Fairview Park Residents Oppose City's Proposed Service Garage Relocation

Residents send cease-and-desist letter over plan to move service garage to Mastick Road property

Mar. 12, 2026 at 11:39am

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A group of Fairview Park residents have sent a cease-and-desist letter to the city regarding its plans to relocate the service garage to a new property at 22100 Mastick Road. The residents feel they were blindsided by the plan and are concerned about the negative impact on their peace, quiet, and property values. The city plans to use $1 million in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding from Cuyahoga County to purchase and renovate the property, but the residents argue the ARPA funds are being misused.

Why it matters

This dispute highlights the tension between a city's need to upgrade its infrastructure and the concerns of residents who feel their quality of life will be impacted. It also raises questions about transparency in local government decision-making and the appropriate use of federal pandemic relief funds.

The details

The city recently announced plans to purchase the 2.645-acre property at 22100 Mastick Road, just south of I-480, and utilize an existing 6,840-square-foot building that has been vacant for a decade. The goal is to relocate the service garage there as a cost-saving measure. However, a group of Ward 5 residents feel they were not properly consulted and are concerned about the project's impact on their neighborhood.

  • On February 2, Mayor Bill Schneider signed the purchase agreement for the Mastick Road property.
  • On February 4, the city approached Cuyahoga County Councilman Patrick Kelly and Cuyahoga County Council about re-appropriating the already awarded $1 million in ARPA funds toward the new project.
  • On February 24, Cuyahoga County Council voted unanimously to re-appropriate the ARPA funds.

The players

Fairview Park Residents

A group of Ward 5 residents who have sent a cease-and-desist letter to the city regarding its plans to relocate the service garage to the Mastick Road property.

Jim Sassano

An attorney with Carlisle Law who represents the Fairview Park residents.

Mayor Bill Schneider

The mayor of Fairview Park who signed the purchase agreement for the Mastick Road property.

Rick Raley

The Ward 5 Councilman who plans to meet with affected residents about the proposed service garage relocation.

Patrick Kelly

The Cuyahoga County Councilman who the city approached about re-appropriating the ARPA funds.

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What they’re saying

“The letter essentially tells the city that they should cease and desist with this project because of the negative impact it would have on the homeowners in the surrounding area.”

— Jim Sassano, Attorney

“One of the biggest gripes that the homeowners have is that the mayor and council never reached out to the impacted homeowners, so they were just caught totally by surprise and kind of feel like they've been punched in the gut.”

— Jim Sassano, Attorney

“The process that has been used so far for the proposed redevelopment of 22100 Mastick Road has blindsided residents and created mistrust.”

— Rick Raley, Ward 5 Councilman

What’s next

Ward 5 Councilman Rick Raley plans to meet with affected residents at 6:30 p.m. on March 12 at City Hall, and residents are expected to be present and vocal at the March 16 City Council meeting.

The takeaway

This dispute highlights the need for greater transparency and community engagement from local governments when proposing major infrastructure projects that could significantly impact residents. It also raises questions about the appropriate use of federal pandemic relief funds, which should be targeted towards supporting communities, not real estate purchases.