MIN 10-20-25

1 MINUTES OF A MEETING OF LAKEWOOD CITY COUNCIL AUDITORIUM OCTOBER 20, 2025 Regular meeting of the Lakewood City Council called to order at 7:36 PM by President Kepple. Present: Evans, Marx, Kepple, Baker, Strebig, Hamilton Steiner Also present: Mayor George, Law Director Vargo, Finance Director Mahoney, Public Works Director Gordon, Planning Director Byington, Police Captain Gary Stone, Fire Chief Fairbanks, members of the public and Council office staff. President Kepple made a motion to excuse the absence of Councilmember Bullock, seconded by Vice President Baker. All members voted in favor. Motion approved. Motion made by President Kepple, seconded by Vice President Baker, to approve the minutes of the October 6, 2025 Regular Meeting of Council without the necessity of a reading. All members voted in favor. Minutes approved. Without objection, President Kepple moved item 11 to the top of the agenda. OLD BUSINESS*** 1. Report from Committee of the Whole held October 13, 2025. President Kepple made a motion to receive and file, seconded by Vice President Baker. All members voted in favor. Motion passed. 2. S. RESOLUTION 2025-42 - A RESOLUTION to take effect immediately provided it receives the affirmative vote of at least two thirds of the members of Council, or otherwise to take effect and be in force after the earliest period allowed by law, appointing four volunteer members to the Complete and Active Streets Education & Advisory Board and one ex-officio non- voting member of Council to serve as liaison. (referred to COW 9/2/25) President Kepple made a motion to adopt S. Reso. 2025-42, seconded by Vice President Baker. All members voted in favor. Substitute Resolution 2025- 24 adopted. 3. Report from Public Works & Sustainability Committee meeting held October 13, 2025. (to be provided) Councilmember Evans delivered the following oral report: Docusign Envelope ID: C6F3056F- 7333-4A1A-BEBE- 6CA37F931CA7

2 On October 13th we held a meeting of the Public Works & Sustainability Committee to talk over a couple different issues, the first being the submerged land leases. These are for folks living along the lakeshore who are looking to do some shore enhancements and stabilization projects, this is pretty standard as described by the Law Department. Three of those were referred favorably back to Council and two were deferred at the request of the homeowners. The second item was to discuss Resolution 2025- 48 from Councilman Bullock, speaking about enhancing public input for Active Transportation Plan and infrastructure projects. I think we had a very good, robust conversation about this. At the end we felt the resolution as currently written was not ready to be passed by this body. So, at the request of Councilmember Bullock himself we deferred so that he and Councilmember Hamilton Steiner can continue to work on the resolution to get it to a point that we can take a vote on it.” Councilmember Evans made a motion to receive and file, seconded by President Kepple. All members voted in favor. Motion passed. 4. RESOLUTION 2025- 57 - A RESOLUTION to take effect immediately provided it receives the affirmative vote of at least two thirds of the members of Council, or otherwise to take effect and be in force after the earliest period allowed by law, approving the use of submerged lands for property located at 1040 Erie Cliff Drive, Lakewood, Ohio PPN 311- 12-074 ( a legal description of which is attached hereto as Exhibit “A”), in order to permit the owners the opportunity to construct the proposed shore structure. ( referred to PWS 10/6/25) President Kepple made a motion to adopt Resolution 2025- 57, seconded by Vice President Baker. All members voted in favor. Resolution 2025-57 adopted. 5. RESOLUTION 2025-58 - A RESOLUTION to take effect immediately provided it receives the affirmative vote of at least two thirds of the members of Council, or otherwise to take effect and be in force after the earliest period allowed by law, approving the use of submerged lands for property located at 1041 Forest Cliff Drive, Lakewood, Ohio PPN 311-13-072 (a legal description of which is attached hereto as Exhibit “ A”), in order to permit the owners the opportunity to construct the proposed shore structure. (referred to PWS 10/6/25) President Kepple made a motion to adopt Resolution 2025-58, seconded by Vice President Baker. All members voted in favor. Resolution 2025- 58 adopted. 6. RESOLUTION 2025- 59 - A RESOLUTION to take effect immediately provided it receives the affirmative vote of at least two thirds of the members of Council, or otherwise to take effect and be in force after the earliest period allowed by law, approving the use of submerged lands for property located at 1039 Forest Cliff Drive, Lakewood, Ohio PPN 311- 13-074 ( a legal description of which is attached hereto as Exhibit “A”), in order to permit the owners the opportunity to construct the proposed shore structure. ( referred to PWS 10/6/25) President Kepple made a motion to adopt Resolution 2025- 59, seconded by Vice President Baker. All members voted in favor. Resolution 2025-59 adopted. Docusign Envelope ID: C6F3056F- 7333-4A1A-BEBE- 6CA37F931CA7

3 7. Report from Public Safety Committee meeting held October 20, 2025. Councilmember Strebig provided the following oral report: The Public Safety Committee met tonight to discuss two topics; one being the TNR Ordinance that we have been working on with LASWAB, and CCLAS, and the Law Department and Mr. Crumley, the Animal Control Officer. We are still having some conversations, just the last few couple things that we just need to clean up a little bit, with training and registration. We do have some new language from the attorney that CCLAS has been working with on unsanitary conditions that we would like to add to the ordinance so that we don’t get into situations where people are hoarding animals and things of that nature. There is just a little bit of cleanup to do on a couple other points, including making owners responsible if the Animal Safety Officer, to save the life of the pet, has to have veterinary services performed. Just a couple other things, we are getting real close, and I will meet again with LASWAB at their next meeting, and we will hammer out a couple more of these points. Then our second item of business was a communication from Fire Chief Fairbanks regrading a fire engine purchase that is going to be happening in 2028, and he gave us all the information about the different types of engines that they have currently, what year they need to be replaced, the conditions that they are in, and recommendations that he is looking at for new fire trucks.” President Kepple made a motion to receive and file the report, seconded by Vice President Baker. All members voted in favor. Motion approved. 8. S. ORDINANCE 20-2025 – AN ORDINANCE to take effect immediately provided it received the affirmative vote of at least five members of Council, or otherwise to take effect and be in force after the earliest period allowed by law, updating various sections of Chapter 505 Animals and Fowl of the Lakewood Codified Ordinances and creating regulations for trap, neuter/spay and return of community cats within the City of Lakewood. ( 1st read and referred to LASWAB & Public Safety 5/19/25; 2nd reading 6/2/25) President Kepple made a motion to defer S. Ordinance 20-2025, seconded by Vice President Baker. All members voted in favor. Motion passed. 9. Report from Rules & Ordinances Committee regarding meeting held October 20, 2025. Councilmember Hamilton Steiner provided the following oral report: Council colleagues, members of the administration and Mayor George, the Rules and Ordinances Committee met earlier this evening. The meeting minutes from the May 15th, 2023 meeting were approved. The Committee then entered into Executive Session for the purpose of considering details related to the security arrangements and emergency response protocols for a public body or a public office. Docusign Envelope ID: C6F3056F- 7333-4A1A-BEBE- 6CA37F931CA7

4 Michael Coletta, Chief Information Officer joined the Executive Session and shared the City of Lakewood’s Cybersecurity Policy program as required by state law. After discussion, the Executive session ended, and a motion was made to favorably refer Resolution 2025- 53 to full council for approval.” President Kepple made a motion to receive and file, seconded by Vice President Baker. All members voted in favor. Motion passed. 10. RESOLUTION 2025- 53 - A RESOLUTION to take effect immediately provided it receives the affirmative vote of at least two thirds of the members of Council, or otherwise to take effect and be in force after the earliest period allowed by law, adopting the City of Lakewood Cyber Security Policy. (referred to R&O 10/6/25) President Kepple made a motion to adopt Resolution 2025-53, seconded by Vice President Baker. Discussion: Vice President Baker noted that there were some slight updates to the policy that added language to include Council within the reporting requirements. He wanted to clarify that the version being adopted is the one dated October 20th. President Kepple noted appreciation to the IT Department for putting this together as there have been more municipalities under attack over the past few years. On the motion: All members voted in favor. Resolution 2025-53 adopted. NEW BUSINESS*** 11. Beautiful Home Awards presented by Keep Lakewood Beautiful. Agnes Michalak, Chair of Keep Lakewood Beautiful, provided an overview of the organization and all of the initiatives they lead in the community, such as the adopt- a-spot program, monthly pop-up pickups, and other environmental initiatives in Lakewood. She thanked Hannah Gall for leading the Beautiful Home Awards program and invited her to present the awards. Hannah Gall thanked the Mayor and Council for welcoming Keep Lakewood Beautiful to celebrate the Beautiful Home Awards program. She shared that Keep Lake Beautiful has been sponsoring the awards for over ten years. She explained the selection process and said that out of the 71 homes nominated this year, one home was selected from each of the seven elementary school zones. She then provided an overview of the winning homes and the Mayor presented a plaque to each of the homeowners that attended. President Kepple made a motion to receive and file the presentation, seconded by Vice President Baker. All members voted in favor. Motion passed. 12. Communication from President Kepple regarding City Hall update. President Kepple made a motion to refer to Committee of the Whole, seconded by Vice President Baker. Docusign Envelope ID: C6F3056F- 7333-4A1A-BEBE- 6CA37F931CA7

5 Discussion: President Kepple stated that Council recently received a communication from the firm Weber Murphy Fox, indicating that the process is moving forward. On the motion: All members voted in favor. Motion passed. 13. Communication from Councilmember Strebig regarding update to the bylaws of the Lakewood Youth Council. President Kepple made a motion to receive and file, seconded by Vice President Baker. Discussion: President Kepple suggested that she would refer Resolution 2025-60 to the Rules and Ordinances Committee. On the motion: All members voted in favor. Motion passed. 14. RESOLUTION 2025- 60 - A RESOLUTION to take effect immediately provided it receives the affirmative vote of at least two thirds of the members of Council, or otherwise to take effect and be in force after the earliest period allowed by law, approving the amended bylaws of the Lakewood Youth Council. President Kepple made a motion to refer Resolution 2025-60 to the Rules and Ordinances Committee. Discussion: President Kepple noted that the Rules and Ordinances Committee meeting may be a good opportunity for Youth Council members to attend a Council meeting, to which Councilmember Hamilton Steiner agreed. Resolution 2025- 60 referred to Rules & Ordinances Committee. On the motion: All members voted in favor. Motion passed. 15. Communication from Public Works Director Gordon regarding the Bunts Rd Rehabilitation & Lead Service Line Replacement Amendment. President Kepple made a motion to receive and file, seconded by Vice President Baker. All members voted in favor. Motion passed. 16. RESOLUTION 2025-52A - A RESOLUTION to take effect immediately provided it receives the affirmative vote of at least five members of Council, or otherwise to take effect and be in force after the earliest period allowed by law, amending Resolution No. 2025- 52 adopted October 6, 2025, to correct a typographical error. President Kepple made a motion to adopt Resolution 2025-52A, seconded by Vice President Baker. All members voted in favor. Motion passed. Resolution 2025- 52A adopted. LIQUOR PERMITS*** Docusign Envelope ID: C6F3056F- 7333-4A1A-BEBE- 6CA37F931CA7

6 17. Fika Café, LLC – 16203 Hilliard Rd. (Ward 2) (pg. 47) Law Director Vargo requested an extension. President Kepple made a motion to defer, seconded by Vice President Baker. All members voted in favor. Motion passed. PUBLIC COMMENT**** Matt Bixenstine, Clarence Ave. Mr. Bixenstine stated that his comments were on behalf of Friends of Madison Park. He began by expressing appreciation for the new Birdtown connector pathway at Madison Park, and sharing his observations of the ways it has been utilized and enjoyed by community members. He encouraged Council and the Administration to build upon the momentum of this success and continue to prioritize the Madison Park Master Plan, pointing to Becks Pool, the playground and the futsal court in particular. Mr. Bixenstine emphasized Madison Park’s important presence in Lakewood for more than a century and stated that he looks forward to its future. Mayor George responded to Mr. Bixenstine’ s comments by stating that the Administration will be proposing renovations to Becks Pool next year as part of the upcoming budget plan and shared that the playground renovation will follow the design and engineering stages. President Kepple stated that City Council shares the Administration’s commitment to improvements to Madison Park, noting that it is one of Council’ s top three budget priorities. Councilmember Marx acknowledged Mr. Bixenstine’s leadership and shared that Council supports the continued development of Madison Park. Genesis Brown Mr. Brown introduced himself and his wife, who is the Chief Operations Officer with Cuyahoga County Board of Developmental Disabilities. He shared that this year is the 20th anniversary of the Board’s last levy passed in 2005. He shared the Board’s mission of supporting citizens with developmental disabilities throughout the entirety of their lives, supporting and empowering them to live, play and work within their communities. Mr. Brown shared information about the increased numbers of Lakewood and Cuyahoga County residents receiving services and detailed some of the services made possible by the levy. He expressed the Board’s willingness to be a resource for the City of Lakewood and its residents. Amy Herberger, Bunts Rd. Ms. Herberger spoke against the Bunts Road Rehabilitation Project. She shared her concern regarding current state of the plans for the Bunts Road rehabilitation project, including the amount of money already spent by the city and the lack of alternatives. She shared her concerns about the potential safety issues and potential liability for the city. She shared additional concerns about the process, particularly in how public input was managed, and asked Council about the full cost benefit analysis, environmental impact report, and long- term maintenance plans for the Bunts Road project. She urged the Administration and Council to pivot now and reconsider an alternative. Docusign Envelope ID: C6F3056F- 7333-4A1A-BEBE- 6CA37F931CA7

7 Kim McDonald, Bunts Rd. Ms. McDonald spoke against the process of the Bunts Road rehab project and shared some of the ways she believes the city’ s communication with residents could have been improved. She shared some of her frustrations with the current conditions of Bunts Road, including numerous specific safety issues. She pointed out ways that people living on and near Bunts Road could be assisted outside of the planned rehabilitation project. ANNOUNCEMENTS*** President Kepple announced a public meeting regarding the Madison Park futsal courts at 4:30 on Tuesday, October 22, 2025. Meeting adjourned at 8:26 p.m. Approved: Sarah Kepple, President of Council Maureen M. Bach, Clerk of Council 11/ 03/ 2025 Docusign Envelope ID: C6F3056F- 7333-4A1A-BEBE- 6CA37F931CA7

Regular Council Meeting 10- 20- 25 19: 30 Agenda Name Comments Support Oppose Neutral VII. Public Comment 2 0 2 0 Sentiments for All Agenda Items The following graphs display sentiments for comments that have location data. Only locations of users who have commented will be shown. Overall Sentiment Docusign Envelope ID: C6F3056F- 7333-4A1A-BEBE- 6CA37F931CA7

Agenda Item: eComments for VII. Public Comment Overall Sentiment Amy Herberger Location: Submitted At: 1:47pm 10-20-25 Opposition to the Bunts Road Multi-Modal Path Project I strongly oppose the current Bunts Road Multi-Modal Path project due to serious concerns regarding public process, safety, fiscal responsibility, and long-term community impact. Over $1.7 million in City funds have already been spent on this $22 million project, despite no secured federal funding (as of last week), and a lack of clear community support. Outreach has been inadequate and misleading. Only one vague notice was sent, which failed to clearly disclose the 10- foot- wide multi- modal path. The process has been rushed and flawed. The City Council voted before the public comment period closed, undermining public engagement and eroding trust. The plan introduces significant safety risks. With 116 intersections in just 1.5 miles, along a critical emergency route, the design increases the potential for traffic conflicts and collisions. It appears ODOT safety guidelines were not fully followed. If injuries occur, the City may be liable. Environmental and community impacts have been overlooked. The project would remove mature trees, increase air and noise pollution, and disrupt the residential character of the neighborhood, affecting families, seniors, and school children. More than 1,400 residents have formally expressed opposition, yet official communications highlighted form-letter support that appears inconsistent with the broader public sentiment. Spending local funds before securing federal dollars is fiscally irresponsible. The City must pause, re-engage transparently with the community, and reconsider this plan with a focus on safety, and the long-term neighborhood wellbeing- because this plan is fundamentally flawed. Docusign Envelope ID: C6F3056F- 7333-4A1A-BEBE- 6CA37F931CA7

Please rethink moving forward with a project that compromises safety, lacks resident support, wastes public funds, erodes trust in local government, and risks causing lasting harm to the neighborhood and the very public you are meant to serve and protect. Shannon Mortland Location: Submitted At: 1:16pm 10-20-25 The idea of shared-use paths continues to gain more scrutiny and opposition, this time in Mantua Township. The residents on one street where a shared-use path is proposed are in opposition because the path will be directly in front of their homes, replacing trees and green space, reducing privacy, and ruining their neighborhood. As Lakewood plans to move forward with the ill-fated, dangerous path on Bunts, it stands to be on the forefront of wasteful spending that people in Lakewood and beyond strongly oppose. https://www.news5cleveland. com/news/local-news/neighbors-oppose-proposed-bike-trail-extension-in-portage- co-and-they-have-signs Those who live on the street know best - this path will be an expensive boondoggle that can't be reversed. While you continue to note (as you have for 18 months) that it's too late to make changes, we all know that isn't true. You recently made changes to the Active Transportation Plan simply because residents on Edgewater complained ONE TIME that they did not want a shared-use path. A responsible government listens to the people and makes changes, rather than digs its heels into a project that will fail and will only leave the city strapped by maintenance costs and lawsuits when people get harmed. Be responsible stewards of taxpayer funds. Do the right thing. Drop the shared-use path from Bunts while you still can. Docusign Envelope ID: C6F3056F- 7333-4A1A-BEBE- 6CA37F931CA7