[{"_1":2,"_88":-5,"_89":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6084715,"mediaKeyId","2908225-1fce2229c96cedd718dd8c80fa70634c","parentId",2908225,"title","Brook Park council imposes safety condition on Circle K proposal after heavy public opposition","audioSeconds",143,"startMs",7635000,"endMs",7778000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2908225-1fce2229c96cedd718dd8c80fa70634c&start=7635&end=7778","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2908225-1fce2229c96cedd718dd8c80fa70634c/thumbnail_7635000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6084715/Ohio/Brook-Park-council-imposes-safety-condition-on-Circle-K-proposal-after-heavy-public-opposition","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6084715-fcc845c872565457959c904edd6449b5/orig.mp4?Expires=1770437876&Signature=OOU5J5b4y1gxRdeop~pQ1SWigWZSMjkdTXp68658oMmT91juv64jMapByLm1BhZC9Mq9dgznBczkf46xpGzyyGQ7ubh5unrt0LZxnzvxoOMJnPFly2N3SnPOCj1mnoxSSAcWKvXG2ZnCVpov4S5C75BAlphZqdFryRbjQaH2~MAOWK-xPB61jLi8Mjuf4GsJsKzaeYB2BvatFYkFuq29ySl25dp3T2OYj8HQYUrmMhBmMoF0mzuQoTPT195-WQWtl57Ditt24eZKXuL3ooBnNkcQETTodKOK7GpcVowoDTu4Dgic5Vr2SIrzxVgrGZg1~VVTq3ZGRqb4CHO~~Zo5Lg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Brook Park OH ","date","2025-03-19T00:00:00Z","article","Council members weighed hours of testimony and technical questions Tuesday night before approving one binding precondition for a proposed Circle K convenience store and gas station at 20850 Sheldon Road.

The City Council session drew more than two hours of public comment from residents, neighborhood advocates and scientists who said a 24-hour gas station at the intersection of Sheldon Road and Route 237 would increase congestion, crime risk, and local air and noise pollution. Thomas J. Coyne Jr., who said he represents the applicant, and others argued the site is appropriate for commercial reuse and that traffic fixes proposed in a new study would mitigate congestion.

The council’s most consequential action came after debate over traffic and safety: Council members approved a motion that “no work may begin” — including demolition or construction — until the safety recommendations for Route 237 tied to the project are completed at Circle K’s expense. Councilman Paul Poindexter introduced the motion and it passed 4–3 (Yes: Dwayne Dexter, Dufour, Troyer, Insaney; No: Roberts, McCorkle, Scott). The measure requires the developer to pay for the roadway safety work before any on-site activity starts, and council members said it is intended to prevent the project from creating a hazardous intersection while later fixes are negotiated with state and regional agencies.

Nut graf: The condition stops short of denying the permit but places the burden on the applicant to complete road-safety improvements first. Residents had demanded stronger limits, including restricted hours and more stringent environmental protections; council members debated several additional conditions and traffic studies but did not adopt them.

What council considered and what remains unsettled

The planning commission previously recommended approval with conditions and required the applicant to address traffic improvements. Engineering testimony at council described two traffic-study iterations: an initial study that showed substantial congestion and a revised study that modeled proposed improvements and produced better results. Council and residents disputed whether the modeled improvements would perform as predicted when implemented.

Council took up a series of proposed conditions after public comment. Several proposed amendments failed on council votes; the lone condition that passed requires completion of the Route 237 safety recommendations before any physical work on the site. Other suggested conditions that were discussed but not adopted included limiting hours of operation, requiring additional traffic-signal timing or left-turn arrows, and requiring an independent follow-up traffic study after road changes were implemented.

Voices at the meeting

Residents from nearby Greyfriar Drive and Carpenter Park described worries about fumes, light and noise and presented peer-reviewed studies and local measurements they said show elevated risk near gas stations. Cheryl Catula, who lives behind the former Dante’s site, told council the property is in an aerospace-planned corridor and urged long-term planning that would attract higher-value uses. Ken Priestley, citing health literature, urged that benzene and other volatile contaminants pose a hazard to yards and homes within several hundred feet of fueling operations. Thomas J. Coyne Jr., who identified himself as owner and president of Strategy Success and representing Circle K interests, urged the council to move forward and said the project would reuse a commercial parcel and generate activity at a long-vacant corner.

Council members’ stance

Council members said they wanted to prevent changes on the parcel that would create an unsafe condition before the road improvements were in place. Several council members said the passed precondition gives the city leverage to require safety work even as the broader questions about long-term land use around the forthcoming Browns-related development and regional traffic patterns remain unresolved.

What happens next

The conditional-use measure remained under council consideration at the end of the debate. The one binding precondition adopted by council must be satisfied before any on-site work begins; the building department retains authority over occupancy and other permits. Council and city staff said further coordination with the Ohio Department of Transportation and Berea officials will be required to implement changes to Route 237; the city must submit formal requests when changes (such as a lower posted speed or signal modifications) require state approval.

Context and why it matters

The intersection is a regional artery near Hopkins International Airport and adjacent to parcels identified for larger redevelopment, including plans discussed with the Browns organization. Residents argued that a 24-hour fueling facility would lock an intensive use into a location that adjoins stable residential blocks and a school-bus depot; supporters argued the corner has long been commercial and needs reuse. Council’s chosen approach — conditioning site work on completion of road-safety fixes — shifts the immediate obligation for safety measures to the developer rather than denying the permit outright.

Ending

Council did not adopt several other proposed restrictions urged by residents, so debate over the project’s final terms and the broader future of the corridor is likely to continue. The council set a clear precondition but left open whether the council will require additional, enforceable conditions before issuing final approvals that would allow the project to open to the public.

","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Brook Park OH, Regular Council Meeting 03/19/2025","oneSentenceSummary","Council members weighed hours of testimony and technical questions Tuesday night before approving one binding precondition for a proposed Circle K convenience store and gas station at 20850 Sheldon Road.","taxTitle","Brookpark, Cuyahoga County, Ohio","taxId",56454,"location","Ohio","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6084710,"Brook Park council declares April Child Abuse Prevention Month after Canopy Child Advocacy Center presentation",530,177000,707000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2908225-1fce2229c96cedd718dd8c80fa70634c&start=177&end=707","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2908225-1fce2229c96cedd718dd8c80fa70634c/thumbnail_177000.jpg","/articles/6084710/Ohio/Brook-Park-council-declares-April-Child-Abuse-Prevention-Month-after-Canopy-Child-Advocacy-Center-presentation","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6084710-c4049bae23dcf3988864c8949962f4e9/orig.mp4?Expires=1770437876&Signature=R98nF4USeLKOlbxemxVeAVrJbzD80nGVJHM--HcewJNMehp3aa6mvec9~49xJ-6G68yW-qJ~UsSe4EN02JZO3UGEnKXITSvn7ujC1R4ashU04Q-rADVtGrODy7WnLEyfwIWZyT-qBzeB1sZZ83A2bIcpj9VP4lnTu2dOo3JJNMVkLxUml2ORmNPe7iRbNgUHC0FTSpsD32zKyo7ld8qv9U4NvKkgxLrAfVk5HHgQvVxahEfemy3dIo88ODF8YwygNZXXiBrxYutBC9AnnhbeQOE3KiCkA4WvwKli4D6PENsVivTKJQOKh3kkIQEXzi5BAQwwtBaMb-vhgnPHDgEYTg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Brook Park City Council on Tuesday adopted a resolution declaring April 2025 Child Abuse Prevention Month after hearing from a representative of Canopy Child Advocacy Center and a short question-and-answer exchange with council members.

The Canopy representative described the nonprofit’s multidisciplinary services for children and families who are victims of abuse and neglect, including forensic interviews, evidence-based trauma therapy and advocacy. She said Canopy is based at 2806 Payne Avenue in Cleveland and that in 2024 the Cuyahoga County child-abuse hotline received nearly 20,000 calls; Canopy served more than 600 children last year, more than 500 of them as new clients. The speaker also said the center operates a medical suite staffed five days a week and partners with Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital for pediatric expertise.

Nut graf: Council formally endorsed the observance and signaled support for local awareness and referral partnerships. Council members asked about Canopy’s outreach, the age range served and how referrals are routed; the Canopy representative said the center starts assisting if invited by law enforcement, children services or other mandated reporters, and emphasized Canopy does not conduct investigations — that responsibility remains with police and county children services.

What council did

Council passed the resolution declaring April 2025 as Child Abuse Prevention Month and declaring an emergency so the proclamation could be issued promptly. The council vote followed a short motion to place the resolution on the agenda and then to adopt; roll calls recorded affirmative votes. Council members also asked about Canopy’s “pinwheel” awareness program and how local police and schools can sign memoranda of understanding to improve referrals.

Key details from Canopy’s presentation

- Location and services: Canopy Child Advocacy Center, 2806 Payne Avenue, Cleveland; forensic interviews, trauma therapy, advocacy services and a medical suite with two forensic nurses and access to a child abuse pediatrician.
- 2024 activity: the county child-abuse hotline handled nearly 20,000 calls; Canopy served about 600 children and provided more than 4,000 episodes of services.
- Contact information provided at council: (216) 574-4325 and canopycac.org.

Why it matters

The proclamation is symbolic and aimed at increasing local awareness and coordination between Brook Park agencies, schools and police and a regional advocacy center. Council members pressed for written memoranda of understanding and clearer referral pathways so first responders, hospitals and schools know when and how to contact Canopy without duplicating mandated reporting to county children services.

Ending

Council members expressed unanimous support for the resolution and interest in increased local participation in the April “pinwheel” awareness program; staff and Canopy agreed to follow up about reaching out to the Brook Park Police Department and local schools about memoranda of understanding.","Council voted to adopt a resolution recognizing April 2025 as Child Abuse Prevention Month after a presentation from Canopy Child Advocacy Center; the resolution passed during the March 18 meeting.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Brook Park council imposes safety condition on Circle K proposal after heavy public opposition

Brook Park council declares April Child Abuse Prevention Month after Canopy Child Advocacy Center presentation