Bradley Rd. Zoning Meeting Held

Post date: Mar 21, 2012 1:58:03 PM

A community hearing regarding the proposed zoning appeal to allow a strip mining operation was held on on Tuesday, March 20, 2012. The meeting moderated by Councilman Tony Brancatelli included presentations by Board of Zoning Appeals representative, Richard Riccardi, city of Cleveland Representative Darnell Brown, TY Inc. spokesperson Tom Simich, and Skyline Drive resident Ron Brady.

This was scheduled to be the final public meeting before the Board of Zoning Appeals decided the matter on April 2, 2012.

However, it was announced at the beginning of the meeting, that TY Inc. (and Landsong LLC) requested an extension to address issues brought in letters of objection filed by the Ohio Department of Transportation and the Ohio EPA. A new date for the matter was not set.

Mr. Brown explained that the area in question was previously used as a landfill without proper zoning, nor proper safety measures resulting in an area with many environmental problems. He further explained that the city has been unable to figure out a way to fix the problems on this property without the involvement of the for-profit TY Inc.

TY Inc. doing business as Landsong LLC plans to strip mine the property 50 feet down from its highest elevation, then when given landfill permits bring in construction and demolition debris. Tom Simich, the company's spokesperson insisted that the current environmental problems would be fixed during the course of their strip mining and landfill operations.

Ron Brady, a long time resident of Sky Lane which is directly adjacent to the proposed strip mining presented a long and detailed list of current environmental issues with the property. Mr. Brady also presented information from studies and opinions of mining and environmental scholars that indicated the negative effects of strip mining in general.

Various people in the audience had and took the opportunity to ask questions and comment on the zoning appeal. Their biggest concern was that the strip mining and landfill operations would make matters worse. There was also a feeling that after the horrendous experience previous landfill operations by the land's owner William Baumann they had to suffer through, that any new strip mining and landfill would make matters worse.

Both Councilmen Tony Brancatelli and Brian Cummings spoke out against the zoning appeal. Mr. Cummings suggested very convincingly that other options should be explored rather than "taking more value" out of the already stressed property. Mr. Brancatelli suggested that TY Inc. be forced to post a "significant" bond that they would forfeit if they failed to fulfill the "stipulations" they agreed to.

According to Mr. Brancatelli, as of yet the company has shown no interest in such a solution.