comparable experience. Also, I believe that Tremont West is contracting with a valet service, as the Little Italy CDC has done its neighborhood, which has some similarities to Tremont.
With respect to the parking problems in Tremont, that continues to be a work in progress, as it is in most older urban neighborhoods that have become desirable places for restaurants and shops. On the one hand, the customers add activity and vibrancy to the neighborhood, along with the added safety associated with having more "eyes on the street." On the other hand, those customers do take up on-street parking spaces (which are fully public), sometimes inconveniencing the residents on those streets. In Little Italy this situation has been somewhat mitigated by the establishment of residential parking zones. The alternative of demolishing large numbers of buildings to create parking lots is generally seen as undesirable for the good of a neighborhood.
I will check with ODOT to see if one of the consultants has a staff member with landscpaing expertise. If so, I will see if I can get you an email contact.
Thank you for continuing to share your concerns and insights. I hope that you are doing well.
To be continued.
