Akron Council's Weekly Legislative Spotlight! 2024 Issue #13

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Akron City Council

Weekly Legislative Spotlight

From the Desk of the Council President

Hello Joan,

Welcome to our new subscribers. We are so excited that you are joining us! To our regular subscribers, thank you for your commitment to staying informed and engaged through your continued subscribership to Akron City Council's Legislative Spotlight.

We hope you are enjoying the wealth of information shared with you each week.

We share highlights from the Council's legislative agenda from the previous Monday's Committee and Council meetings. Definitions and information about commonly used terms and council-related facts are also featured.

We want you to stay connected and abreast of the issues before Akron City Council.

The information shared in each week's Legislative Spotlight will continue to educate, empower, and liberate you to become increasingly engaged with your City Council in making Akron a better place for all its residents.

Sincerely,

Margo Sommerville

Council President

Ward 3 Council Member

Legislative Highlights From Monday, April 22, 2024

Resolution 139-2024 declaring it necessary to levy assessments for public improvements and public services for the Downtown Akron Special Improvement District in accordance with Ordinance No. 100-2024, which approved the Downtown Akron Special Improvement District and the Plan for Services to be provided by the Downtown Akron Special Improvement District, Inc. for years 2025-2029, all when and where necessary; and declaring an emergency. Ayes: 11, Nays: 0 (Hannah & Kammer absent).

Resolution 140-2024 approving and confirming the appointment of Hanne-Lore Gambrell and the reappointment of GinaKaye Maddox as members of the Akron Civil Rights Commission; and declaring an emergency. Ayes: 11, Nays: 0 (Hannah & Kammer absent). Read more about the Akron Civil Rights Commission here.

Ordinance 151-2024 authorizing the Mayor or his designee to file an application for and, if awarded, accept and expend grant funding from FEMA for Fire Prevention and Safety (FP&S); and declaring an emergency. Ayes: 11, Nays: 0 (Hannah & Kammer absent). The Akron Fire Department seeks to use this funding to acquire up to 2,400 carbon-monoxide detectors. In 2022, Akron City Council passed an ordinance requiring residential structures to be equipped with functioning carbon monoxide detectors. Carbon monoxide is a silent killer and is oftentimes odorless.

The Parks & Recreation Committee welcomed Dan Rice, President and Chief Executive Officer of Ohio and Erie Canalway Coalition. He presented on Lock 3 Park & Summit Lake Updates. You can view his presentation here.

Remember...

You can see all the legislation discussed during the meeting at: https://onlinedocs.akronohio.gov/OnBaseAgendaOnline/

Check out the calendar on

Council's website for

upcoming Ward Meetings!

Akron has been designated a Tree City by the Arbor Day Foundation.

The Tree Commission will hold a Tree Planting at Kerr Park on Friday, April 26th at 10:00 am.

The Tree Commission's mission is to work with the city of Akron, Ohio, to provide a safe, healthy and sustainable urban canopy by creating educational opportunities for the public to learn about the importance of trees.

An urban tree canopy is the percentage of land that is covered by a layer of leaves and branches of tree crowns that shelter the ground when viewed from above. The tree canopy produces critically important benefits for an urban community, including removing pollutants and carbon from the air and reducing peak stormwater flows. A healthier urban forest is linked to improved health outcomes for residents—including lower rates of respiratory disease, improved birth outcomes, and other physical and psychological benefits. Other benefits include increasing property values, reducing the burden of the heat island effect, and enhancing a sense of safety and community in urban neighborhoods.

Learn more about the Tree Commission here .

Your Council Representative

Is Available to Serve You!

There are several ways to reach your Ward Representative:

View their information on the Council's website .
Attend their ward meeting .
Call or email them.

Upcoming Open Comment Public Hearings

Up for Public Hearing May 6, 2024:

Special Meeting 5:00 p.m.

Ordinance authorizing a Conditional Use to replace a static billboard with a digital billboard at 236 Annadale Avenue.

Ordinance amending/supplementing Title 15, Chapter 153, “Zoning Code”, Article 6 “Development and Area District Requirements”, “Section 153.310 Business and industry requirements” by changing signage requirements within the Kenmore Urban Overlay Area.

Ordinance authorizing a Conditional Use to construct an addition at 134 Western Avenue.

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Notices are posted on our website at least 15 days before the meeting.

Suppose the Ordinance is a Conditional Use (Zoning measure). In that case, a notice is also mailed to the owners and residents of property within, contiguous to, and directly across the street from the property involved in the Ordinance (per Charter Section 34). Notices are also published in the Akron Beacon Journal.

You do not need to fill out any forms to participate. You're able to attend in person in Council Chambers or remotely via videoconference.

Those wishing to attend remotely need to notify the Clerk of Council as outlined in the meeting notice in order to receive the information to join remotely.

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311- Akron's One Call to City Hall

If you have a specific city issue that you'd like to see resolved (a pothole, water leak, tree down, missed trash collection, etc.), you can enter it in the online system, call 311, or download

the new "MyAkron311" app.

The app is available for free on all Apple or Android devices in the app store.

After downloading, residents can create a profile, enter a service request, look up timely city information, and set up notifications specific to their address such as trash/recycling collection reminders.

Public Comment Period

A public comment period is held at each regularly scheduled Council meeting, where up to ten (10) members of the public may address Council on matters within Council's authority. No member of the public shall be permitted to address Council during the public comment period more than once every 30 days.

Those who wish to participate in the public comment period of a regular Council meeting need to submit a public comment form by 4:00 p.m. on the date of the meeting.

The sign-up form is available here.

For those that do not have a mobile device/computer to utilize, or need additional assistance, Council staff is available to help.

Signing up is a requirement of Council Rules, similar to other bodies.