A city planning framework and theory where all essential services are available to residents within a 15-minute walk, bike ride, or transit trip (e.g., grocery stores, parks, restaurants, jobs).

When a council member refrains from voting on a motion.

The Akron Public Schools’ program provides free  academic support for participants. It is funded by federal 21st Century Community Learning Centers grants, the City of Akron and Title 1, a program through the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce.

Gives residents the opportunity to resolve discrimination issues at a local level. The commission investigates complaints of unlawful discrimination regarding background, beliefs or identity based on:

• Housing, including home sales, leases, rentals and financial transactions
• Employment, including hiring, promotions, discipline, working conditions and salary
• Public accommodations, including access to goods, services, business and public spaces
• City contracts

Serves  Akron and Fairlawn; Bath, Richfield and Springfield townships; Lakemore and Richfield villages; and the portion of Mogadore that is in Summit County. Judges handle felony cases through indictment in Summit County Court of Common Pleas and misdemeanor cases to conclusion. The court also hears civil cases with damages of less than $15,000 and small-claims cases involving disputes of $6,000 or less. It also processes parking and traffic tickets and performs civil marriage ceremonies.

To change the text of a resolution or ordinance.

This Summit County division is responsible for answering calls and complaints concerning dogs, cats and nuisance wildlife, including skunks, raccoons, opossums and groundhogs. They also run the county’s animal shelter, manage dog licenses, and do pet adoptions. 

The midpoint of a specific region’s income range. Half of all households in the region make more than this amount and half make less. This figure can be used to determine who is eligible for affordable housing subsidies.

This is a response equivalent to yes. It is a vote in favor of a motion

A city board made up of the mayor, the directors of the Law, Finance, and Public Service departments, the president of City Council, and the chair of the Finance Committee of council or their designees. The board approves any purchase over $15,000 but less than $50,000.

This agency does several things, including selling city-owned commercial and residential land for development, supporting businesses and entrepreneurs, and helping home buyers through the Urban Neighborhood Development Corporation.

The construction, rehabilitation or acquisition of fixed assets (buildings, bridges) or permanent improvements.

A document regulating the structure and operation of a city government. See also Akron Codified Ordinances.

This five-member body of citizens is appointed by the mayor and approved by the council. It oversees development and improvement of the city and its neighborhoods and reviews legislation and other matters that concern the use or development of land.

Complete Streets are streets designed and operated to enable safe use and support mobility for all users. Those include people of all ages and abilities, regardless of whether they are travelling as drivers, pedestrians, bicyclists, or public transportation riders.

Nonprofit, community-focused entities whose missions are to support their affiliated city neighborhoods with a range of programs that boost affordable housing, economic development, safety and social services. CDCs can have some oversight of new developments in their areas. Akron currently has 15 CDCs, with some covering more than one neighborhood.

Acting on multiple resolutions or ordinances at one time under one motion.

An indoor, year-round market in Akron’s Northside District. The market operates Sundays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. 

An angled cut in the edge of a curb that permits vehicle or wheelchair access from a street to a driveway, garage, parking lot or loading dock.

What it costs the city to borrow money for projects or services. 

This department’s goal is to create an inclusive and equitable environment for Akronites. It focuses on providing equal access to opportunities and resources by working against discrimination, bias and prejudice. 

The head of a city department.

Funds inside an account that are reserved for a specific debt or future liability. An organization can encumber funds in multiple ways and for multiple reasons, such as creating a purchase order to buy goods or services.

A closed-door part of an otherwise open public meeting where members of the public are not permitted to observe the proceedings. An executive session is allowed under state law when a public body needs to discuss something in private, such as personnel issues (hirings or firings) or negotiations to buy land. There are nine acceptable reasons a public body can move to executive session, as outlined by state law. They are:

• Certain personnel matters 
• Purchase or sale of property
• Pending or imminent court action
• Collective bargaining matters
• Matters required to be kept confidential
• Security matters
• Hospital trade secrets
• Confidential business information of an applicant for economic development assistance
• Veterans Service Commission applications 

Other rules applicable to an executive session include:

• Proper procedure is required to move into executive session:
  • Meeting must always begin and end in open session, where the public may be present
  • Motion on the record to move into executive session, followed by a second
  • Specific reason for executive session must be put in the motion and recorded
  • Roll call vote, which must be approved by the majority of a quorum of the public body
  • Motion and vote recorded in the meeting minutes 
• Discussion in executive session must be limited to the specific, statutory reason for the executive session, as set forth in the motion. 
• The public body can invite non-members to be present in an executive session, but cannot exclude other members of the public body from the executive session.
• Discussions in executive session are not automatically confidential, but other confidentiality rules may apply; public records considered in the executive session may be accessible through the Public Records Act.  
• The public body may not vote or make any decisions in executive session.

A charge to a person or business who is using or benefiting from a city service. For example, when a person applies for a building permit, that fee pays for an inspector to make sure the construction work is done properly.

Offers free financial coaching services to help Akronites meet financial challenges and plan for the future. The center is a partnership between the mayor’s office and United Way of Summit & Medina. 

In parliamentary procedure, this is an amendment that is unanimously agreed upon by the voting body as an enhancement, or helpful clarification to the current version of a piece of legislation.

Used to account for money. Must be balanced for money coming in and going out. 

The City of Akron owns two golf courses- Good Park and Mud Run Golf Course & Driving Range. The Division of Recreation and Parks maintains athletic fields and parks. 

Money from the state or federal government or a nonprofit organization that pays for a specific purpose or program.

Dedicated to assisting with rehabilitation projects, residential repairs, lead paint reduction, and offering administrative support to community development corporations and housing development organizations.

Responsible for ensuring decent, safe and sanitary living conditions through the enforcement of the Environmental Health Housing Code. Residents can register complaints regarding activity or neglect that negatively impacts the health, safety, welfare, comfort, or convenience of the general public. Public nuisances that can be reported may include: accumulation of garbage, animal nuisance, asbestos, farm animals, food complaints, fugitive dust, high grass or weeds, or sewage backup.

Responsible for collecting and administering taxes for Akron residents as well as for four joint economic development districts in Bath Township, Copley Township, Coventry Township, and Springfield Township.

The preparation and enactment of laws through a legislative process. Akron City Council has two categories of legislative action – resolutions and ordinances.

The chief executive of the City of Akron appoints a cabinet of leaders who run departments and initiatives. They oversee all city services and are responsible for enforcing the City Charter, city ordinances and Ohio laws.

An MOU is a written agreement between two or more parties that defines the relationships between the parties and describes what the parties agree on.

This levy or tax is the most common way local school districts can raise funds for any purpose, though most levies support operating expenses or permanent improvements such as building a new school. This property tax levy must pass a voter referendum and is based on a “mill” which is the unit of value for expressing the rate of property taxes in Ohio. A mill is $1 of tax for every $1,000 of assessed value (35% of your appraised value). For example, the yearly tax on a house that is appraised at $100,000 is $35 in tax per mill. So, if a district passes a 5.5 mill levy, taxes on this example house would be $192.50 per year (5.5 x 35 = 192.50)

Example calculation of a simple tax bill:

$100,000 (appraised value) x 35% = $35,000 (Assessed Value)
$35,000 (Assessed Value) x 1 mill (.0010)  =  $35 in tax per mill per year

Akron City Council’s online legislation management system. Find committee and council meeting minutes and passed legislation here.

A piece of legislation passed into law in a city or town. You can find a full list of Akron’s ordinances and proposed ordinances here.

A piece of land with defined boundaries. Parcel numbers are used by the county for property tax purposes.

Council suspends the rules and votes on legislation after reading it on only one day — the same day it was introduced to full council.

Money that property owners pay based on the value of the property they own. Used to levy taxes for purposes such as funding libraries and schools.

Any board, commission, committee, council or similar decision-making body of a state agency, institution or authority. This includes county, township, municipalities, school districts, or other political subdivision or local public institution. This includes the subcommittees of these groups. 

A hearing that is held about a piece of legislation in front of a public body. After being sworn in, members of the public are able to testify.

Also known as a FOIA, referring to the Freedom of Information Act, for federal records. A formal request submitted to a government agency for access to any documents or materials that are in the public record. 

• For the City of Akron, the Law Department oversees public records requests.
• To file a public records request, email publicrecords@akronohio.gov with what records you are seeking.
• For Akron Police Department records, email APDRecordsRoom@akronohio.gov. 

Responsible for operating and maintaining all city-owned parks, playgrounds, recreation centers, golf courses and highways. Also responsible for trash/recycling collection, street cleaning, public building maintenance, and maintenance of the city’s fleet.

A right granted to registered voters by Akron’s city charter allowing them to advocate for or to repeal laws passed by council or put them to a citywide vote. It requires gathering signatures totaling 7% or more of the votes cast in the last regular city election. To repeal a newly passed law, signatures must be delivered to council within 50 days of passage of the law in question. See also, ballot initiative.

To take a property from an owner and give it to the city or municipality. This is usually done so the city can demolish a structure.

A document from a company or public entity that asks vendors of specific products or services to give a quote or list their prices for the desired goods or services.

A Road Diet, or roadway reconfiguration, can improve safety, calm traffic, provide better mobility and access for all road users, and enhance overall quality of life. This process is used by transportation planners to make changes or improvements to existing roadways and when planning new roadways.

When the Clerk of Council recites the names of council members to confirm their vote.

Agreement from a public body member of a proposed motion. This agreement can’t come from the member who initiated the motion.

An account to collect money for a specific purpose or project. Funds are kept separate for accountability and transparency.

The city doesn’t always repave an entire street at once. A segment is a stretch of road between two cross streets.

An ordinance or resolution that is updated.

Provided there is a two-thirds vote, this process temporarily suspends or sets aside typical council rules. In the City of Akron, this process is used when declaring an emergency to pass legislation.

The reduction or elimination of taxes on the increase in a property’s value after new construction or renovation. Taxation on the previous or existing value is not changed.

Zoning laws that focus on the type of use allowed on a piece of land. This is based on a traditional notion that each space should have a singular use and structures with similar uses should be grouped together and segregated from those of different uses. This is different than form-based zoning codes. 

Permission to not follow a section of the city’s zoning or building law. A property owner must request a variance, and a board will decide to grant or deny the request. Two main types of variances are “area” and “use.” An area variance deals with laws governing the height of a structure or how far back from the road it sits.  A use variance deals with restrictions for what a property can be used for (e.g., residential, commercial, industrial).

This bureau provides City of Akron residents with EPA-compliant drinking water.

The fund provides affordable recreational opportunities to youth 18 years of age and under in order to promote safety and fun.

A set of laws that restrict and define the way land can be used. They regulate the types of development that can occur on each parcel of land in a community. Zoning typically divides a community into districts that group compatible uses together and exclude incompatible uses. Common land uses found in these laws include residential, industrial, recreational or commercial. Zoning laws also include regulations that determine building placement (setbacks), height of structures, lot sizes, lot coverage, parking and other requirements. Read more about the Akron Zoning Codes.