TALES FROM THE (ISSUE 58) CAMPAIGN TRAIL

There are 2 groups in Highland Heights campaigning for and against the
GetGo rezoning issue, Issue 58.

Developer Lance Osborne founded the pro-GetGo political action committee (PAC)---humorously titled “Citizens For Improving Highland Heights”.
The treasurer for that group is Osborne’s leasing agent, Steve Passov.

That PAC must have some pretty big bucks to spend.
So far it has mailed out 2 glossy, oversized full-color postcards to Highland Heights residents. Between the color reproductions and the postage, that’s quite an expensive proposition.

The postcards include illustrations of portions of Osborne’s proposed development.  They are quite pretty----colorful and bright with soothing sky blue backgrounds.
Catalano’s, on the other hand, is depicted using a dark and blurry black and white photograph, slugged “Current Conditions”.

Get the subliminal message?

Catalano’s: dark, brooding and bad.
Osborne’s development: bright, happy and good.

The postcards show many things, but so far they have not shown the 16
pump mega GetGo gas station that is the crowning jewel of Osborne’s
development plan---and the raison d’etre for Issue 58.

Why show reality when pitching a dream, right?
 
On the opposite side of Issue 58 is “Residents Against GetGo,” a PAC organized by Councilman-at-large Ed Hargate.
A Radford Drive resident serves as that group’s treasurer.

Since “Residents Against GetGo” is an actual citizens’ group, it has a much smaller operating budget.
Instead of mailing out glossy color postcards, resident volunteers have been fanning out throughout the city, delivering black and white flyers to residents’ homes on foot.

Which brings me to this tale, told to me by one “Residents Against GetGo” volunteer.

THE VOLUNTEER'S STORY

The volunteer was distributing flyers along Wilson Mills Road. She didn’t have her glasses on---she didn’t need them for the outdoor work she was doing.

She noticed a large black SUV slowing down, apparently watching her---which didn’t worry her, but kind of made her nervous all the same.

The SUV made another pass as the volunteer walked her route.
Strange, she thought. I wonder what’s up.

The volunteer stopped to talk to a friend---she figured she visited for 25 minutes or so---and, wouldn’t you know it, shortly after she got back outside she saw the black SUV again.
This time the SUV pulled into the park entrance and stopped.

Confused, the volunteer tried to make sense of it all.
Suddenly it struck her----it must be one of her son’s friends.

“Tommy,” she shouted, spreading her arms wide to give the approaching
male figure a hug.
She got a nice hug and a friendly response back.
“What are doing?” Tommy asked.
The volunteer launched into an explanation…but then suddenly stopped mid-sentence.

Peering closer, she realized that the stranger was no Tommy.
 
 “You’re not Tommy!” she exclaimed.
No, the stranger admitted, my name is Lance.

It wasn’t just any Lance, it was THE Lance. Lance Osborne.

When he found out what she was doing, Osborne pointed his finger and
warned the volunteer---in what she felt was an attempt to intimidate her:

 “There better not be anything false in that literature or you’ll be liable.”

The volunteer told Osborne that there were no lies and that the “Residents Against
GetGo”  flyer told the truth about his development plan.
He continued to harangue her as she walked away.

Way to win over residents, Lance.
 

CLARIFICATION

In a recent letter to the editor I wrote that Mayor Scott Coleman got the cold shoulder from Giant Eagle when he floated the idea of relocating the Cuyahoga County Library to the Catalano’s property.

My source for that statement was someone familiar with both the city and the library.

That source recently clarified the timing of the discussion.

According to this source, library representatives unsuccessfully attempted to discuss the Catalano’s property with Giant Eagle and sought assistance from city insiders in that effort.
It was too late to turn the tide by the time the mayor got involved.

So. bottom line, it apparently was the library, not the mayor, who received the cold shoulder from Giant Eagle.

Different party. Same result.

SENDING A CLEAR MESSAGE: GETGO IS A NO-GO

 My letter to the editor, published in the October 11th edition of the Sun Messenger 

The most frequent reason given by residents who support Issue 58 (the GetGo rezoning issue) is that they are sick and tired of looking at the vacant Catalano’s property.

Apparently they think that a 16 pump mega GetGo gas station and a large convenience store are better than nothing.

They aren’t alone in their frustration, but the reality is that Giant Eagle has chosen to keep Catalano’s empty and undeveloped for the last 5 years.

Giant Eagle affiliates fought to kill a deal involving an area grocery-selling business, and Mayor Scott Coleman reportedly got the cold shoulder when he broached the idea of relocating the Mayfield Regional library there.

Why sit on the property?

Perhaps to engender the very frustration that GetGo supporters now cite as the reason for voting for the proposed mega GetGo.

As developer Lance Osborne explained at a recent ward meeting:

“Giant Eagle wants a GetGo there…(That) use is pretty important. Giant Eagle has a lot of customers. They know where they want to be.”

They sure do.

There are 7 Giant Eagle grocery stores---all with gas points programs that drive customers to GetGo gas stations---within 7 miles of Highland Heights.

If Giant Eagle gets its way, all of those customers will soon be driving into the heart of our city to buy gas and diesel fuel.

Aren’t we lucky.

Highland Heights residents need to send a clear message to Giant Eagle: the GetGo is a No-Go.

Voting NO vote on Issue 58 is the only way to break the logjam and convince Giant Eagle to let go of the Catalano’s property, allowing it to be developed in a more compatible and property value enhancing manner.

Lance Osborne is one developer who might be able to pull that off---once the GetGo is finally and definitively removed from the picture.

GIVE ‘EM AN INCH AND THEY’LL TAKE A MILE: MONDAY HEARING ON GETGO SIGN VARIANCE REQUESTS

Although the GetGo development agreement allows developer Lance Osborne to install 2 gigantic monument signs, Osborne isn’t stopping there, as reflected by his sign variance requests.

OCTOBER 8^TH PUBLIC HEARING

The Highland Heights Planning & Zoning Commission (P&Z) has scheduled a public hearing on October 8^th (8 pm, City Hall Council Chamber) to discuss developer Lance Osborne’s requests for exemptions from the city’s sign ordinances.
P&Z will vote on those requests that night.

Osborne’s variance requests go beyond the gigantic monument signs listed in the GetGo development agreement.

Having already received special treatment, Osborne apparently wants more…..much more.

THE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT

Paragraph 3c of the GetGo development agreement, lists 4 specific zoning variances that the city agreed to give developer Lance Osborne.

With regard to sign variances, 3cii states:

“Variance from the sign regulations set forth in Section 1145.06 and 1145.08 of the City’s Zoning Code as necessary to allow for signs substantially in accordance with the signage plan attached hereto as Exhibit “F” (the “Signage Plan”).” 
Emphasis added .

“Exhibit F” contains only one item:  a drawing of the gigantic monument signs that Osborne plans to install along both Wilson Mills and Brainard Roads.

That’s it.
That’s the only sign variance actually listed in the development agreement.

OSBORNE’S SIGN VARIANCE REQUESTS

Although the city usually limits free-standing signs to 20 square feet, Osborne’s gigantic monument signs measure 46.7 square feet.
Therefore Osborne is requesting two 26.7 square foot variances, one for each monument sign.

By my reading, those variances are both “necessary” and allowed by the GetGo development agreement. 

Osborne’s third sign variance request, on the other hand, isn’t mentioned in the development agreement, nor do I think it meets the definition of “necessary”.

As I always reminded my kids, wants are not the same thing as needs.

In his 3rd variance request Osborne is seeking P&Z's permission to install 205.2 square feet of total signage for the mega Get-Go, which fronts on Wilson Mills Road.

City law allows only 120 square feet.

In other words, Osborne wants to install almost 75% more total signage than is allowed by law.

Talk about junking up the intersection…

Will P&Z give Osborne more special treatment by approving his 3^rd variance request?

Will P&Z exempt him from signage laws that are intended to limit commercialization in the city, laws that other business property owners in the city have been required to obey?

I guess we’ll find out on Monday night.

CORRECTIONS---BOTH MINE AND P&Z’S

My Correction

In my last blog I reported---based on the actual variance request submitted by Osborne—that the side yard variance granted by P&Z would allow the developed area of the GetGo parcel to end, “a mere 2’2” from Brainard Road.”

Council’s P&Z rep, Bob Mastrangelo, told me that I didn’t quite get it right.
According to Mastrangelo, the variance that P&Z approved will allow the GetGo parking lot to end 2’2” from the Brainard Road sidewalk, not Brainard Road itself.

How close is that? Go look at the new Mayfield Heights Sonic and you’ll get the idea.

That variance---and Osborne’s landscaping plan---spell doom for all of the mature trees currently standing along the front and sides of the Catalano’s property. 

Osborne plans to get rid of all of those trees.

P&Z’s Correction

According to P&Z Chair Vince Adamus, P&Z will make a correction to the front yard variance given for the large metal canopy that Osborne proposes to install over the planned 16 GetGo gas pumps.
As I reported in my last blog, that variance stated that the GetGo canopy would end “53’ 6½” (versus 110’) from the center of Wilson Mills Road”.

Adamus indicated that P&Z made a mistake by using the center of Wilson Mills Road to measure the variance; they should have used the edge of Wilson Mills instead. 

Although the canopy is still as big and will be just as close to the street as before, P&Z is planning to modify the variance to reflect the proper measuring point.

GROUPS ORGANIZED TO SUPPORT AND OPPOSE GETGO REZONING ISSUE 58.

The advent of voting-by-mail has really moved up the campaign calendar in the city.

This week residents received a glossy postcard sent by “Citizens for Improving Highland Heights” in support of Issue 58, the GetGo rezoning issue.
The treasurer for that group is identified as Steve Passov---Osborne’s leasing agent.

Hilariously, the postcard seemed to go out of its way to divert attention from the crown jewel of Osborne’s development plan---the 16 pump mega GetGo gas station that Osborne wants to install along Wilson Mills Road.

One statement on the postcard engendered some anger on the part of residents and Council members alike.
Above conceptual drawings of a retail strip and a convenience store is the message:

“These plans are approved by the Highland Hts. City Council, Planning Commission and Architectural Review Board.”

“Approved” could easily be read to mean “endorsed”---perhaps the intended message?

Council President Cathy Murphy has repeatedly made clear that although Council exercised due diligence by working with Osborne on the GetGo development agreement, Council has NOT endorsed Issue 58, the GetGo rezoning issue.

Murphy said that Council wants to leave the rezoning decision entirely up to residents to decide.

If proof of the truth of Murphy’s statement is needed, one need look no farther than “Residents Against GetGo,” which began distributing a “Vote No on Issue 58” flyer this week.

Councilman Ed Hargate believes that the proposed mega GetGo will hurt nearby residential neighborhoods and undermine the city’s residential property values. He organized the group opposing Issue 58.

The treasurer for “Residents Against GetGo” is not a developer or leasing agent. She’s a concerned Highland Heights resident, fighting to preserve and protect Highland Heights’ reputation as an upscale, high quality residential city.

Developer Lance Osborne's First Signage Variance Request

Developer Lance Osborne's 2nd and 3rd signage variance requests

Paragraph 3cii of the GetGo development agreement addressing sign variances

"Exhibit F"--the signage plan referred to in the development agreement

GETGO VARIANCES ARE APPROVED; LET THE PR SPIN BEGIN

Developer Lance Osborne began his public relations campaign in earnest after the Highland Heights Planning & Zoning Commission (P&Z) approved variances in connection with his mega GetGo development project.
Osborne’s hoping to convince Highland Heights voters to approve Issue #58, the GetGo rezoning issue.


GETGO VARIANCES APPROVED
On October 10th, P&Z approved 7 variances for Osborne’s proposed mega GetGo development project.

Those variances exempt Osborne from strictly complying with the city’s green space, front/side/rear yard and property use regulations.

For example, although the Highland Heights zoning code imposes a 20% green space requirement---a restriction designed to limit development density---only 13% of the GetGo parcel and 14% of the rear parcel will be undeveloped green space.

Osborne also received an exemption from the city’s 10’ side yard setback requirement. The developed area of the GetGo parcel will end a mere 2’2” from Brainard Road.

P&Z also agreed to a 50% reduction in the city’s front yard setback requirements. Osborne will be allowed to install a huge metal GetGo gas pump canopy that will end just 53’ 6½” (versus 110’) from the center of Wilson Mills Road.  (I understand P&Z is planning to revisit and perhaps reduce that variance, while still allowing installation of the huge metal canopy).

Still to come are sign-related GetGo variance requests.

Osborne’s drawings indicate that he wants to install two 6’x18’ monument signs along Wilson Mills and Brainard Roads.

The drawings also indicate that the GetGo will sell both diesel and gasoline fuel. That caught my eye. While most family cars use gas, many commercial vehicles use diesel fuel.



GETGO PR CAMPAIGN BEGINS

Council President Cathy Murphy (who represents Ward One) offered Osborne an opportunity to give a presentation about his proposed mega GetGo development project to residents attending her September 20th Ward One meeting.


As background Murphy explained:

“Mr. Osborne agreed to work with us (the city) to create a development plan…If the rezoning issue (Issue #58) passes, the property will be developed in accordance with the plan. We worked hard on it (the plan). We worked together on it.”

“To have a gas station, the property has to be rezoned. That’s why it’s on the ballot. Only voters can rezone property in our city.”

“Council has not endorsed the GetGo development, but we worked with them. I am pleased we did. I am pleased we have a development plan. I encourage you to look at the plan before you vote.”

Here are some of the things Osborne, and his leasing agent, said at that meeting.

In explaining why a mega GetGo gas station and convenience store were part of their development plan:

“GetGo is owned by Giant Eagle, the property is owned by Giant Eagle and Giant Eagle wants a GetGo there.”

“The use (for a GetGo) is pretty important. Giant Eagle has a lot of customers. They know where they want to be.”

“Giant Eagle wants to be here and they want you to shop there.”

In describing the project:

“There are tradeoffs. This is an opportunity to create something special.”

In explaining why the GetGo was a good fit for the Catalano’s property:

“Wilson Mills is a commercial street…It will bring awareness to the market…GetGo is the catalyst to the redevelopment of that corner of Highland Heights.”

“It will be relevant and new and offer amenenities.”

“This corner is not going to be a park. Giant Eagle is not a nonprofit business. It will be developed.”

And the threat, if residents vote against Issue 58 and reject Osborne’s GetGo development plan:

“We will be gone. It will be over as far as Highland Heights developers working with the city.”

A few meeting attendees expressed enthusiasm for Osborne’s proposed mega GetGo development.
One resident ( incorrectly) opined that the traffic won’t be any different than what residents experienced in connection with the old Catalano’s grocery store.

In making that comment, the resident ignored two very important differences between Catalano’s and the proposed mega GetGo:

1. The mega GetGo will be open for business many more hours each day than Catalano’s was. The GetGo will be open for business 20 hours a day, from 5 a.m. to 1 a.m.  and
2. The GetGo won’t serve just nearby residents. Giant Eagle has a gas points program. That program will drive Giant Eagle customers for miles around into Highland Heights, to the proposed mega GetGo gas station. There was no similar incentive program bringing customers to Catalano’s.
   

In fact, developer Osborne openly admitted that his traffic study didn’t consider what effect the Giant Eagle gas points program will have on traffic flow in the city. That omission raises significant questions regarding the study’s conclusion that the mega GetGo won’t cause a “degradation” of the Wilson Mills/Brainard Road intersection.


Another resident opined that she was tired of seeing the Catalano’s property sit empty. That prompted a rebuttal by another resident, who pointed the finger at Giant Eagle.

“They said No to the library. We could have had the library there.”

Among the comments shared by other concerned residents at the meeting:

“I have talked to others who have seen similar GetGos and they call them glorified truck stops. This is a small community, a family community. It doesn’t seem that we would want that kind of development in our community.”

“How is it written as far as the number of gas pumps (16) and store hours (5 am to 1am). Does GetGo have you by the short hairs?”

“You can’t build a gas station that’s clean, quiet or attractive enough for the surrounding area. You can’t build or operate a gas station that will enhance the property values in Highland Heights. We need to overwhelmingly vote no so that Giant Eagle sells the property. …We should send a message to Giant Eagle that they don’t want the property because we don’t want a gas station there.”

“That is a lovely picture (the artistic rendering of proposed retail spaces in the back of the Catalano’s property), but it doesn’t show the gas stations in front of it. It’s a little deceptive don’t you think?... You are selling something that doesn’t exist. In front of those lovely stores is a gas station.”

As for me, I thought most interesting was Osborne’s attempts to disassociate himself from the GetGo part of the project. The message he seemed to want to get across was:

We’re good guys. We’re residents. It’s all Giant Eagle’s fault!

In reality, Osborne has worked out a pretty sweet deal with Giant Eagle involving the mega GetGo.

Osborne told the city’s volunteer economic development committee last December that Giant Eagle has agreed to sell him the entire Catalano’s property and that he intends to lease back the front, GetGo portion to the GetGo operator (a Giant Eagle-affiliated company).

In other words, Osborne plans to make a lot of money from the GetGo.

Which raises this question:

Given the deal he’s worked out, why is Osborne pretending that he has nothing to do with the GetGo?

Why wouldn’t he be just as excited as Giant Eagle to have a mega GetGo as the crown jewel of his proposed development project?