Akron, Ohio, December 6, 2021 — Akron Mayor Dan Horrigan and Cuyahoga Falls Mayor Don Walters invite the public to attend a virtual meeting to discuss the draft Merriman Valley - Schumacher Area Master Plan on Wednesday, December 15 from 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm. With this Master Plan, the two cities hope to ensure that the Merriman Valley and Schumacher neighborhoods will become more walkable, healthy, equitable, beautiful, and resilient places to live, work, and play.
Since July, the two cities and urban planning consultant Farr Associates have been working with the community to create a Master Plan that will guide the future of the Merriman Valley and Schumacher areas in a way that reflects the goals, values, and aspirations of residents, business owners, and other stakeholders.
At the December 15 meeting, Farr Associates will present the highlights and recommendations of the Master Plan, including:
- Proposed Land Uses – including changes to the existing Zoning Code
- Improved Transportation Systems - streets, trails, sidewalks, and river access
- Environmental Considerations - conservation neighborhoods, habitat corridors, and riparian setbacks
- Example Development and Redevelopment Scenarios – within the study area in both Akron and Cuyahoga Falls
At the public meeting, following a brief presentation of the draft plan by the consultant, participants will be able to ask questions of the consultant team and city officials via the Zoom chat feature. This dialogue will be moderated by Dan Rice, President of the Ohio & Erie Canalway Coalition and Chair of the Cuyahoga Falls Planning Commission.
Those interested in attending the public meeting can sign up here to register and receive the Zoom link for the meeting.
Previous public engagement on this Plan included a public survey, a zoom meeting in July, an intensive 3-day planning charrette at Todaro’s Party Center in August, and a Listening Session in Cuyahoga Falls in October. The cities and the consultant team have taken all of the feedback they heard and distilled it into this Plan.
A full report on the Master Plan will be released after the December 15 meeting.
To learn more about the Master Plan, visit Akron's website here or Cuyahoga Falls' website here.
For any questions/comments regarding the Merriman Valley & Schumacher Area Master Plan:
In Akron, call: 330-375-2090, or email ValleyPlan@akronohio.gov.
In Cuyahoga Falls, call: 330-971-8135, or email.