Akron Council's Weekly Legislative Spotlight! 2024 Issue #21

Watch Meetings

Find My Ward

Akron City Council

Weekly Legislative Spotlight

From the Desk of the Council President

Hello Joan,

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

We hope you enjoy the information shared each week, including 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.

Please stay connected and abreast of the issues before Akron City Council. Feel free to let us know if there is anything else you would like to see included in each issue.

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, June 24, 2024

Ordinance No. 231-2024 authorizing the Mayor, or his designee, to apply for and, if awarded, accept and expend grant funding for the Consolidate Railroad Infrastructure and Safety Improvements Program (CRISI) through the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) for funding to construct railroad quiet zones; authorizing the Mayor, or his designee, to enter into a contract or contracts with the FRA and/or any other entity to construct the railroad quiet zones; and declaring an emergency. Vote: 11-0 (Boyes & Hardy absent).

Ordinance No. 236-2024 authorizing the Director of Public Service, or his designee, after publicly advertising for bids, to enter into a contract or contracts for the construction of a splash pad at Elizabeth Park; and declaring an emergency. Vote: 11-0 (Boyes & Hardy absent). View information on Akron's existing splash pads here.

Presentation

The Parks and Recreation Committee welcomed Keep Akron Beautiful to learn about their Planting Change 100k Trees for Akron Initiative. Their goal is to plant 100,000 trees by 2034 to restore the city's green canopy and maintain a balanced ecosystem. Studies indicate that areas with abundant green spaces experience lower rates of property crime, as well as reductions in both violent and minor offenses. You can watch the full presentation here or visit Keep Akron Beautiful's website for more information.

Remember...

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

Ring Doorbell Cameras

Council Staff has been working hard to distribute Ring Doorbell Cameras to approved applicants. These doorbell cameras were purchased with ARPA funds and applications were processed in compliance with federal guidelines.

All applicants were notified via email whether they were approved, rejected, or put on a waitlist.

As of this date, approximately 70% of the approved applicants have picked up their Ring doorbell cameras.

We have begun contacting applicants that are on the waitlist. If you applied, please be sure to check your email!

June 2, 2024 Shooting Update

On June 18, a Press Release identified a vehicle believed to have contributed to the incident. The vehicle appears to be a white SUV with dark-tinted windows. See the full release here. Anyone with information on the June 2 shooting is encouraged to call the Akron Police Department Detective Bureau at 330-375-2490 or 330-375-2Tip.

Residents may also provide anonymous information to any of the following: 

The Summit County Crimestoppers, call 330-434-COPS. 
Text TIPSCO with your tips to 274637.
Download the Akron PD app and submit information by texting Tip411 or by accessing the link on our website www.AkronCops.org.

Check out the calendar on

Council's website for

upcoming Ward Meetings!

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 July 15, 2024

5:00 p.m. Special Meeting:

Ordinance approving the 2024 Consolidated Plan Annual Action Plan for the City’s Community Development Block Grant, HOME Investment Partnership and Emergency Solutions Grant Programs.

Ordinance amending/supplementing Title 15, Chapter 153, “Zoning Code”, Article 1 “General Provisions”, Section 153.140 “Definitions” and Article 14 “Conditional Uses”, Section 153.464 “Uses permitted as conditional uses”, and Section 153.476 “Special standards applicable to specific conditional uses” to add a definition of and development requirements for vape shops. (PC-2024-01-T)

Ordinance amending/supplementing Title 15, Chapter 153, “Zoning Code”, Article 1 “General Provisions”, Section 153.140 “Definitions” and Article 14 “Conditional Uses”, Section 153.464 “Uses permitted as conditional uses”, and Section 153.476 “Special standards applicable to specific conditional uses” to expand the definition of and add development requirements for marijuana facilities; and declaring an emergency. PC-2024-23-T)

Ordinance authorizing a Conditional Use to retain an oversized accessory structure at 87 W. Linwood Avenue. (PC-2024-15-CU)

Ordinance authorizing a Conditional Use to construct a detached mother-in-law suite at 2574 Addyston Road. (PC-2024-17-CU)

Up for Public Hearing July 22, 2024

5:00 p.m. Special Meeting:

Ordinance authorizing a Conditional Use to establish a child daycare business center at 1584 Creighton Avenue. (PC-2024-18-CU)

Ordinance authorizing a Conditional Use to construct a contractor’s office at 1684 S. Arlington Street. (PC-2024-19-CU)

Ordinance authorizing a Conditional Use to establish a child daycare business center at 121 Rhodes Avenue. (PC-2024-20-CU)

Ordinance authorizing a Conditional Use to establish a commercial use at 441 White Pond Drive. (PC-2024-21-CU)

Ordinance authorizing a Conditional Use to construct a deck and solid fence at 1869 Daniels Avenue. (PC-2024-22-CU)

***

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.

Please Help Us Get The Word Out!

Enjoying the Legislative Spotlight?

Why not share it with your friends and neighbors? The QR code will take them directly to the sign-up page on our website.

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.

Quorum:

The minimum number of members who must be present to officially conduct business. A quorum of Council is a majority of all of the members of Council, a quorum of a committee is three members.

You can view the Rules of Procedure

for Akron City Council here.