The Cleveland Heights City Council Housing and Building Committee convened to discuss ordinance number 225-2025, which proposes amendments to the city's building code regarding public notice requirements for the Architectural Board of Review (ABR). The committee considered eliminating the current practice of sending certified mail notifications to neighbors for all ABR cases, citing inefficiencies and low public engagement. Instead, they proposed enhancing online notifications and reserving direct neighbor notifications for larger, more impactful projects. The committee emphasized improving online permit applications and public access to permit information to streamline processes and increase transparency. Additionally, the meeting touched on challenges in housing court enforcement against negligent landlords and discussed potential policy tools to empower inspectors and judges. The committee agreed to move the ordinance forward with the understanding that exceptions for significant projects would be clearly defined and that the effectiveness of these changes would be reviewed in the future.

Cleveland Heights Housing and Building Committee November 11, 2025