More than 14 percent of Cuyahoga Falls residents now in different council wards

CUYAHOGA FALLS — A little more than 14 percent of city residents are now in a new council ward.

City Council has approved legislation that implements a new council ward map that was redrawn based on the results of the 2020 census. The new ward boundaries took effect on Jan. 1.

Law director Janet Ciotola said that none of the current city council members were drawn out of the ward that they represent.

However, the redistricting process moved 7,331 residents (14.3% of the city's 51,114 residents) into new voting wards, according to a report prepared by consultants Robert Dykes and Mark Salling of Triad Research Group.

The city paid Triad $6,000 to work with the administration and then-Council president Mike Brillhart (D-5) to redraw the ward boundaries.

In their report, the Triad consultants said the 2020 census data for the city's wards "indicate that boundaries should be changed to re-balance population among them."

The boundaries of all eight wards were revised, according to city spokesperson Kelli Crawford-Smith.

The generally accepted population range for the wards is 5 percent around the average population of the eight wards.

"The percent deviation indicates that Wards 2, 3, and 6 are below 5% of the mean and Ward 8 is 28.88% above the population mean," the report stated.

The consultants noted that an exchange of areas between Wards 2 and 3, Wards 3 and 4, Wards 4 and 6, and Wards 5 and 6 were needed to balance populations and make the boundaries "as compact as reasonable."

Ward 8 was redrawn to make the boundary contiguous, per the requirement in the city charter that each ward be "composed of compact, contiguous territory and substantially equal in population.” Ward 8 was not previously a contiguous area, with portions separated by the city of Akron.

Triad's report also noted that some ward boundaries "were very irregular in shape," and crossed the Cuyahoga River. The newly drawn areas adopted by council place wards 1 and 7 completely east of the river.

Brillhart observed that redrawing wards 1 and 7 is "kind of putting it back to the way it was a long time ago. It makes the wards simpler."

Then-Council member Jeff Iula (R-at large) at the Dec. 20 committee meeting said he liked the way the boundaries were drawn.

"It looks much more square now," Iula said. "I think some day, maybe in the next 10 years, you guys might have to look at taking Ward 8 and splitting it in half ... because it just keeps growing and growing."

The Summit County Board of Elections will notify registered voters of their ward, precinct and polling location, according to Crawford-Smith.

Crawford-Smith added that the final official map is still being put together by the engineering department. Once it's ready, the map will be posted on the city's website at www.cityofcf.com.

Description of the new ward boundaries

Here is a text description of the new ward boundaries that was provided by the city:

Ward 1: Beginning at the eastern corporation line and Northmoreland Boulevard proceed West on Northmoreland Boulevard to Bailey Road; Northwest on Bailey Road to Broadway Street East; West on Broadway Street East to Cook Street; Southwest on Cook Street to Tallmadge Road; Northwest on Tallmadge Road to Broad Boulevard; West on Broad Boulevard to Cuyahoga River; South on Cuyahoga River to the southern corporation line; East on the southern corporation line to the eastern corporation line; North on the eastern corporation line to the beginning point of Northmoreland Boulevard.

Ward 2: Beginning at Cuyahoga River and Broad Boulevard proceed west on Broad Boulevard to State Road; South on State Road to southern corporation line; East then south on southern corporation line to Cuyahoga River; East then north on Cuyahoga River to the beginning point of Broad Boulevard.

Ward 3: Beginning at the intersection of Broad Boulevard and State Road proceed south on State Road to southern corporation line; West on the southern corporation line to western corporation line; North on western corporation line to State Road; South on State Road to Portage Trail; Southeast on Portage Trail to 14th Street; South on 14th Street to Broad Boulevard; West on Broad Boulevard to the beginning point of State Road.

Ward 4: Beginning at the intersection of Silver Lake Avenue and 13th Street proceed east to Oakwood Drive; South on Oakwood Drive to Jennings Avenue; East on Jennings Avenue to Ironwood Street; South on Ironwood Street to Morrison Avenue; East on Morrison Avenue to Northland Street; South on Northland Street to Front Street; Northeast on Front Street to State Route 8 South; South on State Route 8 South to Cuyahoga River; South on Cuyahoga River to Broad Boulevard; West on Broad Boulevard to 14th Street; North on 14th Street to Portage Trail; Southeast on Portage Trail to 13th Street; North on 13th Street to beginning point of Silver Lake Avenue.

Ward 5: Beginning at the eastern corporation line at Seasons Road proceed West on Seasons Road to State Road; South on State Road to Portage Trail; Southeast on Portage Trail to 13th Street; North on 13th Street to Silver Lake Avenue; East on Silver Lake Avenue to Oakwood Drive; North on Oakwood Drive to Graham Road; Northeast on Graham Road to corporation line; North on eastern corporation line to point of beginning of Seasons Road.

Ward 6: Beginning at the eastern corporation line and Graham Road proceed West on Graham Road to Oakwood Drive; South on Oakwood Drive to Jennings Avenue; East on Jennings Avenue to Ironwood Street; South on Ironwood Street to Morrison Avenue; East on Morrison Avenue to Northland Street; South on Northland Street to Front Street; Northeast on Front Street to State Route 8 South; South on State Route 8 South to Cuyahoga River; Northeast on Cuyahoga River to eastern corporation line; North on corporation line to point of beginning of Graham Road.

Ward 7: Beginning at the corporation line and Northmoreland Boulevard proceed West on Northmoreland Boulevard to Bailey Road; Northwest on Bailey Road to Broadway Street East; West on Broadway Street East to Cook Street; Southwest on Cook Street to Tallmadge Road; Northwest on Tallmadge Road to Broad Boulevard; West on Broad Boulevard to Cuyahoga River; North then east on Cuyahoga River and corporation line as the River winds to eastern corporation line; South on eastern corporation line to point of beginning of Northmoreland Boulevard.

Ward 8: Beginning at the intersection of Seasons Road and Wyoga Lake Road proceed Northwest on Wyoga Lake Road to State Road; North on State Road to northern corporation line; West on northern corporation line to western corporation line; South on western corporation line to southern corporation line; East on southern corporation line to State Road; North on State Road to Seasons Road; East on Seasons Road to point of beginning of Wyoga Lake Road. Ward 8 also includes the enclaves surrounded by the City of Akron along Smith Road and Northampton Road

Reporter Phil Keren can be reached at 330-541-9421, pkeren@thebeaconjournal.com, or on Twitter at @keren_phil.

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: More than 14 percent of Cuyahoga Falls residents now in new ward