To: Shaker Heights City Council, the Shaker Heights City School District Board of Education, the City Planning Commission, and the Architectural Board of Review

We, the undersigned residents of Shaker Heights and Beachwood, applaud the redevelopment initiative along Lee Road, including the long-overdue investment in the Moreland and Lomond neighborhoods. 

However, we strongly oppose relocating the school transportation facility to the Green Road Transit Station at Shaker Boulevard and Green Road - AN ESTABLISHED RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD. We ask the City and the School District to identify a location for the new School Bus Depot (A COMMERCIAL/INDUSTRIAL USE) that allows the Lee Road project to proceed without shifting the burden to an established residential neighborhood.

We respectfully request that the City and the School District consider:

1.       COMMERCIALLY ZONED AREA:  Present multiple location options to residents, including locations outside of residential neighborhoods with proper setbacks and green space.  Include the full cost of each option and, if no viable non-residential options exist in Shaker Hts., include non-residential options outside of Shaker Hts.

2.       RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY VALUES:  Include the expected impact on neighboring home values when comparing the net cost of each option to the City.

3.       PROPER DUE DILIGENCE:  Include the following in the assessment of the Shaker and Green option:

            a.     TRAFFIC STUDY:  A traffic and pedestrian safety study of Shaker Boulevard and Green Road.

            b.     SAFETY STUDY:  The proposed Commercial Use poses a significant risk of harm to the children attending schools in the neighborhood.

            c.     ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW:  The planned height of the maintenance building, along with the equipment it will require.

            d.      PUBLIC HEARINGS: Full Disclosure to the Taxpayers.  Have the required Public Hearings prior to voting on relocating the new Shaker Schools Transportation Center to Green Road Transit Station.       

4.       REFERENDUM ON REZONING:  Allow the Shaker Heights Residents vote on any proposed rezoning of residential property to accommodate the new Bus Depot.

SIGNIFICANT CONSIDERATIONS:

A bus depot does not belong in a residential neighborhood.  Shaker Heights is known for its beautiful, desirable homes and strict zoning, which keep Shaker's neighborhoods attractive and protect property values despite high taxes. Removing green space to build a bus depot undermines one of the pillars that make Shaker such an attractive community.

Property values and the city's reputation are at risk. The damage to home values, and to Shaker's standing as a residential-friendly city, could be significant.

Traffic is already a problem at Green and Shaker. Green Road is heavily congested during the morning and evening rush.  The City's plan calls for 40 bus parking spaces and about 65 employee and visitor parking spaces, and the buses and cars entering and leaving during those hours would make a difficult situation worse.  City officials acknowledged at the October 13 City Council work session that no traffic study has been done.

Pedestrian and student safety is a serious concern. Residents who know the intersection of Shaker Boulevard and Green Road describe it as dangerous for people on foot, especially in the early morning, when children are walking to school and commuters are heading to the Green Road rapid station. The area is a short walk from both Mercer Elementary School and Laurel School. Buses entering and leaving during those hours would add risk for pedestrians and students, and any traffic study must examine pedestrian safety, not only vehicle congestion.

The height of the maintenance building has not been specified. The City's plan calls for a building of about 10,000 square feet with two maintenance bays and a wash bay, and its presentation describes it as single-story but does not state its height. Servicing buses means lifting them, which requires a high ceiling, so a single story could still be quite tall. A building tall enough for that work would likely be visible from Shaker Boulevard and out of scale with the single-family homes around it.

Residents were given only one viable option. The City should have presented several, including the cost of relocating to an industrial area, even one outside Shaker. That option may cost more up front, but once the impact on home values is counted, its net cost to the City could well be lower.

Help keep Shaker Heights one of the most residential-friendly cities in the country.