Hudson Council Reviews Crisis Alerts, Golf Cart Rules and Clinton Crossing Plans

Council members opened with updates on recent community events. Those included the Art and Wine Festival, Touch a Truck and the Hudson Farmers Market. Council Member Samantha D'Eramo and Council Member Dan White also announced a public forum. It is set for August 19 at the Barlow Community Center to gather resident input on e bikes and scooters. Twinsburg Twp house explosion prompts communication review Communications Manager Kathleen Sullivan walked council through the city's crisis communication plan. She did so following two recent incidents that raised questions from residents. A gas explosion at a house in neighboring Twinsburg Township affected several Hudson homes. A separate police pursuit ended in a shootout and carjacking, and both events prompted questions about how quickly the city shares information. Sullivan explained that Hudson uses a Code Red system with two components. One is a voluntary sign up list. The other pulls from a national reverse notification list tied to cell phones located within a chosen area. She said the city is considering expanding the number of staff who can issue Code Red alerts, so messages go out faster during fast moving events. Police Chief Perry Tabak and Fire and EMS Chief Jerry Varnes both addressed the incidents directly. Tabak said the pursuit, shootout, carjacking and secondary pursuit unfolded within about an hour. Information had to be confirmed before it could be shared publicly. Varnes said the Twinsburg gas explosion fell under that city's incident command, though Hudson crews assisted with firefighting. Council Member Kyle Brezovec and Council Member D'Eramo pressed for clearer outreach near Hudson's borders. They said that should happen even when another jurisdiction is technically in charge. Sullivan said she plans to raise the issue with Summit County's public information officer group. She will bring recommendations back to council, including a plan to notify residents once an incident has been resolved. Community Relations Manager Jena Stasik also discussed lessons learned from a fireworks display disruption. The city is evaluating whether to move its fireworks show from Barlow Farm Park. Veterans Way Park and a school site are both under consideration, and each would offer better shelter options during large gatherings. Special events overhaul planned Stasik told council the city hosts more than 150 events each year. The special events ordinance has not been updated since 2016. She said staff want to align city rules with the 2025 fire code. Staff are also developing a risk assessment system that would classify events as low, medium or high risk based on attendance and resource needs. High risk events would include those drawing more than 1,000 people. Stasik previewed several new fall activities. Grace on the Greens will bring food trucks to downtown on a weekly lunchtime basis starting in September. It is part of the city's America 250 series. A community picnic is planned for September 6. The city will also hold an expanded 9/11 stair climb ceremony marking the 20th anniversary of the attacks, and a new Hudson Four Mile Turkey Trot is in the works with Hudson Athletic Boosters. Food truck rules headed for update Stasik said the city's mobile food vehicle ordinance, Chapter 874, will be revised this fall. Current rules allow food trucks at approved block parties and graduations. They restrict operation in residential districts. Council Member Skylar Sutton relayed a resident complaint about a food truck operating from a church parking lot outside of a permitted event. Stasik said that situation would likely not be allowed under the current ordinance. She confirmed the city plans to review enforcement along with fire code requirements. Bird asked whether ice cream truck operators should undergo background checks, given how often they interact with children, and Stasik agreed that was worth exploring. Council debates low speed vehicle restrictions The largest discussion of the night centered on an ordinance amending Chapter 478. It governs low speed vehicles, under speed vehicles, utility vehicles and mini trucks. Tabak said Ohio law changed last year to require cities to explicitly authorize these vehicle types. Previously they were allowed by default, which prompted Hudson's original ordinance in 2025. Tabak said calls and inspection requests have increased sharply since then. He wants added safety standards in place before an accident occurs. Proposed changes would prohibit under speed vehicles on all public roads. Low speed vehicles would be limited to roads with a 25 mile per hour limit or lower. Utility vehicles and mini trucks would be capped at roads with a 35 mile per hour limit. Universal rules would bar operation after 9 p.m. and require seatbelts and child safety restraints where mandated by state law. Homemade or unregistered vehicles would also be prohibited. Sutton sponsored the original 2025 ordinance. He pushed back on a full ban f