3. BACKGROUND

North Canton, Ohio is a safe, stable, familyfriendly community with excellent schools and city services. Not rapidly growing or declining, North Canton’s population (per the 2020 Census) is remarkably stable. The city’s population in 2020 was 17,842, as compared to the 2010 population of 17,488. An annual community survey underscores the city’s stability. Per the 2021 community survey: • 84% of North Canton residents feel the quality of life in the city has stayed the same or gotten better. • 78% of respondents said they plan to stay in North Canton for the next five years. This stability creates a strong sense of community identity. At the same time, community members recognize that some changes are underway. Overall, the city’s population is aging. Almost 23% of North Canton residents are 65 and older. The city recognizes the need to attract younger families through investments in the school system and the construction of new housing to attract younger buyers. Given that longtime residents tend to be deeply attached to the community, it is important to also consider housing types that appeal to empty nesters, as well as an expansion of programs to support seniors as they age in place. North Canton last created a citywide master plan in 2012. The plan recommended community reinvestment in three major categories: • Identity: promoting the identity of the city as a good place to live, work, visit,

and establish a business; and reinforcing the character of the historic downtown area as a regional destination. • Corridors and Connections: connecting the city’s unique natural and cultural assets in ways that enhance the city as a whole, improve access to key destinations, and make the city a more pedestrian and bicycle-friendly place. • Development sites: identifying potential development uses for vacant and underutilized properties in the city and establishing development guidelines to ensure that any new construction is in keeping with community priorities, values, and preferences. North Canton updated its Zoning Code in 2020, with a focus on Main Street, North Canton’s Corridor of Opportunity. The updated code establishes new zoning districts for the five unique segments of the Main Street Corridor. • Main Street North Gateway • Main Street North • Main Street Center • Main Street South • Main Street South Gateway The Master Plan focuses primarily on the Main Street Center District, to build on the existing character of this area by making it more walkable and establishing a critical mass of restaurants, shops, and community gathering places. Land banking efforts can be deployed throughout the entire Main Street corridor, with a focused effort to acquire available properties in the business district between Everhard Road and Orion Street.

UPDATED ZONING for Main Street Center District (Source: ZoneCo) A University District Plan was completed in 2016. Walsh University is currently working on a campus master plan. A Parks Expansion Plan was completed in 2018, with detailed recommendations for investments in the city’s park system, including the addition of a fully accessible playground at Dogwood Park. Many of the recommendations from these earlier plans have been or are being implemented. But market conditions are changing and this updated master plan aims to tie previous planning efforts together, address gaps in these plans, and establish actionable recommendations that align with the guiding principles on the next page.