Akron Council's Weekly Legislative Spotlight! 2024 Issue #23

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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 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, July 8, 2024

Resolution 250-2024 adopting the City Council Social Media Policy; amending Resolution No. 373-2023 to supplement the “Rules of Procedure for Akron City Council” to add the City Council Social Media Policy as an addendum; and declaring an emergency. Vote: Ayes: 11, Nays: 1 (Kammer). Council intends to use social media to promote public awareness and boost participation of the legislative business and programs. The policy provides greater efficiency in government by outlining the procedure and expectations of the Council's use and presence on Social Media.

Resolution 251-2024 expressing opposition to the current electoral college system and promoting a majority rule system for the election of the United States President; and declaring an emergency. Vote: Ayes: 10, Nays: 2 (Boyes & Kammer). Most national, state, and local elections in the United States are determined based on the "majority rule" system, wherein the candidate that receives the largest number of votes is elected. When it comes to electing the President of the United States, the Electoral College System is used.

Resolution 259-2024 approving and confirming the appointment by Mayor Malik of Crystal Jones to the Akron Citizens’ Police Oversight Board, as established by Charter Section 68a; and declaring an emergency. Vote: Ayes: 11, Nays: 1 (Fusco). The vacancy was created when Tristan Reed resigned from the Board. Crystal Jones is a resident of Ward 3. Learn more about the Citizens' Police Oversight Board here.

Ordinance 260-2024 authorizing the Mayor, or his designee, to expend grant funding that has been awarded by the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission for the Nicholas and Zachary Burt Memorial Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Prevention Grant; and declaring an emergency. Vote: Ayes: 12, Nays: 0. The grant award will pay for supplies to support the Fire Department's installation of carbon monoxide detectors in housing units in the City of Akron.

Ordinance authorizing and directing the submission to the electors of the City of Akron a proposal to amend Sections 68, 70, 105, and 106 of the Charter of the City of Akron, to permit the consideration and hiring of both internal and external candidates for the positions of Police Chief, Fire Chief, and their respective Deputy Chief positions subject to eligibility qualifications set by the City’s Director of Human Resources, in order to provide authority for the City to consider a broad and diverse candidate pool for key leadership positions with the Akron Police and Fire Departments; designating the positions of Police Chief and Fire Chief as members of the unclassified civil service; clarifying that whenever practicable, vacancies in the classified civil service shall be filled by promotion, to be voted upon at the next regularly scheduled general municipal election to be held on November 5, 2024; and declaring an emergency. This legislation was introduced to the Rules Committee. The Rules Committee took time and will receive a presentation at next week's Committee meeting.

Remember...

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

Do you plan to follow Akron City Council on our upcoming Social Media channels?

Yes

Ward 8 residents are invited to a town hall on Thursday, July 11th at 6:00 p.m. The meeting will provide an in-person opportunity for residents to share their thoughts, concerns and ideas about the attributes and experience they would like to see in the new Ward 8 representative. Those who are unable to attend can share their thoughts with the Selection Committee by contacting Council President Margo Sommerville at ward3@akronohio.gov.

Council established July 29 to hold an election to temporarily fill the Ward 8 seat. Residents that have resided in Ward 8 for the past year and are interested in serving must email their letter of interest and resume to sbiviano@akronohio.gov by Monday, July 22 at 12:00 noon.

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, over 70% of the approved applicants have picked up their Ring doorbell cameras.

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

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. In addition to this public hearing, there will be a Community Needs Meeting on Thursday, July 11th from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at the Mandel Community Center (at the Sojourner Truth Building). Learn more or participate in the online survey here.

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!

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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.

Charter Section 136

Amendment

Proposed amendments to this charter may be submitted to the electors of the City by a vote of two-thirds of the members of the Council; and upon petitions signed by ten percent of the electors of the City setting forth any such proposed amendment prepared and filed with the Clerk of the Council in the manner and form and by the deadline prescribed herein for the submission of ordinances by initiative petition, such proposed amendment shall be so submitted by the Council. The percentage aforesaid shall be based upon the total vote cast at the last preceding general municipal election. The ordinance providing for the submission of any such proposed amendment shall require that such proposed amendment be submitted to the electors at the next regular city-wide election if one shall occur not less than sixty (60) days after its passage. The Clerk of the Council shall transmit to the Director of the Board of Elections of Summit County, Ohio, or the successor to this position, a duly authenticated copy of such ordinance forthwith upon its passage. Notice of said proposed amendment shall be given in the manner provided by law. If such proposed amendment be approved by a majority of the electors voting thereon, it shall become a part of the Charter at the time fixed therein; and if no time be fixed therein, then it shall become a part of the Charter when the results of the official canvass of such election is announced.

(V 107 p 445; Approved by voters Sept. 7, 1971) (Amendment adopted by electorate 11-4-80; Amendment adopted by electorate 11-6-90; Amendment adopted by electorate 11-3-20)

You can view the Rules of Procedure

for Akron City Council here.