Cleveland has laws on the books dating back more than 50 years regulating commercial rail traffic. Most are preempted by newer federal laws, but city officials are looking at local ordinances and nuisance laws that could provide inroads with the industry regarding hazardous material shipping.
Cleveland City Councilwoman Jenny Spencer, who represents the Detroit-Shoreway neighborhood where multiple major rail lines run both east to west and north to south, is calling for hearings that include state and federal officials responsible for the oversight of the rail industry.
A Cleveland councilwoman has some serious concerns about the train traffic coming through Ward 15 and all parts of the city, in light of the train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio.
As part of a pilot program headed by Ward 15 Cleveland City Councilwoman Jenny Spencer, the request for proposal to identify a private real estate development firm interested in building on the Watterson-Lake property on Detroit Avenue in the Gordon Square area includes scoring criteria based on a list of priorities determined through a process of community engagement.