The Transportation and Mobility Committee convened to examine the financial operations, economic impact, and future viability of the Burke Lake Front Airport (BERC). The meeting focused on a presentation by city administration detailing BERC's persistent operating deficits, its role within the city's residual airport funding model, and the potential direct economic consequences of closing the airport. While Councilman Slife emphasized the need for civil discourse and clarified that the meeting was for information gathering rather than decision-making, committee members pressed for data on development costs, lease strategies, and the feasibility of alternative uses for the site.
Burke Operations and Financial Deficits
Economic Impact Analysis
Future Use and Regulatory Path
Okay, um good morning, everyone. I am going to call this uh meeting of council's transportation and mobility committee to order. Uh could the clerk please call the roll present. Thank you. Could you please mark Councilman Jones, Bishop, and Starr as having excused absences, and we are going to begin with one piece of legislation in just a moment. For the sake of quorum, could you please add Councilman Harsh as a member pro temp? Thank you. Um before we begin, uh, just something for me to read, and then we will ask the administration to come up for the first piece of legislation. Uh uh and please note uh Councilwoman Gray's arrival. So um, welcome, welcome. Uh, we held our first hearing about expenses and obstacles to development of Burke on January 21st, and I think it was a productive way to kick off a long-term conversation about Burke's future. I'd like to think that my council colleagues, the BIB administration, and other participants share my perspective, and I thank you all for engaging us. Today's hearing will focus on Burke's place in the budget now and in the future, should the airport cease operations. On April 1st, our third hearing will address the regulatory path to closure, and at our final meeting on April 15th, we will tackle market absorption and appeal. On April 15th, that the Bib administration will present its vision for the site's future as they have requested. With a few notable exceptions, the feedback I've received on the first hearing was generally positive. We received a lot of praise for initiating this conversation, which we greatly appreciate. Most people understood that closing and redeveloping Burke is enormously complex and that not everyone's questions can be answered in a single meeting. However, some, including the leadership of a significant local news outlet, saw things differently and stooped to name calling. Council won't return the favor, and we intend to keep this process civil, even if others won't. We will, however, attempt to address any criticism arising from misunderstandings of our process or misapprehensions of our objectives. To avoid these issues in the future, I'd like to spend a few minutes clarifying what we are and what we aren't doing today and at the other hearings. Across our region, individual city councils answer to their voters. Local government is not a pay-to-play endeavor. If it were, which it shouldn't be, an argument could be made that Cleveland residents could micromanage suburban municipalities, since Cleveland residents constitute a larger percentage of community workforces in 48 of 58 suburban Cuyahoga County communities per 2023 census data. In fact, Cleveland has the second largest resident percentage of workforce in Cuyahoga County and is number one among communities with the highest number of jobs. It's as simple as that. If neighbors are interested in exploring regionalism, I invite them to consider voting to join the City of Cleveland as the village of West Park did in 1923. Beyond this, I'd like to emphasize that this is a hearing. Asking questions, even pointed ones, isn't an attempt to obstruct the mayor's vision for the project. A question is a question. It isn't a decision, and it isn't a vote. Presuming otherwise is a mistake. Many of the questions you'll hear from us are driven by context and history. While redeveloping Burke may be a once-in-a-generation opportunity, it is a proposal that has come up repeatedly for decades. Each time it has been rejected, usually due to concerns about possible toxins below ground or the viability of constructing buildings on the site. In our last meeting, the Bib administration presented evidence that these concerns have been overblown. If so, this is exciting news. Given past reports, however, asking questions about what may have changed and why, and about other potential effects of redeveloping BERC is simply prudent. Pausing to check the depth of the water doesn't mean you're afraid to dive. Similarly, asking questions about the potential consequences of redeveloping BERC, such as its impact on leaf pickup, street repair, and snow removal is reasonable and necessary. While the city's annual budget is significant, it is not unlimited, and large projects have often diverted resources from other programs, including those critical to the quality of life of Cleveland residents. I hope these statements clarify our process and help prevent further intentional or inadvertent misunderstandings as we work toward a better understanding of the possible closure and redevelopment of Burke Lake Front Airport. And with that, I would ask I believe Deputy Chief Trivisano and others to come forward for ordinance number 1447 2025. Good morning, everybody. 1447 2025 was heard at MSP earlier this week and then referred to this committee. This is a piece of cleanup legislation to establish uh subfunds related to the North Coast Waterfront New Community Authority. Um those of you who were here last year uh will remember that we uh this council passed two pieces of legislation establishing the North Coast Waterfront New Community Authority, uh setting the parking rates and agreeing that the city could enter into parking agreements related to the new North Coast Waterfront New Community Authority. Uh that legislation set the ceiling for fees uh and establish that those fees will be used to contribute to the construction of public space infrastructure and for operations to ensure uh to enable lakefront development. As a reminder, a new community authority is a creative financing mechanism uh separate from any small enterprise fund or the city's general fund.