NORTH CANTON, Ohio — The city of North Canton is in the process of re-zoning its Main Street corridor, but city council wants the planning commission to take another look at the development plans.
Earlier this year, North Canton proposed an overhaul of zoning along Main Street.
The new zoning would create five new districts: Main Street North Gateway, Main Street North, Main Street Center, Main Street South and Main Street South Gateway. The hope is to create a mix of storefront retail, offices, and multi-unit housing.
Buildings would be designed to be close to the sidewalk with parking on the side or rear. Sidewalks would be modified to be wider and more walkable.
Some uses would be restricted to certain parts of a building like restricting multi-unit housing to the upper floors of a building.
The proposed re-zoning would also put an end to plans to build an affordable housing apartment on part of the Waterside property, which is located near downtown off South Main Street.
According to the Canton Repository, the city could be in violation of the federal Fair Housing Act if the new zoning is approved because it occurred after the housing complex was proposed.
Between 2007 and 2009, North Canton spent about $950,000 — $625,000 in taxpayer dollars — to develop the 17-acre Waterside site along South Main Street. It still largely remains empty.
Plans to change Main Street zoning have been underway since 2018.
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