Mill Creek Restoration Project to Move Forward with New Easements
Cleveland is moving forward with a major environmental effort to restore the Mill Creek corridor through the Kerruish Basin. City Council has passed emergency ordinance 453-2026, authorizing the Director of Public Utilities to donate permanent easements to the Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District (NEORSD) to support the Mill Creek Restoration Project.
What's in the file
The ordinance allows the City to donate specific land rights to the NEORSD to facilitate the Regional Stormwater Management Program. According to the 453-2026-LEGISLATIVE SUMMARY, the project aims to address streambank erosion that has caused excessive sediment to enter the Kerruish Basin and exposed underground sanitary sewers. The restoration will involve realigning approximately 2,000 feet of Mill Creek to reduce stream velocity and raising the streambed to protect sewer crossings.
The following easements are authorized for donation:
- Two permanent stormwater easements totaling 21.9017 acres for stream restoration and basin management.
- One permanent access easement of 3.2668 acres for maintenance and access to the stormwater easements.
The project is funded entirely by the NEORSD with a total probable construction cost of $6,366,000. As part of the agreement, the NEORSD will repair and resurface E. 177th Street between the basin access entrance and S. Miles Road once the work is finished.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Total probable construction cost | $6,366,000 |
| Value of donated easements | $188,775 |
Who may be affected
- Ward 1 (Councilman Joseph T. Jones): The project area falls within this ward.
- City of Cleveland and Warrensville Heights: The easements involve City-owned properties located within these two municipalities.
- Department of Public Utilities: Authorized to grant the easements.
- Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District (NEORSD): Will manage, maintain, and fund the restoration and the stormwater basin.
Status and timeline
2026-04-02: Ordinance 453-2026 was introduced and passed as an emergency ordinance.
Residents can verify the details of this project by reviewing the official record for Ordinance No. 453-2026.
Source record
- File
- 453-2026
- Type
- Emergency Ordinance
- Status
- Passed
- Committee
- City Council
- Introduced
- April 1, 2026
Official documents
- 453-2026-LEGISLATIVE SUMMARY- Donation of Easements to NEORSD for its Mill Creek Restoration Project
- 453-2026 Grant easements to NEORSD for Kerruish Basin Mill Creek Restoration Project
- 453-2026 Map & Easement Exhibit
- 453-2026 FINAL VERSION-CITY RECORD MAY 22, 2026 PG. 109