olive on July 15th, 2007

Just over the Aurora city line in Mantua isd the best blueberry patch in Northern Ohio. Pick your own blueberries. They are hanging like bunches of grapes right now.

Take Rt 82 east past Yogi Bear Park and turn left on Frost Rd and right on Winchell Rd.

Just follow the signs. Tell’m olive sent you.

olive on July 5th, 2007

More discussion about the city owned property on Mennonite Rd. which council might foolishly sell off!
 From the Aurora Advocate

On June 14, a subcommittee of City Council turned in a recommendation to sell the city-owned Chesnes house on East Mennonite Road and 22 of the 95 acres it sets on.

About two weeks later, Mayor Lynn McGill came up with a completely different proposal for the property. Read the rest of this entry »

olive on June 21st, 2007

Around six years ago, the voters of Aurora raised their taxes to purchase land to be preserved for greenspace and recreation. This was overwelming supported. Every other tax levy proposed by the city has been voted down.

Now, the city might be selling off some of that land that was purchased with the tax money. This is short sighted and wrong! Read more here

Why should you care? THere is a lot of other land owned by the city. Current councilmen may just decide to sell off more, because they don’t know what to do with it right now. Most of the land purchased was never protected by deed restrictions or zoning or conservation easments.

Preserved means saved forever. Not sold within 10 years.

olive on June 19th, 2007

We welcome your comments and opinions on all that happens (or doesn’t) in our little town
Share your ideas, share your links,

olive on June 4th, 2007

So how did it go this year?  At least it only rained the last hour!

Gve us an update and send some pics too

How much money was raised?

olive on May 23rd, 2007

Ex-Arabica in Aurora becomes Quagliata’s latest creation

A big name in Cleveland dining is bringing the distinctive tastes of Tuscany to Aurora.

Carl Quagliata, who already bounces back and forth between his classic Giovanni’s Ristorante in Beachwood and Casa Dolce, a bakery with prepared foods in Mayfield Heights, is reworking a former Arabica coffee house near Ohio 82 and 43 as Cafe Toscano. Read the rest of this entry »

olive on May 21st, 2007

Every monday OliveAurora will be featuring a local link, where you will discover something new about Aurora. First in line is a guy who has balls and can handle them  better that anybody else in town!  Find him here. Tell him olive sent you

olive on May 16th, 2007

Here is a repost of a December post. Since construction is ongoing at this time this will refresh your memory. And where’s the skatepark?

City Council approved spending $98,664 on the skatepark. Despite concerns for the safety of kids using the facility, construction will begin soon. Aurora skatepark designResident Wally Sweitz from Chatham delivered a packet of safety information to council but he was a little late to the party. This issue has been discussed for over a year and was approved by the Parks and Rcreation Committee. Regulations for use of the facility will be forthcoming, but if other skateparks are any indication, there will be rules posted but they will not be enforced nor will the facility be supervised. It seems that the location near the Fire Station will ensure that the users will not vanalize or deface the property.

Aurora Kiwanis/Moore Center parkWe’ve included the site plans for the entire park area. [If you click on the thumbnail you ‘ll get a larger image].You’ll see the skatepark location just past deep center field of the main ball diamond.

olive on May 15th, 2007

By Uffa Dave

I’m thinking of seceding my farm from Aurora and rejoining Bainbridge Township. Not because Aurora has done anything to make me mad, Iím just tired of sitting out here on the northern edge of the city, forgotten, except when it comes time to pay taxes or when local politicians are looking for road space to drop in campaign signs.

Sticks and branches get left out by the road are waiting for a pickup that never comes; we call and call but for some reason city services seem to think we’re part of Bainbridge. Read the rest of this entry »

olive on May 15th, 2007

Upscale, upset. Heinen’s new look has me aggravated every time i go there now. I can’t find anything. And what i can find, I’m not interesed in. Stuff like organic window cleaner, coffee i have to roast myself, what’s next pick your own beans from bushes in the parking lot? Sushi bar! Cheeze island. Bright halogen lights shining in your face while you attemp to find a cheap bottle of wine.

I just don’t get it. This is an improvement? What’s next? valet parking?

olive on May 15th, 2007

Landmark Commission approved the concept plans for this new version of the Aurora clocktower. Council chambers were full for the meeting on April 19 and everyone in the audience was in love with new clocktower. Despite a mailing to Historic District residents asking their opinion of the project, the Commission received only 1 letter opposed, and the two residents who attended favored the project. This design is similar to one on Miami University’s campus. There will be furthur discussion regarding signage, height and materials before granting a Certificate.

This tower will revitalize the historic district enhance property values and bring a new focus to the area. Also, it will help when giving directions to out-of-towners.

olive on May 15th, 2007

What would you do without this valuable community resource?

Email Aurora’s State Senator Tom Sawyer!

Within the next 7 days, it is possible that the Ohio legislature will pass a bill that ends community television as we know it. That means no more HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS, MAYORS REPORT, SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT SHOWS, HOLIDAY CONCERTS, MOORE MOVIES, TIME TO COOK etc. etc.

Even the CABLE 9 FIREPLACE will burn out.

All the award winning programming cable 9 produces will die. More…City council meetings, and school board meetings will also cease to air because channels 23,24,25,26 and 27 will die too. Read the rest of this entry »

olive on May 15th, 2007

We welcome your comments and opinions on all that happens (or doesn’t) in our little town
Share your ideas, share your links,

olive on May 15th, 2007

Also from the Mayor’s Report: The Bissell Family has preserved their scenic 50-acre property by donating a post-mortem conservation easement to the WRLC. The property is located south of the intersection of West Pioneer Trail and Bissell Road. The preservation of this property is an important addition to the corridor of existing and potential preserved property. It is located within a mile of the 366 acre Aurora Wetlands.

Olive note: Wouldn’t this have been great property for the schools to own? It is directly west of the exsisting campus. So much for good planning…

olive on May 15th, 2007

Marking the final step of a project that began several years ago, the City of Aurora (Portage County) will purchase 22 acres from Western Reserve Land Conservancy (WRLC) and grant a conservation easement on the property. The land is a critical and vital link between the 172-acre Aurora Sanctuary to the north, owned by The Audubon Society of Greater Cleveland, and the several-hundred acre Read the rest of this entry »

olive on May 15th, 2007

Here is your test question. If 69 schools apply for an award and 6 recieve awards, what percentage of schools win?

Congratulations to All!!

(Columbus, Ohio) (May 1, 2007).  The Ohio Association of Elementary School Administrators announced that Leighton Elementary School in the Aurora City Schools is a winner in the 2007 Hall of Fame Program.  Greg Pollock and his staff will be presented the award during the annual OAESA Professional Conference in Columbus in October.  OAESA will recognize six schools during the awards luncheon.

The Hall of Fame winning schools were chosen by a committee of on-line principals who reviewed the applications and another team of principals who conducted on-site evaluations of the school.  The six winning schools represent the finest schools in the state of Ohio.

The finalists were selected from 69 nominations from across the state.  The school staff submitted extensive written documentation substantiating the quality of their educational program in:
Read the rest of this entry »

olive on May 15th, 2007

The Aurora Landmark Commisson recommended that ghost hunting paranormal investigations not be held at the Harmon house. The commission passed a measure that advises the Parks and Recreation Committee to not allow these activities at these Landmarked properties.

The Recreation Committe took no action but forward the controversial topic to council

The Cleveland Plain Dealer seems to be interested in this activity as they covered it again.

olive on May 15th, 2007

The Aurora Master Plan Committee is beginning their beginning. Here are minutes from the 3.27 meeting.  Interesting stuff…

Read the rest of this entry »

olive on May 15th, 2007

After being down for a couple weeks, it’s working!

olive on April 10th, 2007

Partsscource a multi manufacturer medical parts supplier will be moving to the former TRW/Lucas building in Aurora. The building is 113,00 sq ft and they will be using about half of it.

Looks like the busuness development team in Aurora landed a growing fish! They were courted by several other cities out of state and instate.

Read more here 

olive on April 10th, 2007

The folks in Hawthorn ought to be happy ’cause it’ll be wide open to Bissell Rd.!

read more here
The real traffic-jam area of the past will be fixed with the widening of Rt. 43 between Geauga Lake and Rt 82.  Only $7 million dollars to widen about two miles of road. Looks like the city will spend $1.28 million on the engineering. This is money from the city budget. In reading this article can you tell how much is being spent?
The planning for this project was begun when traffic was much heavier on the road due to Sea World  and Geauga Lake traffic.  Is it needed now?

olive on March 30th, 2007

Click here to see what really goes on at council meetings

Councilmen live it up! Exclusive footage

olive on March 27th, 2007

At Monday’s Aurora City Council meeting Council voted 5-4 in favor of signing a consent agreement to more than double the housing density on the Beljon property.

In spite of at least two elections where the citizens voted no, against rezoning to higher density council spent little time and discussion on this topic. In addition the city charter says we have referendum zoning, but this was explained as not a zoning change but a density change.

Here is some info on city zoning cases

Suprisingly (or not) they passed the ordinance at second reading, effectively eliminating citizen opposition to the agreement. Many citizens felt it shouold and would go on to third reading before the vote.

Councilmen showing respect for the wishes of the voting citizens were Hettinger, Kovach, Galalska, and Horvat. Those who voted for the settlement agreement were Fisher, Dreher, Rausch, Vaca, and Kastellic. The Mayor also favored the agreement.

In another vote they narrowly approved 5-4 the landmarking of the Harmon Farms.

Since the Zoning department is buying a new car, they also spent a great deal of time discussing how a Honda is really an American car. Almost every councilman discussed their car preferences. They certainly know their cars.

They spent more time discussing this car than they did the zoning issue. It seems the zoning issue was hush-hush since it was a legal proceeding. If anyone would like to enlighten the community please do.

olive on March 22nd, 2007

Aurora kiddie poolThe City of Aurora has a new policy regarding backyard kiddie pools. Anything 18 inches or deeper needs a 4 ft. fence. (Does that include all the water retention basins and ponds the city has built to store excess rain?) I guess not.

The code will be enforced by the city’s zoning inspector, who will drive every street in Aurora once a week looking for infractions. (Why not have the residents report on each other, wouldn’t that be cheaper?) “Pool nazi” what’s next?

THE FIRST offense will be a written warning notifying the homeowner of the violation. Less than a week later, if the resident is still in violation another warning will be issued.

On the third violation, the homeowner will be cited, and liable to pay up to a $150 fine per day.

Anyone with questions to call his department at 330-562-9564. And for more information on drownings related to swimming pools, visit CPSC’s Web site at www.cpsc.gov.

olive on March 19th, 2007

Remember two years ago? A developer wanted to build 90 homes on vacant farmland on East Pioneer Trail. One problem though, the zoning only allowed 30 homes. So the city voted on the rezoning. It was overwhelmingly defeated, about 89% voted no.

Now it looks like the city will settle out of court. They will allow 78 homes, 40+ more than the zoning permits. This is the same legal procedure that allows extra homes to be built on the Alexander property on Rt 82. Read the rest of this entry »