City Amenties and Culture: Fairview Park, W Lakewood, RR

[WRnative]

Originally Posted by wrightflyer

WRNative, railroad lines would probably be a bother to me if the whistle was really loud. Sudden shrill noises are not my forte. I can take steady hums from jet engines better. Of course, if you are near a crossing, the whistle is more a concern then a general rail line. I can occasionally hear engines where I am at now, but they are just a low hum. I think the advent of quiet zones for trains in populated areas has helped with their type of noise pollution as well.

I think most persons get use to common noises in their environment, especially if they grew up with them. However, I think personally I would have a problem with jet noise. Apart from the whistles, it would be fascinating to compare the decibels created by trains versus jets at various distances.

My opinion is that railroads should be required to erect sound barriers through residential neighborhoods, just as is done with freeways.

A friend of mine lives a mile from I-90, at a much greater elevation. The freeway drone impairs her enjoyment of her patio in the summer. Jets, trains and freeways all are sources of noise pollution that should be considered before a home purchase.

[andrew61]

Originally Posted by wrightflyer

An update here. I did look at the flight patterns from early evening and later in the day for October 1st on Flight Aware. What I found is for southwest-bound arrivals' direction, planes tend to make their final turn to the southwest over the Detroit-Shoreway and Edgewater neighborhoods, and potentially the eastern portions of Lakewood.

Apparently my home was directly underneath a flight path when I recently lived in Cudell near West 100th and Western. The planes were loud, even from inside the house with all the windows closed. Particularly troublesome was the midnight hour when I was trying to drift off to sleep with planes flying directly overheard every two minutes or so even at that hour. It took some getting used to, but after a while I didn't notice them quite so much.

[wrightflyer]

Originally Posted by andrew61

Apparently my home was directly underneath a flight path when I recently lived in Cudell near West 100th and Western. The planes were loud, even from inside the house with all the windows closed. Particularly troublesome was the midnight hour when I was trying to drift off to sleep with planes flying directly overheard every two minutes or so even at that hour. It took some getting used to, but after a while I didn't notice them quite so much.

I could imagine that is a bother, especially when the last bank of arrivals from 10pm-1am occur. I wonder if it has lessened a bit with Cleveland being dropped from hub-status by United? CVG saw that frequency hit hard between 2008-2012 but has since bounced back a little bit.

I think the planes, based on the data from Flight Aware, are lower on that northern turn to CLE then where I am at. That is likely due to the ridge running south from Covington the planes have to clear, so the turn is further from the runway threshold and higher to account for the terrain. But I can still hear them from time to time, especially the 747 and 777 cargo jets.

[Peregrine]

Originally Posted by andrew61

Particularly troublesome was the midnight hour when I was trying to drift off to sleep with planes flying directly overheard every two minutes or so even at that hour. It took some getting used to, but after a while I didn't notice them quite so much.

Lived next door to the airport for 15 years. Planes never come in "every 2 minutes" anywhere near midnight, not even at Hopkins peak.

[TheProf]

Originally Posted by TechieTechie

Okay, first off, let's ignore the school aspect. I'm single and the dog's already been to obedience school.

Renting now in Shaker, starting to house hunt. Given my desire for lots over 1/3 an acre and be near larger wooded areas for the pup, I have to include Western Lakewood and RR in my search. I do love Shaker, but I hate that the green spaces are so small for dogs (and virtually impossible to go off leash without the stink eye).

I happened upon some neighborhoods in the Northern sections of Fairview Park yesterday that were VERY nice with some nice pre WWII (or late 40s) housing stock....I was VERY surprised. I was also surprised how close Northern FP is to a lot of things (and housing prices are a lot less). But I'm worried it's more conservative and um, middle class than I am I accustomed to (I am a flaming liberal, a VP level exec in the private sector and spent the last 30 years in Boston. But I am NOT a soccer mom/flash your wealth kind of person...I was a Peace Corps volunteer).

So, I need to start thinking about how these towns differ APART from schools.

Please tell me where I'm off base (and I'm ONLY focusing on West/Northwest Lakewood, not the whole town).

Political leanings: W Lakewood (Liberal), Rocky River (conservative), Fairview Park (conservative)
Average Income: Rocky River (Highest), W Lakewood (middle), Fairview Park (less)
Crime: Rocky River (least), Fairview Park (less), W Lakewood/Lakewood (more)

Indoor Community Center (with pool): Yes to all 3
Outdoor Community Pool: Lakewood and Rocky River, yes. Fairview Park: No
Cute Downtown: RR, then W Lakewood, then FP

Access to big box retail: FP, then RR, then W Lakewood (but by less than 5 minutes)
Access to a wide variety of high end local restaurants: W Lakewood (best), Rocky River, then Fairview Park (but less than a 5 minute differential by car)
Access to the Lake: Rocky River Park, then W Lakewood (via Lakewood Park), none for Fairview Park
Access to a public beach. None
Access to the Valley (particularly the southern end): Fairview Park, then W Lakewood, then Rocky River
Access to the Valley Marina: pretty much equidistant


Train noise: Fairview park (least) then RR, then W Lakewood (most).
Driving access to downtown: W Lakewood, then RR, then Fairview Park (but by less than 5 min differential)
Property Taxes: RR (highest) then W Lakewood, then Fairview Park.

What else am I missing? TIA.

PS. West Lakewood is probably the best of all worlds for me, but housing prices are thru the roof for the lot size I want. Which is why northern FP is such a welcome surprise.

You actually want to flee totally awesome Shaker Heights for the (blah) West Side!!?? CURSES UPON YOU!!

No, seriously, you sound very cool politically (for my tastes, at least)... Actually, I'm an East Sider that does find some very attractive aspects to the West Side, esp inside Cleveland (Ohio City, Detroit-Shoreway and the like)... Lakewood, esp near the lake, is very cool -- old and new (including the Gold Coast mid-to-high-rise apts & condos), a lakefront park, a large Main Street-ish downtown, near Edgewater Beach and lots of density (Lakewood is one of the densest Midwestern cities outside Chicago) including classic old Victorian houses.... Lakewood is about as liberal as you'll find in terms of West Side burbs ... it's pretty diverse, economically as well as racially, and is very LGBT-Q friendly. Plus Lakewood has some large near mansion areas closer to the lake, esp in its western section and in its Clifton Park neighborhood.

Rocky River, to me, is the most attractive physically in terms of substantial old homes and a nice, but quiet lakefront setting (plus its own private beach!)... But RR is lily white and very conservative, politically...

I know least about Fairview Park but from what I do know, it doesn't impress me: not too diverse, blue collar to middle class, average homes ... with a few classic mini-mansion surprises and largely conservative...

... just my take.

[tribecavsbrowns]

LOL at "very conservative" Rocky River going for Hillary in 2016 (and from everything I can tell, going for Biden in 2020). You're good for at least one whopper in every post, Prof.

RR is basically Rockefeller Republican, so, swinging more toward the Democratic Party all the time. Not my cup of tea politically, at all, but not "very conservative."

[bjimmy24]

Originally Posted by tribecavsbrowns

LOL at "very conservative" Rocky River going for Hillary in 2016 (and from everything I can tell, going for Biden in 2020). You're good for at least one whopper in every post, Prof.

RR is basically Rockefeller Republican, so, swinging more toward the Democratic Party all the time. Not my cup of tea politically, at all, but not "very conservative."

Rocky River voted Romney by 3 points in 2012 as well and that is likely the last time for decades it will vote for a Republican. There are no actual "conservative" areas in Cuyahoga County. There are several middle of the road areas.

[TheProf]

Originally Posted by bjimmy24

Rocky River voted Romney by 3 points in 2012 as well and that is likely the last time for decades it will vote for a Republican. There are no actual "conservative" areas in Cuyahoga County. There are several middle of the road areas.

Your probably right t... RR is 'conservative' by Cleveland standards, but looks like Berkeley compared to most areas downstate.

[andrew61]

Originally Posted by TheProf

Rocky River, to me, is the most attractive physically in terms of substantial old homes and a nice, but quiet lakefront setting (plus its own private beach!)... But RR is lily white and very conservative, politically...

That's why this news item totally surprised me the other day:

Drag queen story hour at Rocky River Library sparks online feud