ODOT recently denied the project an aviation permit for the stadium
BROOK PARK, Ohio (WOIO) - The Brook Park City Council passed its preliminary development plans for the Browns’ new stadium 6-1 during a special council meeting Thursday night.
That means that the 176-acre plot of land purchased by the Haslam Sports Group that was originally zoned as industrial has now been rezoned for mixed-use. Allowing plans for a new domed stadium and entertainment complex to move forward if everything else falls into place.
Edward Orcutt, the Mayor of the City of Brook Park, told 19 News after the vote, “This was a huge step forward for the City of Brook Park because now we’ve taken it from U5 industrial and we’ve broadened what we’re doing here and made it U1 through U6 zones so we can have residential, two family apartments, warehouses and industrial still in here.”
Last week, ODOT denied an aviation permit for the project due to the proposed height of the buildings, despite the FAA having signed off on it.
Governor DeWine said that the Ohio Revised Code clearly states that ODOT has the final call on this, and he hopes and believes ODOT will look at this and the Browns will be able to make their case that it is safe.
Mayor Orcutt told the small group of citizens who attended the special meeting, “More due diligence is happening to rectify that (height issue), and I have 1000% confidence that this project will be a go in the city of Brook Park. We’ve worked extensively with attention to detail with the height of the building and moving ourselves forward to what upgrades are needed to happen in and around our transportation system.”
Port Control (DPC) sent a letter to both the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) pointing out that the proposed dome was 58 feet above what is acceptable within a three-mile radius of CLE.
“The safe and effective management of the navigable airspace around CLE, including safeguarding CLE’s approach surfaces and navigable airspace, constitutes an obligation that DPC is committed to preserving,” DPC Director Bryant Francis wrote in the letters. “The proposed building development’s detrimental effects on CLE’s navigable airspace, and its effect on the approach surfaces, go against the objectives of the City of Cleveland’s Department of Port Control.”
After the FAA would have seen this letter, it still worked with the Haslam Sports Group and its developers, studied the possible impacts, and eventually cleared the project as having no direct threat to the safe operation of CLE.
Bryant then sent a second letter on June 25 to ODOT stating the city’s and DPC’s position had not changed.
It was then August 1, that ODOT sent a letter to the Haslam Sports Group’s attorneys stating that, without changes, ODOT would not allow a permit for the project.