Say NO to REZONE PHASE TWO PLEDGE CAMPAIGN
Paid for by Say No To Rezone PAC
Say NO to REZONE PHASE TWO PLEDGE CAMPAIGN
Paid for by Say No To Rezone PAC
LATEST UPDATES as of June 15, 2021
Hello. We hope you are all well and staying safe. Please read the important update below.
Beech Brook Property Update
June 15, 2021
We would like to communicate updates to you about the 68 beautifully wooded acres of the Beech Brook property. Unfortunately, it is still being marketed through CBRE as “commercial land” and “the premier office, residential, and mixed-use development site in Northeast Ohio.”
Our efforts to work with the Pepper Pike councilmen and the mayor to establish a Land Acquisition and Park Commission, while gaining support from some councilmen, has not produced any results in spite of the lengthy report we submitted regarding other park commissions in nearby communities.
Our next step in trying to save this beautiful property as a park or preserve is to have residents of Pepper Pike and surrounding communities raise part of the funds needed to acquire the land. Once adequate funds are raised, we will continue to work with Western Reserve Land Conservancy to strategize an approach to acquire the property.
So…..Phase Two of the Say No To Rezone political action committee has just begun. At this point in time, we are asking only for pledges – no money will change hands. Our request for pledges will only be a list of names and amounts (even written in pencil, not ink!) that we will keep confidential. Actual donations in the future (when there is a contract with Beech Brook) can be cash and/or appreciated stocks. To date, we have pledges totaling $100,000 from 33 families in Pepper Pike, Orange Village, Moreland Hills and Cleveland Hts. Individual pledges have ranged from $100 to $25,000 but a pledge in any amount is meaningful.
If each of the nearly 3,600 Pepper Pike residents who voted against the rezoning could pledge $1,000, we will have raised $3,600,000 toward the acquisition and protection of the Beech Brook property. Now we realize that not everyone is in a position to pledge this much, but we also think that many of you are in a position to pledge much more. Again, at this point in time, this is only a confidential list of names and pledge amounts which we will keep until a firm purchase offer is on the table.
We have approached the Orange School Board about forming a consortium of communities to help the Western Reserve Land Conservancy acquire the Beech Brook property. You can read about our presentation to the School Board here: https://www.cleveland.com/community/2021/06/pepper-pike-couple-asks-orange-school-board-for-help-with-beech-brook-plan.html
Try to imagine the forever impact of saving this land now and for future generations. Please email us with your generous pledge at SayNoToRezone@roadrunner.com
-or-
click on below link to make your pledge.
With sincere thanks,
Manny and Judi Naft (treasurers) Manny, cell - 440-567-4390
Say No To Rezone PAC
2632 SOM Center Rd., Pepper Pike OH 44124
Facebook: Keep Pepper Pike Beautiful Say No To Rezone - RECENTLY UPDATED FOR PHASE TWO
NEWS
ISSUE 34 was voted down by residents by 83% of the votes cast on November 3, 2020.
A heart felt THANK YOU to all the supporters of the Say No To Rezone movement!! It was truly a grassroots team effort by the whole community that enabled us to get the facts out to the public on what was at stake and to achieve the 83% NO vote on Issue 34.
We are now actively engaged in PHASE TWO of this process which is continuing to work with the Western Reserve Land Conservancy to raise funds to purchase the 68-acre Beech Brook property. We are hopeful that Beech Brook will be a good neighbor and set a reasonable price for the property so the WRLC can acquire the property and it can become a land preserve and a park for the benefit of the entire community and environment. This will allow our generation and all future generations to enjoy this natural setting. It would truly be a shame to loose this beautiful and bucolic resource.
Sincerely,
Manny & Judi Naft,
Treasurers of Say No To Rezone PAC
IN THE NEWS as of May 2021
The Beech Brook property is still being marketed through CBRE as “commercial land” and “the premier office, residential, and mixed-use development site in Northeast Ohio.”
May 17, 2021
· What can I do now to help?
If each of the nearly 3,600 people who voted against the rezoning could pledge $1,000, we will have raised $3,600,000 toward the acquisition and protection of the Beech Brook property. Now we realize that not everyone is in a position to pledge this much, but we also think that many of you are in a position to pledge much more. Again, at this point in time, this is only a confidential list of names and pledge amounts which we will keep until a firm purchase offer is on the table. Perhaps by that time, and with pressure from residents, the City of Pepper Pike (and other communities that are part of the Orange School District), would be willing to contribute funds.
Try to imagine the forever impact of saving this land now and for future generations. Please email us with your generous pledge at SayNoToRezone@roadrunner.com
-or-
click on below link to make your pledge.
MAY 2021 - The Beech Brook property is still being marketed through CBRE as “commercial land” and “the premier office, residential, and mixed-use development site in Northeast Ohio.”
Sierra Club Statement
Northeast Ohio Chapter (click photo to see full letter below)
The Sierra Club is currently involved in environmentally protecting the Beech Brook, New Directions and Parker/Passov properties from the effects of construction, particularly 195,500 sq. ft. of commercial, office, retail and dense-housing development. The Sierra Club states:
“…To be clear, the proposed project degrades a desirable mature forest ecosystem, valued by the community, and a deep, wide one at that, that are even more rare, and that cannot be replaced without great cost and labor,stewarded over the courses of decades. Pepper Pike now has, as nearly a gift, a mature forest that other cities would love to possess-and that attracts home buyers. Natural areas and canopy cover are desirable to buyers, and increasingly so, for aesthetics, health, sustainability and personal enjoyment…”
The Sierra Club is the most enduring and influential grassroots environmental organization in the United States. They amplify the power of 3.8 million members and supporters to defend everyone’s right to a healthy world. There are almost 70 Sierra Club members who call Pepper Pike home.
Fran Mentch, Executive Committee Chair and Linda Sekura, Conservation Co-Chair of the Northeast Ohio Sierra Club have both taken an active interest in the proposed rezoning issue in Pepper Pike which will destroy at least 73 green and wooded acres in our bucolic community.
Linda Sekura has issued a formal “Statement of Northeast Ohio Sierra Club Regarding the Proposed Development of the Beech Brook Property in Pepper Pike.” The findings should be very concerning to the residents and city officials of Pepper Pike and the surrounding communities.
Linda offered to make herself available for Axiom’s webinar panel discussion on the environment on August 25, 2020 but her offer was declined by Axiom’s Bryan Stone.
About Us: Say NO to Rezone
Did you know that Axiom, a private developer, was trying to rezone Beech Brook/Willey Creek and add a new Zoning Ordinance for Mixed-Use to our City's Zoning Code (Chapter 1271) and amend the Zoning Map?
Did you know that Axiom, a private developer, was trying to rezone Beech Brook/Willey Creek and add a new Zoning Ordinance for Mixed-Use to our City's Zoning Code (Chapter 1271) and amend the Zoning Map?
Did you know that Axiom, a private developer, was trying to rezone Beech Brook/Willey Creek and add a new Zoning Ordinance for Mixed-Use to our City's Zoning Code (Chapter 1271) and amend the Zoning Map?
Axiom was proposing rezoning 3 large separate properties near Lander/Chagrin totaling over 70 acres of land into "Willey Creek Mixed-Use Overlay District."
Did you know that Axiom, a private developer, was trying to rezone Beech Brook/Willey Creek and add a new Zoning Ordinance for Mixed-Use to our City's Zoning Code (Chapter 1271) and amend the Zoning Map?
Did you know that Axiom, a private developer, was trying to rezone Beech Brook/Willey Creek and add a new Zoning Ordinance for Mixed-Use to our City's Zoning Code (Chapter 1271) and amend the Zoning Map?
Axiom's proposal had included ~200,000 sq, ft. of retail/commercial/office space and over 150 attached and detached dwellings and townhomes.
Willey Creek Riparian Corridor--area in Beech Brook property surrounding Willey Creek--PROTECTED BY LAW
Did you know that Axiom, a private developer, was trying to rezone Beech Brook/Willey Creek and add a new Zoning Ordinance for Mixed-Use to our City's Zoning Code (Chapter 1271) and amend the Zoning Map?
Willey Creek Riparian Corridor--area in Beech Brook property surrounding Willey Creek--PROTECTED BY LAW
By law, 75 feet on each side of Willey Creek (which goes thru Beech Brook) MUST be preserved.
Say NO to Rezone
Say No To Rezone is a grassroots political action committee formed by two 35-year residents of Pepper Pike in 9/2019 and is registered with the Board of Elections. We have over 400 supporters.
Our goal is to preserve the character and bucolic landscape of the Orange School District communities.
A Pledge at Any Level is Welcome & Meaningful
Any CONFIDENTIAL PLEDGE will help with the acquisition and protection of the Beech Brook property.
Please email your confidential pledge to:
A pledge at any level is welcome and meaningful.