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Pepper Pike council approves Gates Mills landscaping bid, defers decision on Lander path extension
Summary
The Pepper Pike City Council voted to accept a bid from Elaco and Sons Landscaping, Inc. for the Gates Mills Boulevard landscape project and debated whether to add an alternate multi-use path on Lander Road; council carried the path decision to next week to gather additional resident feedback and contractor guidance.
The Pepper Pike City Council voted unanimously on Sept. 18 to accept the low bid from Elaco and Sons Landscaping, Inc. to perform the Gates Mills Boulevard landscape improvement project, while postponing a final decision on whether to add an alternate multi-purpose path extension on nearby Lander Road.
Council moved to accept the landscaping bid with alternates after several council members and community volunteers praised the design review meeting held since the last session. Melanie, a council member who attended the community meeting with the design firm MKS K and volunteers, said the discussion was "a fantastic conversation" that produced detailed recommendations on plant selections, signage and maintenance.
Don, a city staff member who reviewed the bid alternates, described two priced options for the Lander extension: a 10-foot-wide asphalt multipurpose path (bid: $172,523) and a 5-foot concrete trail (bid: $2,011,860 reported in the bid package). Don said, "My recommendation, all things being equal, I'd probably prefer to see the 10-foot-wide path" because it preserves multiuser access and ADA continuity with the Gates Mills Trail.
Several council members and residents pushed back on width and visual-impact concerns. One council member noted that a wider path adjacent to the street could encourage motorized bikes and change the residential character; another said many of the residents who wrote in are walkers and might favor a narrower, pedestrian-focused trail. Resident William Thompson asked that council solicit direct input from the handful of homes most affected before locking a decision.
Given the competing considerations and the contractor's mobilization timetable, council agreed to carry the Lander extension discussion to the next meeting so staff can obtain clearer cost estimates and coordinate with Ursin College and neighboring Mayfield Heights. The landscaping bid itself was approved by roll call (all present voting yes).
The council also asked that benches, signage and receptacles be pulled out of the immediate contract and sent to the Parks and Beautification Committee for design input, and requested staff to review any proprietary product recommendations before altering bid specifications.
The council will revisit the Lander extension at its next meeting when additional numbers and neighborhood feedback are available.
