MAYBVM

168 169 Disabilities Act along the Pearl Road Corridor. Also that year, NOACA TLCI Implementation grants were announced and the city received funding for putting in place one of the Residential recom- mendations: the installation of a raised curb median with HAWK signal and decorative crosswalk. In 2017, the city again applied for Implementation funding to install a series of ornamental crosswalks in the Town Center and on-street parking in the Commer- cial District with decorative permeable pavers, bike racks, and bike sharrows. The city has also recently submitted a Cuyahoga County Supplemental Grant applica- tion requesting funding for a Wayfinding and Branding Master Plan study, the next logical step in the transformation of the community from a pass through into a destination by linking ameni- ties and spurring reinvestment. Additionally, the city has established a regional partnership with the cities of Middleburg Heights and Strongsville, as well as NOACA, to resurface Pearl Road, which will include stormwater infrastructure. Like most communities in Ohio, road and sewer maintenance are ongoing. The cost of road re- pairs and reconstruction has risen to a level that makes all but the most basic repairs beyond the financial scope of a small bedroom community like Parma Heights. In response to that situation, PARMA HEIGHTS, OHIO the city has been consistent and vigilant in its grant requests and awards from the CDBG pro- gram. It recently received a $150,000 grant for a residential street repair. In regional partnership with the Cuyahoga County Department of Pub- lic Works, the city spends an annual average of almost $1.2 million on storm and sanitary sewer maintenance and repairs. This past year, how- ever, Parma Heights businesses and residents experienced extensive flooding and damage as a result of the unusually heavy spring and summer rainfall. In August 2017, the city made application to the Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District (NEORSD) for a grant to construct a master storm water retention basin to address the problem of stormwater capacity. “Seeking all these grants has been an integral part of our ability to continue to provide excellent services to our residents and businesses,” says Erin Lally, Mayor Byrne’s Executive Assistant. As a bedroom community, Parma Heights necessarily pays attention to real estate, local business, and homeowner issues. The city offers a Continuing Education Class for local realtors, focusing on the amenities of Parma Heights and why prospective home buyers should consider making Parma Heights their home. The city par- ticipates in the Heritage Home Program, which offers the owners of homes age 50 and older free professional advice on home improvement and maintenance projects. The program also offers homeowners access to low-interest financing to