Cuyahoga Falls City Council holds regular meetings on the second and fourth Mondays of each month. Council committee meetings are held on the first and third Mondays in order to allow councilmembers to publicly discuss pending legislation that will be voted on at regular meetings. The public is free to comment on pending legislation during the allowed time set aside as part of committee meetings.
Two public hearings:
B-75: An ordinance approving text amendments to the Cuyahoga Falls Development Code, as more fully described and depicted herein. Approved by the planning commission last September, the ordinance was presented by Community Development Director Diana Collevecchio and Planning Director Rob Kurtz. Kurtz went over a handout distributed to the committee with 34 items that required changing to meet current times in our 20-year-old code. In exhibit A many of the changes range from not existing when the code was written, and many items are almost obsolete. With several of the items listed in exhibit A, item 9 had a strong show of support from the Keleman family whose 25-year-old daughter was killed in a fast-food line she was unable to pull away when a customer behind her started ramming her car and eventually shooting both her and himself. The changes proposed in this re-write met the approval of the Keleman family and their supporters who were also present. The second item that was met with comment was item 12 dealing with vape shops and where they can be located. Currently vape shops can be located as a retail establishment; under the change they would only be able to operate in C-1 areas and a map provided showed only a very small area of ward 8 and a larger area of ward one would be permitted uses. Existing vape shops would be allowed to continue as “a non-conforming use.” After much discussion item 12 was removed from the exhibit as more research will be done before bringing this item up in a separate ordinance. There are currently 13 vape shops operating in the city.
41-2023: An ordinance creating a Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area known as the Downtown Cuyahoga Falls Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area. All responses were positive and as the program ends its third year it seems to have found a home here. Director of the DTCF Kaylee Piper gave a rundown of revenue for the last three years by the sale of the special DORA cup; revenue generated in the first year was $14k, in 2024 it was $32k, and in October 2025 it was $23k. DTCF used the money raised to enrich the group’s mission statement of “bringing people downtown.” Funds raised by the sale of the cups include paying for extra police presence during special events, extra porta potties, shuttle bus service during pub crawls, and other activities and advertising that promote the area. In answers from previous meetings more recycle cans have been placed on the north end of the area and more police protection are on the radar for future events. As stated in the original ordinance the public affairs committee will meet next year at this time to review the program again.
Planning and Zoning
B-75: An ordinance approving text amendments to the Cuyahoga Falls Development Code, as more fully described and depicted herein. There was minor discussion after the public hearing, and it was decided to bring this ordinance out for a vote next Monday without changes to item 12 on the exhibit. The committee voted to bring this ordinance out for a vote before all of council next Monday.
B-80: An ordinance authorizing and approving the re-plat of the Final Subdivision Plat for the Towns at Steels Corners development located on Steels Corners Road east of Wyoga Lake Road. This legislation was presented by Planning Director Rob Kurtz and was passed by the planning commission October 7. It changes the location of one property and changes the amount of open space. Any excess lands will revert back to the HOA for care and used as a multi-purpose trail. The committee voted to bring this ordinance out for a vote before all of council next Monday.
Legislation scheduled for discussion
Finance & Appropriations:
B-81: An ordinance authorizing the director of finance to enter into a contract or contracts with Wichert Insurance Services, Inc. for the professional services necessary to manage the city’s risk management and insurance program and for the purchase of public entity insurance coverages. Finance Director Bryan Hoffmam explained Wichert Insurance Services is a local business that has treated the city very well over the years and is a leader in municipal insurance in the area. There are some slight increases this year due to the property they insure for the city becoming more valuable. They will be responsible for protecting the city’s Property, Auto and Crime coverage for the year with the legislation capped at $591K. The committee voted to bring this ordinance out for a vote before all of council next Monday.
B-82: An ordinance authorizing the director of public service to apply for Federal Surface Transportation Block Grant (STBG) funds programmed by the Akron Metropolitan Area Transportation Study (AMATS), for the resurfacing of Graham Road, from State Road to Bath Road. This ordinance and the next three are all companion ordinances and with all being about grant applications, each is unique in their own way. This part of Graham Road was last paved in 2010 and carries 10k vehicles per day. The grant the city is applying for would cover 80% of the costs of resurfacing.
B-83: An ordinance authorizing the director of public service to apply for Federal Surface Transportation Block Grant (STBG) funds programmed by the Akron Metropolitan Area Transportation Study (AMATS), to improve the Portage Trail Corridor. This grant application is to ask for federal funding for construction of wider lanes and pedestrian access to take place in the 2031-2032 construction season. This road carries 13k vehicles per day and it would give the city 80% of the costs not to exceed $6 million
B-84: An ordinance authorizing the director of public service to apply for Federal Surface Transportation Block Grant (STBG) funds programmed by the Akron Metropolitan Area Transportation Study (AMATS), for the resurfacing of Riverview Road, between Bath Road and Bolanz Road. This grant would pay for a three-mile stretch of Riverview Road to be resurfaced with the grant paying 80% of the $800k. This road carries 3500 vehicles per day.
B-85: An ordinance authorizing the director of public service to apply for Federal Surface Transportation Block Grant (STBG) funds programmed by the Akron Metropolitan Area Transportation Study (AMATS), for the resurfacing of Wyoga Lake Road, between East Steels Corners Road and Graham Road. This road was last paved in 2010 and carried 8k vehicles per day. Demasi stated that all of these grants are competitive and based on the physical scoring of the project. Three of the grants are for repaving and one for construction. The city is in a good position for receiving these grants and will know in March 2026 if they were successful. The committee voted to bring these four ordinances out for a vote before all of council next Monday.
B-86: An ordinance authorizing the director of public service to execute a modification of Contract No. 9258 with Supreme Concrete & Excavation. Demasi stated that favorable bids on the entire sidewalk program and a decent construction season have left the city in a position to have more sidewalks and driveways to be done this season. The increase to Supreme will cover the costs of the extra properties that will be done this season. The committee voted to bring this ordinance out for a vote before all of council next Monday.
B-87: An ordinance authorizing the director of public service to execute a modification of Contract No. 9075 with Kenmore Construction Company, Inc., for the South Front Streetscape project. Demasi went over the increase that revolves around a new Ohio law that entitles utilities to seek reimbursement for relocation of utilities such as phone and internet. Eighty percent of the $241k increase is in reimbursements; $50k is in “unforeseen conditions” such as a railroad running through the middle of south Front Street. The committee voted to bring this ordinance out for a vote before all of council next Monday.
Exhibit A
