Volume 2. Number 6 · September I 994 , Editor/writer: David Beach

Inside ·

'Mingling movements: Environmentalists and

neighb()rhood activists are sharing issues and methods

o Who's taking from whom? .

Problems with tht; American " . tradition of land speculation ',

o Why environmentalists should be

pro-development o

Sprawl pressure points around the region

C Doan Brook saved again

o The. next Metroparks reservation

o Good words

r have been volunteering Thursdays here at the farm since April. .

In that time I have been frozen, soaked, sunburned

al)d bitten by any number of bugs. It has b~il a most joyous time forme.

1£ you think this place is just about.vegetables .

you are getting less than·half of the idea .. , I'think itis about lifestyle, values, time

and how you handle tbe{l1. -- Susan Rhee,

volunteer at the SlIver Creek organic farm near Hiram

f:LEVELANd ~ ~

The Rocl<y Tbe Rocky is tbe quiet river

. . . ofNortbeast Ohio. It's not a

working; industrial river

like tbe Cuyaboga or tbe

. Black. It's not as sheltered

. as the blue-blood Chagrin.

It's not as wild as the

Grarid.

Instead it slips shy~y

between Cleveland's

western suburbs from its.

headwaters in northern

Medina County. It flows

into Lake Erie privately

, through a yachtcJub.

The steep-wai,led Rocky

River Valley once fonned a

natural boundary for

urbanization west of

Cleveland. But 'bridges

erased the barrier. Now' we

drive over the valley in

seconds, ~ith scarcely a

thought to the river below,

a river that has carved a

gorge through ~earli I 00

feet of shale and sandstone

and glacial iill. Continued on p . 6

I<eeping the money at home . .

Sophis'ticated barter networks and alternative currencies are coming to the bioregion - See pages 10-11

HOME AT ECOCITY

Being . pro-development Although it may sound strange, I am pro-development. And I believe that all environmentalists should be.

In the past 100 years and especially after World War II, we've built ·

sprawling cities, ~assive indus~ries and ~ cons.u~er ~conomy that are ~avaging the environment. Now the only solution is to build our way out of the mess. We. must keep on developing, but in ways that heal the phinet.

This will mean withdrawing from sprawling land uses' and bu~lding compact urban villages., Getting out of cars-and building alternative fonns of transportation. Sy.ritching from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources. Creating closed-loop production systems that mimic biological systems and create no wastes. Restoring the ecological inte.gritr of lakes and streams.

Developing sustainable

economies that don't depen~ ~n constant groWth.

Over and over, environmentalists are forced to fight bad developments. One of

our greatest challenges .is to · create a positive vision of the developmen~s we. want. To do

· that; we first need to broaden the range. of available choices'. After all, the main reason we are always against things is that ~e're given 'impossibly bad choices. It always seems to be a choice between a highway interchange at Point A or Point B, or a choice betwe~n jobs and polluti~n.

'I'm tired of those false choices. Instead oft.he interchange; I warit a mass transit system that will make it unnecessary to drive.

On a recent trip tOPittsburgh I found a good example ofthis desire to broaden the range of possibilities. The ~tate· ofPe~nsylvania wants to spen.d $2

billion ·to build new freeways around the. M~Ti Valley area and .promote · 'economic devel.opment. 'But the director of the AI.legheny County Planning Departme~t, Raymond .Reaves. says there are lots of better ways to invest $2 '

billion of public rilon~y. After making sure that the exist~ng fOi;ld system is well maintained. he would

upgrade the lC?cal schools 'so that they could lead tlie·transition·to a post­manufacturing· economy. He wou.1d tu~ the Mon Valley into an international rese&rch, development, training and education center in the envir~mmental field . . He would invest in fiber optic cables and bther.forl)ls of advanced telecommunications. And he would cre~te a center' for rh"agnetic levitation' research and manufacturing so the Mon VaUey c'ould produce high-speed" rail

systems for North- America. "I have left a rew hundred million dollars for you to spend. But you get the

· idea," says Reaves. "Rather than attempting to re-create yesterdaY's.economy with unimaginative ideas, such as expressways, let's build the future. II

He · ~dds. IICritics will say that th~ funds which might be avail~ble to build the expressways cannot be used for these other activities. My response is that is "a failure of vision i;lnd a failure ~~ use our wealth for the appropriate '

2

in,,:estments. We need nbt be captive to the past and to the statu~ quo. We can change laws. We can choose our future."

-- David Beach Editor

,Mission 'EcoCity Cle~eIand is,a nodptofit, tax-exempt;

educational organizatipn. ]hroughtae.}mblication of the EcoCity Cleveland Journal and other programs, it will stimulate ecological thinking about the Northeast Obio

regiao (Cuyahog~aior~gioQ),nurture l\nEcoCily N~twork among local gioup~ wotking onwban anll

envi:ronmental. issues) atld promote sustajnabf~ ways to . meet basic hqOlanDeedsforfood,~helfer,

productive work and sta~lecommunlties.

Board·i:)f Truste~s David Beach, Director, .&oCity Cleye./Gnd· Robert Staib"r;leVeland Division oJthe ,Envir.onmenf Phil Slar, Center Jor Neighborhood,lJevelop/Ilent, CSU' Chris TrepaI, Tke Earth Day Coalition

. Advisory Board Deborah Alex-SaurtderS. Minority 'Environmental Assoc. ThomasBi~r,.CSU /fousingPolicy ResearchProgram James-Bissell, Cleveland Museu_,!, o/Natural Histor.y piane Cameron;NaiurajR~sources De/ense Council Ann,e-Chaka, Union 'of Concerned Scientists ' Edith Chase, OhlQ Coastal Resource Mgt project John Debo, Cuyahoga Valley National Recreation Area Stuart GreenbergJ Environmental Health Walch Lynne Hanna,h, Northeast Ohio Greens , Soren Hansen.ln'terGraplric Engineering Serv((1es

. Kim Hill, Sierra Club Robert Jaguay, C;uyahoga'Couil/y Planning Commission David Knapp, f!niled Labor Agency Susan Lacy, Churches Acting Together/or Change and ~

, Hope (CATCH) Craig Limpach, Wildllft biollJgi:;t Elaine Marsh, F~iends oj the Crooked River 'Mary O'Shea, The.Food.Co-op Norman Robbins, CW:RU Program for the Environment Jerome<Wa!cott.; Commission ,on CathoUc COffll!2unity ,Action' . " Roberta Wendel, Friends oJthe Black-River

, . Organizailons listed for i~en1ific~tion only.

Articles in EeoCi!}, Cleveland do not l1ecessarfly reflect the vlews of , board members: although there's a good "C~ance ~ey do.

• The EcoCity 'CJeveldnd Journal is published p10nthly at

2~4l Scarborough Road, Cleveland Heights, OH ~41l8, Cuy~hoga Bioregion:telephone/fax (216)932-3001' . . Unless otherwise noted, all a~icles and_photographs are by . David Beach. -Submissions from others are welcome, but please call first. . We cannot be responsible for unsoUcited . ll1ateria1s. Copy deadline is the 15th of each monQt.

Readers are encouraged to use _the information 'in EcoCity Cleveland. Just'call for permiSSion to reprint artiCles. After yoqlrc finished with your copy of the

'- n~wsletter, pass it on t() friends _or recycle it. .if you are a regular reader,ple~se subscribe. .

Supported 'bygr(!,nts from t.he George Gund and Nord Family foundations, subscriptions and indiViduatdonatioris-.

Printed atOra_nge -Blossom 'Press in_Cleveland on 10'0% post;.consumer waste recycled paper ~sing soy-.. based inks.

© 1994 EcoCity Cleveland

EcoCil)' ClEVElANd 0 September 1.994

GRASSROOTS ACTION

Minglingmovements 'Neighborhood activists used to be knownfpr protesting at ihe . sto~kholders meetings of local corporations. But in recent years, the demos in the streets have waned as activists have spent more time packaging complex financing deals for hOUSing developments. Some activists bemoan today's lack of political organizing -- the lack of advocacy that would force more attention to be paid to neighborhood problems. Others believe that ';eighborhood groups have more power by setting the developm·ent agenda/or their COI!lmUfll'ties and by becoming "professionals. " Both nlay be correct.

The following article exanJines the trend towa'rd development work -- and pOints out that the environmental movement may be moving in the same direction. The specific issues of the neighborhood.and environmental movements are also intertwining.

• By Robert Jaquay

Efforts of area environrrient~lists and their. ac~ivist cousins in the neighborhood movement are . intertwining. as the groups increasingly share issues

. and replic·ate each other's successful tactics. Nqt only are local environmentali sts running market-driven '

. ventures and structuring real estate transactions ~.­activities pioneered by community development ·corporations over two decades ago -- but neighborhood-baSed organizations are now frequently adding environmental issues to their agendas where local action can improve, the quality oOife of local residents.

As a result, community development professionals are studying · how energy efficiency can lower the cost of housing and commer·cial. real estate proj~cts, Thus, the program can be a developmenttooi as it helps meet environm~ntal goals -- energy conservation, deaner· air, preservation of non-renewable resOurces.

Brownfields . The·redevelopment of contaminated industria) sites occurs on a parcel­

by-parcel, transaction-by-transaction basis. Efforts· are underway by the financing Committee of the Cuyahoga County BrownfLelds Working Group to identify sources of funding already available for development transactions and which can be applied to cl~anups as part of an overall housing, commercial or industrial development project. ,The committee also is seeking .to create a special Brownfields Remediation Fund to enable more cleanups to take place.

As with energy conservation programs, skills of financial analysis and real estate deal making will be essential to advance the common development and environmental goal -- the cleanup and reuse of urban I.and in lieu of development 0.0 greenfield sites out on the metropolitan fringe .

Open space

Consider these examples of the "intertwining" of local environment and development objectives in the Cleveland area. .

Direct action: Neighborhood organizing in the '70s and early 'SOs .emphasized political

Preservation of open space is being.accomplished these days as much by real estate transaction as by regulation. Preservation of land in the Cuyahoga Valley north of the National Recreation Area is being

·aggressively pursued by the Trust for Public Land. and Ohio Canal Corridor .. Parcel by parcel, the groups

are working thrqugh the complex issu~s of owners~ip,

easements, accessibility and financing to c~mnect land in the corridor, The effort.s are also tied to econoinic

Solid waste . empowerment.

Nonprofit organizations are contributing to Cuyahoga County's 25% solid 'waste reduction goal. The Cleveland Recycling Cente,(i for exampl~. initially e·mployed labor from the St.Clair­Superior neighborhood to process ma'terial bought from neighbors dropping it off at the center. Since being started by the St. Clair.;. Superior Coal ition in 1982, activities have expanded. The center now handles materials from suburban areas as well as Cleveland, employing even more indivii::luals from the neighborhood, .

. Another such organ"izatiori, the Greater Cleveland Ecology Association, ~omposts yard waste obtained from Cleveland and suburban municipal waste collections. Humus is then offered for sale to bulk and individual residential customers.

Each organiza~ion must maintain the pulse of its markets for both gaining material and sale of it after processing .. Moreoyer, financing issues lo.om large as each group strives to sustain its operations, .always a struggle, even on a nonprofit basis. .

'Energy For years, development profess ionals have used grants and low-interest. loans to stimulate housing rehabilitation, commercia.' area revitalization and the retention or expansion of industri al jobs in urban neighborhoods. Also for years, neighborhood groups have wo·rked with East Ohio Gas to promote home weatherization to reduce heating bills of low-income-~esidents. 1n 1993, a new opportunity arose for local development with Centerior Energy's pledge to invest up to $40 .

'mill ion over three years in incentives for consumers to install energy­sa~ing devices, such as high-efficiency light buibs ~d electric motors.

EeoC;,y ClEVElANd 0 September 1994·

development opportunities in adjacent Cleveland rieighborho04s.

Similarly, neighborhood-based ho.using groups are starting to . include open space in their developments. The MiIJ Creek project in Cleveland's Broadway area: , for example, features .a town square and a Metroparks bikinglhiking trail connecting Garfield ReserVation and the Mill Creek falls.

Development/advocacy tension That local environmental and community development inferests hold many of the same objectives and replicate each other's successful methods are good things. At the same time, however, cer:tain questions arise.

Within many community-based development organizations, tensions exist between increasing pro'duction (ofhousiilg units, for instance) .and improving technical competence on the one hand, and . maintenance of community accountability and.achievement of neighborhood empowennent objectives on the other. This inherent tension is likely to be faced in some fashion by environmental groups that increase their use of development methods to achieve their' goals.

Moreover, community development groups and 'local environmental organizatiQns may need to, increasingly coordinate efforts to avoid duplication and competition, We need to explore the "int~rtwining" of the two mov~ments so that SC;afce resources are pooled, common opportunities not squandered and combined political clout is maximized. 0 Robert Jaquay works at the Cuyahoga County Planning Commission and is a ' member oJlhe EcoCity Cleveland Ad.visory Board. ., . '

3

SPRAWL

·Who·s tal<ing from whom.? One of the most significant

. environmental issues today -has less to do with pollution than with legal theory and right-wing politics. It's the "takings" hattIe being waged in the. fegis/ature~' and the coilrts.

Referring to the Constitutional prohibition against government 'taking private property wi~houtjust cqmpensation .. lhe takings issue ~s . another troubling legacy of the Reagan years. Under the guise of protecting.property rights, the, takings iss"ue and similar legal strategies are being used 10 roll

. back environmental protection and strip communities oftheJr ability to shape their own destinies. In Northeast Ohio, for example, the rights of municipalities 10 profect open space through large'-Iot zoning, to charge development impact fees to offset the costs of new . ser~ices, 'and to control/h,e flC?w _of solid waste are all under legal assault. In Congress, the Private Property Owners Bill of Rights seeks to gut th~ Endangel'ed Speeies Act 'and the wetlands provisions of the Clean Water Act,

.Whom ;s really hurt by controls on developmelJ/? the following article /rom the Summer 1991 newsletter oft~e Nationa.l Growth Management Leadership Project, argues that a new ethic of land stewardship is needed to protect the publ ic intere~·t from those who seek 10 maximize pr:ivate profits through land . spe~ulation.

• By Kevin Kasowski

Two of the most enduring ~rails. of U.S. hist.ory are a deep bond to the land where we live ~. a sen'se ofland. stewardship ••• and an . equally deep, unrelenting impulse to -make a financial killing by selling tJ-le very land that we cherish.

In .a recent short history of land policy, .­land use expert Gordop Meek.s ncrt.es that land, speculation runs deep in America's past, forming the basis for muc~ of the wealth of the country's Founding Fathers, and later reaching its highest'art fonn on the Wes~em Frontier, CI~mson Professor James Hite notes that Uland speculation has become'a great game to Americans; they, beoame addicte~ to i~ ·in the way some men become compulsive gamblers."

4

C< ~t~j ~

. fii3.-~ t1Q

. ~!._.aA_ ~ . 6iiC>.

.. .. . -~--".' ,' .

,~,.~ . "JJitij;i

Yet today; the balance between our urge to steward the land and our. impulse 'to speculate on its value seems badly out of kilter, Substantial evidence points to the conclusion that years of unrestrain~d land speculation have resulted in' a net loss to the ' the economic, social and environmental we ll . being of society as a whole. Economically

. spe'lking, lan4 specj.llation has led to wild swings of investment followed by drru,nat.ic collapses and economic tunnoil.

From a social perspective, the siren song 'of land speculation has ~erved to increase the sep~-ration of our society racially and economically. Land speculation' draws new development ever outward to the "Subur~an fringe where land is cheaper (anp a handsome profit can be made), leaving many inner cities behind to rot and fester in crime, dru'gs and a myriad of s~cial p"roblems.

This relentless sprawl has also had severe , environmental consequences. In rewarding . the finanCial interesfs of thos~ wh'o speclllai~ on the ~alue of land at·.the urban fringe, we are rapidly paving over farm and forest fan~,

. ~

Tom TolesIBuffalo News

,carving up vanishing wildlife habitat, endangering water and 'air quality, and burning up fossil fuels at an unprecedented rate as auto-orien~ed cities ~d scatt,ered rural homesites spre;ad further and further into !he countryside, . .

'For all of these reasons .. it seems'evirlent that rational restrictions on land speculation ' are riot only long overdue, but more th,an justified, Unfortunately, soine people and politicians. seem to be having an .inordinate amount of difficulty making the crucial distinction between thoughtful land stewardship and pure and simple land. speculation. That gap is especially evident in recent events in Congress and num.erou.s state

. legislatures as pressure mounts to O1 protect p'roperty rights. II .

Real estate interests, large holders of timber, grazing and other natural resource lands, as well 'as a vocal minority of o.utspoken indivii:1ual landowne~s are pushing for a more "hands·off" governmental approach to land : . 'Use and environmental regulatipn. New

EeoCi!)' ClEVElANd 0 September 1994

r

.,

government wetl and, land use and ot~er regulations. they claim, are an unconstitutional "taking" of private property without due compensation --- a violation of the Fifth Amendment --- li nor shall government tak~ pri vate property for public use without just compensation."

A crucial question Underlying this debate over property rights .and the . interpretation 'of the takings clause is a crucial question: Does society really have an obligation to protect the property interests of a few if they are gambling to make ~ buck at the expense of the rest cfus -:- and of our nation's future?

"People who are objecting to environmental restrictions on {he basis of property rights are really objecting to an imaginary infringement on ~ perceived right --- to make _a windfall by specuiating on land --:.. that doesn't ex ist anywhere in au; Constitution or in case law," says--Charles , Lee, senior vice-pre~id~nt of the Florida Audubon Society. "'rhere -is a fundamental difference: between prop~rty ~ights and the right to gain profit through speculation of land," he says. qne Vermont la"Y)'er compares th is phenomeno~ to paying BMW, . prices for a Yugo and then suing because you ended up with a lousy car.

Pace University Law Professor John Humbach, a noted Con~titution a"t scholar, agrees. It is presumptuous to ·talk ofa "taking" whef! "a . regulation takes nothing except a hope or expectancy ~bout"poss ibl e uses in ~he future," he argues. '.'There js a fundamental difference between the present us~s of the land and potential futu~e uses. It is the difference between something.'real' and something merely expected .... it i ~ , bluntly. the · difference between an investment and a bet."

Under close scrutiny, the-rhetoric about alleged "takings" is also fraught with an ultimate lack of consistency. Land speculators protest government

. interference in the free market, but are silent when the siting of a govemment-funded·highway next to

. their property, or a local government upzoning · -creates a huge windfall in their propertyyalue. Do any of them off~r to give any of thi s publicly­conferre~ wea,lth back to the Treasury? Of course

A tal<ings · charade? What exactly is a "takings"?

not. Scratch beneath the superficial rhetoric of tile so-called property rights "advocate;" and more often than not, y~u'll find a diehard land speculator undem-eath. . . .

.A new land ethic? Is land speculation somehow inevitab le? Clemson's Professor Hite frames the outlook this way: ."TI)Cre is no mon! reason to be optimistic that land speculation can be wiped out in America than to believe that alcoholism, prostitution and thievery can be wiped out. Yet if effective land-use po li~ies

are to be establi shed, land speculation must be refocused. The game must be played under a new, modified set of rules."

Humbach advocates "a new land ethic" featuring the idea of "existing use zoning" to create greater stability in land-use patterns and to retain the character and valu~ of agricu ltural, forest, .

. ·wi ldl ife and open space. areas. Hurobae;h says the existing use concept "places the burden on tho.se ~ho stand to profit by imposing change, rather than on those who· wish to retafn t~e character and qualities of the land."

In this light, po ticies that define w~ere growth ' will and will not occur, are,· along w ith other measures, such as Vermont's tax on land speculation, important first steps in creating the new rules under which the game of land speculation must be played. . .

Indeed, it's time to expose the rhetoric of the land speculators for what it is, and move o'n to develop forWard- looking policies to restore the critical balance between our speculative ·urges and our commitment to land stewardship.

Protect the property rights of those willi ng to use bind productively .and responsibly? Wi·tho.ut a doubt. But in doing 50, let's also protect the interests of society as a whole. and not simply the .

fiduciary interests of a ·fc:w land speculators. 0

Kevin Kasowski worlcrJor the 1000 Friends oj Oregon, which helped start the National Growth : . Management Leadership Project, a network oj groups working on development issues. The project can be contacted at Suite 71 6,-Williamette I!uilding, 534 SW Third Avenue, Portlond, OR 97204, (503) ]28-9462.

Despite the rhetoric of speculators and property rights advocates, a .review of actual case law reveals that ."tak ings" 9ccu.r rarely, and in only tWo ways. A "physical" taking is the most ·obvious: the government can't build.or encroach on private land, nor can it mandate that private hmd . be made available for the use of the· general public, without cOTnpensatiOT1.

. Most takings confroversies fall into it. second category that is fin less clear-cut and harder to prove: "prohibitory" takings. Here, a government prohibition or regulation takes private land by . either fa iling to address a legitimate public interest, or by' removing virtually a ll "economically viable" uses or "reasonable, investment-backed expectations" from a piece of property.

Using thi s interpre~ation, the courts have upheld regulations that not only limit certain future uses (e.g., zon ing), but even those .that reduce the existing value of property by as much as 75 to 90%.

EcoC,,\, ClEVElANd 0 September 1994

We abuse land

because we

regard it as a

, commodity

belonging to

us. When we

see land as a

community to

which we

belong, we

may begin to

use it with

love and

respect.

-Aldo

Leopold

Sand County

. Almanac

5

, ,.

I

WATERSHEDS

The Rocl<y Fromp. I

It's a river of dramatic beauty and · fragile ecological health. Although ther~ is l.ittle industry in the. ~atershed. the river's ' water qualitY is degraded by inadequate sewage treatment and runoff from streets lawns and c~nstruction sites. The Clevel~nd Metroparks protects a substantial part of the river's corridor, but the upper reaches 'ofthe ri.ver'in Medina County. Columbia Township; Strongsville and North Royalton are pressured by rampant development.

Major problems In 1992, the Ohio. EPA conducted an intensive survey of the Rocky's'water q.uality. Here are some fincti"ngs from the

· report: ' • . Despite improvements sin~e 1981,

pra~tically none of the river's mainstem met water quality standards, primarily because of disch~rges from se.w(!.ge treatment plants and urban runoff. Most of the East and · West branches, however, met the state standards for. w~rmwater habitat.

.. Sewage enrichment from the North Olmsted wastewater treatment plant was noticeable for 2.5 mil~s downstream.

• Abram Creek was severely .degraded · 'because of inadequately treated waste from

the Brook Park and Middleburg Heights sewage plants:

• The fish community of Baldwin · Creek was poor because· of eff1~ent· from

the North Royalton B and Strongsville C ~ewage plants.

• The,species richness ofthe fish · community ofthe EastBranch declined

downstream ·of the Medi~a 300 sewage plant.

friends for. the Rocky The fi.est citizens advocacy .group for the Rocky River·· the Friends of the River Valley·· was organized recently by . residents oftheppper West Branch in northern Medina County. The group seeks to.raisecpublic a",areness ofthe river and involve· people in yarious protection efforts, accardingto the Friei"IS' chairp.ers,on Dana Va~rusk. of Valley City. Future projects c9uld include a stream walk progranl'to monitor.water quality and habitat in the .valley, as »,ell as a willow . tree pl'll1ting effort to prevent stream bank erosion; '

C,,1l483·3104 fai more itif0mt.tion.

6

• Reductions in phosphorus and ammonia loadings from the North Royalton A and ~trongsville B sewa~e plants resulted in improved fish communities downstream of the plants in the East Branch.

.• A: leachate collection system at the Montville Landfill . tributary improved water quality ofthe West Branch since 1981.

• Water quality and fish populations in the lower 4.8 miles of the West Branch were hurt by sewage effluent, possibly from Blodgett Creek, Plum Creek, and a tributary that receives flow from the Columbia Hills Trai ler Park . .

• Failing home septic systems are polluting portions of the East Branch and Baldwin Creek . .

.• Pollution from urban runoff could be

·Condos in North Royalton: Ii's easy -to trash a fragile headwater stream, like this tributary to the East Branch of the· Rocky River. J ust fill in the Dood plain; build right to the • stream bank, and allow stormwater from downspouts to cause chronic· erosion problems.

an increasing problem in the'watershed especially . in develop·ing areas ~uch as ' North Roy·alton and northern Medina County. Watershed planning is needed to minimize future impacts.

Sewer relief In the past;two years, some of the worst sewage problems listed above have been eliminated by a new "interceptor. sewer (a regional sewer that conveys wastewater directly to a treatment plant and relieves' overloaded municipal systems): The $163 million Southwest Interc~ptor of the Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District (NEORSD) has permitted the · decommissioning of four inadequate treatment plants .. Brook Park, Middleburg Heights, Berea, and Strongsville A. Wastewater from those plants is now being diverted to NEORSD's Southerly Treatment Plant on the Cuyahoga River.

Southerly is a giant plant with advanced treatment processes.

"The interceptor let them t~ke out some really bad treatment plants,lI says Da~e Stroud, who monitors the river for Ohio EPA. ~'It's removing a lot ofwas.te from the stream."

.But the interceptor also is raising some interesting questions. For the first time in loc~l historx; waste~ater is being diverted

. . from one major·watershed to another. Some water qualitY experts are concerned that removing so much water (up to ·15% of total flow in dry conditions) could cause · other enviromnental problems.

. "We don't know what's going to happen," says Stroud. "ill the summer the river could go lower than it has ·in recent memory, but there still should be enough deep pools for fish·to survive." .

Another question is whether the Abram Creek tributary will recover n'ow that it is

Continued on p , 8

EcoCi,y ClEVElANd 0 September 1994

Rocl<y River Basin'

N

+

Map by Ohio Department of Nalural Resources. Division of Water

EcoCiTY C1";'''ANd 0 September I 994

'Rocky River watershed digest ~ Drainage area: 294 square miles with

headwaters mostly in Medina County. -. Stream miles: 664 miles, including

tributaries. >&. Branches: East and West branches

flow together near Cedar Point Road to ronn the river's mainstem 12 miles from Lake Erie.

t .. Major tributary creeks: Plum, Blodgett, Baldwin, Abram, Baker, Mallet, Healey .

• SoUrce of drinking water for Berea and Medina .

•• : Ohio EPA water quality designations: Entire basin is Warmwater Habitat (capable of supporting a balanced and relatively ' diverse community of warm water aquatic organisms), last six miles of·thernainstem are Seasonal Salmonid (capable of supporting seasonal passage of salmonid species. such as trout, and large enough to sUPP_Qtt recreational fishing). .

ta.. Best water quality: upper East Branch, . ia.. Major-wastewater treatment plants

discharging to ,~atershed: North RoyaltO'n A and B, Medina 300 and 500, Strongsville B and C, North Olmsted, Columbia Township Subdivision, Columbia Mob!le Home Park,. Olmsted Trailer Park, Brentwood Subdivision, Vinewood Subdivision.

fa.. Recently decommissioned wastewater .plants: Middleburg Heights, Berea; Strongsville A, Brook Park

~ .. Significant problems: organic enrichment from sewage and runoff, metals, ammonia, habitat alteration.

ta. Valley as.wester;n limit of plant range: sessile trillium, white adder's tongue, giant Solomon'S seal. .

ta.. Ecoregion: According to Ohio EPA's classification, the Rocky River Basin is located in the Erie/Ontario Lake PlaiD ecoregion. which is characterized by glacial plains interspersed with higher remnant beach ridges, drumlins; glacial till ridges, till plains, and outwash terraces. Local relief is greater in the Eric/Ontario Lake Plain ecoregion (northeast Ohio) than in the ne;ghbo~ing HuronlErie Lake Plain (northwest Ohio) and the Eastern Com Belt Plain (central and western Ohio). ecoregions, but less than the relief found in the Western Allegheny Plateau (southeast Ohio ecoregion, .

Sources: OhioI;PA, NOACA, Encyclopedia,oj .Cleveland History

7

I

Fror(l p. 6 no longer being .degraded by the Brook Park and Middleburg Heights treatment plants. Th"e sewage could have masked underlying impacts from Hopkins Airport and NASA's Lewis Research Center. For example, Ohio EPA recommends analyzing fish downstream .ofNASA for mercury contamination (at one time NASA was the o~e of the largest purchasers of mercury in the free world and used the metal in space engih~ research). Also "recommended is a . study of airport de~icing operations to see if che~jc.als sprayed on planes are finding their way j~to t~e river.

i:)angers upstream Now that some of the wqrst sewa.ge problems'have been reduced, wat~r quality experts 3(e turning their attention to the. impacts of development on ~he Rockyts . . branches and tributary creeks. Erosion from construction sites is a major water qiJality." problem, as sediment muddies. the water and smothers the n~rmally "rocky bottom of streams.

On a recent tour ofrtew subdivisions in North Royaltoq and StrongsviUe; ~taff . members ofthe Cuyahoga County Soil and Waler Conservation District (SWCD) pointed .out hoine" ~ites where the ground has been bare and v.ulnerable to erosion for " nearly two years. The SWCD is heJping developers and city officials become" more aware of such problems" In one demonstr~tion "proj~ct focusing on the East Branch of the Rocky, SWCD staff and . researchers repeatedly seeded and mulche"d construction sites to minimize the time the ground lay uncovered by grass.

nBy keeping the sites covereQ, we can reduce soil erosion up to 90% and phosphorus runoff by up to 68%,"· said the Cuyahoga SWCD's Jim Storer. "And the repeated seedings ar~ cheaper than cfeaning up sediment problems later."

S"ut even the best co"nstruction practices . won't solve ~II water quality problems as'sociated with development. Thousailds of homes buiit to the edge oftlie fragile; .feeder streams of the Rocky c.ause tremendous ecological stress long after they are bUilt -- from the runoff of lawn chemicals, the altered topography and drainage patterns, and the many 9ther impacts of urbanization" The"problem is that regulations controlling devdopment are more concerned with building codes

"" than long-term environmenta~ damage.

8

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Suburbia vs. stream$ Top 5 causes ,of aquatic life impairment iI, Ohio:

1. Organic enric~mentllow dissolved oxygen from sewage, urban runoff and , agricultural runoff. . 2. Siltation.

3: Habitat destruction: 4. Ammonia. 5. Metals.

Major new water quality problem in Ohio: . Suburban development .of once rural watersheds. This could lead to severe degradation of streams and ca~se ,increased flooding problems if: I) riparian ~on~s are not protected, 2) erosion and sedimentation are not adequately contr9l1ed, and 3) stormwater and runoff problems are not attenuated. Stre3J!ls need to be viewed as a resource and not a mere conveyance for l1excessu ~ater from'lawns, parki.ng lots~ etc.

Source: Ohio Water Resource Inventory, 9~io 'EPA, 1992

One condo development off Route 82 in North Royalton, for example, fill~d in a flood plain meadow. The earthmoving machines pushed dirt to the bank of a tributary creek of the East Branch. The condos wer~ built Just a few feet from the water's edge.

Now the creek threatens to ~ash away the foundation of at least one home, and there,are continuing erosion problems. Storer pointeQ out a_~ownspout I~ading

from a condo to within a coupl'e of feet of the top oft~e stream bank: A gulley was ·already fanning .where the rainwater-ran down the bank.

. "In this case, the drain should b~. carried all the way down into the stream," 'Storer said sadly. "Now it's ·carrying.lots of. sediment away. In the whole development, we're talking tons." 0

Resources for the Rocky . • Water Quality-Trends and Conditions in the NOACA Five-County Region, 1992, Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency. Contact Bill Davis at 241 -2414.

• Biologicpl and W;'ter Quality Study of the Rocky River and Selected Tributaries, Augu.st 1993, Ohio EPA. Coniact Daye Stroud, 425-9171.

. • Greater Clevel(1nd Area . Envir.onmental Water Quality Assessment, 1991-1992, Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District. Contact Keith Linn at 641-6000 . .

• Cuyahoga County Soil and Water Conservation District, Jim Storer, 524-6580.

. • Clevelarid Metroparks, fish~ries biologist Ken Halko, 234-9597.

E!X)Ci1)l CIEVEiANdO September 1994

CORRIDORS

The Emerald Necklace is continuing to spread "

to the urban core Iff the'Cleveiand area. In rece.~t years, the . . Cleveland Metroparks has taken over m~nagement of Garfield and .

Brookside parts, But the most signific3pt . development could be the creation of a new ' Canal Reservation along the 'Cuyahoga Riv.er.

The next reservation ' land through easements "and lease agreer:nents.

...... .. '--

The Canal' Reservation also would become an important feature of the proposed Ohio &

Erie Canal National Heritage Corridor

, following the canal 87 miles from Cleveland" to Zoar, OH, The Metroparks recently was awarded $1,85 million in federal transportation funds to constru~i a 6.2 mile extension of the .

The new ,park ,would occupy 400 to 600 acres o.flanct along the Cuyahoga Riv~r just south of

, Harvard Road, The

Wildness survives: At the bead of Cleveland's industrial valley is a relatively pristine flood plain that could soon become the Cleveland l\1etropark's next reservation .~ndpart of the Ohio & E~ie Canal National Heritage Corridor.

existing Canal . , Towpath hiking/biking . trail in the corridor . .

land is mostly pristine flopd plain -- a never developed, ecologiCal jewel in the midst of " an industrial area. It's owned by American Steel and Wire Co'; and · ,other corporations. The Metroparks are negotiating to manage the

The' city of Cleveland Heights has refused to permit co.nstructio.n of a stprmwater detentio.n basin along Doan Brook in Ambler Park, a~ hadbee~ propo.sed, by'the city of Gleveland. In a September 7 letter: Cleveland Heights City Manager Robert Downey gave the following reasons for the decision: '< "

• The proposed project will Dot alleviate, the ,floo.dilig problems of Do an Brook north of University Circle. .

The exten.sion will run froll) tlie northern boundary of the Cuyahoga Valley Nati~nal. Recreation Area at Rockside Ro.ad to. the end o.fthe Metro.parks' planned Big Creek Greenway Corridor Trail.

Doan Brook cqmmunities now have an exciting'oppotfuluty to become a national model i~ this field.

• During the discussion of Do an Broo.k at the Septe",ber 7

Cleveland Heights Council meeting, one resident recalled that ,the detention basin was not the worst threat Doan Brook ever faced .

. Twenty: five years ago, highway plann~rs sought to. run the Clark Freeway through the brook and the • The proposed structure wou Id

substantially alter the ecology and environment of the ravine where the 'project is propo.Sed to,be located,

r-~---------------, Sbaker,Lakes through which it flows

• The flooding problems experienced by the city of Cleveland can oUJy be alleviated through a cooperative effort on

Doan ·Brool< saved (again)

(lakes which tben Cuyaboga County Engineer Albert Porter derided as "two­bit duck ponds"), Thankfully: citizens rose up to save the park and. the urban area it enhan.ces. .

a regional basis. I .

Downey added, "The city of ' , <

Cleveland Heights would be pleased to participate with other communities located within the Doan Brook watershed to develop au' overall waler management control progra",,"

As they announced the decisio.n, Cleveland Heights Council members praised .local residents and environm~ntal activists for the "thoughtful, rational and civil" input that helped them make up their minds: Residents living Dear ~mbler Park conducted their, own research, testified at public meetings, and took council members on tours of the Doim Brook ravine. ' , ' The city's Call for a' cooperative, watershed approach for manajling urban stannwater follows recommendati6n~ mad~ in EcoCity Cleveland's January 1994 cover story, which discussed ecologically-preferred alternatives for controlling starmwater.

'EeoC;,y ClEVElANd 0 September 1994

Cleveland State University housing anal¥st'TomBier recently wrote an'op-ed

piece for The Plain Dealer to thank those who fought and won that 'battle. "The park is a major asset -- not just for the Heights arl'll

, . , , I .... , I

and ildjacentCleveland, but for all of Cuyahoga County," BIer said, "Urban parks strengthen property values and add to tbe quality oflife. The county's tax base gaiDs and all county residents benefit."

He added thai now, is the time to plan (or new parks in Cleveland, wh"-re neighborhoods ar.being'rebuilt, "Shaker Lakes can be an inspiration. Fifty years from now; Cleveland's East Side can be home for tens of thousands of new residents, a number of new parks"and as many two-bit duck po.nds as water sources will ' support.;'

9

, ~

I

I

I I

I

SUSTAINABLE WORI<

QUAR­TER

SERIES 1992

I<eeping the money· at home It's a time of economic globalization -- a time ofNAFTA, OA TI, transnational corporations and unfettered free trade. But some people in Northeast Ohio are trying .to bring the economy back home.

They are starting sophisticated barter "networks that keep exchanges rooted in their community. These systems help plug the leaks in the local economy -- keeping . money recirc1:liating to n1:eet local needs for good~J services and employ,nent.

Local currencies Two types of alterna~ive econom.ic

systems are being developed. The first is . based on a system in Ithaca, NY, called Ithaca Hours (see the following story on the Ithaca example). Hours syst~ms are being planned in Cuyahoga and Summit counties, and one involving about 60 people and two stores is already operating in Portage

.' County. Such systems typically publish a

directory of members' skills and needs to . facilitate local trading. And they print their

own money -- Hour currency·· featuring pictures of local significance. The -organizers of Summit hours, for example are planning to ha~e currency. with images ofthe Cuyahoga Valley, Signal Rock . (where Native Americans left the Cuyahoga . watershed to portage over the divide to Tuscar.awas River), and Brandywine Falls.

The idea ora local. currency is not new. During the Depression, when there was not ehough money to meet people's. ne~ds, hundreds of ~ommunities issl:led their own script. Local currencies are legal and are treated like real money by the IRS, though

10

they can't be used across state lines. And instead of the Federal Reserve, Hours systems are typically run by members who show up to mont~ly potlucks. The' important thing is that they tie people together in networks of local exchange and .. thus kee.p wealth in the community.

Currency-based barter systems are far more flexible than direct bartering, where one person · ~xchanges with another, each providing what .the other needs. The currency frees ·up the system from having to find exact matches between individuals.

Time Shares The second type of alternative economy .­epitomized by the Time Shares .Exchange, a nonprofit organization based in the University Settlement in Cleveland's Broadway neighborhood ~- invol.v~s more centralized administration. Instead of printing local money, Tim~. Shares .keep track of exchanges with a computer, and . members call the .office when they need somethi.ng done.

Members earn s~rvice credits for baby­sitting, mowing yards, telephoning home· bound s~nior citizens and other work. The cr~dits can: be exchanged for other -services or for goods (such as disposable diapers, mattresses, toys) th~t have been donated to the program.

"It's neighbors helping neighbors to restore our community," says Tom Uhle Jr., a Vista volunteer working with the program. "The goal is for people to have an incentive to do what they did automatically 30 years ago."

Time Shares ilOW has about 270 local

members and is explo(ing the possibility of expanding to Lorain County and other parts of Ohio. Similar programs·, .often called Time Dollars, already exist in 32 states, according to Uhle. .

Meeting local needs An altern.ative, local economy "helps meet the basic needs of folks who are unemployed or underemployed whose needs are not met by the regular economy. And it helps people develop a greater sense of comrt:Iunity;" says Greg Coleridge of the -American Friends Service Committee in

. Akron, which is organizing Summit Hours. "It also teaches people how money

works~" adds Bill Schultz, a principal organizer of Portage Hours. "There's pothing standing behind money except trust -- trust that other people in the community will honor it. It's the community that gives value to the money, not the other way · around.~' 0

Contacts . • Cuyahoga HourS -- David Ellison of

the Northeast Ohio Greens, 631-0557. People interested in .learning more about Cuyahoga Hours are invited to an organizational potluck at 7 p.m. September 29 at 1519 Crest Road in Cleveland . Heights. Call 932-2132 for potluck details.

• Portage Hours -- William Shultz at 673-8216.

• Summit Hours -- Greg <;:oleridge of the American Friends Service Committee, 253-7151. . .

• Time Dollars Exchan~e, 341-1131. '

EeoCily ClEVElANd 0 September 1994

Creating economiC democracy with local currency By PaM Glover

Here in Ithaca, NY, we've begun to gain control of the sodal and environmental effects of commerce by issuing over $44,000 of our own local cu'rrency; to over 800 participants, since 1'991. Thousands of purchases and many new friendships have been made with our money, and hundreds of thousands of dollars of local trading has been added to the Grassroots National Product.

We prin~ed our own money because we watched Federal dollars come to town, shake.a few hands, then leave to buy rainforest lumber and fight wars. Ithaca's HQURS, by cont,rast, stay in .our region to help us hire each other. While dollars make us increasingly dependent on multinational corporations and bankers, HOURS " reinforce community trading and ' expand commerce which is more accountable to our concern for ecology and social justice,

Here's how it works: the Ithaca HOUR is Ithaca's $10 bill, because ten dollars per hour is the average of wagestsalaries in our county. These HOUR notes, in four denomin&tions, buy plumbing~ carpentry, electrical work, roofing, nursing, ·chiropractic, child care, car and bike repair, food, eyeglasses: . firewood, gifts, and thousands of other goods and services. Our credit union acce;pts them for ' m.ortgage and loan fees. people · pay rent with HOURS. The best

. restaurants in town take them, as

do movie t~eaters, bowling alleys, two. large locally-own~d grocery stores, and 30 fanner's market

· vendors. Ithaca's ~ew HOURly

minimum wage lifts the low~st paid up without knocking down higher wages. For example, several of Ithaca's organic farmers are paying the highest fann labor wages in the Western .

· Hemisphere: $10 of spending power per HOUR. These fanners benefit by the HOUR's loyalty to local agriculture. On the other hand, dentists, massage therapists and lawyers charging more than the $10 average per hour are . permitted to collect several HOURS hourly. But we hear increasingly pf professional services provided for our equitable wage.

Everyone who agrees to accept HOURS is paid four HOURS ($40) for being· listed in our newsletter, Ithaca Money. Every eight months they may apply to be paid an additional two HOURS, as reward for continuing participation. This is how we

· grad1,lally and e:arefully increase the per capita supply of our money.

Ithaca Money's 1,200 listings, rivalling the Yellow Pages, are a· portrait of our community's.capability, bringing into the marketplace time and skills not employed by the conventional market. Residents are proud of income gained by d,?ing' work they enjoy. We'

encounter each 'other as fellow . Ithacans, rather than as winners

and losers scrambling for dollars. The s~ccess stories of.ISO

.participants published so far testify to the acts of generosity and community that our system prompts. We're making a conimunity while making a living. As we:do so, we relieve . the social, desperation which has led to compulsive shopping and waSted resource~.

At the same time Ithaca's . locally-owned stores, which keep more wealth focal, make sales and '

. get spending power they otherwise would not have. And over $3,800 of local currency has 'been donated to 20 community organizations so far, by the Barter Potlqck. our wide-open governing body.

As we discover new ways fo provide for each other, we replace dependence on imports. Yet our greater self-reliance, rather than isolating Ithaca, gives us more potential to reach. outward with ecological export industry. We can capitalize new businesses with loans of our own cash.

We regard Ithaca's HOURS as real money, backed by real people~ real time, real skills and tools. Doilars, by contrast~ are funny money, backed no longer by gold ord'i1ver but by less than ·nothing ••• $4.3 trillion of national debt.

Ithaca's money honors local features we respect, like native flowers, powerful waterfalls,

IN ITHACA WE TRUST

craft~, fanns and our children. Dollars, in contrast, honor ;:;Iave holders (Washington, Jefferson, Hamilton, Jackson) and the monuments of corporate government.

-Multi-colored HOURS, some printed on locally-made watermarked cattail (marsh reed) paper, all with serial number~, are . harder to counterfeit ihan dollars.

Local currency is a lot of fun, and it's legal. HOURS must be ,:!sed within state lines (they rryay .not compete with dollars as interstate currency) and denominations must be at least $1 (no "fractional currency"). HOURS are taxable income when traded for professiona.1 goods or services.

.Local currency is al~o lots of work and responsibility. TO'give other communities a boost, we've been providing a Hometown

· Money Starter Kit. Th.e kit explains step-by-step.start-up and maintenance of an HOURS system, and includes forms, laws, articles, procedures, insights ...

· samples of Ithaca's HOURS, and past and future issues of Ithaca

· Money .. We've sent the Kit to over 150 communities in 41 states so far, and' our example is becoming national. To get one, send $25 (2.5 HOURS option in New York) to Ithaca Money, Box 6578, Ithaca, NY, 14851. 0 Paul Glover, who created Ithaca's HOUR system, is a community economist and ecological urban deSigner.

~~.:s.'~f~l::~

EIGHTH HOUR

EeoCi!), ClEVElANcjO September 1994 11

ECOCITY DIGEST

No flexing allowed Local transportation officials flunked their firsLbig test of flexible, funding, The latest federal transportation act en'courages metropolitan areas to allocate funds flexibly to achieve an efficient mi.x of transportation modes. But when R,TA recently asked for $6.9 million from a highway account to help build a transit center at Cleveland State University, the Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency said no.

In a compromise, RTA did get some highway funds to reconfigure streets around the transit center. But the important

, precedent stands: No highway funds for transit in Northeast Ohio.

Dual Hub update The meeting schedule for RTA's Dual Hub transit study has been revised since the schedule we printed in our J~ne 1994 issue . . Currently. inform.ationa~

briefings are sched41ed for 'October,. and meetings to select a project alternative will begin in mid-October. The key decision poi'nts will be the RTA , J;3oard meeting on November 21

. and the 'NOACA Board meeting on December 9.

o For.up-to-date information, call Euclid Consultants at 861-1928.

Catnpaignfor an , energy efJici~nt Ohio ,

Can Ohioans cut electriCity use by 35% without diminishing either p,roductivity or comfort? The Ohio Enyirc;mmentai Council (OEC) thinks so. Building on the recent'successes' ofthe Ohio Sierra Club and <?ther. interVenors' in utility rate cases, the DEC is beginning a

12

major campaign to promote ' energy efficiency and' renewable energy sources.

With the assistance ofthe Safe Energy Communications Council, the Center for Clean Air Policy, and the Environmental Law arid Policy Center of the Midwest; the OEC will ~ducate and organize citizens to demand a sustainable state energy poli~y. And the OEC will intervene in rates cases hefore the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio, promoting the many ways utilities can decrease demand for electricity through energy

, efficiency measures' a~d me(:t future demand for electricity through renewable energy resources.

With meaningful energy , efficiency programs, Ohio need never again pay f6r ex'pensive new electric ~el)erating plants. 06io"s uncompetitive electric rates could be lowered. And environmental contamination from the state's coal, and nuclear gen,erating plants could be reduced. In fact, the OEC

'states: "There is as much potential for real reductions in envirorimental contamination from reforming our ,state's

, energy policy as there is from 'any other area of our economy."

Wasting infrastructure When you have urban sprawl witho,ut growth (as we do in'

, ,Northeast Ohio), you tend to , underutilize infrastructure in older areas while you are forced to expand costly infrastrucfJ,Jre jn developing

, areas on the edge of the ,metropolitan area.

Take wastewater ·treatment facilities, for example. A~cording to a 1990 planning study by the Northeast Ohio Areawide Coo~dinating , Agency, "Cuy~o'ga County displays a trend \.Yhich·is common throughout NOACA

region as well as, nationally, New developments are located ,in unsewered areas. This creates a need for additional sewerage and additional c,apacity at treatlT!ent plants. Meanwhil~, existing sewerage in previously_develQped areas is under-utilized as the p6p\Jlation oftltese areas declines."

The solution? "There is a strong need to ,develop a

. str'ategy to encourage new developments to locate in areas

. where sewerage is already, available, II the study says. "This will require redevelopment of these areas, but will assure that public capital investment~ in water quality managerpent are more fully utilitzed."

Cooperative cleanups The Cuyahoga Valley ' is filled with petroleum storage tanks

," P6:L rJ;~li;:~he . , place ~n

Northeast Ohio where a worst· case oil spill could occur.

To respond more qqickly to contain such a spill~ companies in the valley recently signed a ' mutal assistan~e agreement committing them to share ~leanup resourceS. The 'con1pani~s include BP Oil Co., BP Pipeline 'Co., Fleet Supplies ' inc., Reilly Industries Inc., Sun Companies, and the Uno-Yen

. Co. According to the Cuyahoga ·County. Emergency Management_Division. it's the first such agreement between private corporations in the Cleveland area.

Planning for chemical emergencies The meetings of Local Emergency Planriing Committees -- ,he folks that keep track of hazardous chemicals -in the community -. are open to the public. The Cuyahog'County LEPC meets

on the second Monday or' January, March, May, July, September and November at 1:30 p.m. at 1255 Euclid Ave., Suite 102. Call your county emergeri,cy management agency for,LEPC meeting times in surrounding ,counties.

Russo's organic challeng~

Ohio Citizen Action has been leading a campaign to

, get local supermarkets to stock

organic, pesticide-free produce. Russo's store in Cleveland Heights has been the target of a

. special letter-writing effort. In response, Russo's' has

begun testing sales of organic ._produce atthe store. Ifit sells, it ' will stay,' according to prod,uce buyer Peter Ross.

Citizen Action's Rich ' Swirsky, however, says that the store also needs to do more to market organic prpducts. "they need to ,educate people about the health' advantages of pesticide- ' free proudce, II he says. "They should use their marketing . budget to shape the demand, just like they do for any 'new ' product."

But if a store starts advertising organic· produce as being tlsafer," what does thafsay about the regular produce?

Need a tree? Clean-Land,

. Ohio's' urban reforestation project is

, planting 10,000 trees in Cleveland by the city's BicentenniaJ in

1996. The group is looking for appropriate,planting sites-­places suitable for gr.oves of 50 or more' trees and where local residents show the strongest communitY support. To nominate sites, call 696-TREE.

EeoCiTy ClEVElANd '0 September 1994

ECOCITY DIGEST

Geology of the bioregion Ever wonder what made the "Heights" '~'ast and s~uth of Cleveland, or why local rivers flow the way they do? Then here's your chance to learn the answers. Paleontologist Joe Hannibal of the Cleveland Museum of Natural History will teach a class on ~he geology of the Cleveland region, 'Wednesday evenings from November 30 to December 14. Cost is $35 for nonmembers. For registratiQn information, call the museum' at 23 i -4600.

Hannibal also will be leading a 'geology tour of historic Lake View ' Cemetery at 2 p.m. October· 8. Call 421-2665 for reservations.

Natural areas field trips The Cleveland Museum.ofNatural

,History will be offering fall tours of some of its natural areas -­special places which preserve outstanding assemblages of the region's . biological diversity. For

4etails about fees and registration, call 231-4600.

, . October 1 .- Fern Lake Bog, a post-glacial bog- in 'Geauga County preserving rare, insect-eating plants such as pitcher plants. '

• October 8 -- Koelliker Fen in Geauga County, a rare alkaline

, habitat. • October 9 -- Cottonwood

Hollow, a moist ravine in Lake County with swamp cottony.'ood

. trees. • October 16 -- Medina

Sanctuary, old field and flood plain habitats. . . ,

Moving the Realtors After eight years, Patricia Carey has

, resigned as government affairs direttor of the Cleveland Area Board of Realtors (CABOR). Carey played a key. behind-the-scenes "role in getting her members and public ' officials to think regionally and .

~ppreciate the problems of urban ' sprawl. In 1991, CABOR adopted an excellent "Policy of Regional Planning for Growth and Redevelopment" (see our May 1993 issue). Let's hope Carey's successor can keep pushing the local real estate industry to ~ive up to this ~ policy. '

Guide to water quality The Lorain County Soil and Water Conservation District h~ published an informative Homeowners Water Quality Guide, which explains how, to stop er~sion) improve drainage, maintain home sewage syste~s, landscape yards for wildlife and ' otherwise do your part for the

. environment. To get you~ free copy) call 322-1228.

Walk for a green -Ohio To dramatize Ohio's environmental crisis, activists pl~n ' an ·BOO-mile trek around the state starting September 11 in" Cincinnati and concluding October 30 in Columbus. The Walk is scheduled to stop in Cleveland on October 3-4.

For information about walking, cali'Chad Kister at (614) 448-2403 . For details on the Cleveland portion ofthe trip, call'the Earth Day Coalition at 281-6468 .

Energy hogs The average American's energy use is equivalent to that of three Japan~se, six Mexic~ns. 12 Chinese, . 33 Indians, 147 Bangladeshis,281 Tanzanians, or 422 Ethiopians. .

Motto update Willoughby Hills.in Lake County' claims to be "Where the city meets · the country." The way things are -going, perhaps they should .change it to "Where the ~ity sprawls over the country ."

To be blunt .. _ The September/October 1994 cover story of the Ulne Reader is a wonderful apprechltion of cities and why we love them. The title: "Cities don't suck."

EcoCiTy ClEvElANd 0 ?eptember 1994

Pressure ,

points • Gambling on Whiskey Island? -- Tbe name of Dan

Moore, developer of the Whiskey Island Marina, keeps popping up in the papers as one of the big names trying to bring casino· gambJing to Cleveland. Enyironmentalists and other activists fought the marina on the north shore of Whiskey Is!apd, believing that Cleveland's la,st major stretch of undeveloped lakefront should become afree and open park. A casino would be an even greater insult to the lakefrOllt. It would also require a new submerged lands lease fromthe,slate. as the marinals current lease does not cpver such a use. Moore, however, seems'to have the backing of Cleveland MayorMicbael White, as White recently appointed him to tbe board oftbe Cleveland-Cuyahoga' County Port Authority .

• North ' Royalt~n reftrendu"! -- North Royalton politicians continue to run away from a proposed master land use plan tbat would reduce overall housing density and protect natural areas· in the undeveJoped southern half of the

, oity;ln early September, Cit)':Cbuncil rejUsea to place "key rezoning initative on the November ballot. Cititzens ,

. petitioning for the initiative will now have to collect more. signatures. In addition, property owners in the city are threatening lawsuits to keep the'measure offtbe ballot. -Without restrict!ons on development, North Royalton's population could nearly double to 43,000 by the year 2010.

• Sprawl Mart battle goes regional-- Realizing that they are all fighting tbe same battle, opponents ofWal-Marts anq other superstores around the region are starting to work . together. On September 10, activists from Cleveland Heights, Higbland Heights, Westlake, Berea, Broadview Heights, Talhnadge and Chardon met at, Cleveland Staie l)niversiiY to share stories and plot strategy. Tb~y agreed to work on , common op~ed pieces for ioeal newspapers, ask fOl""county~ wide ilT!pact studies on superstore development, bring in a

, national expert to speak, and explore regional legal strategies tO ,uphold communities' rightstn'control development. 1'o'get hooked into the network, cali Jordan'Yin aI397-7520.

• The traffic is coming! .. Th~t is becoming the warning cry ofresidents of northern Portage ~ounty, as they anticipate growth)mpacts from the Ohio l)lrnpike's new interchange'at Route 44. Residents met September 27 to discuss the future oftbeir community,

• Coliseum aftermath .~ National Park Service ,officials are still keeping close watch on the Richfield Col iseum, which stands vacant now that the'Cleveland Cavaliers are moving to Gateway, The 20~year·old facility and surrounding lands would make an ideal sitefor a mega .. mall ofJactory outlets. But officials of the nearby Cuyahoga Valley National Recreation Area worry that traffic from a mall would clog the ' two-lane country 'roads through the park.lftalk ofamalrgets serious, the park may be forced to try and buy the Coliseum in self~defense . '

• The walls~ ~ People ~ure are talking about the stark, cheerless sound barriers recently er~cted along the East· Shoreway. Could ODOT have a secret plan to make freeways more ugly so that people will be motivated to drive less?

-------- ------ ---- - --- - - ------------j

Governing for the future We're a/ways on the lookout for statements of ecocity principles from aroum! the country. Here's the "Sustainable City Philosophy" adopted in 1993 by the" city oj Olympia, WA.

• Preamble The City of Olympia acknowledges its

. responsibility for .Ieadership in creating a

sustainable community -- locally,

regionally and globally. ·A sustainable cotnmunity is one that persists over .

generations and is. far-:seeing enough,

flexible enough, and wise enough to maintain Its natural , economic, social, and

political support systems.

Guiding principles 1, The .City's elected officials and staff recognize the j~portance

of Qur relationship :with and responsibility 'for future generations. We

will always remember'that future generations will inherit the

consequences of our decisio.ns. and we must act accordingly. 2. 'The City acknowledges that OUT human ec.onomic, social. and '

political activities are interrel(!.ted within the natural ecosystem of air,

water, land, and living things. We understand that any action

affecting one part affects all other parts of the ecosystem. • OUT community depends upon the natUral environment for its sustenance·and our quality of life.

• There is great potential for c~eativity in economic activity to meet our needs within the physical limits of the natural

. environment.

• As individuals, we are each respon~ible for the common good; the community cares for individuals.

• Democracy requires iofonned, active participation.

3. By making thoughtful, small decisions one at a time, each of . us can. make a big difference in the future of our community.

Criter.ia for evaluation We will evaluate 9ur actions based on the following criteri~ of

sustainability: • future generations -- This action will meet present needs

without jeopardizing future generatio~s . . • Interrelationships ~~ This action takes into account the . .

environmental, economic, social and political.requirements for its success, and its impact on the natural environment and 'human

activities.

Resolution Therefore. we resolve to base our decisions upon these principles and

criteria, in our actions as stewards ofthe commu~ity, as a role model for others to f<;>l1.ow, as a regulator of private actions, as a mediator

between conflicting interests, 'or ~ 311 advocat~ for actions by others.

14

Permit~ to pollute Here are some Ohio EPA actions of interest from recent weeks. For complete and up¥to~date fists of penn it activities' in your county, watch for weekly legal notices in your local newspaper. For more detailed infonnaLi~n, caU the Ohio EPA Northeast District Office in Twinsburg, 425-9171.

• Verified complaint .

Complaint that property owned by the City of Cleveland at the comer of Warner and.Canal roads in Garfield Heights adjacent to Mill Creek is poorly capped, and landfill waste is washing into the creek .

Water pollution permits lvex of Ohio, Chagrin FaUs, discharge to Chagrin River. CEl Westwood fly ash landfiU, Eaton Twp., on-site septic system', Argo Tech, Cleveland, discharge to Lake Erie. Bicron, Solon, pretreatment system. Marathon Oil, .ijrecksville, discharge to Cuyahoga River. Ford Motor, Lorain, discharge' to' Quarry Creek. NASA, Cleveland, discharge to Rocky River. GreatLakes Metals, Cleveland, discharge to Lake Erie. Nylonge, ~lyria, pretreatment system.

Air pollution permits Westinghouse, Cleveland; open top vapor degreaser. Hall Chemical, Wickliffe; nickel zinc carbonate manufacturing. Plastifoam, Eastlake, foam blowing line for polyurethane insulation. BF Goodrich, Avon Lake, estane thermoplastic urethane line, Excello, Cleveland, adh~sive coating line. . Tremco. Cleveland, storage tanks for 'asphalt, solvents~ pine tar.

Hazardous waste Liberty Solvents & Chemicals. Twinsburg, exemption from

hazardous waste permit. . GE Eu'clid Specialty Products, Cleveland, closure plan.

Water/sewer line extensions (partial listing for the weeks of August 29 and September 6 _. there's too much sprawl in the region to have room for a whole month of infrastructure extensions!) .

Waterford Crossing Subdivision No.5, Strongsville. Village Court Subdivision, Middleburg Heights. Laurel Spdngs at Bainbrook, Bainbridge . Barrington commercial development site, Auro.ril . . Streetsb<,)co Market Square Shopping Center, Streetsboro . . Glenwood Preserve Subdivision No, 2A, Twinsburg. Quail Highlands No.5, Stow. King's Hill Allotment Phase 3, Stow,

. Briarwood Improvements Plan, Olmsted Falls . Eaton Estates, Watersipe Cluster Development Phase I & 2,

Sagamore Hills. . Pleasant Ridge Lakes Subdivision, Panna. Creekside Subdivision Phase 2 & '3, Broadview H~ights .

. Ethan's Green Phase SB, Twinsburg. _ Hunting Hill Farm Subdivision, Hunting Valley. ' Orange Hill Estates Subdivision Phase 3, Orange. Deer Wood ~tates NQ. 3. MentOr. Ashton Subdivision, Mentor. Eagle Creek.Subdivision Phase 2. Avon. Meijer, Elyria. Cherry Blossom Subdivision No.4, Amherst. . Chadds Ford Settlements Phase 4, Hudson. Pin Oak Development, NorthJield Center. Valley View Estates, Sagamore Hi,lls,

Wetlands permits Meijer, Broadview Heights.

EeoChy ClEVElANd 0 September . 1994

BIOREGIONAL CALENDAR

S~ptembet 27 Sierra Clul1 'Urban Sprawl Committee monthly meeting, 7 . p.m. at the Church of the

Covenant, 11205 Euclid Ave. in University Circle.

September 27 The traffic is coming! The League of Women Voters of northern · Portage Cau"Dty

.is sponsorin"g an informational meeting on the impact of the Ohio Turnpike's new· interchange at Route 44. The public

' . meeting will be at 7 p.m. September 27 at Crestwood Middle School cafeteria. Call 274-8584.

September 28 and 30 Sierra Club Northeast Ohio Group mo~thly. meetings featuring Brant Calkin, former national president oftbe. Club; who will present "Imagine"Wilderness,n a slide tour of Utah wi lderness. September 28 at the Metroparks' Rocky River Nature Center and September 30 a!'John Carroll University Science Building, Room 168. Both shows at 7:30 p.m.

· October 2 Permaculture Expo '94: Practicai Strategies for a Sustaina.ble Future. a conference at the Ohio University Garde~s

in Athens, OH. Call (614) 448-2044 for . regi~tration information.

October 8 Ohio Environmental Council's Fall

· Environmental Rally irt Columbus, featuring presentations on Ohio,issues, media skills, and organizational development. Call (614) 224-4900 for registration information.

October 9-16 . · Towpath T's, a week of events focusing

on the resources ~fthe Cuyahoga Valley National R-ecreation Area and the OhiO &

· " , ... C;.' ® Erie Canal Towpath

~t~ "~:". . TraIl. Events mclude·the ,~"... Towpath Trek . .:;: .~:: walkathon on October 9,

special rides on the 'Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad, the . · To.ur du Corridor bicycle. rally on October 15, and the Aetna Toe to Tow Marathon on October 16. Call Ohio Canal Corridor at 348-1825 for details.

October 15 Conference on strengthening the Endangered Species Act, 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. at John Carroll University Science Center. Call the Endangered Species Coalition at (608) 257-4501 for registration infoniiatlon ..

October 20 Vjrgfnia Soffa, author of The Journey Beyond Breast Cancer and the founder of the Breast Cancer Action Group, will speak at 7:30 p.m. at the Beaumont School Fine Arts Building, 3240 Fairmount ·Blvd. in Cleveland Heights. Sponsored by the

. Cleveland Women's Cancer Project and MinoritY Women With Bre~t.cancer Uniting.

October 20 Endangered Species Act Educatipn Foruin, 8 p.m. at West Shore Unitarian Church, 20401 .Hilliard Road in Rocky River. Part

of a nationwide effort to build public . su'pport for the Endangered Species Act, which will be r:eauthori~ed next year. Call (703) 841 -5336. . .

October 22 Breast Cancer and the Environment, a confe:rence at Wright State U!1iversity in Dayton to promote publ ic policy and

. grassroots activism'on issues of environmel).tal hazards to women's health. C~)Vers the re lationship of org~nochlorines

/

and radiation to breast cancer, the politics of breast cancer research and treatment, and strategies for action. Featuring top cancer researchers, such as Dr,. Devra Lee Davis and Dr. Samuel Epstein. Itls one of seven regionai events organized by Greenpeace and the Womenls Environment and Development Organization. For details, call the Earth Day .Coalition at 281-6468 .

Science, policy, management of the Great Lakes

Case Western Reserve UniversityJs presenting an environmental lecture series on 'some of the key­issues facing the Great Lake.s:

• Linda MortSch of Environment Canada 00 npolicy Implications of Anticipated Climate Chaoge in the Great Lakes Basin."·October 19 at 4:30 p,m., Thwing Hall, 1914 Room.

• Dr. Larry Fisher of Michigan State ' Univ.ersity and Dr. Jack Vallentyne, formerly Canadian chair bftbe International loint Commission Science Advisory Board. on "The Chlorine Ban: A Wise Interpretation of $cience~u October 3'1 at 7 p.m., Strosacker Auditorium.

• A va Hottman of O~io BPA on "Developing a Workable Lakewide Area Management Plan,lt November l!l at 4:30 p.m., Thwing Hall, 1914 Room.

For more information, call the CWRU Center for the Environment, 368-2988.

Board meetings of regional agencies Here are the regu!ar, monthly meeting times-of agencies that are shaping our region:

Call to confirm. • ~Ieveland-Cuyahoga County Port Authority, 101 EriesjdeAve. Clevel~d, 241-

8004. Friday of first full week at 10 a.m. • Cleveland Metroparks, 4101 Fulto~ Parkway, Cleveland, 351-6300. Second and

fourth Thursdays at 9 a.m. . . • Cuyahoga County Planning'Commission, 323 Lakeside Ave. West, Cleveland.

443-3700. Second Tuesday at 2 p.m. • Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority (RTA), State Office Building, 615

Supetior Ave. NW, Cleveland, 566-5100. First and third Tuesdays at 9 a.m. • Northe~st Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency (NOACA), 668 Euclid Ave.;

Cleveland, 24.1-24 I 4. Board meeting second Friday at 9:30 a.m. Transportation Advisory Committee third Thursday at 10 a.m. . '

• Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District, 3826 Euclid Ave., Cleveland, 881-6600. Know people who might like EeoClty First and third Thursdays at 12:30 p.rn:

Cleveland? Send us their names, am:t we'll send a free ' sample copy. 1'-') I-

. . Thanks! We. depend upon 'subscriptlon income. ~ I . ~ L-__ ~ __________ ~~--____ J ~ ______________ J ~ ______ ~

EcoClTy ClEVElANd 0 September 1994 ' 15

MAP OF THE MONTH

Alongshore currents of Lal<e Erie .As waves appoach the shoreline, the water level rises at the shore and the excess water escapes as alongshore currents. These currents can be particularly rapid when waves approach the shore at angles other than perpendicular and can result in the transrort of beach materials as (a-rge as cobbles and boulders. The currents are important agents of erosion, transportation, and deposition of sediments along the shoreline. [The map below] depicts the generalized direction ofIittoral drift (transported s-ediments:.- mainly sand) along the coast. The direction of the drift is usually governed by the direction of the waves as they impinge on"the stioreline, generating alongshore currents downwind .. Thus, wind patterns str~ngly influence beach. devel?pment. .

~ INFERRED LITTORAL. DRIFT

STURGEON POINT

. Map and text from Lake Erie and Lak~ ' St. Clair Handbook, edited by· Stanley J. Boisenga and Cha~fes E. Herdendorr. Way~e State' Univ~rsity ' Press, 1993

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