Cuyahoga County Planning Commission Weblog: Summit County

Bicycle planning news

2012-02-08T18:36:35Z

Bike Cleveland hired Jacob VanSickle as the organization's first executive director. Meanwhile, AMATS issued a draft of its its bike plan (PDF) for Portage and Summit counties, and will hold public meetings on February 13 and 14.

Water supplier opinions

2012-02-08T18:03:07Z

A Plain Dealer editorial urges the Cleveland Division of Water and the cities of Macedonia and Westlake to resolve their differences without the cities changing water systems. The paper's Brent Larkin is highly critical of both Mayor Clough and the Division of Water.

Westlake water worries

2012-01-25T04:51:27Z

The Plain Dealer summarized the debate about the future of Westlake's water supply. The City is contemplating a switch from the Cleveland Division of Water to the Avon Lake Municipal Utilities.

Update: Macedonia is also considering plans to change water suppliers.

Akron's revised CSO plans

2012-01-24T21:23:59Z

The U.S. EPA approved the City of Akron's revised combined sewer overflow control plan. The plan also needs the approval of the Ohio EPA and a federal judge. The Ohio EPA will hold a public hearing on February 29. The federal judge rejected an earlier version of the plan last year.

Federal funding for CVSR

2012-01-19T04:53:58Z

The Federal Transit Administration awarded $40.8 million to improve access to the country's national parks, forests and wildlife refuges. The FTA funds will support 58 projects, including $3.2 million for five Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad projects. The largest of the five awards is a $1.4 million grant for a pedestrian bridge across the Cuyahoga River.

Summit County stormwater legislation

2012-01-17T20:13:24Z

Summit County Engineer Al Brubaker is seeking approval from Summit County Council to establish a countywide stormwater utility. Council members will discuss the proposal. Mayor Procop of Twinsburg opposes the proposed program.

Update: the Summit County Engineer's Office described the advantages of the proposed stormwater utility.

Wetland mitigation bank gifted to UA

2012-01-17T18:10:55Z

Two Summit County brothers turned their 105-acre family farm into wetlands, and recently donated the Panzer Wetland Wildlife Reserve in Copley Township to the University of Akron. An Akron Beacon Journal editorial praised their work.

Cuyahoga Falls dam removal

2011-12-16T20:19:14Z

The City of Cuyahoga Falls is preparing to remove two dams on the Cuyahoga River next year. Removal of the downtown dams is expected to be completed in July or August.

Summit County stormwater proposal

2011-11-30T22:44:46Z

While the Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District's stormwater management program is in the midst of a lawsuit, the Summit County Engineer's Office proposed the creation of a countywide stormwater management utility. The proposal calls for establishing an impervious surface fee.

Protection of Blossom land finalized

2011-11-12T04:34:48Z

The National Park Service completed its purchase of 578 undeveloped acres at Blossom Music Center in Cuyahoga Falls. The transfer to the Cuyahoga Valley National Park was facilitated by the Trust for Public Land. An event is planned for Monday.

Update: the Trust for Public Land issued a press release.

Update 2: the Akron Beacon Journal supplied more details. An editorial concluded that "the park has been made stronger with this purchase and the collaboration required to move forward."

Akron completes towpath construction

2011-10-28T03:58:41Z

The City of Akron opened a half-mile section of the Towpath Trail on Wednesday. It marked the completion of the trail through the City.

Update: an Akron Beacon Journal editorial says that "the value of moving forward never has been clearer."

Stan Austin speaks

2011-08-22T16:14:55Z

Cuyahoga Valley National Park Superintendent Stan Austin spoke at the Akron Roundtable last week. He talked about the park's assets, plans, and areas for improvement.

Farming in the valley

2011-08-05T03:47:22Z

The Plain Dealer profiled the couple that operates Brunty Farms in Bath Township, one of the 11 farms in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park's Countryside Initiative. The National Park Service is offering two more farms for lease, the Edgar Farm in Valley View and the Holland Farm in Boston Township. Proposals will be accepted until October 3.

Sediment testing, part two

2011-07-22T20:43:44Z

The U.S. EPA collected a second set of Cuyahoga River sediment samples from behind the dam in Summit County's Gorge Metro Park. Tests of the sediment are needed to determine the feasibility of removing the dam.

Anti-poaching agreement expands

2011-07-22T20:07:00Z

Nineteen Summit County communities have signed the Job Preservation and Revenue Sharing Agreement. The anti-business-poaching initiative began in 2009 with seven communities.