Concerns about the privacy of Belle Oaks Marketplace's residential neighbors appear to have been addressed in Richmond Heights.
A few months ago, Marrus Lane resident Steven Pittman expressed privacy concerns after developers cut landscaping between his property and a trail that Belle Oaks had planned around part of the development.
At a committee meeting in September, Pittman said he was concerned about people seeing into his and his neighbors' backyards and that he wanted a permanent barrier between the existing housing and the development.
During that meeting, Belle Oaks officials said they would explore whether a solution could be found beyond their current plan, which was to add a small fence at the property line.
The issue came up again during an Oct. 28 Planning and Zoning Board meeting, where, after a brief call from representatives to developer DealPoint Merrills' California headquarters to confirm, an agreement was reached to erect additional fencing above and below the area in question.
Brian Meng, chief architect at Bialosky Cleveland, the company working with DealPoint Merrill, said they will install two fences, a chain-link fence and a vinyl fence.
“I understand they agreed to put up a chain-link fence along the property line,” Meng said. “And then the vinyl privacy fence will be installed further up next to the sidewalk to provide better protection for the residents of Richmond Heights…there will be landscaping between the fences and on the slope.”
Pittman said that DealPoint Merrill co-founder and CEO Dave Frank personally came to his home to look at the problem and found the deal satisfactory.
“We agreed to it. We'll just move forward,” he told the committee.
“As long as it’s not finished and we’re covered by our bike all the way to our house, I’m fine,” Pittman continued in an interview. “But until that happens, it’s just words for me now.”