WEEKLY UPDATE FROM THE OFFICE OF LOVELAND CITY MANAGER DAVID KENNEDY – JUNE 26, 2020

Road paving project in Historic Downtown Loveland caused traffic delays and frustrated citizens headlined the news of the week. HERE IS THE UPDATE FOR JUNE 26, 2020 FOR OUR READER’S CONVENIENCE. IT IS ALSO AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC ON THE CITY WEBSITE

CITY OF LOVELAND

MEMORANDUM

TO: Mayor and Council

FROM: David Kennedy, City Manager

RE: Weekly Update

DATE: June 26, 2020

 LOVELAND, OH (June 27, 2020) –

Administration

This week the city submitted an Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) pre-application in the amount of $250,000 requesting grant funding towards the downtown parking facility. The ARC program is administered by the Ohio Valley Regional Development Commission (OVRDC).

Notification if the city is recommended for funding is anticipated by late summer. The city is also in the process of preparing a request for funding for the Downtown Parking Facility project through the Economic Development Administration (EDA).

On Thursday, the Community Improvement Corporation (CIC), closed on the sale of the White Pillars Homestead for an amount of $160,000. The buyers of the home are beginning renovation of the historic structure almost immediately. Included in the sale agreement, is an easement granted to the city to place an historic marker on the property near the roadway. Additionally, as the Homestead was the city’s first locally designated historic structure, a plaque recognizing this achievement will be placed on the home. Proposed designs for the plaque have been completed by local resident Peter Sexton and will be presented to the Historic Preservation Design Review Commission (HPDRC) for their consideration.

Finance

Michelle Byrde, Director of Finance, participated in two virtual meetings regarding HB481, Local Coronavirus Relief Funding. The City will be receiving funding from our Counties in the next week or two which can be used to offset certain COVID-19 related expenses. The unencumbered fund balance of our new Local Coronavirus Relief Fund as of mid-October must be returned to the Counties. Assistant City Manager Tom Smith will work with Michelle and other Department Heads to assign appropriate expenses to these deposits.

Training sessions for the upgraded Finance system were held this week for City Hall and LSFD personnel. Police department staff will be trained once technology issues are resolved.

Building and Zoning

Tuesday the Planning and Zoning Commission held a meeting to review applications for rezone from Residential – Medium Density (R-MD) to Residential – Multi-Family (R-MF) for a proposed development off North Second Street (St. Rt. 48) south of the Sentry Hill subdivision. Following the public hearing the, the Commission elected to table the item for further review. Additional information regarding the rezone application can be found here:

https://lovelandoh.iqm2.com/Citizens/FileOpen.aspx?Type=1&ID=1299&Inline=True.

The Commission also reviewed application for a change in exterior elevations for 320 West Loveland-Madeira Road, currently DJ’s Food Mart and proposed to be Tiger Express Coin Laundry. The change in exterior elevation will be to the overhang awning area around the sign area with all other areas of the exterior building façade remaining the same. The proposed color change is called netsuke, which is a light shade of tan. In addition, the Commission reviewed an application for a conditional use permit for 210 Harrison Avenue. The conditional use is for a short-term rental. Both applications were approved.

Road paving in Historic Downtown Loveland caused traffic problems throughout the week. (Chuck Gibson)

Public Works

Road work in the downtown district was the primary activity for the week. Although there were communications to the public and our downtown business community, they were not done so in a timely manner. The work caused considerable backups and obvious frustrations from residents and business owners. Future downtown projects clearly require better advanced planning by both the city and the contractor.

Although congestion and frustration were everywhere, it would have been worsened if not for the efforts of Public Works Director, Scott Wisby and assistance from the Loveland Police on Thursday evening. A final communication to the downtown businesses was sent early Friday morning.

On Thursday, two firms submitted proposals for the water system’s SCADA replacement project: Henry P. Thompson Co. & Automation Plus. Staff is in the process of reviewing qualifications before opening the cost proposals.

With the new basketball goals installed, and the swing-set bordered and mulched, work is nearly complete on the final McCoy Park improvement project. Hanging the swings on the swing-set and correcting some punch-list items are all that remains for the project. Once finalized, this will mark a total of $145,000, largely with grant funded, invested into McCoy Park. Previous improvements to the park include: new playset, new picnic shelter, resurfacing/restriping of the tennis and basketball courts, new benches, new pickleball nets and repairs to the parking lot.

Police

On Wednesday, LPD hosted its first department meeting of 2020. On Thursday Loveland officers assisted with traffic control downtown.

Upcoming Events and Meetings

Sunday June 28; Concert in the Park, Nisbet Amphitheater, 6:00 PM