COUNTY PLANNING NEWSLETTER

March 2026

New Data Book Provides Information on Cuyahoga County

The latest publication in our Data Book series, Our County 2026, offers a look at the trends shaping Cuyahoga County. This edition highlights the strengths and challenges faced by Cuyahoga County and shows where the county stands in relation to peer counties. It provides information in an easy-to-understand format that can be used by policymakers in their work. The 10 peer counties selected for comparison (and their central cities) are:

• Allegheny County (Pittsburgh, PA)
• Erie County (Buffalo, NY)
• Franklin County (Columbus, OH)
• Hamilton County (Cincinnati, OH)
• Hennepin County (Minneapolis, MN)
• Jefferson County (Louisville, KY)
• Marion County (Indianapolis, IN)
• Milwaukee County (Milwaukee, WI)
• Monroe County (Rochester, NY)
• Wayne County (Detroit, MI)

The Data Book includes 63 indicators across six categories that affect daily life: demographics, the economy, housing, the environment, transportation, and health. The indicators are displayed as trend lines, bar charts, and ranked lists by county.

New Orange Village Wayfinding & Trails Report and Mapper

The Orange Village Wayfinding & Trails Plan is progressing. An inventory of existing signs, destinations, and trails was completed in September 2025 and included data collected through a combination of walking audits and driving audits conducted along the main corridors of Orange Village. The inventory identified 108 signs, of which 75% were classified as being in excellent condition. Existing signage conditions, content, and typologies can be viewed in the Existing Signage Dashboard, an online map viewer. Next steps for the Plan will include outlining best practices, developing signage typologies, and recommending locations for future signs. 

Gathering Feedback from Communities

Together with our community partners, County Planning recently hosted open houses for the Bedford Master Plan and the Valley View Master Plan. Residents in attendance learned about the master planning process and provided input about future growth and development for those communities. 

The community surveys for Bedford and Valley View remain open for additional public input.

• The Bedford Community Vision Survey has been extended through March 14th.
• The Valley View Master Plan Community Survey is open through March 13th.

Thank you to everyone who shared their ideas and opinions!

Agency News

New Board Member

Christopher Alvarado, the Director of Regional Collaboration for Cuyahoga County, has been appointed to the Cuyahoga County Planning Commission Board. Mr. Alvarado succeeds Michael Dever, the Director of the Cuyahoga County Department of Public Works, who served on the Board for six years. At the Board's organizational meeting in February, Mr. Alvarado was elected to serve as Board Chair. 

Staff Update

Justin Finney, a CSU Levin College graduate student in the urban planning program, has joined the County Planning staff as an intern. Welcome, Justin!

Thanks for taking the time to read our newsletter! If you found the information valuable, please consider forwarding it to a friend or colleague. Please let us know if there are opportunities for us to collaborate with you.

Cuyahoga County Planning Commission

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