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 council members 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.
Planning and Zoning Committee:
Temp. Ord. A-57: An ordinance accepting the planning commission’s recommendation for the construction of ten (10) single-family attached dwelling units to be constructed within three (3) separate buildings located on property at the southwest corner of Second Street and Wadsworth Avenue, for the Summit Housing Development Corporation. The presentation for this ordinance was started by Diane Colavecchio who gave the committee a history on how this project has evolved over the last two years. Rob Kurtz, discussing the recommendations placed on the project when it was approved on May 17, also explained the ten units will be divided into two four-unit buildings and one two-unit building. Summit Housing Development Corporation serves people with developmental disabilities and they work in 13 counties with 181 homes and currently provide housing to 452 people in these homes. According to their executive director, Tom Jacobson, they currently have eight homes in Cuyahoga Falls and this one will be perfect for their needs because of the proximity to Summit County DD that recently opened in the area. Summit DD places people in homes operated by Summit Housing based on the person’s needs and abilities.
Discussion among the committee was positive and included praise for the project. Questions concerning the project timeline were answered with Mr. Jacobson’s estimate that included financing and final construction drawings; he hopes to begin construction in three to six months. The committee voted to bring this out for a vote before council next Monday.
Public and Industrial Improvements Committee:
Temp. Ord. A-58: An ordinance authorizing the director of public service to enter into a contract or contracts, according to law, with a firm or firms, for concrete pavement repairs to various streets. City Engineer Tony Demasi presented this legislation to the committee, explaining this will be a continuation of our yearly concrete repair program and will be the third year repairs will be made to Prior Park Drive; by September this project will be complete. The committee voted to bring this out for a vote before council next week.
Temp. Ord. A-59: A resolution of intent to appropriate certain property along West Portage Trail Extension between State Road and Northampton Road. This item was also presented to the committee by city engineer Tony Demasi, whose office is working with the property owners for both temporary and permanent easements and currently have agreements with 22 of the 32 property owners affected. He forecasts the project will then go out to bid in December and a contract awarded in January 2023. The committee also voted to bring this out for a vote before council next Monday .
Public Affairs Committee:
Temp. Ord. A-60: An ordinance amending Chapter 1371 of the City of Cuyahoga Falls Codified Ordinances, relating to the BOCA National Property Maintenance Code. Law Director Janet Ciotola showed that our housing department is currently operating under the 1999 version of the BOCA National Property Maintenance Code. Since that time the organization has changed its name to the International Code Council and a newer release of the code is available with updates that will make enforcement of the property code more efficient for housing inspectors. Housing inspectors Charles Nettle and Steve Owen gave a few examples of what the new code would cover and what would remain under other ordinances not covered by this change; for instance, high grass and weeds are currently covered by local ordinances but not by the National Property Maintenance Code so that enforcement would remain the same. It should be noted that while at the podium both inspectors were praised by many members of council for their work, their diligence, and their ability to work with residents when it comes to finding solutions to keep our community clean and safe. The committee voted to bring this out for a vote before council next Monday.
Temp. Ord. A-61: An ordinance opting out of H.B. 172 and reaffirming the ban on discharging, igniting, or exploding consumer grade 1.4G fireworks in the city of Cuyahoga Falls, except as set forth herein.
Law Director Janet Ciotola explained that the law will go into effect July 1 and will allow anyone to discharge consumer-grade fireworks on the following holidays, including New Year’s Eve and Day, Cinco de Mayo, Juneteenth, Memorial Day, and Labor Day weekend, as well as on July 3, 4, 5 or any three-day weekends bracketing July 4. It further states that the person must be on their own property or receive permission from the property owner. Municipalities are allowed to “opt out” of the changes by enacting their own legislation to totally prohibit fireworks, or set their own specific days from the list. Mayor Walters stated that before council was an ordinance that would compromise on the state law, and the proposal would allow fireworks in the city between 8:30 pm and midnight on July 4th only. After much discussion among council members concerning the effects of fireworks on veterans, pets, and people having to be up early the next morning to name just a few, per suggestion from Council at Large Russ Balthis, the legislation was not voted out of committee and will come before committee again on June 20, allowing the public to comment if they wish and to allow council members to seek input from their constituents.
