On the November 2 election, North Royalton voters will have an opportunity to adopt an amended zoning map of the City of North Royalton, as well as make two amendments to the City’s charter with proposed charter amendments. In addition to being able to elect local officials and vote on financial issues, the only other means that residents have a say in how their local government is run and what their city looks like is through voting for issues relating to zoning and amendments to their charter.
The following issues will be placed on the November ballot (at the time of this writing, the issue numbers for the ballot have not been issued):
CITY OF NORTH ROYALTON
Proposed Charter Amendment
Shall Article XII, Subsection (b)(2) of the Charter of the City of North Royalton be amended by adopting a new Master Land Use Plan and Zoning Map for rezoning the City?
This issue approves the zoning changes that were proposed by the city’s Master Plan Committee, approved for recommendation by the North Royalton Planning Commission and adopted by the North Royalton City Council.
A copy of the proposed zoning map that outlines the various parcels and zoning classifications can be seen on the city’s website at www.northroyalton.org. Click on Government, then on Council Office. On the left, click on Legislation, then on 2021 and go to ordinance 21-127. Click on “Exhibit A” to view the city’s map.
The parcels that are recommended to be rezoned are outlined in black. The bulk of the rezoning changes involve R1A Residential and Rural Residential zoning changed to PF Public Facility zoning. Much of that zoning is the updating of parcels that were purchased by the Cleveland Metroparks. There is also a section within the Harley Hills Development that adjusts the zoning from RO Research Office to R1B Residential zoning; and the zoning adjustment of GB General Business along the east side of the York Road corridor, south of Wallings Road, to RO Research Office.
CITY OF NORTH ROYALTON
Proposed Charter Amendment
Shall Article XVII, Subsections (b) and (e) of the Charter of the City of North Royalton be amended to provide for the elimination of the run-off elections for Mayor and President of Council, and create a nonpartisan primary election to be held on the first Tuesday following the first Monday in May for the offices of Mayor and President of Council, in the event that there are three (3) or more candidates that have filed petitions for either office?
If adopted, this will amend Article XVII, Subsection (b) and to repeal Article XVII, subsection (e) regarding the current method of using a Runoff Election, replacing that section with a new Subsection (e) requiring a spring primary election in the event that more than two candidates file for the offices of Mayor and/or President of Council.
In 2008, North Royalton voters approved the run-off charter amendment, which is currently used, by a margin of more than two to one. The amendment changed the charter, allowing for a run-off election for the office of Mayor and/or President of Council when there are more than two candidates, but none receive at least 40% of the total votes. If that situation occurs, then a run-off election takes place on the first Tuesday in December of the top two candidates. The run-off election would only take place under that scenario. The proposed charter amendment would require that the city hold a spring primary every time there are more than two candidates for the Mayoral or Council President race.
CITY OF NORTH ROYALTON
Proposed Charter Amendment
Shall Article XVIII, Subsection (f) of the Charter of the City of North Royalton be amended to provide for a process that allows for Council to participate in the creation of proposed charter amendments and for collaborative resolutions in the event of a disagreement with the Charter Review Commission?
If adopted, this will allow Council to participate in the process of drafting proposals that the Charter Review Commission decides to present to the voters and, could ultimately lead to Council being the final deciding factor on which amendments go to the voters. Currently, Council does not have representation on the actual commission, but does appoint four of its members. Once the commission decides what they would like to place on the ballot as proposed charter amendments, Council does vote on the measures, but only to forward them to the Board of Elections. In essence, they have limited input. If this amendment passes, Council has a say on who’s on the Commission, can have a say on the proposed amendments and, in actuality, block amendments from going to the voters. So, a situation, where the Charter Review Commission decides to reduce the City Council term limits from twelve to eight years, Council could block that amendment from going to the voters. Council does, however, have the right to introduce its own Charter Issues on any ballot, at any time.

By GLORIA PLEVA KACIK
Contributing Writer