Chair convened the Akron City Council Planning Committee and, after reading the agenda, the committee considered a staff request to reopen a previously decided conditional-use petition from DRK Partners LLC aimed at expanding parking for a business near White Pond.

Mr. Gillian, a city staff member, told the committee the petitioner asked to reopen the matter under a council rule that normally requires a two-year wait. "This is a request to reopen a matter that council had voted on a few months ago," he said, adding that the petitioner "made substantial changes to the site plan" and had held additional meetings with neighbors arranged by Councilwoman Davis.

The explanation matters because, as Mr. Gillian noted, reopening functions as a new matter: the petitioner must pay the required fees and go through the planning commission process anew. "They're, tentatively scheduled for the, December program for planning commission," he said when asked about timing.

Committee member Linda Mobian asked whether the proposal involved demolishing the house next to a medical building and whether staff had tried to negotiate use of underused medical-provider parking. "Is this the, issue where the house next to the medical building is considered for a demolition and expand?" Mobian asked. Mr. Gillian said attempts to negotiate use of existing parking were not successful and that the revised plan moves new parking further from the residential street.

After discussion, the committee placed items 1–9 on the consent agenda and approved that motion by voice vote. The DRK Partners petition will proceed as a new case through the planning commission; the committee will receive the commission's recommendation before any final council action.

The planning commission's review of the revised DRK Partners plan is the next procedural step; the committee did not take a final vote to approve or deny the conditional use itself.