Noble Action Group forms to mobilize residents and businesses

Cleveland Heights’ city leaders introduced the Noble Road Comprehensive Planning Study to Noble Road residents during a meeting at Caledonia Elementary School on Jan. 24. This plan includes the entire Noble Corridor, from the Noble-Nela Business District (East Cleveland) to the Warrensville Center and Mayfield roads intersection. (The study can be viewed at www.clevelandheights.gov/1680/Noble-Road-Corridor-Comprehensive-Planni.)

The study is described in greater detail in the Jan. 26 City News Update, on the city's website. Listed were a range of services, amenities, and essential needs we lack here, along with potential economic development related to commercial and residential structures.

The meeting was well attended by Noble residents. However, several residents expressed anger and frustration at having been in this situation before. In the past, city leaders said they would listen to residents and include them in the planning process. But, in every instance, residents’ feedback was ignored and remained unaddressed.

We all want the same thing: a quality of life where we have well-maintained streets, sidewalks, businesses, and residential properties; numerous retail spaces to shop and visit safely, that supply our daily needs; green spaces and recreational opportunities for families, children, youth, seniors and the disabled.

Today is a new day! Noble Road residents are mobilized to hopefully prevent today's effort by the city from going the way of past efforts. A “Noble Action Group” (NAG) is how we hope to ensure that.

NAG will be structured in the same way as the city's comprehensive plan: multi-faceted and complex. Noble area residents and business operators will be able to use this group to speak out and participate in each study area proposed by the city to improve or revitalize the 2.1-mile Noble Road corridor and its neighborhoods.

Fashioned loosely, at this time, on the Severance Action Group (SAG), NAG hopes to eventually bring in our own experts to assist in identifying and building our vision for revitalizing our community.

Fully open and honest communication is essential among residents, first and foremost. No one must feel excluded or disrespected. To that end, all Noble Road residents must be heard and have a meaningful seat at the table for this bold project being introduced by the city. We can do that through NAG.

Noble Road is not monolithic. The same is true for the issues and objectives residents have to obtain the quality of life we want, deserve and which match that described in the city’s Master Plan. Separate groups already exist in the Noble area and must be a part of NAG for all of us to be heard and listened to, rather than competing forces clamoring for much needed attention.

Beautification, civic engagement, safety, problem properties, and other focus areas all are a part of the economic development needed by each Noble Road neighborhood and business district. It is our hope that the city will respect all of us by working in concert with NAG to create a meaningful and sustainable comprehensive plan for the Noble Road corridor.