Garfield Heights is taking a bold step toward shaping a more vibrant, accessible, and economically competitive future. With the introduction of Ordinance No. 87-2025, known formally as “An Ordinance for the Adoption of a New Planning and Zoning Code for the City of Garfield Heights,” city leadership is aiming to modernize a zoning system that had not seen comprehensive reform since its original adoption in 1962. This move promises to support smarter land use, foster business investment, expand housing options, and pave the way for more walkable, connected neighborhoods.
Why Now? Understanding the Need for Change
City officials, led by Mayor Matthew A. Burke and supported unanimously by all members of council—including Council President Avery Johnson and Council Pro Tem Rachelle Tonsing—have signaled that the previous zoning code had become outdated, unclear, and contradictory due to decades of piecemeal amendments.
These challenges weren’t merely administrative—they were standing in the way of real progress. The city’s 2022 Community Master Plan, developed in partnership with the Cuyahoga County Planning Commission and born from extensive resident feedback, identified the outdated code as a key obstacle to achieving the community’s long-term goals.
That vision includes diversifying housing options, attracting new businesses, encouraging infill development, and ensuring that growth does not come at the expense of existing neighborhood character.
From Ballot Box to Blueprint: Empowering Local Decision-Making
The city’s electorate demonstrated its readiness for change by passing Issue 14 in May, which removed the requirement for land use changes to go to a public vote. This amendment to the City Charter now allows updates to zoning and land use to be handled locally through ordinary legislative and planning processes, bringing both flexibility and efficiency to the equation.
The Legislative Process and What’s in the Code
Ordinance 87-2025 received its second reading at the November 10, 2025 council meeting and is expected to move to a third and final reading later this month. Its adoption will replace multiple conflicting and archaic titles within the city’s Codified Ordinances (specifically Part Eleven, Titles One, Five, Seven, and Nine, with Title Three “Subdivision Control” remaining mostly intact).
The proposed code and corresponding zoning map, developed as part of the ordinance, include many innovations:
• Clear Definitions and Graphics: In a bid to make civic decisions more user-friendly, the code introduces clearer language and visual aids to help planners, developers, and residents navigate development guidelines more easily.
• Mixed-Use and Walkable Zones: The new zoning map introduces areas that support a mix of residential, commercial, and light-industrial uses—designed to encourage walkable, human-scaled neighborhoods and “15-minute city” principles.
• Streamlined Processes: The code simplifies approval processes and introduces consistent development standards, making it easier for businesses and homeowners alike to understand requirements and timelines.
• Tailored Districts: Zoning districts now better reflect the city’s actual built environment. This includes residential zones that support various housing types from single-family to multi-family, and business districts that accommodate everything from local shops to major employment centers.
• Sustainability and Green Goals: The code encourages green infrastructure, stormwater management, and dense urban infill—key components for future grants and funding at the state and federal levels.
What It Means for Garfield Heights
Business Development: For potential investors and developers, the new code reduces red tape and adds predictability—two major selling points. Whether it’s a new coffee shop along Turney Road or a light manufacturing operation seeking a well-zoned site, businesses now have a clear path to get established and stay compliant.
Housing Growth: The revised zoning regulations promote a wider variety of housing types, including townhomes, accessory dwelling units (ADUs), and duplexes. This can better support residents at different life stages—from growing families to empty-nesters—while also placing more people near public amenities.
Walkability and Urban Design: Perhaps most visibly, the new code supports long-term efforts to promote Garfield Heights as a more walkable and connected city. Streetscapes, public spaces, and building form are all factors now addressed in zoning—not just use type or building size—which helps deliver a more lively and people-focused urban experience.
Community Engagement: The code didn’t emerge from a vacuum. Over two years of community meetings, surveys, and visioning workshops went into crafting this updated ordinance. Councilwoman Stacey Collier, who championed the ordinance during the council meeting, noted that it reflects direct feedback from residents who asked for vibrant, safer neighborhoods and more opportunity to walk, bike, and shop locally.
What’s Next?
With the second reading complete, Garfield Heights residents and stakeholders are encouraged to review the ordinance and zoning map before its final reading later this month. The full draft is available on the city’s website and will also be discussed in upcoming Planning Commission sessions.
The new zoning code is set to take effect 31 days after adoption. For a city that spent over six decades under the same zoning structure, this is not just legislative housekeeping. It’s the start of a transformation.
Garfield Heights is no longer content with old rules that prevent new ideas. Through thoughtful code modernization, city leaders are positioning the community for a more dynamic, equitable, and prosperous future. In doing so, they are not only rewriting an ordinance—they are redefining what’s possible.
RELATED: Community Voices Shape Garfield Heights: Residents, Partnerships, and Progress
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