Akron Council's Weekly Legislative Spotlight! 2024 Issue #33

From the Desk of the Council President

Hello Joan,

Welcome to our new subscribers. We are glad you joined us! To our regular subscribers, welcome back! Thank you for continuing to receive our newsletter and for your commitment to staying informed and engaged through your continued subscription 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, information about commonly used terms, and council-related facts are also featured.

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, October 28, 2024

Ordinance No. 371-2024 amending and/or supplementing Title 9, “General Provisions,” Chapter 101, “Trees and Shrubs,” Section 101.13, “Tree Commission,” of the Codified Ordinances of the City of Akron; and declaring an emergency. Vote: Ayes: 12, Nays: 0 (Kammer absent). This legislation increases the number of residents that serve on the Tree Commission and includes a representative from Keep Akron Beautiful. The Tree Commission meets remotely on the third Tuesday of the month at 1:30 p.m. Learn more here.

Resolution No. 373-2024 urging support for Issue 27, the 1.29 mills bond issue for rebuilding North High School and the 7.6 mills operating levy proposal for operating programs, services, and facilities of the Akron Public Schools; and declaring an emergency. Vote: Ayes: 12, Nays: 0 (Kammer absent). Learn more about the levy proposal here.

Ordinance No. 375-2024 authorizing the Mayor, or his designee, to enter into a contract or contracts with the Minority Behavioral Health Group for the purpose of hiring personnel for the Street Team Pilot Program; and declaring an emergency. Vote: Ayes: 12, Nays: 0 (Kammer absent). You can learn more about this program by viewing the presentation given to the Budget & Finance Committee here.

Ordinance No. 376-2024 authorizing the Mayor, or his designee, to enter into a contract or contracts with the Greater Akron Chamber Foundation to provide matching funds for the State of Ohio Innovation Hub Grant Program; and declaring an emergency. Vote: Ayes: 12, Nays: 0 (Kammer absent). The Greater Akron Chamber applied for and was awarded grant funding from the State's Innovation Hubs Program in order to help the Greater Akron Polymer Innovation Hub Project, led by the Polymer Industry Cluster through the Greater Akron Chamber Foundation. Learn more here.

Remember...

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

Ring Doorbell Cameras

Each ward was allotted 300 cameras. The staff has worked hard to distribute these at ward meetings, before Council meetings, and during office hours. We're continually working through waitlists, so please make sure you check your email if you applied!

2024-2025 Neighborhood Partnership Grant Program

APPLY NOW!

On October 8, 2024, Akron City Council announced the issuance of the 2024-2025 Neighborhood Partnership Grant Program Notice of Funding Opportunity.

Learn more and apply by going to our website!

Council Staff held a Pre-Submission Forum on Thursday, October 17th.

You can view the information presented here .

Check out the calendar on

Council's website for

upcoming Ward Meetings!

Early Voting

Early voting is available! To avoid traffic congestion at the Early Vote Center and the Ballot Drop Box for the 2024 General Election, the Summit County Board of Elections is instituting several changes and new traffic patterns.

View the information from the Summit County Board of Elections here.

Please call the Board at 330-643-5200 with any questions.

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.

Traffic Calming

Speed Tables are scheduled to be removed in the first half of November. Solar speed limit signs will remain installed.

Traffic Calming Requests can be submitted here.

A survey on traffic calming is active here.

For additional information, please visit this website.

Upcoming Open Comment

Public Hearings

Up For Public Hearing November 18, 2024

5:00 p.m. Special Meeting

Ordinance authorizing a Conditional Use to establish a dual-use cannabis dispensary at 46 S. Summit Street. (PC-2024-52-CU)

Ordinance authorizing a Conditional Use to construct a storage building at 123 E. Waterloo Road. (PC-2024-53-CU)

Ordinance authorizing a Conditional Use to retain a fence at 217 Akers Avenue. (PC-2024-54-CU)

Ordinance authorizing a Conditional Use to establish a dual-use cannabis cultivation facility at 1076 Home Avenue. (PC-2024-55-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.

This brief video demonstrates how to fill out the form.

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.

Declaring an Emergency:

Allows Council to dispense with the requirement that a piece of legislation be read at three separate Council meetings, and allows the legislation to go into effect earlier than 30 days from passage of the legislation.

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You can view the Rules of Procedure for Akron City Council here.