2025 Candidate Questionnaire on
Environmental Sustainability

Candidate Responses:  Dave Schmied
[email protected]

  1. Background
    What would you like Grandview residents to know about your background, as it relates to the environment, climate, and conservation?  If applicable, please describe any  relevant educational, career, or service experience you have.

    I love the outdoors and I’ve always followed the “leave it better than you found it” credo. My household has 2 recycle bins and one trash can. We rarely have more than one small bag of trash each week. We compost through the Compost Exchange.

  2. Priorities
    If elected, what are the top environment-related priorities you will pursue, if any?

    I’d like to see any future development done in a sustainable manner, being energy efficient and employing reused/reusable materials where possible.  I want to continue our efforts in recycling and composting.  

  3. Climate Action Plan
    Several cities/municipalities across Central Ohio have adopted climate action plans, which principally are done to assess their greenhouse gas emissions, identify steps to mitigate these emissions, and enact a plan to implement those steps.  Should Grandview pursue a climate action plan?  Please elaborate on your position.

    Even though we are a very small community, I think we should do our part and have a climate action plan.  The new municipal building fits into that really well.  I’d like to pursue grants or other funding to complete the solar plan for the roof.  Any vehicles bought in the future should be as energy efficient as possible.

  4. City-Resident Partnerships
    How well does the City work with residents to source community input in guiding policies and programs relating to sustainability?  As a councilmember, would you seek any changes in our current partnerships?

    I’m not familiar with current partnerships but I will work to continue any in place and encourage expansion of such partnerships

  5. Renewable Energy Aggregation
    In November of 2023, Grandview Heights voters passed Issue 23, which authorized the city to implement an electric aggregation program for residences and businesses, featuring 100% renewable electricity. Do you support the continuation of this program, and would you make any changes to it?

    I voted for Issue 23.  I support its continuation.  I would have to examine it further to determine if I would make changes.

  6. Biodiversity Loss
    Many residents are concerned about biodiversity loss and wildlife decline.  For some examples, it has been estimated that birds have declined by about 30% and insects by as much as 75% in the past several decades.  Do you believe that Grandview Heights can or should take part in addressing this issue?  If so, please elaborate.

    We’ve lost a lot of habitat to development at Grandview Crossing but Grandview only had control of a small part of that. The city does protect the green space that it has and should continue to do so. We should encourage sustainable development in the small places we have left that might be developed.

  7. Plants
    Related to Question 6, a growing scientific literature has demonstrated the importance of native trees and plants in supporting our ecosystem, while exotic invasive species pose significant threats.  What steps, if any, should the City take to promote native plants and control invasives, both on public and private property? 

    I’m not sure what can be done on private property but the city has addressed this issue in the past.  I believe there was a large volunteer effort to remove honeysuckle from Wyman Woods not that long ago.  We should continue eradication efforts like this and look for ways to obtain and nurture native species.

  8. Walking, Biking, and Transit
    Do you believe Grandview is a safe and easy place to walk, bike, and take public transit?  Should we take steps to provide safer routes for walking and biking?  Should we work to broaden public transit options?  Are you happy with our sidewalks?  Who should be responsible for maintaining sidewalks?  What is your position on e-bikes and scooters? 

    I’ve always felt safe walking, and biking around Grandview and letting my kids do so as well. We don’t have a lot of room to expand roads and provide dedicated bike lanes but the streets are pretty well marked and there are less crowded routes you can take during busy times. I was saddened when COTA route 75 went down to 2 trips. 1 in, and one out. I used to ride that bus when I was working downtown. I’d like to see more than just that and Route 31 coming through town. I think the city does pretty well at inspecting sidewalks and pointing out trouble spots. Overall, I think most of our sidewalks are adequate. I’d like to see some of the ideas from the 1st and Grandview District planning come to fruition regarding the sidewalks on Grandview Avenue. Outside of our business district areas, I think the shared responsibility we have in place now works. I was happy that the city decided to provide aggregate work to bring down the costs for homeowners. It’s not cost effective to hire a company for one or two sidewalk units. I don’t like the clutter of ebikes and scooters all over the side walk. If we can keep them at the hubs - the old C-Bike stations, I wouldn’t have a problem with them in town. Our public
    sidewalks don’t have the capacity for them to be parked just anywhere.
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  9. Waste
    Is Grandview doing well at diverting waste from the landfill?  Should we try a curbside compost pilot program like other cities have done?  Please elaborate on your positions.

    I believe the city is doing its part to encourage recycling buy providing the recycling bins from SWACO and also composting with the food waste drop off site.  I currently use Compost Exchange for curbside composting.  I would be willing to explore the idea of a city-wide program but I’d have to look further into whether our service department could take on any more responsibility for that. We could also explore the cost of or possibility of having a company like Compost Exchange handling that on a city-wide basis.

  10. Lawn Care
    Quite a few of our members want to know your thoughts about gas-powered lawn equipment, particularly leaf blowers.  It has been estimated that using a gas-powered leaf blower for 30 minutes produces about the same pollution as driving a large pickup truck from Texas to Alaska.  They are also loud, often exceeding 90 decibels.  Since 1990, leaf blower usage has doubled, and there has been a trend toward more powerful models.  Some of our members state that they cannot enjoy outdoor spaces during the day due to the air and noise pollution.  For similar reasons, over 100 cities in the US have enacted bans and/or restrictions on gas-powered leaf blowers.  Please share your thoughts about this issue.

    ​While that estimate seems exaggerated, I’ve switched to electric blower and trimmers as well as an electric lawn mower.  I’m very pleased at the decrease in noise and pollution and not subjecting my family and neighbors to the noise and fumes.  I would like to see them go away but I’m not sure the city has the capacity to enforce such a ban. It would require neighbors to report on each other and I don’t think we want to start down that path. It would also be hard to police the landscape companies that come into town. I would rather seek some initiative to reduce the cost or encourage residents to switch away from gas-powered equipment.  From what I’ve seen on my block, there are quite a few neighbors that have switched on their own and I think that trend will continue.