About the Cuyahoga Valley Regional Council of Governments ...

The Cuyahoga Valley Regional COG is an organization of local governments

The Cuyahoga Valley Regional Council of Governments (COG) was first organized in 1977 as a non-profit organization (called the "Cuyahoga Valley Communities Council.") In 2007, the Council reorganized as a regional Council of Governments (under Chapter 167 of Ohio Revised Code) and its name was changed to highlight the regional emphasis of its mission. Today, the Cuyahoga Valley Regional COG is comprised of 29 participating units of government -- cities, villages, townships, counties, school districts, and metroparks (located within the region surrounding the Cuyahoga Valley from Cleveland to Akron), which work as cooperative partners with the Cuyahoga Valley National Park (CVNP). Representatives are designated by the participating units of government to participate regularly in discussion forums that investigate mutual interests and concerns. View more information about COG members and their representatives at the following link: Cuyahoga Valley Regional COG.

Meet regularly to foster understanding and cooperation . . .

The Cuyahoga Valley Regional COG meets regularly (twice each in Spring and in Fall) to discuss and take positions upon matters of common concern. At each meeting, the Superintendent of CVNP reports upon and answers questions about current and planned activities of the national park. Although its role is advisory, this regular function of the CVNP serves to foster greater understanding and cooperation between and among CVNP and the participating units of government which make up the Cuyahoga Valley Regional COG. All Cuyahoga Valley Regional COG meetings are open to the public.

Conducts special projects to study, recommend, and take action . . .

From time to time, the Cuyahoga Valley Regional COG will undertake special projects in order to study, recommend, and take action on member conserns and issues deserving special attention. For example, in the past the Cuyahoga Valley Regional COG persuaded the Ohio legislature to enact a law that allows for local tax collection on retained private interests in federal properties: the Cuyahoga Valley Regional COG analyzed the fiscal impact of the CVNP on local taxing jurisdictions, recommended guidelines for land development in areas surrounding the CVNP, and contributed to the formulation of the CVNP Transportation Plan with particular respect to the use and improvement of public roads. In recent years, the Cuyahoga Valley Regional COG has created ad hoc task forces to recommend ways of dealing with the management of the growing deer population in the Cuyahoga Valley area, the gypsy moth infestation, and potential dangers of West Nile Virus. The Cuyahoga Valley Regional COG has participated in the Ohio and Erie Canal Scenic Byway Task Force, the Cuyahoga Remedial Action Plan's Coordinating Committee (which seeks to improve water quality in the Cuyahoga River) and the Cuyahoga County Planning Commission's Cuyahoga Valley Initiative.