Written by the reviewer from the ASR + docket; [verbatim-ASR] = quoted machine transcript; [paraphrase] = reviewer's wording, not a quote.
0:01 We'll call the February 17th, 2026 meeting of the Housing Planning and Development meeting
0:07 We do have all members of the committee present.
0:11 Two items on the agenda.
0:12 First is the approval of minutes from the November 10th, 2025 Housing Planning and
0:17 Development Committee.
0:20 It was my wedding anniversary.
0:22 I'll second the motion to approve.
0:30 Next item of business, ordinance 02-2026, establishing regulations for front yard plantings.
0:40 This is something that's come back in the docket.
0:41 We spent some time last year about this.
0:43 I'd like to thank Councilman Baker and Commissioner Parmelee for their work on this thus far
0:50 and bringing this back to the attention of the committee and of full council.
0:55 Without further ado, I'll turn it over to Commissioner Parmelee to talk about where
0:59 we are now as opposed to where we started and what the next steps are and take it
1:09 Where we are now is where we left off.
1:11 We had, you know, budget season hit, elections, all that good stuff, didn't fall off the
1:20 2025 was a really busy year for housing and building.
1:25 26 hasn't slowed down either.
1:28 So we're looking to get this thing through.
1:31 I anticipate one more committee meeting because part of my homework was to update
1:37 figures one and two in the proposal, which I just flat out didn't have time to do.
1:44 So going to carve out some time and get that done before next committee meeting.
1:48 I just wanted to clarify, because we had a couple of edits here, understanding folks
1:54 want to use more of the corner lot and the interior lot.
1:58 So just for my own notification, so I know what I'm doing, I look at the two-foot
2:03 setback from the public right-of-way, which would be the private side of the sidewalk,
2:08 give us two-foot buffers there, along with the two-foot buffers on either side
2:15 of the interior lot, which would essentially give us a four-foot sight triangle, which
2:21 the sight triangle is something I was trying to accomplish in the beginning.
2:25 So we don't have this, you know, everybody has their own opinion on what, you know,
2:31 well-manicured natural landscaping looks like.
2:34 But being kind of the third leg in the stool of public safety, I just want to
2:40 make sure that, you know, right-of-way pedestrians, folks on bikes taking walks
2:46 aren't going to be in harm's way when cars are backing out of driveways.
2:50 It's kind of my primary goal here.
2:53 Try to limit that stuff to three-foot, you know, understanding that some
2:57 folks really don't have much of backyards and they want to do raised garden beds
3:01 out front. They want to plant their veggies and some tomato plants and stuff
3:04 in the front yard and welcome those pollinators.
3:08 Without them, none of us would be sucking air right now, honestly.
3:12 So I just want to make sure that I'm correct when it comes to these setbacks
3:21 Again, pulling it a little closer to the right-of-way on the corner lots,
3:28 which I'm not opposed to.
3:30 There is a few lots.
3:32 It's going to be the northwest corner of Clarence and Franklin is one that
3:38 really catches my mind.
3:40 The guy's got some growth.
3:42 He's gotten better over the years, not having stuff hanging over the sidewalk.
3:46 My problem is your front tires shouldn't have to be on the crosswalk
3:50 to look left and right.
3:52 Kids are already on top of you, you know, or that guy that runs,
3:56 I obviously don't, but those folks that are out there trying to enjoy those
4:03 Again, not trying to regulate what you plant in your front yard,
4:06 although there's regulations in here, just to kind of help manage the height
4:11 and give the property maintenance inspectors clear directive,
4:15 because those are the folks' boots on the ground that have to enforce,
4:19 you know, especially when it comes to the high grass rags.
4:22 So that's what I'm looking for this evening, just some clarification
4:26 so I can get these figures dialed in.
4:28 Those figures are important with this ordinance.
4:31 I mean, a lot of folks are visual learners, and to be able to have
4:34 something to show them, aside reading, you know, some boring black and white
4:38 context, that's hard to interpret.
4:42 Thanks, Commissioner, for the background.
4:44 I'll just say from my, I heard a lot about this over the summer
4:49 on the block party circuit, a lot from people who already are doing this
4:54 in their yards, and their concern is obviously what's, you know,
4:57 can you not just come and like mow down two feet of mine?
5:00 It's not going to happen.
5:02 And then the other concern, just with, as it's written, is the eight inches
5:06 for that, that that two-foot buffer seemed a little low to them,
5:11 given the types of plants they're using.
5:12 So that's just the feedback I've been hearing.
5:14 I'm going to turn it over to my colleagues, too,
5:16 because I know they've been hearing about it as well.
5:19 But do either of my other colleagues on the committee
5:23 have any questions or comments at this time?
5:26 Yeah, and this is, so there were, and thank you, Mr. Chair,
5:32 and thank you, Commissioner Parmenly, and this,
5:34 to kind of give some procedural history of kind of why we're here
5:38 and kind of what has come before.
5:41 You know, basically, the way, based upon feedback
5:48 from Keep Lakewood Beautiful and a couple committee hearings,
5:51 some public input, really all we've changed here
5:55 is some of the buffers, right?
5:56 I think originally, as introduced, the buffer was a little bigger.
5:59 I think two feet is essentially a lot more width.
6:03 You know, it kind of was what I was thinking when we did this.
6:06 And really, what it does is then we also point back
6:09 to section 177501B and section 177502,
6:16 which, nerdy talk, 177501B is,
6:22 it can't hang over the sidewalk.
6:24 So if you have a plant that hangs over,
6:25 think of the visual plane of the right-of-way, right?
6:28 So if a plant hangs over and it hits your stroller or your bike
6:32 or when you're going by, you can't do that.
6:35 And then, this is actually a typo, 177502
6:38 is where the three feet comes from, right?
6:41 That's, so it already, in our code,
6:44 enables the building and housing department
6:47 to cite someone if it's above three feet
6:51 and it's a safety issue because you can't see from the road
6:54 or the public right-of-way.
6:55 So what we're trying to say here,
6:57 and welcome any input, because this
6:59 is the best I could come up with as I drafted it
7:04 or edited it from Commissioner Parmelee's introduction,
7:07 was you can't have turf grass above eight
7:10 inches in that area, right?
7:12 In the, well, you can't have turf grass,
7:15 you can't just let turf grass grow.
7:18 Building department will cite you.
7:20 We don't want some Atlantean landlord saying, no,
7:22 that's a native planter meadow or whatever.
7:25 You want to be able to cite for those purposes.
7:29 But beyond that buffer, you have a little bit more
7:32 kind of freedom as a property owner
7:34 because it doesn't affect the public, right?
7:37 The further you are from sight lines
7:39 and the ability of people to safely go from point A
7:42 to point B, whether it's in a car or walking
7:44 or a stroller or a mobility device,
7:47 it's more kind of your zone of influence
7:49 as the property owner.
7:50 And you can plant a sunflower outside of those buffers.
7:54 You can plant tomato plants.
7:55 You can plant whatever you want.
7:57 And this ordinance will allow it.
7:59 Right now, this is going to kind of codify
8:02 what's already happening in Lakewood in some senses.
8:05 As you go around, you see folks with trellises
8:08 and planters in their front yard.
8:10 I thank you for not citing them for having those things
8:12 because they look OK.
8:13 But I think we're just trying
8:15 to provide people with more certainty,
8:16 regulatory perspective that they can have those things.
8:20 So that was kind of the intent
8:21 of where we're going with it.
8:23 Commissioner Parmar is going to update the exhibits,
8:25 which I think will be helpful because it is helpful
8:29 But really what this is about is about keeping
8:31 the traveling public, whether they're traveling in cars
8:34 or walking or biking or on a mobility device, safe,
8:38 having some uniformity, but giving people the right
8:40 to do what's acceptable on their private property.
8:45 Appreciate that for hopefully people watching at home, too.
8:49 This has been a hot minute since we've talked about
8:51 this, so the background is certainly welcome.
8:55 Yes, Councilman Bullock.
8:57 Councilman Baker, where is the typo?
9:01 In the new proposed provision 177503 in B4,
9:11 it says section 177501B, and it should be
9:19 It just says 1175, so that's the typo.
9:30 It's supposed to read 177502.
9:33 There's a double one.
9:35 The reason I ask, I'm trying to make sure
9:39 it's all parsing exactly.
9:40 But OK, I appreciate the discussion, Commissioner
9:45 Parmar, you've been working on this for a while,
9:48 going back to 21 when we adopted 02, 775-02.
9:55 What is the practical enforcement for tree lawns?
10:01 If I understand this correctly,
10:02 what we're talking about is front yards, not tree lawns.
10:05 People do plan all the time on tree lawns.
10:08 If it's three feet high and it's blocking right away,
10:15 right now, it's already not allowed.
10:18 And the proposal doesn't change.
10:20 What we're discussing today wouldn't change that right,
10:22 although it kind of.
10:24 Negative, it doesn't touch anything on tree lawns.
10:27 So what do we do now when tree lawns are?
10:30 If it's high grass, we decide to cut.
10:33 Is the city going to go out and take action?
10:36 Or that would be a later step, not the first step.
10:41 Take action on tree lawns?
10:42 If they have plants that are too high?
10:44 Take our equipment out and do it ourselves.
10:45 Are you talking about the tree lawn,
10:46 or are you talking about the front yard?
10:47 Well, the tree lawn, if it's obtrusive
10:51 and it's growing on the public right away,
10:53 that's a conversation we'd have to have with Public Works.
10:58 OK, but first step would be you
11:00 to advise the property owner, or no?
11:04 Tree lawn or front yard?
11:04 Tree lawn, tree lawn, tree lawn.
11:07 Again, if it's high grass, we decide to cut it.
11:11 But if there's folks, A, there
11:13 should be no growth on the tree lawn
11:15 because that's not their property, right?
11:17 They should probably obtain permission
11:19 from the Public Works director to do that.
11:21 Do people do it all the time?
11:23 Yes, and Edgewater Lake.
11:25 I'll let Director Gordon know he's going to have a,
11:28 may I plant petunias email?
11:30 But again, I mean, if it was obstructing
11:34 the public right of way, yeah, we'd cite them.
11:36 I mean, do we, I mean, last year,
11:41 380, 400 high grass notices?
11:43 I mean, we're not going to knock on everybody's door
11:45 and remind them that they have a civic duty
11:47 to take care of their property.
11:49 With rolling out a new ordinance
11:51 when it comes to enforcement,
11:53 are we going to reach out with some kid gloves
11:56 Probably, just like we do any time
11:58 we roll out a new ordinance.
12:01 It's related because I know your concern is a good one,
12:06 which is how do we efficiently, first of all,
12:09 how do we have a clear standard to know
12:10 what's allowed, what's not allowed,
12:11 and then secondly, how do we enforce,
12:13 really, building department.
12:16 Fair statement is 80% public education,
12:21 But I was thinking of,
12:22 you're planting tall sunflowers on the tree lawn.
12:27 It's not ugly, but it could certainly obscure
12:30 at least some views, and currently,
12:34 your action would be to advise them to take it down?
12:40 Well, if they're planting sunflowers on tree lawns,
12:42 that's not covered in this ordinance.
12:44 So again, I assume the public works director
12:46 would have issue with that.
12:48 Okay. Okay, so that's an important point.
12:49 So the building department is not going around
12:54 including the tree lawn in its...
13:01 General for high grass, like I stated before,
13:03 if it's high grass, yes.
13:06 100%. That answers my question.
13:11 I guess if we're bringing this back,
13:13 I'll make sure I've given it a detailed reading
13:18 beyond what's here.
13:19 I think, in general, we're in the right place.
13:24 I guess my one last question for the committee is,
13:29 Are anybody's planting's grandfathered in?
13:32 I can think of a lot of people,
13:34 well, some people who have invested a fair amount of...
13:39 For years on their properties and...
13:42 I mean, we take it as a case by case kind of complaint
13:46 because these are complaints that come through,
13:47 but the Councilman Baker's point
13:51 that if it's intruding into the public right of way,
13:54 it's already not permitted.
13:56 So we already have the right to be able to cite that.
14:00 Like on our street, XYZ address
14:03 with the blueberry bushes
14:05 that have come up from time to time.
14:08 Those are planted up to the public right of way,
14:10 but once they start hanging over into the public right
14:13 of way, it's an issue.
14:15 So if a complaint comes in,
14:18 we have a new ordinance on the books.
14:20 I hate comparing codified ordinances
14:22 to state building codes,
14:23 but there is the Ohio existing building code
14:26 that lets existing conditions exist,
14:29 and we've all worked with each other
14:31 for a really long time.
14:33 I'm pretty liberal when it comes to enforcing
14:35 some of these codes, especially new ones.
14:43 It'll be a learning curve for all of us.
14:45 Okay, and so also it's not a proactive thing.
14:48 So will building department personnel
14:53 who do exterior code compliance,
14:55 I think we do a great job with our system
14:57 where we proactively will walk streets
14:59 and assess one, two, three, four.
15:02 That's different, though, than issuing a citation, right?
15:07 But I think you said it before.
15:09 I just want to make sure I understand
15:10 that what we envision for enforcement under this
15:12 would be complaint-driven?
15:14 It's, I'd say, going to be about 90% complaint-driven.
15:18 I mean, trouble finds us.
15:20 We usually don't have time to go find it, so yeah.
15:25 Yeah, it's not going to be a witch hunt.
15:27 We're not going to be looking for these,
15:28 but again, if there is something that has existed
15:33 and it's intrusive and it's growing across
15:36 the public right-of-way, then...
15:38 Yeah, I'm not, my questions aren't driving at anything,
15:40 and I'm trying to understand and think it through myself
15:44 because there's cases where clearly there are problems
15:48 that need to be addressed.
15:50 The city needs to have a clear set of standards
15:53 and a system to address it.
15:54 There are other, there are going to be other cases
15:56 that by the reasonable person, I know it when I see it,
16:01 standard aren't going to be problematic for most people,
16:04 and I guess the implication here is that
16:07 those probably aren't going to generate complaints.
16:12 They may be technically noncompliant,
16:13 but they may not find themselves getting a citation.
16:17 Yeah, it's going to be a coaching moment
16:19 with the property maintenance staff, for sure.
16:23 Any other members of council not in the committee
16:25 have any comments or questions?
16:29 I'll make a motion to amend, to remove,
16:34 to edit just so we have the right version the next time.
16:37 So I'll make a motion to amend 1775-03B-4
16:46 to strike 117502 from the last sentence
17:05 All right, thanks everybody.
17:06 I think I agree with everybody.
17:08 We're there in the spirit of this,
17:10 and I tend to agree that the eight inches
17:12 in that two feet makes sense
17:13 is that it's basically now universal for everybody, right?
17:17 Everybody's playing by the same rule, it's just.
17:19 Kiss theory has its worth.
17:22 And I can see how that makes it just a simpler thing
17:25 for everybody involved instead of having two separate,
17:28 completely separate different rules
17:29 for different sets of folks.
17:31 So I appreciate that.
17:33 With no other questions,
17:36 at the request of Commissioner Parmelee,
17:38 I will make a motion to defer.
17:40 We'll talk about this one more time briefly in committee
17:43 and before it comes back to council.
17:53 Motion's made and seconded.
17:57 Thank you very much.
17:58 Thank you, Commissioner Parmelee.
17:59 There's no more business before this committee,
18:01 so the meeting of the Housing Planning
18:04 and Development Committee is adjourned.