Hello Residents,

I write this month’s letter during a very exciting time for our Village. The dedication last month at our new Lang Pavilion has created a gathering place for our community. Over the years that I have been associated with Village government, a common concern expressed by residents was our lack of a centralized venue that would foster an improved sense of community. The Lang Pavilion can be reserved by all residents and has already hosted a wedding, prom pictures and family gatherings. Regulations can be found on our website or by contacting Sherri in Village Hall. A sincere “thank You” to all who assisted with our dedication event. This includes members of our Parks and Green Commissions, the Moreland Hills Historical Society and all of our amazing employees in the Service Department and Village Administration. I would also like to thank Luna Bakery & Café and Flour Restaurant for their generous contributions to this special event. Lastly, we enjoyed the company of former Mayor Susan Renda and former resident Charles Lang whose efforts, along with the Western Reserve Land Conservancy, formed the backbone of this incredible acquisition.

There are several ordinances that were passed recently that all residents should be aware of. First, Village Council passed an amended Ordinance related to the use of campfires and open burning. The purpose of this ordinance was to remove the vaguery which made enforcement difficult and led to confusion amongst our residents. In general terms, residents may enjoy a “recreational fire” that uses seasoned firewood and does not produce a large amount of smoke. Residents cannot burn yard waste, garbage, green twigs or anything other than seasoned firewood. If a recreational fire is found to be in violation of this ordinance, the police department has the authority to request that the resident extinguish the fire. Open burning is defined as burning outside of an approved device and is prohibited by this ordinance. As an example, this violation would include a resident who has raked a large pile of leaves and has decided to set it on fire. A violation of our open burning prohibition may result in a citation and applicable fine. The full version of this ordinance can be found under “Quick Links” on the main page of our Village website under “Recently Passed Code Amendments”. Secondly, you may have read about a new state law that permits the use of certain fireworks on a prescribed set of dates. The language in the state law incorporated an “opt out” for communities who preferred to continue with their prohibitions on the use of these pyrotechnics. After reading our “opt out” legislation in three successive Council Meetings, debating this issue at our Committee of The Whole Meetings and seeking the advice from our Fire Chief and Police Chief, the Village decided to opt out of this new permitted use. To be clear, the use of fireworks in the Village of Moreland Hills will continue to be prohibited by our local code.

We are excited for additional “More in the Hills” events that have been scheduled for the month of June. Another section of this newsletter will highlight these events. The events can also be found on our Village website under “News and Events” and are also prominently advertised on our Village Facebook page. A reminder that all “More in the Hills” events take place on Thursday evenings and usually start at 6 or 6:30pm.

The Village has also scheduled “Yoga at the Pavilion” on the first and third Saturdays each month. These sessions are for all skill levels including those who have never tried yoga. Join us at 9am on these Saturdays as Instructor Marni Task leads the class through a relaxing and healthy yoga session in one of the Chagrin Valley’s premier locations.

My family and I would like to wish you a happy and healthy summer. We look forward to seeing you at one of our events or on the trails of our beautiful nature preserve.