Division of Harbors

The City of Cleveland Division of Harbors (DOH) is a sub-unit to the Department of Port Control (DPC), which operates Cleveland Burke Lakefront Airport. The DOH is charged with maintaining and maximizing city owned assets (river bulkheads and adjacent property) sited on the Cuyahoga River and Lake Erie, which also includes monitoring leases for these properties.

The primary objective of the DOH is to improve land usage under its jurisdiction and support change and modernization of the Cleveland waterfront. As Cleveland’s waterfront continues to be distinguished by its direction on sustainability, the DOH looks to set new standards for best practices, not only on the Cuyahoga River and Lake Erie, but throughout the Great Lakes.

Other goals include:

• Assisting the city of Cleveland in reaching its long-term goal to become a “City of Choice,” by contributing to the 2004 City Planning Connecting Cleveland Waterfront Plan for waterfront revitalization.
• Using innovative ideas and methods to successfully fund repairs of the waterfront, bulkheads, and embankments and to raise the level of participation by managing the operations of Cleveland Harbor and North Coast Harbor. 
• Creating special events at North Coast Harbor that will bring interest and awareness to the Cleveland waterfront. 
• Improving communication and interaction between the DOH and various city, county, state, and federal governments; along with local, independent organizations that represent waterfront stakeholders.
• Encouraging prudent use of our marine resources to stimulate economic growth while protecting our environment.