Akron Council's Weekly Legislative Spotlight! 2026 Issue #21

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From the Desk of

Akron City Council President

Greetings!

Akron is moving — and you deserve a front-row seat.

Welcome to the Akron City Council Legislative Spotlight, your direct line to the decisions, debates, and developments happening right now at City Hall. No fluff. No runaround. Just the real work your Council is doing — for you, your block, and this city we all call home.

What’s Inside This Issue

Every Spotlight is packed with what matters most:

Legislative Updates — The ordinances and resolutions on the table, and what they mean for your daily life.

Council in Action — Your representatives, ward by ward, fighting for the neighborhoods that make Akron great.

Akron Community Hub — Local events, community news, and ways to make your voice heard.

Why It Matters

City Hall shouldn’t feel like a mystery. When you know what’s happening, you can shape what comes next. Informed neighbors become engaged neighbors — and engaged neighbors build stronger communities.

Whether we’re talking infrastructure, public safety, housing, or economic opportunity, the Spotlight keeps you plugged in and ready to act.

One Small Ask

If this newsletter speaks to you, share it. Forward it to a neighbor. Post it on your block’s Facebook group. Tag a friend who needs to know what’s happening in Akron. And if someone shared this with you — subscribe here so you never miss an issue.

Now — let’s get into it. Here’s what your Council has been up to.

Sincerely,

Margo Sommerville

Council President

Ward 3 Council Member

Legislative Highlights From Monday, June 15, 2026

Ordinance No. 178-2026 authorizing a Conditional Use to install digital signage over the height limitation at 1 S. High Street; and declaring an emergency. Vote: Ayes: 12, Nays: 0 (Garrett absent). The Akron Art Museum requested permission to install two wall-mounted electronic message centers at this location. The proposed signs will replace existing temporary signs and will be used to identify the business and display current promotions and future attractions of the museum. Did you know the Akron Art Museum has free admission on Thursdays? Learn more by visiting their website.

Ordinance No. 179-2026 authorizing a Conditional Use to establish a parking lot at 921 Cordova Avenue; and declaring an emergency. Vote: Ayes: 12, Nays: 0 (Garrett absent). The City of Akron intends to approve a plan for a new small parking lot at 921 Cordova Avenue in order to facilitate the sale of a vacant structure and property at 1474 Copley Road The City has recently issued a request for proposals in order to sell the City-owned property at 1474 Copley Road and the vacant lot to the north on Cordova Avenue. Recognizing that it is necessary for a viable business to have adequate off-street parking, the City wants the potential buyer to have the ability to develop a parking lot north of the building, which currently has parking for eight vehicles along its west side. To reduce the potential for accidents with pedestrians and other vehicles, six of the parking spaces will be eliminated, keeping just the two existing handicapped spaces.

Ordinance No. 180-2026 approving the Lincoln-Mill Redevelopment Plan; making necessary findings in connection therewith; and declaring an emergency. Vote: Ayes: 12, Nays: 0 (Garrett absent). The redevelopment area consists of approximately 39 acres and is approximately bounded by E. Market Street to the north, a railroad right-of-way to the west, the intersection of S. Forge Street and East Market Street to the east and S. Forge Street and E. Buchtel Avenue to the south. The Planning Commission conducted a public hearing on May 15, 2026 and City Council conducted a public hearing on June 15, 2026.

Ordinance No. 183-2026 authorizing the Mayor, or his designee, to enter into a contract or contracts, without the formality of publicly advertising for bids, with West Publishing Corporation, a Thompson Reuters Business for a case management and database system for the Akron Citizens' Police Oversight Board and the Office of the Independent Police Auditor; and declaring an emergency. Vote: Ayes: 11, Nays: 2 (Kammer & Lombardo). The case management system will be used to streamline operations.

Remember...

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

AKRON CITY COUNCIL RESPONDS TO UNIFY AKRON CIVIC ASSEMBLY ON HOUSING 2026 REPORT

Council President Margo Sommerville welcomed the report’s findings and emphasized that the Assembly’s recommendations affirm the direction Council has already been charting for Akron residents. You can read the full Press Release here.

The Mayor's Office issued this Press Release.

The City of Akron is seeking public feedback on a series of proposed zoning code changes aimed at increasing housing supply, expanding housing choices, and improving housing affordability for Akron residents. The proposed changes are designed to reduce barriers to housing investment, support neighborhood reinvestment, and create more opportunities for residents to find housing that meets their needs across the city. Residents can review the specific proposed changes and share feedback through an interactive StoryMap available here.

Screenshot from Council meeting depicting guests from Global Ties Akron

Global Ties Akron Guests

Council welcomed guests from Global Ties Akron at their 6:30 regular meeting.

The group visited through the US Department of States International Visitor Leadership Program.

You can view this portion of the meeting here.

Municipal Offices Closed June 19th in Observance of Juneteenth

In 2021, Akron City Council passed a resolution to designate June 19 as Juneteenth Independence Day in the City of Akron. Additionally, in 2021 President Joe Biden signed legislation into law establishing Juneteenth National Independence Day as a US federal holiday commemorating the proclamation of the end of slavery in the United States.

Municipal Offices will be closed on Friday, June 19th. There will not be a delay in curb service. There are several community events scheduled. Check out this Press Release for details.

Check out the calendar on

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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

July 13, 2026

5:00 p.m.

Ordinance approving the 2026 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 17 “Unified Planned Development District-Class UPD” of the Code of Ordinances, City of Akron, 2004, to amend developmental standards.

Ordinance authorizing a Conditional Use to install additional signage at 1960 W. Market Street; and declaring an emergency.

Notices are posted on our website.

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). These notices are also published in the Akron Beacon Journal.

You do not need to fill out any forms to participate. You can 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, 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 "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.