Jerome Township officials were split on whether to initiate a zoning text change that would shift some decision making from the Board of Trustees to the zoning commission.
During the most recent trustees meeting, Zoning Inspector Eric Snowden described the document as an “omnibus” text amendment, as the 94-page document proposes changes to articles throughout the zoning text.
He said a similar amendment is proposed “approximately once a year” to ensure consistency throughout the text.
A number of the changes revolve around amendments to improve “consistency in terminology, capitalization or similar technical details,” according to a summary provided to the trustees by Snowden.
Trustee Barry Adler zeroed in on one proposed amendment that will make the zoning commission the approving body for detailed (sometimes called final) development plans for a specific type of Planned Unit Development (PUD).
In response to a question from Trustee Wezlynn Davis, Snowden said he feels comfortable with these particular decisions being made by the zoning commission because detailed development plans essentially serve to ensure compliance with the preliminary development plan, which would have been approved by the trustees.
He emphasized that the rezoning process is prescribed by Ohio law and must be determined by the trustees, so they will still also have authority in those decisions.
If a detailed development plan added uses, changed lots or made other significant changes, Snowden said the applicant would instead need to go through the rezoning process again, which would give decision-making authority to the trustees.
Trustee Chair Megan Sloat said she feels it is appropriate for the zoning commission to serve as the approving body in the instances proposed by Snowden.
“It’s not like we’re re-litigating the zoning,” Sloat added. “It’s not like we’re rethinking our decision.”
Ultimately, Snowden said the proposed change is an effort to shift one responsibility from the trustees as the township continues to grow and more zoning cases come before the board.
Adler, though, said he feels uncomfortable with giving the final determination to the zoning commission instead of the trustees.
“I feel like that needs to be with the trustees because we’re elected and we’re held accountable,” he said.
Sloat held firm in insisting that she feels “the zoning commission is more than capable of making that determination.”
“What’s wrong with relying on the zoning commission?” she asked.
Sloat and Davis voted in favor of initiating the amendment while Adler dissented.
The amendment must next be reviewed by the Logan-Union-Champaign Regional Planning Commission and the zoning commission before it appears before the Board of Trustees for a final vote.
In other business:
– The trustees moved to direct Sloat, as trustee chair, to coordinate with Office Manager Debbie Bollinger to schedule interviews with identified candidates for the township administrator and assistant zoning inspector positions.
– The board created guidance that dictates Bollinger, Fiscal Officer Robert Caldwell and IT consultant with eGreen Computers Dustin Newland will be the three individuals with access to the township’s security cameras.
– Davis said the township plans to pay $4,567.50 to have a “local company” complete one round of spraying for weeds at Ryan Park, Harry Wolfe Park, Jerome Cemetery, Pleasant Hill Cemetery and New California Cemetery.
She said one member of the township’s road crew has a spray license, but the staff is currently stretched too thin to conduct training.
However, she said the road crew would like to create a schedule for spray training in the future so upkeep of weeds in township parks and cemeteries can be done internally.