Proposed Rezoning Could Transform Akron Suburb

City planners filed a rezoning application on July 7 that would change 15 acres along Copley Road from single-family residential to mixed-use in the Firestone Park neighborhood.

The request arrives as Akron home prices rose 8 percent in the second quarter, according to Summit County auditor records, and developers seek sites closer to downtown employment centers than new builds on the city edge.

Site Details and Nearby Landmarks

The parcel sits two blocks east of the Akron Children’s Hospital main campus and one block west of the Firestone Park Community Center on East Avenue. Current zoning limits the land to detached houses on lots no smaller than 6,000 square feet; the new category would permit buildings up to five stories with ground-floor commercial space.

Firestone Park already contains 1,850 housing units, most built between 1920 and 1955, according to the 2020 U.S. Census tract data. Residents have raised concerns about traffic on Copley Road, which carries 22,000 vehicles daily per Ohio Department of Transportation counts.

Timeline and Next Steps

The Summit County Planning Commission is scheduled to review the application at its July 22 meeting in the County Administration Building on South Main Street. If the commission forwards a positive recommendation, Akron City Council would hold a public hearing on August 10.

Developers who spoke at a June neighborhood meeting said they would reserve 20 percent of any new units for households earning under 80 percent of area median income to qualify for state tax credits. Property owners within 500 feet of the site received mailed notices last week; written comments can be submitted to the Akron Planning Department until July 18.

This article is general information only and is not personal financial or investment advice. Consider your own circumstances and seek licensed professional advice before making financial decisions.