Canton's City Council has given the city administration authorization to develop a comprehensive plan for the city.
The plan will cover everything from revitalizing neighborhoods to improving Canton's parks to economic development. The plan will be developed by CZB LLC, a neighborhood planning company located in Alexandria, Virginia.
Although some council members were against hiring CZB, others have argued that nearby communities that have adopted comprehensive plans are doing very well. Councilman Edmond Mack mentioned North Canton and Jackson Township as being locations where the planning process has been valuable.
Mack added that Canton was far behind other cities because it has no specific strategy in place for attracting businesses, nor does it have a complete strategy on how to improve the city's neighborhoods, or even which ones to focus on.
Councilman Thomas West agreed with Mack and added that the planning process will provide an opportunity for all of Canton, including its religious leaders and neighborhood associations, a chance to work together on moving the community forward.
Rhoderick Simpson, a member of 30th Street Northwest, which is part of the larger Stark County Regional Planning Commission, agreed that formal planning was long overdue, and hoped to find ways to move Canton forward in a positive manner.
City officials might work with brochure printers to create a mailer for Canton residents, explaining the planning process and asking for their input.
