August 22, 2021
Akron, OH Noxious Weed and Plant Height in Devilstrips Ordinances
Thank you so much to those who signed our support letter for changes to the Akron Ohio’s current noxious weed and devilstrip plantings ordinances. We began our work to make changes to Akron’s ordinances pertaining to pollinators and urban agriculture in 2018. We renewed our effort, post-pandemic lock-down, during the 2021 National Pollinator Week.
We are breaking down the ordinance change requests into small portions to make it manageable across the myriad of City departments.
Many individuals and organizations from the local, state, regional, and national level signed our support letter to modernize the Akron noxious weed ordinance, and to clarify and align with cultural practice the planting of devilstrips so pollinators would be supported.
August 12, 2021 the West Side Leader published our June letter to their editor, inspiring more support for these ordinance changes.
Update:
LEAD for Pollinators has met with Councilwoman Holland once in person, and spoke on the phone twice with her concerning ordinance language, and issues the City departments have expressed. From our supporters, LEAD for Pollinators has compiled a committee of plant and pollinator experts to provide guidance to the City Departments: we await a meeting time to discuss the City’s concerns further.
Councilman Malik has expressed support for the ordinance review and modernization. Councilman Fusco continues to work on behalf of these, and the urban agriculture and beekeeping ordinances, as he has from 2018 with then Councilman Rich Swirsky.
LEAD for Pollinators, with beekeeper Emily Mueller, and county apiary inspector, Randy Katz (also VP of Summit County Beekeepers), have worked with the City of Hudson Planning Dept. creating language for a beekeeping ordinance in their community. Working with Mr. Nick Sugar of the City of Hudson, Summit Food Coalition has also participated in Hudson’s revamp of their urban agricultural ordinances.
We will keep you posted as progress is made on the City of Akron, Ohio noxious weed and devilstrip planting ordinance revisions.
Thank you to our supporters of this effort to help pollinators and native plants for a healthier and sustainable community.
Learn more about the conflicts and issues with these two ordinances in our presentation on You Tube
Sign our support letter to continue to encourage the City to work to make these modernizations to the ordinances