Kent City Council discusses relocation of city hall
Story by Kelsey Leyva and Jason Meek, video by Jennifer Roberts
Kent City offices to move from Jennifer Roberts on Vimeo.
The Michael Schwartz Center at Kent State University is among the locations being considered for temporary office space while City Hall relocates.
City Hall relocation options
At Kent’s City Council meeting Wednesday night, City Manager David Ruller presented the idea of Kent’s Health Department moving into the Schwartz Center. The department would get an entire floor in the building.
“They essentially have 3,000 square feet available for Jeff [Neistadt] and the Health Department and they’re currently only using about 1,800 square feet,” Ruller said.
It would cost about $15,000 a year for the department to be tenants in the Schwartz Center.
Ruller then explained how the remaining people working in City Hall would be dispersed among the other locations being considered.
“A couple of us could move across to the fire department, a couple other[s] of us could move over to the police department and it’ll work. Functionally, it’ll work,” Ruller said.
Eugene Roberts, director of the Public Service Department, added they should have no problems with visitors or parking at the Schwartz Center.
“Kent State has provided free parking for anybody that goes for our Health Department in the Michael Schwartz building in the parking lot to the immediate east. So it’d be the one right across from the MAC Center on the south side of Summit Street,” Roberts said.
LISTEN: Gene Roberts addresses concerns about parking accessibility when the Health Department moves into the Schwartz Center.
The other possible relocation options include Family & Community Services, Inc., Franklin Elementary School, the former Kent Municipal Court and the Public Service Department Building.
Ruller said it’s likely council will take advantage of the school system’s offer to provide temporary storage for surplus items that won’t be immediately needed in the building.
As for the location of council chambers and council meetings, Ruller named the basement of the fire department as a possible option.
“The challenge is the infrastructure,” Ruller said. “Maybe we don’t need these tables, but Linda [Jordan] needs the sound system. Moving from place to place isn’t as easy.”
Roger Sidoti raised concerns about community members being able to find the council meetings.
“Not everyone gets the Record Courier, not everyone has online access. So I think it’s the notification piece,” Sidoti said. “Not that it’s impossible to do, but I would suggest that it would disenfranchise some of our community that may want to come to council meetings.”
Cost, distance and location were among the top priorities when considering where to relocate.
Redefining residency and finding illegal boarding houses
The Land Use Committee discussed new amendments to the zoning code to address the issue of illegal boarding houses, where a person lives in a house with a legal resident but is not on the lease themselves.
Changes to the zoning code in June 2011 allowed for a wider definition of a household, which resulted in more challenges for the committee.
“You’d be amazed at how people were able to use that to try to justify the definition of a family and a legitimate household,” said Bridget Susel, director of Community Development.
The city had no legal remedy for “permanent guests” who stayed in a building, creating more traffic, noise and occupancy concerns.
The definition of “occupancy” in the zoning code will be modified and the definitions of “guest” and “resident” will be added. A resident is defined as a person who stays in the building more than 14 days, or 30 days over a 12-month period, and will be required to have a legal lease. A guest will be defined as a person invited in by someone with legal standing.
LISTEN: Bridget Susel explains the problem of illegal boarding houses and defining residency.
The new amendments and more specific definitions give the city more ability to find and remove illegal residents not on the property lease.
Cost of road salt
The Finance Committee presented an update on road salt usage and cost for this past winter and projected needs for next winter.
Due to strategic use of road salt, Ruller estimated that between $300,000 and $400,000 were saved this year on salt. Despite the reduced cost, there was no change in accident rates.
Roberts, director of public service, said that 40 percent of the salt is still left over, and while that may be enough to make it through the next winter, he recommends buying 500 tons of salt this summer.
Valet service changes
Other topics of discussion include modifications to the valet program offered through Cardinal Parking for downtown restaurants Bricco and Laziza.
Susel informed the council that the success of the service is causing parking and traffic issues on busy nights, such as Fridays and Saturdays.
“When people are trying to pull up, some have difficulty pulling in or it’s creating an issue where cars are getting stacked further down Erie and creating complications and blockages in the road,” Susel said.
Susel proposed the idea of keeping the valet zone located in front of Bricco and adding an additional zone on the side of the building for times when it is extremely busy.
Kent’s next city council meeting is Wednesday, April 15, 2015.
#KentCityCouncil enters Executive Session for Land Acquisition to discuss proposals for selling the courthouse.
— Kelsey Leyva (@call_me_kelss) April 2, 2015
Eugene Roberts, director of the Public Service Department, recommends Kent purchase 500 tons of road salt for next year. #KentCityCouncil — Kelsey Leyva (@call_me_kelss) April 2, 2015
Melissa Long, council-at-large member, is concerned about mineral rights ownership when selling City Hall property. #KentCityCouncil
— Kelsey Leyva (@call_me_kelss) April 2, 2015
#KentCityCouncil considers moving the Health Department into the Schwartz Center at #KentState during City Hall relocation. — Kelsey Leyva (@call_me_kelss) April 1, 2015
#KentCityCouncil discusses modifying valet service at Bricco and Laziza. to address busy periods.
— Kelsey Leyva (@call_me_kelss) April 1, 2015
Royal Cleaners requests 50 percent abatement for seven years for renovations. Passes unanimously. #KentCityCouncil — Kelsey Leyva (@call_me_kelss) April 1, 2015
#lt Vote is on April 15.
— Kelsey Leyva (@call_me_kelss) April 1, 2015
Kent resident Ann Gilmore is interested in being a member of the Sustainability Commission. #KentCityCouncil #SpecialMeeting — Kelsey Leyva (@call_me_kelss) April 1, 2015