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.
Tuesday’s meeting started with an organizational meeting chaired by senior member of council Jerry James. Nominations were held for 2023 Council President; Russ Balthis was unanimously voted in 9-0.
Planning and Zoning:
A-125: An ordinance approving a zoning map amendment for property located at the intersection of Clyde Avenue and Buchholzer Boulevard, from C-1, Commercial to R-5, Mixed Density Residential.
Council held a public hearing over this ordinance where Adam Paul from the planning department spoke on behalf of the zoning change, stating that it would proceed should the zoning change be approved by council and would allow developer Tony Pillia of Novelty Ohio to construct 40 townhouses on the parcel. These would be rental units with rent priced at current market value. Paul said this measure had already passed the planning commission in early November. There were also questions from several members of council concerning EPA restrictions placed on the property that come from prior uses of the property as a landfill and other industrial uses early in the previous century. While the EPA mandated soil borings show the property safe to build on, they did place the restriction of no basements on the property. As is procedure during public hearings, Planning and Zoning Committee Chair Susan Spinner asked for public comment both for and against the legislation, receiving positive response from both the developer and the planning department. There were no negative responses; however, there were concerns over the project itself made at both the planning commission meeting and this meeting by residents of Magnolia Ave. Paul said that parking, screening, and noise concerns can be addressed in the upcoming meetings that will deal with the actual site plan. The planning and zoning committee voted to bring this ordinance out for a vote before full council Monday, January 9.
Finance & Appropriations:
A-159: An ordinance authorizing the mayor, as director of public safety, to enter into a contract or contracts for the purchase of annual requirements for certain services, materials, supplies, and equipment for use by the Fire Department during 2023. Fire Chief Martin presented this as part of the yearly ordinance for the city’s contract for maintenance of fire department equipment such as trucks and other fire fighting equipment with Atlantic Security. The committee voted to bring this measure out for a vote next Monday.
A-160: An ordinance authorizing the director of public service to enter into a modification of Contract No. 8378 with JF Electric. This legislation was presented by Electric Supervisor Rod Troxell and it is to increase a current contract the city has with JF Electric for replacing and upgrading lighting and other equipment in the Route 8 corridor. According to Troxell, once work began many items surfaced that were not anticipated, resulting in the need for this increase. The ordinance is now capped at $283,110. The finance committee voted to bring this ordinance out for a vote before all of council next Monday January 9.
Community Development:
A-161: An ordinance authorizing the termination of the 2020 Enterprise Zone Agreement with Kyocera SGS Precision Tools, Inc. Community Development Director Diana Colavecchio explained that when Kyocera first planned to bring its headquarters from Munroe Falls to Cuyahoga Falls the enterprise zone was established on their behalf, however the move had little or no effect on the value of the real estate Kyocera housed its new headquarters in, making the Enterprise agreement unnecessary. She also stated the county had done the same. The community development committee voted to bring this ordinance out for a vote before all of council next Monday.
A-162: An ordinance adopting and implementing the procedures set forth in Sections 5722.02 through 5722.15 of the Ohio Revised Code to facilitate the effective reutilization of nonproductive land in the City of Cuyahoga Falls. Law Director Janet Ciotola said this can be a tool that the city can use to expedite the process when needed for the city to acquire neglected and blighted property for redevelopment. The criteria set forth by the state is very strict as to what is deemed nonproductive land but this legislation would allow the city to be able to foreclose on property similar to the way the county does. When asked to cite an example, she said a property that is vacant and unmaintained and behind on property taxes, along with being a risk to the area it is located. It is similar to the process the county land bank uses currently. Council at Large Tim Gorbach asked the law director if it was possible to include language in the ordinance that would notify the ward councilperson when a property in their ward was undergoing this process, for which Ciotola said she would work on that before next week’s vote. The community development committee voted to bring this ordinance out for a vote before all of council next Monday, January 9.
A-163: An ordinance amending Appendix C of Title 5 of the General Development Code. This legislation, presented by Planning Director Rob Kurtz, will affect the section of the general development code that pertains to fees and some of the definitions of the services provided by the city to residents and developers. It was last revised in 2007 and the changes requested will reflect what other communities of our size in the area are charging for similar services. The committee voted to bring this ordinance out for a vote before all of council next week.
