Beachwood City Council Meeting - September 8, 2026

The regularly scheduled meeting of Beachwood City Council on Tuesday, September 8, 2026, featured the appointment and swearing-in of a new Building Commissioner and a Police Patrol Officer, a heavily attended public hearing regarding a long-contested rezoning application, and the passage of several ordinances and resolutions covering infrastructure, public safety, and administrative fees.

Appointments & Oaths of Office

• Building Commissioner: Council confirmed the appointment of Tracy A. Gallagher. Ms. Gallagher thanked the administration and council for their support during the transition.
• Police Patrol Officer: Valeria Litvinia was sworn in. Chief Crispino shared her inspirational background: she emigrated from Russia, earned U.S. citizenship through military service in the Air National Guard, holds a rank of E4, and graduated from the Polaris Police Academy in June 2026.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Edgewood Drive Rezoning (Congregation Base Avram / Base Avram Synagogue): A significant portion of public comment centered on the proposed rezoning of three properties on Edgewood Drive (2547, 2555, 2561) to allow a synagogue.
• Supporters (including congregation members, legal counsel, and neighbors):
  • Aaron Evanchek (partner at Hahn Loeser, representing the applicant) detailed the seven-year process, legal precedents upholding churches in residential districts, and stated that the proposed 24 on-site parking spaces address neighborhood concerns.
  • Congregation members Akiva Shaw, Rabbi Nassim Abrin, and several other community members spoke to the critical need for a walking-distance synagogue for the Sabbath-observant community, their investment in the city, and the alignment with city zoning code updates passed in 2023.
  • Eric Frank (president of Congregation Ohev Israel) and Ben Kiss shared their experience with similar projects, praising the city’s balance and urging support.
  • Rami Berner (architect and neighbor), Scott Wolfson, and Samuel Salomon supported the project’s thoughtful design and its benefits to community vitality.
  • Mordechai Lichtenstein highlighted the contribution of new families to the city’s tax base without adding to public school enrollment costs.
  • Joel David and Alan Farkas, neighbors on Edgewood Road, testified that the existing parking problems would be significantly mitigated by the proposed 24 on-site spaces.
• Speakers seeking compromise or expressing concern:
  • David Herzberg and Doug Brodac, neighbors on Edgewood Road, proposed a compromise allowing the synagogue’s entrance and exit to utilize Fairmount Boulevard instead of Edgewood Road to alleviate traffic.
• Council President Long closed public comments after 30 minutes citing the packed agenda.

Discussion Items & Council Reports

• Safety & Public Health: Councilmember Stern announced that the implementation of Flock cameras is being studied by a committee and asked for public patience during the review.
• Store at Safe Initiative: Councilmember Stern reported that Beachwood was the first Storet Safe city in Ohio (2025). She cited national statistics (233 school gun violence incidents in 2025, 19 in the first weeks of the 2026 school year) and noted that safety flyers were distributed through Beachwood Public Schools.
• Mayor’s Report: Mayor Burns noted the successful first overnight senior trip since 2019 (40 travelers to Niagara) and recognized 50-year residents at the senior picnic. He also highlighted the proposed legislation for the regional mental health “First Call” program.
• Department Reports: The recreation director thanked pool patrons and announced the upcoming Fall Fest (October 10-11). Assistant Chief DeMancos shared a story of a crew replacing a child’s bike after an accident, which received widespread positive media attention.

Key Outcomes

• Rezoning Approved: Council voted 6-0 to adopt the ordinance rezoning 2547, 2555, and 2561 Edgewood Drive from U-1 (Single Family Residential) to U-5 (Public and Institutional District). Councilmember Isaacson read a lengthy statement citing his oath of office as his guide and expressed hope that the institution would be a good neighbor. Councilmember Stern quoted Wendell Berry (“a community is the mental and spiritual condition of knowing that a place is shared”) and urged mutual accountability among all parties.
• Ordinances Adopted:
  • Adjusted admission tax and lodging tax certificate registration fees to $0 to focus on compliance.
  • Levied special assessments for street lighting on Blossom Road (11 remaining properties) and George Zyger Drive.
  • Levied special assessments for nuisance abatement (grass cutting) on 6 properties.
• Resolutions Adopted:
  • Expanded the Rust Belt Riders composting program.
  • Authorized a cost-sharing agreement with Highland Hills ($49,510.72 of $262,787.25) for concrete repair at Harvard Road.
  • Authorized change orders ($55,276) for the Richmond Road Signal Improvement Project.
  • Authorized a design agreement with GPD Group for the Richmond-Chagrin I-271 Corridor ($1,871,432 total design fee, with $1.6 million in federal funding).
  • Authorized an amended agreement with ODOT.
  • Approved the First Addendum to the Crisis Assistance and Local Linkage (CALL) Program to provide specialized mental health crisis responders (clinicians and peer support).
• Ordinances Placed on Second Reading:
  • Amendments to Chapters 402 (Definitions) and 474 (Bicycles and Motorcycles) regarding electric scooters and electric bicycles. Discussion included helmet requirements for minors, speed limits (5 mph on sidewalks, 10 mph on shared paths), and grammatical corrections.

Consent Calendar

• Approved minutes from the Safety and Public Health Committee (June 29, 2026), Regular City Council (July 13, 2026), Special City Council (August 3, 2026), and Committee of the Whole (August 31, 2026) meetings. Councilmember Isaacson abstained on the August 31st minutes.
• Adopted Ordinance 2026-30 authorizing the payment of certain claims and professional service bills.

Correspondence

• A notice for a new liquor permit was received for Fun Shi. The Police Department had no concerns.