Sustainable zoning invites community input

Courtesy of Camiros.

For the past year, the City of Cleveland Heights Planning Department has been working on new zoning amendments that will make certain sustainable practices easier to implement without seeking special approvals. The proposed amendments include rain barrel placement, chicken coops, community gardens and urban agriculture, porous paving, commercial and residential construction, and lighting, among others.

The draft is ready for public input and final approval. There will be a series of three meetings that will enable residents to weigh in on the code changes, beginning with a planning commission meeting on Wednesday, March 14 at 7 p.m. in council chambers. A second public meeting will be held on March 26 at the community center at 7 p.m. The final opportunity to participate in this process will be the planning commission meeting on April 11. Council is expected to vote on the commission's recommendations on April 16.

The opportunity to turn ideas into action is now. The Sustainable Heights Network encourages all interested residents to participate in this process.

To see the proposed amendments go to www.clevelandheights.com. Visit www.sustainableheightsnetwork.net for more information.