Monday, March 24, 2008

Press release - petition drive

PRESS RELEASE - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Amy R. Feran
(440) 446-1327 ar-fer@hotmail.com

Highland Heights group launches drive to protect park

Highland Heights, Ohio. March 25, 2008—Love Our Green Space (LOGS) announced today the launch of a petition drive to place a proposed amendment to the Highland Heights City Charter on the November 2008 ballot.

The proposed amendment would ban residential, commercial and industrial development in city-owned parks and would prohibit commercial activities such drilling, mining and logging on any parkland.

The full text of the proposed charter amendment reads as follows:

City parks in Highland Heights are a valued natural resource that significantly contribute to, and enhance, the quality of life in our city.

No part of the Highland Heights Community Park, any city-owned neighborhood park, or city-owned land that is adjacent and contiguous to such parks (together known as "parkland") shall be sold, exchanged, or leased without prior voter approval.

Residential, commercial, and industrial development of the parkland and/or commercial exploitation of the parkland’s natural resources, including gas or oil wells, logging, and mining, shall be strictly prohibited.

Whenever there is a conflict or difference between this Charter provision and any other provision of the City Charter or any Highland Heights ordinance, this provision shall prevail.


LOGS was formed in December 2007, after residents learned that Bass Energy of Akron, Ohio had obtained state permits and planned to drill two gas wells in Highland Heights Community Park. Of particular concern to LOGS members was city leaders’ failure to publicly discuss the issue with residents, the secrecy surrounding the lease, including the lack of a competitive bidding process, the fact that city leaders ignored local ordinances, one of which prohibits gas wells from being placed in the park, and the fact that the well sites, which the city’s engineer apparently approved, placed one gas well in a densely forested area that was inaccessible to emergency services and placed a second well in an area encompassing both designated wetlands and a constitutionally-protected Ohio Department of Natural Resources nature reserve area.

LOGS believes that the charter amendment, if adopted, will achieve three purposes. It will promote transparency in the city government, guarantee public involvement in decision-making about the parks, and provide additional, explicit protection to the city parks and parkland.

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For further information: Please contact Amy R. Feran (440 446-1327) or Frank Skala (440 473-3484)

Thursday, March 20, 2008

20 April Highland Heights park walk



Sunday, 20 April, 2pm Highland Heights Park Walk
Meet at the second picnic shelter, by the pool

Photos provided by Sami Lees.

Barb Holtz, naturalist and member of the Friends of Euclid Creek, will provide a guided tour with interpretive narration through a part of the community park.

She will help us explore the Dusty Goldenrod Meadow nature reserve, located on the Mayfield School Board property on the north side of the park.

Everyone is welcome. Call Frank Skala at 440-473-3484 for information.

Did you ever wonder what lies behind the parking lots and playing fields? Experience the wonders of the Highland Heights Community Park on Sunday April 20th, at 2 pm. We invite you to join us for a guided tour into the "wilds". Barb Holtz, naturalist and member of Friends of Euclid Creek, will provide a guided tour with interpretive narration through a part of the Community Park few of us have seen or experienced.

Did you know that three creeks meander through this area? They are headwaters of Euclid Creek, which flows into Lake Erie at Wildwood State Park . Barb will also help us explore the Dusty Goldenrod Meadow nature reserve, which is located on the Mayfield School Board property on the north side of the park.

Interested? Be sure to wear boots. They don't call them "wetlands" for no reason. We will meet at the second picnic shelter (by the pool) at 2:00 on April 20th. The walk will take between one and two hours. Everyone is welcome.

Sponsored by the Friends of Euclid Creek (www.FriendsOfEuclidCreek.org) and LOGS (Love Our Green Space), a Highland Heights citizens group. For more information, please call Frank Skala at 440-473-3484.

5 April - Clean Your Attic - HH Garden Club

The Highland Heights Garden Club is having a "Clean your Attic Sale" on Saturday, April 5th from 9 to 3. LOGS is planning to have a representative there for signatures on the charter petition.

5 April Greenfest

Saturday, April 5, 10:00 to 3:30 –
GreenFest at S. Euclid Community Center:
speakers, food, free paper shredding, vegetarian living,
recycling, S. Euclid Citizens for Land Conservation,
S. Euclid Garden Club, more.
Hosted by S. Euclid Recycling Committee.

Dusty goldenrod meadow

Dusty goldenrod (Solidag/Puberula) is found in Highland Heights, Ohio, the only known location in Ohio. This location is part of approximately 3.93 acres of land that is a palustrine meadow containing an unusual diversity of vascular plants (400+), which are rare and/endangered in Ohio or Cuyahoga County, with dusty goldenrod being the most notable.

The palustrine meadow with the dusty goldenrod is part of an area of land that is environmentally sensitive. The land is a mix of wooded swamp, wet meadow, and wet forest and contains several streams that are the headwaters of the East Branch of the Euclid Creek.

http://planning.co.cuyahoga.oh.us/nrac/03projects.html


Join LOGS

LOGS is an informal group of citizens in Highland Heights. Anyone is welcome to join any of the activities. The activities involve green space issues.

Friday, March 14, 2008

Photos





Thank you to Ken Messinger-Rapport for the wetlands photo and Sami Lees for the animal head photo. Ken and Sami are Highland Heights residents.