Utilities committee approves county repair agreement and easements for Mill Creek restoration

The Cleveland City Council Utilities Committee approved an emergency ordinance authorizing the director of public utilities to enter a utilities repair agreement with Cuyahoga County to reimburse costs for storm and sanitary sewer repairs on an as‑needed basis for up to two years. Committee testimony identified $120,000 as the two‑year sum for the agreement.

The committee also approved an ordinance authorizing the director to grant permanent stormwater and access easements to the Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District for a Mill Creek restoration project through the Karush Basin. Capital projects staff said the easements amount to approximately 21.9 acres of stormwater easement and about 3.3 acres of access easement; the easements are valued at $188,775 but will be donated to the sewer district because the restoration is considered a public improvement. Construction costs were described as roughly $6,336,000 (projected figure, subject to inflation). The sewer district will manage the project and will repave and resurface East 177th Street after work is completed; staff said the repaving is budgeted at about $234,000 for a 2‑inch mill and tack coat.

Committee members asked whether the city retains control of the underlying land (staff said the city retains ownership and grants easement rights), who will maintain access roads (the sewer district will maintain the maintenance access easement while the land remains city property), and whether neighboring communities have approved the project (Warrensville Heights has approved the easement locations). Councilman Polensek raised concerns about abutment walls and potential flooding along Euclid Creek and pressed the sewer district for attention to long‑standing deterioration in that watershed; staff said Department of Water staff had already met their watershed director and were working on budgeting and engineering options.

Quotes: "They're really, really cost effective when they perform this work for us," the Division of Water commissioner said of Cuyahoga County's sewer repair crews. Capital projects staff described environmental benefits including improved water quality and better passage for fish and aquatic wildlife.

Ending: Both ordinances were approved by the committee and will proceed through the council process. Staff said the sewer district will provide construction management and future maintenance of the restored stream corridor.