June 16, 2011
By unanimous vote
Council OKs entertainment district By CHRIS BOURNEA ThisWeek Community Newspapers
In a unanimous vote Monday night, Upper Arlington City Council approved emergency legislation to create a Community Entertainment District for 39.2acres along Lane Avenue bordered by North Star Road on the east and Northwest Boulevard on the west.
The entertainment district was initiated by an application that Roy Boy LLC filed with the city in mid-May. Roy Boy LLC is the owner of the property that includes Half Price Books and Pizza Hut at 1375 W. Lane Ave. and 1397 W. Lane Ave., respectively. John Royer, a partner in Roy Boy, said he thinks the entertainment district will promote further development on Lane
Avenue. “The Lane Avenue corridor is Upper Arlington’s premier corridor,” he said, “and it is the gateway to our city.” The newly created entertainment district will allow up to seven new “D-5j” liquor permits, which allow the sale of beer, wine or liquor in the district. The area currently has 11 liquor permits, said Matt Shad, deputy city manager for eco-
nomic development. In approving the legislation, council members said the entertainment district will help the city take a holistic approach to development along the Lane Avenue corridor. The creation of the entertainment district, along with a traffic and parking study that is currently under way, will help the city identify how to provide a balance between commercial
and residential, council members said. “I think it’s one of the most important commercial corridors in the city,” said council president Frank Ciotola. “I think I would be remiss in not protecting and enhancing one of our only commercial corridors.” Debbie Johnson said the entertainSee DISTRICT, page A2
Board agrees to extended UAEA contract By KATE HETRICK ThisWeek Community Newspapers
By Chris Parker/ThisWeek
The backyard garden of Lynn and Jeff Dorr at 2819 Leeds Road will be featured on the Historic House and Garden tour.
Extra garden is bonus on home tour By GARY BUDZAK ThisWeek Community Newspapers
For those going to the Upper Arlington Historic Home and Garden Tour, there’s an additional garden to view — that of Lynn and Jeff Dorr at 2819 Leeds Road. “This garden is a true bonus,” said Kate Erstein of the UA Historical Society. “People do not need a ticket to view it, but a ticket is needed for all the other houses.” “When I contacted them, I didn’t realize it was a house and garden tour,” said Jeff Dorr. “The historical society could have said you don’t fit our criteria, but they looked at the garden and they thought it was nice.”
Visitors will be able to see only the Dorrs’ garden, which was Japanese-inspired. “We didn’t try to make it read Japanese as much as having a stroll garden feel,” Dorr said. “It’s mostly gravel pathways that meander around through planting areas, nothing formal about it whatsoever. It’s very asymmetric and casual.” The Dorrs purchased their home in 1987, and since then they have changed almost all of their landscaping except for a few existing trees. They did have to take out their ash trees, but not because of the emerald ash borer. “Our neighborhood is just filled with ashes,” Dorr said. “Whoever developed
the Canterbury area really just went overboard with putting in ash trees. They were lovely for years and make a nice canopy, but in the last ten years they’ve been losing a lot of limbs right and left and dying all around. “They were really big trees and one of them was over the house, and we didn’t want to see that happen,” he said. “We did that before (hurricane) Ivan came through and are glad we did, because people lost all kinds of stuff.” The Dorrs have created a sanctuary with their garden, which includes a flagstone patio, hammock, bird feeders, a waterfall See GARDEN, page A3
Leninger home features Tudor Revival style By GARY BUDZAK ThisWeek Community Newspapers
When they were approached to be part of the Historic Home and Garden Tour, Sue Leininger said she only heard the word garden. “My thought was outside, great. They don’t have to come in,” she said. “She heard the garden part, thinking it wouldn’t be that difficult to get ready,” said Eric Leininger, Sue’s husband. “We had to do all the things that we’ve
Editor’s note: This is the last in a series of stories about the homes in the 2011 Upper Arlington Historic Home and Garden Tour, presented by the UA Historical Society from noon5 p.m. Sunday, June 19. Tickets cost $12, members; $15, non-members, $20 day of tour and are on sale at Huffman’s Market, 2140 Tremont Center, and Arlington Bank, 4621 Reed Road. For more information, call 614-470-2610 or visit www.uaoh.net/historical and click on events.Kate Erstein of the UA Historical Society said in an email that although people can start at any place on the tour, “We are going to have a 22-passenger bus that will make the rounds of all five houses. People can park once and then hop on or off the bus at the different houses. It is sponsored by First Community Village.” been putting off for 10 years (painting and maintenance). It’s been a little more work preparing than we expected.” The first floor of the Leininger
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home and garden at 2199 Tudor Revival-style home was Waltham Road will be on view, built in 1942 for Ethel and Waland in some ways, it may be the ter Miles, who owned several unique houses on the tour. See HOME, page A2 The Robert Royce-designed
The Upper Arlington Board of Education agreed to a three-year collective bargaining agreement with the Upper Arlington Education Association at its June 13 meeting. In March, the school board and UAEA extended the current contract through 2012, with union members agreeing to forgo a raise in calendar year 2012 and to defer any experience step increases from August 2011 to January 2012. Under the new agreement, which runs through December 2014, teachers will again forgo a raise in calendar year 2013, and will receive a base raise of 1 percent in calendar year 2014. Employees will be eligible for step increases beginning in January 2012. UAEA members also agreed to pay an increased share of the medical insurance premium. In the last two years, employees have paid an average of 9 percent for family coverage. Their share of the premium will increase to 12 percent in 2013 and 15 percent in 2014. District treasurer Andy Geistfeld said he is “excited” about the new contract. “It’s about a $4.47 million savings for the district. But the important part is also stability,” he said. “There’s stability for the district, stability for the employees. The union and the district really work well together.” Board president Marjory Pizzuti thanked UAEA for negotiating with “mutual respect and civility” during “exceedingly challenging times.” The motion to approve the contract was approved unanimously, with board member William Catalano abstaining. Board member Gloria Heydlauff was not present. UAEA co-presidents Steve Colahan and Suzanne Kotch said the union voted on the agreement June 7, with 69 percent of the membership present. Members voted in favor of the new contract by 81 percent.
A closer look Under the new agreement, which runs through December 2014, teachers will again forgo a raise in calendar year 2013, and will receive a base raise of 1 percent in calendar year 2014. Employees will be eligible for step increases beginning in January 2012.
Colahan said the teachers were looking for a contract extension because of an unpredictable environment. “The political landscape is changing every moment, and we just need time to digest whatever happens,” he said. Geistfeld also updated board members on the status of the state’s biennial budget, which must be finalized by June 30. The Senate and House versions of the budget are currently being negotiated in conference committee. Gov. John Kasich will then review the negotiated budget, retaining line item veto. “Hopefully, in two and a half weeks, we’ll understand where we end up, which is part of the reason we delayed some conversation with where we are with the levy,” he said. “Things are kind of up in the air still, and there are so many moving targets.” A special meeting is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. Wednesday, June 29, at the District Administration Building, 1950 N. Mallway Drive. In other business June 13: • The board approved the hiring of Andrew Theado as a new assistant principal at Upper Arlington High School. He will fill the position left vacant by Pete Skully, who accepted a job as principal in the Worthington district. The board also accepted the resignation of UAHS principal Kip Greenhill, effective July 31, 2012. • Board members approved a resolution to accept a private gift to improve the wrestling room at See BOARD, page A3
Band of UAHS alumni to bring back music of the 1960s during Music on the Lawn concert In the mid 1960s,four Upper Arlington High School students formed a band to play the soul and R’n’B music they loved so much. Four decades later, the friends are still playing the music they love as the Majestics Quartet. Dave Balser, John Sproat, Rodger Wilson and John Workman will be performing Tuesday, June 21, at the Music on the Lawn concert series at the Grandview Heights Public Library. The concert will begin at 7:30 p.m.
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