Cleves business owner presses council for clarity on former skate park and seeks short‑term parking help

Emily Bender, owner of Total Body by Bender, told the Cleves Village Council she wants clarity about the fate of a former skate park and whether past grant terms still limit what the village can do with the parcel.

Bender said she helped pursue the original WeThrive grant and that the equipment has been removed, leaving pavement in place. "Just would like some clarity, on the intentions of the skate park," she said, asking whether the equipment’s removal changed any grant conditions. She said the loss of nearby parking has injured her business and asked whether the parcel could be purchased or temporarily opened for customer parking.

Village officials said the land has always been village property and that previous administrators and the prior council handled the earlier WeThrive grant. Justin, the village administrator, said the equipment had been dismantled and donated and that Cleves has since secured a planning grant and executed a memorandum of understanding to develop a master plan for the revitalization district. "We just executed the MOU, and that'll be going to bid in the next 30 days," Justin said, noting the plan — and a model zoning code that council must adopt — will guide whether the village keeps, sells or markets the parcel.

Officials told Bender they were not ready to sell the property and that multiple paths remain under consideration: retain it as a municipal lot, sell to a developer, or sell to a current business owner. Justin and other council members offered a potential short‑term accommodation: create a small number of dedicated signed spots (2–5) near the municipal building as an interim measure if Bender purchased parking signage and the village installed signage and minor improvements.

Council members and Bender also discussed lighting, pedestrian access and historic parking patterns; officials said additional study and the upcoming master plan would better frame a permanent solution. The council agreed to schedule a follow‑up meeting between staff and Bender to explore short‑term parking options while the planning process moves forward.

What happens next: the village says the master plan and a model zoning code must be completed before any sale or long‑term redevelopment decision; Justin estimated the planning and bid process could yield clear direction by the summer. In the meantime, staff and council offered to work offline with Bender on temporary, signed parking spaces.