More than 3 acres at 2 Copley office sites added to Copley-Akron JEDD. Here's why

Akron City Council has approved the addition of three Copley Township parcels to the Copley-Akron Joint Economic Development District (JEDD).

Two of the parcels are at 809 White Pond Drive, and one is at 270 S. Cleveland Massillon Road.

The move by City Council follows the Copley Township Board of Trustees’ passage of a resolution in December to add the properties, totaling 3.36 acres, to the JEDD.

The city of Akron doesn’t currently have any plans for development on the properties, where businesses alredy are operating, Brad Beckert, Akron’s business retention and expansion manager, said through email.

But the deal will bring water and sewer services to the area, as well as allow for collection of income tax dollars.

Businesses at 270 S. Cleveland Massillon Road include Handel Vision Clinic, Edward Jones and Plastic Surgeons of Akron. There is one parcel at the address, according to Summit County property records.

A building at the larger of the two 809 White Pond Drive parcels houses offices for Cleveland Clinic Urogynecology, Eye Care for Animals, Dermatology for Animals, First American Title and accounting firms Sullivan Hrovat and David F. Smith & Company. The address's second parcel is currently being used as a parking lot on the office building's southeast side.

Why do townships enter Joint Economic Development District agreements?

The Copley Township Board of Trustees resolution states that water and sewer services are being extended to the properties.

The city of Akron and Copley Township formed their JEDD in the 1990s so Akron could provide water and sewer services to the township without annexing township land, according to Copley Township’s website. The city also collects income taxes from employees who work in the district; under state law, Ohio townships cannot collect income tax on their own.

The city of Akron manages three other JEDDs with surrounding communities: Bath-Fairlawn-Akron, Coventry-Akron and Springfield-Akron.

Patrick Williams covers growth and development for the Akron Beacon Journal. He can be reached by email at pwilliams@gannett.com or on X, formerly known as Twitter, @pwilliamsOH.

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Copley-Akron JEDD expands: What it means for the region