Shaker Heights council advances revised landscaping ordinance to third reading after committee input

Shaker Heights City Council heard detailed revisions and agreed to carry forward a revised landscaping ordinance to third reading after several committee reviews that sought to balance the city’s historic aesthetic with more sustainable landscaping practices.

Law Director Gruber outlined substantive changes to proposed Ordinance No. 20579 on second reading, describing new language adopted after input from the Safety and Public Works Committee, the Tree Advisory Board and the Sustainability Committee. Gruber said the amendments clarify what landscaping practices are allowed, revise height standards, define “noxious weeds” by reference to the Ohio Department of Agriculture list, and add care and safety standards for trees, stumps and ruts on private property.

The revisions matter, Gruber and several councilmembers said, because they are intended to preserve street trees, avoid nuisance conditions and give…