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Record of Proceedings

Hudson City Council Workshop: Adaptive Signals, America 250 Gazebo, Zoning - January 27, 2026

City Council — Tuesday, January 27, 2026

BodyHudson, Ohio

SessionCity Council

DateTuesday, January 27, 2026

StatusFILED

Video Record

0:00 / 1:40:59

Transcript — VerbatimClick a timed line to jump · ⧉ to share it

0:01

7 30.

0:01

We're gonna go ahead and get started.

0:05

I'd like to call this meeting to order.

0:07

This is a duly noticed workshop meeting of Hudson City Council held in accordance with the sunshine laws of the state of Ohio, Section 121.22 and the City of Hudson Charter, Article 3, Section 3.02 for Tuesday, January 27th, 2026.

0:23

It is 7.30 p.m.

0:25

Per ordinance 220.031 titled workshop meetings and item C.

0:30

Would now like to turn the meeting over to Council President Byrd so as I continue through the remaining workshop agenda items.

0:36

Council President Byrd, the floor and workshop meeting is yours.

0:39

All right, thank you very much, Mayor.

0:41

Um first up is correspondence and council comments.

0:46

If you have anything to share that hasn't been already done so, um raise your hand or I just want to thank public works.

0:56

They've been doing an amazing job on our roads, and it's been so cold and they have worked so hard.

1:01

Um, so they really are doing an amazing job, and thank you.

1:11

Thank you.

1:11

I've just got quick three things.

1:13

Um, I just wanted to say again on the record, thank you to three young adults from our community who helped shovel snow when one of our EMS vehicles had a difficult time accessing a driveway here in town yesterday from the snowfall uh that was left from Winterstorm Fern.

1:28

Uh they were kind enough to meet me here before our meeting, and I presented each of them with a recognition certificate and one of my appreciation and gratitude coins.

1:37

So I wanted to say thanks again to Jameson, Grant, and Andrew.

1:42

Uh second note, uh, Mr.

1:43

Sheridan and I attended the mayor's meeting this morning for the mayor's association of Portage Stark and Summit Counties.

1:49

Uh we had a good discussion on very various topics that are common interest to many of our municipalities.

1:55

It's always good to collaborate with other area mayors, which often includes members from the executive office of Summit County.

2:02

Uh and last quick note um I also had a meeting with the leadership team from the Young Entrepreneurs Institute uh a few days back in regards to how the city can further support our town's young entrepreneurs.

2:14

I will be meeting later this week with city staff to review that further.

2:18

Thank you.

2:20

Just um a quick comment from me is I I sent out some information to the counselors uh in the last couple hours about boards and commissions.

2:29

If you could guys could take a look at that information, get back any questions uh or comments that you have.

2:35

Um we're just trying to sort of um take care of uh a number of boards and commissions that have vacancies, and we want to get those filled as efficiently as possible.

2:47

All right.

2:48

Um next up is adaptive signal update with the engineering team.

2:59

Good evening, council.

3:00

Uh, thank you for having us tonight.

3:03

Um tonight we'll talk about one of our major initiatives.

3:07

I'm plugged in up here on the HDMI cable, so I'm gonna do the discussion from up here and I'll work the uh computer.

3:13

Uh also with me tonight is uh Michael Schwarkert.

3:16

Uh he's our engineer uh from TMS Engineers.

3:20

He helped with the uh well, he did the design of our adaptive signal project and help is helping to implement it.

3:26

Um the adaptive signal uh project brief history uh was originally proposed about eight or nine years ago.

3:35

Um congestion problems along State Route 91 and State Route 303.

3:39

Uh options to mitigate congestion.

3:42

If you've ever sat and thought about it, you can widen the roads.

3:45

Oh, that's difficult.

3:46

We have historic greens and clock tower.

3:48

Uh we can construct some sort of bypass system or a loop road system.

3:53

Very clock costly, property acquisition uh can lead to tangential traffic issues, uh, major issues there.

4:01

And the third option to improve flow is get more efficiency out of your existing system, which is what the adaptive uh or smart signal technology has done for us.

4:11

Um the project was partially funded via uh congestion mitigation and air quality grant from the state of Ohio, uh largely uh supported by the city's uh commitment to the project.

4:24

Uh we had developed plans, and so we were a prime candidate to get that funding, which was a total of about 2.6 million dollars.

4:31

Um project was uh started in construction in 2024 and uh started and or finished in 2025.

4:40

Uh the previous system was a loop system uh primarily focused on in-ground loop detection.

4:47

Uh, in and around downtown, there was four little sub zones.

4:51

Uh, but primarily that system operated on a pre-timed set of parameters for maybe a peak morning, lunchtime, afternoon, and evening, maybe Saturday and Sunday operations, uh, but was not adaptive and was not talking to each other.

5:06

And any upgrades or maintenance that was needed, the staff member had to be dispatched to the site.

5:12

We still do some of that, but now we're able to see the system.

5:17

On the screen right now, anything to add to that, Mike?

5:20

I might add one little thing about the old system.

5:22

Yeah.

5:22

If you guys remember when you got your first computer and you were kind of getting on the internet and you use dial up, that's what our old system was.

5:30

It was really outdated.

5:32

We could not get service for it anymore.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting

Engineering And Infrastructure█████████████████████████25%

Parks and Recreation████████████████████20%

Technology and Innovation█████████████13%

Public Engagement██████████10%

Procedural█████████9%

Land Use Regulation█████████9%

Government Structure███3%

Public Works███3%

Economic Development██2%

Summary of Proceedings

Hudson City Council Workshop Meeting Summary - January 27, 2026

The Hudson City Council held a workshop meeting on Tuesday, January 27, 2026, from 7:30 PM to 9:11 PM at Town Hall, 27 East Main Street, Hudson, Ohio. Mayor Anzevino called the meeting to order and turned the workshop over to Council President Bird. The agenda included an update on the adaptive traffic signal system, the America 250 gazebo enhancement proposal, a zoning district map amendment, and a preview of legislative items for the February 3, 2026 council meeting. No formal votes were taken on the legislative items; the zoning motion was the primary action item.

Council Comments & Correspondence

Council Member Goetz thanked the Public Works Department for keeping the streets clear.
Mayor Anzevino reported attending the Mayors Association of Portage, Stark and Summit Counties meeting with City Manager Sheridan, and recognized three young adults who assisted with shoveling a driveway to allow EMS access to a home, presenting each with a recognition certificate and a gratitude coin.

Discussion Items

Adaptive Signal System Update (Item 26-0007)

Michael Schweickart of TMS Engineers presented an update on the adaptive traffic signal system. Signals previously operated on pre-timed parameters for morning, lunchtime, afternoon, evening, and weekend operations and did not communicate with one another. The adaptive system now adjusts cycle time, green-time splits, and corridor progression in real time based on traffic demand, including shifting more green time to the heavier direction of travel on SR 91.
The fiber network was already largely in place, which was described as a major win for implementation. Signal timing adjustments can now be made remotely through the system instead of requiring a separate contractor to visit the signal cabinets.
A council member asked Schweickart to provide one or two global key performance metrics, ideally shown as a graph comparing current performance to a best-practice or ideal target, with progress over time, so Council can assess system effectiveness at a glance.

America 250 Project: Hudson Gazebo Enhancement (Item 26-0008)

Staff presented the proposed legacy project titled "Lighting Our Legacy," developed with design firm KGK, to enhance the downtown gazebo in support of special events and community initiatives during the 2026 America 250 celebration.
Three design options were presented. Option A features wider steps to improve access. Option C would bring the gazebo into ADA accessibility. One council member asked whether Council would favor the option that brings the gazebo into ADA compliance, while another stated a preference for the brick outline from a different option and identified the design of Option C as their one concern. Staff clarified that the gazebo structure itself is being retained except for the railing and benches. Council members also asked about the cost of each option.

Zoning District Map Amendment (Chapters 1205, 1206, 1213)

Council discussed an ordinance to establish new zoning districts for larger properties. Staff recommended a 50-acre minimum threshold; one council member noted that restrictive existing standards have resulted in only one daycare facility being developed in over 30 years. The Planning Commission previously expressed concern about providing additional buffering to residential properties north of Terrac Road.
Council passed a unanimous motion referring the staff memo and a request for additional feedback on density, setback, and bufferyards to the Planning Commission for its February 9, 2026 meeting, with any additional comments to be forwarded to Council prior to the February 17, 2026 public hearing.

Council Liaison Ordinance

Council President Bird discussed a draft ordinance codifying the role of council liaisons to boards and commissions. The proposal defines liaison responsibilities, including facilitating communication, regularly attending and interfacing with the board or commission, participating in meetings, and reporting back to Council with staff and chair input. Liaisons would not be voting members and would not have the rights of committee members.

Preview of February 3, 2026 Consent Agenda and Other Legislation

America 250 Resolution (26-14): Resolution supporting the Ohio Commission for the United States Semiquincentennial. Staff stated the resolution is a technicality needed to formally use the America 250 logo in cooperation with the Ohio History Connection.
Customer Support Software (Calicks): Resolution authorizing the City Manager to enter into a contract with Calicks for customer support software.
Supplemental Inspection Services: Resolution authorizing the City Manager to contract for supplemental project inspection services. Sheridan explained the city uses the firm to supplement inspections on projects when needed and can swap out inspectors from a large pool if any performance issues arise.
City Manager Employment Contract (26-20): Resolution authorizing the Council President to enter into a retroactive amendment to the employment contract with City Manager Thomas J. Sheridan. Council President Bird stated that due to additional information received, Council may request postponement of this item to a date certain at the February 3, 2026 meeting.
Concealed Handgun Ordinance: Amendment to Section 672.02(I)(6) of the codified ordinances prohibiting the carrying of a concealed handgun in city buildings.
Council Rules Amendment: Ordinance amending council rules to define the role and duties of council liaisons; additional information will be provided by the city solicitor.
Art Donation: Sheridan reported that the Hudson Society of Artists offered to donate two paintings for the City Hall main hallways near the elevator and grand staircase; he identified the two paintings he thought best suited the space.

Key Outcomes

Council unanimously referred the zoning staff memo on density, setback, and bufferyards to the Planning Commission for review at its February 9, 2026 meeting, with comments due prior to the public hearing on February 17, 2026.
Council may postpone the City Manager contract amendment (26-20) to a date certain at the February 3, 2026 council meeting, pending additional information.
The city solicitor will meet with Council on the morning of January 28, 2026, to provide more information on the council liaison ordinance.

Meeting Transcript

7 30. We're gonna go ahead and get started. I'd like to call this meeting to order. This is a duly noticed workshop meeting of Hudson City Council held in accordance with the sunshine laws of the state of Ohio, Section 121.22 and the City of Hudson Charter, Article 3, Section 3.02 for Tuesday, January 27th, 2026. It is 7.30 p.m. Per ordinance 220.031 titled workshop meetings and item C. Would now like to turn the meeting over to Council President Byrd so as I continue through the remaining workshop agenda items. Council President Byrd, the floor and workshop meeting is yours. All right, thank you very much, Mayor. Um first up is correspondence and council comments. If you have anything to share that hasn't been already done so, um raise your hand or I just want to thank public works. They've been doing an amazing job on our roads, and it's been so cold and they have worked so hard. Um, so they really are doing an amazing job, and thank you. Thank you. I've just got quick three things. Um, I just wanted to say again on the record, thank you to three young adults from our community who helped shovel snow when one of our EMS vehicles had a difficult time accessing a driveway here in town yesterday from the snowfall uh that was left from Winterstorm Fern. Uh they were kind enough to meet me here before our meeting, and I presented each of them with a recognition certificate and one of my appreciation and gratitude coins. So I wanted to say thanks again to Jameson, Grant, and Andrew. Uh second note, uh, Mr. Sheridan and I attended the mayor's meeting this morning for the mayor's association of Portage Stark and Summit Counties. Uh we had a good discussion on very various topics that are common interest to many of our municipalities. It's always good to collaborate with other area mayors, which often includes members from the executive office of Summit County. Uh and last quick note um I also had a meeting with the leadership team from the Young Entrepreneurs Institute uh a few days back in regards to how the city can further support our town's young entrepreneurs. I will be meeting later this week with city staff to review that further. Thank you. Just um a quick comment from me is I I sent out some information to the counselors uh in the last couple hours about boards and commissions. If you could guys could take a look at that information, get back any questions uh or comments that you have. Um we're just trying to sort of um take care of uh a number of boards and commissions that have vacancies, and we want to get those filled as efficiently as possible. All right. Um next up is adaptive signal update with the engineering team. Good evening, council. Uh, thank you for having us tonight. Um tonight we'll talk about one of our major initiatives. I'm plugged in up here on the HDMI cable, so I'm gonna do the discussion from up here and I'll work the uh computer. Uh also with me tonight is uh Michael Schwarkert. Uh he's our engineer uh from TMS Engineers. He helped with the uh well, he did the design of our adaptive signal project and help is helping to implement it. Um the adaptive signal uh project brief history uh was originally proposed about eight or nine years ago. Um congestion problems along State Route 91 and State Route 303. Uh options to mitigate congestion. If you've ever sat and thought about it, you can widen the roads. Oh, that's difficult. We have historic greens and clock tower. Uh we can construct some sort of bypass system or a loop road system. Very clock costly, property acquisition uh can lead to tangential traffic issues, uh, major issues there. And the third option to improve flow is get more efficiency out of your existing system, which is what the adaptive uh or smart signal technology has done for us. Um the project was partially funded via uh congestion mitigation and air quality grant from the state of Ohio, uh largely uh supported by the city's uh commitment to the project. Uh we had developed plans, and so we were a prime candidate to get that funding, which was a total of about 2.6 million dollars. Um project was uh started in construction in 2024 and uh started and or finished in 2025. Uh the previous system was a loop system uh primarily focused on in-ground loop detection.

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