LLowerower Euclid Creek Greenway Plan Prepared by Cuyahoga County Soil & Water Conservation District Community Advisory Team In cooperation and support from Cleveland City Council, Michael D. Polensek Cuyahoga County Planning Commission Cleveland Metroparks City of Cleveland Planning Department, Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District Marty Cader & Fred Collier City of Cleveland, Water Pollution Control, Narhari Patel, P. E. City of Euclid, Hank Gulich, Service Director Funding provided by: Ohio Coastal Management Assistance Grant, Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Cuyahoga Soil & Water Conservation District, Cleveland Metroparks, Northeast Ohio Regional Northeast Shores Development Corporation, Sewer District, Cuyahoga County Planning Commission and the Euclid Brian Friedman, Executive Director Creek Watershed Council. Friends of Euclid Creek, This report was prepared by Cuyahoga Soil & Water Conservation District under aware NA05NOS419090 from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Roy Larick, Ph.D., Virginia Aveni, Larry McFadden Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce through the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Office of Coastal Management. The statements, findings, Cleveland Metroparks, conclusions, and recommendations are those of the author(s) and do not Patti Stevens, Jim Kastelic necessarily reflect the views of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce, Ohio Department of Natural Resources, or the Office of Coastal Management. Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District, Mark Link, Denis Zaharija Cuyahoga County Planning Commission, Carla Regener Lower Euclid Creek Greenway Master Plan 2 Table of Contents OUR FUTURE FOOTPRINT……………………………………….p. 60 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY........................................................ p. 5 SAFETY/MAINTENANCE/MANAGEMENT……………………p. 63 INTRODUCTION .................................................................. p. 6 Project Area Location IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGY………………………………….p. 64 Purpose of Plan Planning Process COMMUNITY STEWARDSHIP……………………………………p.66 Public Involvement Process Guiding Principles CONCLUSION……………………………………………………p. 66 Benefits of Urban Greenways Euclid Creek History APPENDIX A: HISTORIC PLACES………………………………p. 67 Project Goals Community Overview APPENDIX B: TRAIL CROSS SECTIONS………………………..p. 68 GREENWAY PLANNING SUMMARY.................................. p. 13 APPENDIX C: COST ESTIMATES………………………………..p. 69 Trail Planning Summary Potential Funding Sources Ecological Planning Summary APPENDIX D: NEIGHBORHOOD STORM WATER ……………p. 74 FEASIBILITY ASSESSMENT.................................................. p. 20 QUALITY & MANAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES Section 1: Trail Ecology APPENDIX E: CURRENT LAND USE…………………………….p. 76 Section 2: Trail Ecology APPENDIX F: CURRENT ZONING………………………………p. 77 Section 3: Trail Ecology APPENDIX G: GENERAL DEMOGRAPHICS…………………. p. 78 Section 4: Trail Ecology Section 5: Trail Ecology BIODIVERSITY PLAN…………………………………………..p. 73 PROGRAMMATIC INTERPRETIVE PLAN ……………………p. 59 Lower Euclid Creek Greenway Master Plan 3 List of Figures Figure 1.0 Location of The Lower Euclid Creek Watershed ......p. 7 Figure 14.1 Proposed Floodplain D Plan ......................................p.56 Figure 2.0 Project Study Area ........................................................p.11 Overall Concept Maps Figure 3.0 Historical Map of Lower Euclid Creek .......................p.12 Greenway Master Plan .......................................................................... Figure 4.0 Trail Section 1 .................................................................p.17 Trail Master Plan ...................................................................................... Figure 5.0 Lakeshore Crossing Plan ............................................p.18 Impairments Plan..................................................................................... Figure 6.0 Oxbow Restoration ......................................................p.19 Restoration Master Plan ........................................................................ Figure 7.0 Trail Section 2 ................................................................p.20 Conservation Plan................................................................................... Figure 7.1 Neff/Villaview/E.185th Intersections...........................p. 23 Program Interpretation Plan.................................................................. Figure 8.0 Lakeshore Redevelopment Concept .....................p.24 Figure 9.0 Floodplain Restoration Opportunities – Plan B.........p.26 Figure 10.0 Trail Section 3................................................................p.30 Figure 10.1 St. Clair/Neff/Chardon Intersection ........................p.31 Figure 11.0 Proposed East 185th Interchange Improvements p.34 Figure 12.0 Trail Section 4 ..............................................................p.35 Figure 12.1 Elevation Concept of Trail Underpass ..................p. 39 Figure 12.2 Plan View of Trail Underpass ....................................p.40 Figure 12.3 Euclid Avenue Crossing ...........................................p.43 Figure 12.4 Section 4 Restoration Plan .......................................p.53 Figure 13.0 Euclid/South Euclid Neighborhood Connector ...p.54 Figure 14.0 Trail Section 5................................................................p.55 Lower Euclid Creek Greenway Master Plan 4 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Historic development practices often overlooked Euclid Creek 7. Identification of numerous programmatic interpretation and failed to capitalize on this valuable asset. The purpose of this opportunities which may be incorporated into trail design study is to assess the feasibility of a greenway in the Lower Euclid projects. These opportunities include the estuary history, Creek, including trail and riparian restoration opportunities. historic piers, and bridges, public education regarding urban watershed topics, urban water supply, as well as Feasible and fundable trail and riparian restoration projects are provide a land lab site adjacent to Euclid Central School. listed below. 8. Redevelopment opportunities adjacent to Euclid Creek 1. Identification of preservation opportunities for over 4000 at Lakeshore Boulevard and the I-90/E 185th interchange. LF of stream corridor through Euclid Central School, and the Nottingham Water Plant. 9. Restoration of the concrete channel south of Lakeshore Boulevard will require additional watershed studies to 2. Identification of a feasible route for an 8500 LF off road assess alternatives to significantly reduce flood flows in trail from Euclid Creek Metroparks north to St. Clair the watershed. Avenue intended to provide a safe, tranquil, naturalized trail experience. Cost estimates and potential funding sources are enclosed to provide an action plan for implementation of the Lower Euclid 3. Identification of a feasible route for a roadside trail from Creek Greenway projects. St. Clair Avenue north to Lakeshore Boulevard, linking to Wildwood State Park. Greenways are a low cost means to provide numerous ecological, economic, and aesthetic benefits to urban 4. Creekside trail development projects should integrate watersheds. In a built out urban neighborhood such as the Euclid stabilization and restoration of Euclid Creek banks. Creek corridor, formation of a greenway is one of the few strategies capable of producing a transformational effect to 5. Identification of a several restoration opportunities in the increase the desirability of a neighborhood and improve Euclid oxbow area and at the mouth of Euclid creek to restore Creek. It is hoped that implementation of the strategies estuary functions and spawning grounds to dramatically recommended in this report will provide a demonstration of enhance aquatic habitat, increase fish populations and watershed restoration potentials over the entire 24 square mile species diversity for both Euclid Creek and the nearshore Euclid Creek watershed. Building on the unique natural assets of zone of Lake Erie through restoration of approximately 3 Lake Erie and Euclid Creek thereby improves the competitive acres of wetland habitat, eradicate a severe invasive status of the Cleveland metropolitan region in a highly species infestation, and improve water quality filtration. competitive national economy by providing healthy and green communities. 6. Installation of step pool structures at the East 185th interchange to remove a barrier to fish passage upstream into Euclid Creek Reservation. Lower Euclid Creek Greenway Master Plan 5 INTRODUCTION Lower Euclid Creek Project Area The Lower Euclid Creek Project Area is located on the east side of Cleveland and the western portion of the City of Euclid. It encompasses approximately1500 acres of land and 3 miles of stream. The Lower Euclid Creek Watershed is highly developed, and is crossed by several major transportation corridors, I-90, as well as major Conrail, and Norfolk Southern railroad tracks. Impervious cover estimated at over 25%. The project area begins at the northern end of Cleveland Metroparks Euclid Creek Reservation, south of Euclid Avenue, and continues north parallel to Dille /Nottingham Road until it reaches Wildwood State Park, north of Lakeshore Boulevard, where Euclid Creek empties into Lake Erie. The project area consists of the Cleveland Neighborhoods of North Collinwood and Nottingham as well as the City of Euclid’s western commercial district and adjacent neighborhoods of Euclid- Green. Figure 1.0 LOCATION OF THE LOWER