Summit County officials opened a public hearing on a petition to reconstruct and stabilize the Copley Ditch drainage course aimed at reducing erosion, scour and neighborhood flooding. The hearing, held during the county council meeting, put preliminary engineering plans and impacts before residents and property owners.

County Engineer's Office presenter Dave Coombs said the proposal would “clean, remove obstructions from, degrade, store, reconstruct, stabilize the drainage course, and install channel improvements to mitigate future erosion, scour, and flooding.” He told council the estimated project cost is $1,400,000 and “this is going to be covered by the Surface Water Management District.”

Why it matters: the work would alter the existing channel through the Copley Meadows area, add features such as riffles and two‑stage ditches to slow flows and improve habitat, and create long‑term county access and maintenance responsibilities for the channel.

Details: Coombs said the county has prepared a preliminary report and 90% design materials and expects a final report by the end of the year. The plan area begins at the south end of Copley Meadows, crosses Jacobi Road and extends about 700 feet west of Jacobi Road. Work items described in the presentation include bank stabilization, small in‑stream riffles and pools, removal of legacy levees and a diversion channel west of Sunny Acres Road to keep water off the roadway.

Easements and cost impacts: Coombs said easements will be required along the channel and that the process will follow the county’s public hearing and appraisal steps. He estimated the project may touch about 64 properties and that many of those will be limited “strip easements along the stream” with no compensation; appraisals will determine any payments for wider takes. He said long‑term maintenance will be funded from revenues of the Surface Water Management District utility fee.

Public comment: Several residents and local officials spoke. Greg Tracy, services development director for Copley Township, said the township supports efforts that mitigate flooding and improve water quality. Resident speakers included Jim Abel and a speaker identifying as Jim (Riverwalk), who described erosion and habitat concerns on land they use for recreation and education; another resident, Bridal Stangler, opposed a proposed two‑thirds‑acre bench feature near a neighborhood, calling it a “drowning hazard” for children and questioning modeling and outreach.

Process and next steps: Coombs said council would be asked to authorize final design work at a future meeting and that the council will approve final plans, the list of properties affected and any easement compensation amounts before a final hearing. The hearing record will remain open for 10 days to accept written affirmations or objections to the petition.

No formal vote on the petition was taken at the hearing; the record‑keeping and appraisal work remain in progress.