City Council Considers Adding Severance to List of 6 p.m. Curfew Districts

Cleveland Heights City Council proposed implementing the 6 p.m. curfew law in the Severance Business District at Monday night’s regular council meeting.

City Council for anyone under 18 in the Coventry and Cedar Lee business districts, and later to accommodate student athletes, those who work in the district and youth who are attending shows, among other considerations.

Fights that broke out after the prompted the curfew and a to implement it before the July 4 weekend.

Mayor Ed Kelley said there have been two incidents where large groups of youth gathered in in the past three weeks, planning the meet ups through social media like Twitter and Facebook, which prompted this ordinance. No one was arrested, but police did have to tell the kids to leave.

The ordinance was not . Kelley said this was a last-minute addition.

Merchants in Coventry and Cedar Lee business districts said the curfew has been successful, he said. And he said he wants to prevent another flash mob incident, such as the one that occurred in February 2010, when the city had a “near riot” situation.   

The emergency ordinance is still under first reading and was not approved, but Kelley said he expects it to pass at the next regular council meeting.

In the curfew districts, kids and teens under 18 must be accompanied by an adult or parent from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. unless they are running a specific errand for their parents, they work in the area or other considerations.

The previous curfew laws were tailored to different age groups — kids younger than 12 had to be in by 6 p.m., 12 to 15-year-olds could stay out until 10:30 p.m. and those 16 to 18 didn't have to be home until midnight. 

If anyone under 18 is caught without adult supervision past the restricted hours and without a valid purpose, they will be taken into custody. Parents must pay a $50 fine within 30 days or contest the penalty within seven days and meet with a board that will consist of Law Director John Gibbon, Police Chief Jeffrey Robertson and one city council member. 

Check back later for more from the Cleveland Heights City Council meeting.