[{"_1":2,"_98":-5,"_99":-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",[32,76,88],{"_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",6072762,"mediaKeyId","3005579-d4ae28d30c7c8b4bfd2d351cca17f1c7","parentId",3005579,"title","Council hears public hearing on proposed zoning-code enforcement penalties; item moved to subcommittee","audioSeconds",242,"startMs",16065,"endMs",258655,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3005579-d4ae28d30c7c8b4bfd2d351cca17f1c7&start=16&end=258","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3005579-d4ae28d30c7c8b4bfd2d351cca17f1c7/thumbnail_16065.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6072762/Ohio/Council-hears-public-hearing-on-proposed-zoning-code-enforcement-penalties-item-moved-to-subcommittee","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6072762-4f268cddb176bc67339811acaa9c99e6/orig.mp4?Expires=1770507024&Signature=jdcowka6M2jH9UeLllY156FNa5GCGVFuCLh-6F2JhVI9NEybUpyLCO2115TmWV7fs29JSGzMqLrqntozI1fe7a~FzftxDMgQm~ZtGC0P99SeUdB~ycFqNo~RpBDLQvpeEpYrlC6Zw6F2UpYSkNC9zm0jKh2rIQyA5I2a9fWxG9V17~fwCuBCz1LEGL0FWySfQwJDnCcy8mTjunlguXKOoq8hnhGYSmeCm~rwEzcAdMFya7ofc9q9IhWLNg7jyKm6DZiMHafB8MhExvhBGTcE~VRSZvvmYqyCHd0lTawiqSCalXpGH7pZ0ur1NuwqBjRKC8ouS1NURlFa9bTZONrUBg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City Council of Lorain OH ","date","2025-03-17T00:00:00Z","article","Lorain City Council held a public hearing on proposed amendments to the city’s codified ordinances that would add criminal penalties to zoning-code enforcement. The change was recommended by the Planning Commission and, according to administration remarks, is intended to enable the city to refer certain code violations to court.

The zoning administrator explained the proposed change, saying the 2021 zoning code did not include criminal penalties in enforcement sections and that, without such language, court filings were returned by the court as lacking necessary criminal penalties. The city proposed mirroring the criminal penalties used in the city’s housing code to provide consistency and permit prosecution when appropriate. Council members expressed support for giving enforcement “some teeth.”

No members of the public spoke in opposition during the hearing. Council recorded that the Planning Commission recommended approval on Feb. 5, 2025. Council President noted a subcommittee meeting was scheduled for March 24 to allow a more in-depth conversation and directed the matter to that subcommittee for further review.

Why it matters: Adding criminal penalties to the zoning enforcement sections would change enforcement options available to staff and could affect how property owners and businesses are cited and prosecuted. The council opted for further committee review rather than immediate adoption.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Lorain OH, Public Hearing & City Council Regular Meeting 03/17/2025","oneSentenceSummary","A public hearing addressed a planning commission recommendation to amend Lorain’s codified ordinances to add criminal penalties to zoning-code enforcement. The planning commission recommended approval; council directed the matter to a March 24 subcommittee for further discussion.","taxTitle","Lorain City Council, Lorain, Lorain County, Ohio","taxId",76365,"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},6072767,"Public divides on Broadway Commons as council receives letters and public comment",504,2197315,2701665,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3005579-d4ae28d30c7c8b4bfd2d351cca17f1c7&start=2197&end=2701","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3005579-d4ae28d30c7c8b4bfd2d351cca17f1c7/thumbnail_2197315.jpg","/articles/6072767/Ohio/Public-divides-on-Broadway-Commons-as-council-receives-letters-and-public-comment","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6072767-9d4f808a94c6dca89da0b01bfef33ccb/orig.mp4?Expires=1770507024&Signature=BKvHu3Rxc5wwFMk9xC0gkBdTKZ3B3f5Hi~t1RZT25MgJr5I9Ys2eSWuGVDxeC0h5FZ5faP5ls3wNKtMKzIZR-m8O3b11iZYBx4tAT9i3djy2pTghYYMSTuSnO~KahFBuVmQzEUD4duRL1JgOF8XGAokLYbm4jVtJcazI8RqQk1bqxdOKtKqlMEI-awhl4j857CaOdWHaNHeIky82blWY5zoTUhMSkijP1JfqVWK7jyAAqEDKc~1nKoAUZ9OGqFkf8uWC9X-6~aRMK04BPa0l9w31jKOmImoLdb45F7-4FaWCQMUWwobT~aHr52xc1akmsHjQ3lyv077kaWXhFsHoFQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Lorain City Council heard multiple public comments and received written correspondence both supporting and opposing the proposed Broadway Commons permanent supportive housing project.

Correspondence from Broadway Commons Inc. and Eden Housing was formally received and filed. United Way of Greater Lorain County, through Ryan Aroney, resubmitted support for the Broadway Commons project; Lillian Green and others also submitted letters expressing support. The council clerk read additional letters received from community members, and council accepted those items on the agenda for the record.

Members of the public spoke for and against the project during the public-comment period. Joanne Salina told council she has long opposed the project and questioned whether residents’ concerns — particularly those from East Side and Central neighborhoods — were adequately considered by earlier planning processes. Melody Leisure and Mindy Schauber raised questions about federal funding sources and whether loss of federal programs would jeopardize project financing; Leisure asked how the project would be funded if certain federal funding were no longer available. Several speakers urged the council to preserve local jobs and industrial assets rather than redevelop mill properties, while others stressed the need for homeless housing.

Council action on an internal motion to support Councilwoman Springowski’s letter opposing Broadway Commons was proposed but did not carry. Multiple council members also moved to receive various letters and file them for the public record. The council did not take final action on the project itself; the matter remains subject to further committee and review steps listed on the agenda.

Why it matters: Broadway Commons is a proposed supportive-housing development that has drawn sustained community interest. The record of letters and the volume of public comments indicate a divided public, and the council’s decision to receive materials into the record leaves future policy or land-use decisions to committee review and eventual legislative action.

What’s next: Council recorded that several related items will be discussed in upcoming committee meetings; stakeholders and residents were told to monitor committee schedules.","Public commenters and several organizations submitted letters both supporting and opposing the proposed Broadway Commons permanent supportive housing project; council received correspondence and public comment and a motion to formally support an opposition letter was defeated.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":44,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":50,"_51":94,"_53":95,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":96,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":97,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6072772,"Lorain City Council approves multiple ordinances, refers several items to committee; $250,000 settlement authorized",2068,2084210,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3005579-d4ae28d30c7c8b4bfd2d351cca17f1c7&start=16&end=2084","/articles/6072772/Ohio/Lorain-City-Council-approves-multiple-ordinances-refers-several-items-to-committee-250000-settlement-authorized","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6072772-d8b5ec01ce96f1712c48f0791e2585a2/orig.mp4?Expires=1770507024&Signature=Br8m9cIJLquzpJSrddvdp~uB5qEv6ziNAHnAfSmLfPohyR9-NBg6gddaYyB8R~1we57srW98ZzWBEMZVuK0bZ~76KmOWVWIVf-cnRYnAJsR9HdaRFDqm0ehtfI0Lj9GKrDi8DVF4qO6~58z5GZ28u-dmvgF09RtC6FGj5imtfze~zRgTWAnuNoPQ0YhBMxK4oGvjaKsl13wF2mc7yhX1I4o7kYAByvYJbmznPSnCQKP2Z2em4Nz4zQht7wVb3P~d-Wc0t1ZL5TrpyhYljA-MVzyoT026IXknXi1~SkZnliSFmo~4DiuBe1NOnfTI5x1h6yEsze6nIcK6axrOBGykLg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Lorain City Council voted on a slate of resolutions and ordinances and referred several items to committee during its meeting. Major actions included approval of grant and engineering contracts, an ordinance approving a $250,000 settlement in federal court, and referral of zoning-code amendments and short-term rental rules to subcommittee.

The council unanimously passed an ordinance authorizing the safety-service director to apply for grant funding from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources Ohio Urban Forestry Grant Program. Council members also approved several engineering and construction-administration agreements for local transportation projects: the Colorado Avenue traffic-signal improvement project (PID 118175); the Longbrook–Yorktown project (PID 120288); and the Lorraine Pedestrian Improvements 2025 project. Each of those procurement ordinances was introduced, moved for suspension of the rules, and passed by unanimous vote.

The council approved a settlement agreement in the federal case Roman v. City of Lorain, U.S. District Court, N.D. Ohio, E.D., Case No. 23-cv-02348. The ordinance authorizing the settlement carried unanimously after discussion noting city insurance coverage and the city deductible. Council also approved an agreement for law-enforcement liaison services with Mark Federoff as an independent contractor for the Ohio Traffic Safety Office and adopted an ordinance assessing costs for nuisance removals (with some items referred to committee as noted below).

Several procedural and committee referrals were recorded. Ordinances amending the codified ordinances related to short-term rentals, and a package of zoning-code enforcement amendments (including proposed criminal penalties), were referred to the Building & Lands subcommittee scheduled for March 24. An ordinance assessing costs for nuisance abatement (clean-up liens) was referred to the Building & Lands committee after members raised concerns about individual billing amounts and program practices.

A final appropriation ordinance for city operations for calendar year 2025 passed with one dissenting vote (Councilwoman Springowski). Other non-legislative recognitions (Irish Heritage Month, commendations for lifesaving actions) passed unanimously.

Votes at a glance (selected items):
- Ordinance authorizing ODNR Urban Forestry Grant application — mover: Mr. Thornberry; outcome: passed unanimously.
- Ordinance for Colorado Ave traffic-signal construction administration (PID 118175) — mover: Mr. Dornsby; outcome: passed unanimously.
- Ordinance for Longbrook–Yorktown engineering services (PID 120288) — mover: Mr. Thornsberry; outcome: passed unanimously.
- Lorraine Pedestrian Improvements 2025 — outcome: passed unanimously.
- Ordinance approving settlement in Roman v. City of Lorain (23-cv-02348) — mover: Mr. Dimaccia; outcome: passed unanimously; settlement amount shown in meeting materials: $250,000 (city insurance/deductible referenced in discussion).
- Ordinance for law-enforcement liaison services with Mark Federoff — outcome: passed unanimously.
- Appropriation ordinance for 2025 city budget — outcome: passed; 1 dissent (Councilwoman Springowski).
- Ordinances amending zoning enforcement/short-term rental rules (items K and L on agenda) — outcome: referred to Building & Lands committee (meeting scheduled March 24).
- Ordinance assessing nuisance-abatement costs — outcome: referred to Building & Lands committee after questions and citizen concerns.

Council President and committee chairs noted that several items will return to committee for further review and that scheduled committee meetings (including March 24 Building & Lands) will take up the referred ordinances.","At its March meeting Lorain City Council passed a series of resolutions and ordinances — including grant applications, engineering contracts and a court settlement — and referred multiple zoning- and code-related items to committee for further review.","actionData","errors"]

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Council hears public hearing on proposed zoning-code enforcement penalties; item moved to subcommittee

Public divides on Broadway Commons as council receives letters and public comment

Lorain City Council approves multiple ordinances, refers several items to committee; $250,000 settlement authorized