Proposed zoning changes that would significantly speed up the approval process for some properties –
including removing City Council from the equation – will be moving on to council for their
consideration.
The measure – itself suggested by council – passed Planning Commission Wednesday night by a vote of 6-1,
with two abstentions.
“This came from City Council, and I think there’s a reason” they’re suggesting it, said commission member
Jeff Betts prior to the vote.
The proposed changes concern three sections of the site plan approval process for S-District, or planned,
zoned properties. This included certain residential, commercial, institutional and park properties.
If approved, the move could cut three months or more from the review process, which can often take as
long as six months otherwise. Included in the changes is the removal of a final public hearing before
City Council, and a council vote. A public hearing and vote would still be held by the Planning
Commission.
The move is “basically allowing so that the process comes through Planning Commission and is dealt with
exclusively here,” said City Prosecutor Matt Reger, who offered explanation on the matter to the
commission.
The Wood County Hospital had sought to change the zoning on its facilities, as well as adjacent
properties along Conneaut Avenue, from S-3, planned institutional, to I-1, institutional, earlier this
year largely because the I-1 zoning approval process moved along at what the hospital felt was a more
efficient pace than the S-District zoning.
The hospital’s request was voted down by the Planning Commission in February; the institution
subsequently withdrew its request after learning of the proposed ordinance changes.
“We think this is a step in the right direction,” said Wood County Hospital President Stan Korducki at
Wednesday’s meeting. “We are very much in favor of transparency in the public hearings concept.”
“We’re very much interested in a process that moves faster than the traditional S-District approval
process,” he added further.
Resident William Herald, saying that “public hearings can provide incentive to organizations to meet and
discuss potential problems with citizens,” urged that the commission vote the proposed changes down, and
have a subcommittee seek out an alternative plan.
“There is a third alternative,” he said, “seek out a change that leaves the public hearing in place, but
shortens the overall approval process,”
After an exchange to clarify points with Herald, Betts noted the Planning Commission “can’t stop a plan,
a site plan, once it’s been approved by the Planning Department,” a point echoed a number of times
during the meeting.
It was noted that site plan matters come to Planning Commission to receive public input on the issues.
The commission can then make suggestions about certain points of the plans.
“This leaves some possibility for input in place,” member Mark Hollenbaugh said of the proposal. “Much
like anything else regarding this sort of thing, we’re just being asked to make a recommendation to
council on something that council has sent to us.”
Council members Michael Aspacher, Bruce Jeffers and Sandy Rowland were in attendance, and were asked to
provide background on the matter. Aspacher confirmed that at one point council had considered the
possibility of having the S-District zoning language indicate that the process be decided by council,
leaving the Planning Commission out of it.
“We thought Planning Commission was better because you have more expertise” on such issues than council,
said Jeffers.
Member Erica Sleek voted against the proposal. Richard Michel and newly-appointed commission member Kris
Phillips abstained from the vote.
The matter will now go before council for a public hearing on June 16.