Local townships are coming together to prevent the loss of local zoning offices and rules. The issue came about during a February meeting of the Ohio Township Association.

“This rumor mill has been circulating for a while,” Canfield Township Zoning Inspector Traci DeCapua said. “Special interest groups are saying there is a lack of housing due to zoning. They are saying the approval process is too complicated, but if we didn’t hold them accountable, would the state?”

The issue came to light through a newspaper article from the Columbus area according to OTA Director of Governmental Affairs Kyle Brooks from the Blacklick, Ohio office.

“A news article in the Columbus Dispatch referenced a report that was used as the basis of a presentation by the Building Association Industry of Central Ohio (known here to as Central Ohio BIA) to the Ohio Chamber of Commerce,” Brooks said. “We had also been present at numerous Senate Select Committee on Housing hearings at which witnesses representing the building industry testified that local zoning is impeding the development of housing.”

At this time the issue is only a report, Brooks said. No legislation has been introduced, but OTA is not waiting until after the fact.

“The OTA has created talking points for our members to use when speaking to their legislators about the importance of township zoning,” Brooks said. “We have presented at numerous county township association meetings on the topic.”

Canfield and Poland were represented at one of those meetings and both communities are taking it seriously.

“The (Central Ohio) developers just want to go and build without township zoning regulations,” Canfield Township Trustee Brian Governor said.

Governor and DeCapua said another goal of these special interest groups is to eliminate citizens’ right to eliminate zoning changes by referendum. This involves the right of the citizens to place before the electorate, the right to vote on a zoning change that they feel may not be right for the surrounding neighborhood.

DeCapua said township zoning began in 1947 in Ohio because of cities encroaching on townships. She said without township zoning, building could have gotten out of control.

Poland Township Administrator Mark Covell attended the OTA conference when the issues were brought to light. He learned more than 600 Ohio townships have local zoning offices and regulations. Another 100 townships have approved the county zoning regulations. Those zoning regulations and offices help maintain a good township and control what is being built.

In 2023, 26 new homes were built in Canfield Township.

In Poland, nine new homes were built and Covell feels zoning has played an important part in keeping home values where they are today.

“Township zoning does protect the property values of its residents. Local zoning works to maintain the character of a community, not to mention its functions,” he said. “For instance, zoning districts allow businesses to be located in specified areas, usually not in a residential area.

“The zoning decisions are made by a zoning commission, zoning board of appeals and the board of trustees allow for the unique characteristics of each community. In effect, local zoning allows the residents to choose the type of development that best meets the needs of their community, thus maintaining the integrity and value of all properties.”

The Central Ohio group is talking about eliminating all township zoning offices and regulations except for the 34 home-rule townships in Ohio. Under the concept, the local zoning offices would be replaced by a state zoning office that would create a state-wide zoning standard for builders.

In essence, someone in Columbus would be telling local townships what would be allowed to be built with no way of challenging it. Among the talking points was the desire to mandate that townships allow high-density, multifamily housing, including the use of modular and manufactured housing and mobile homes.

“We feel it is important to get OTA on this to protect our rights,” Governor said. “We need to come together in one voice and be proactive.”

DeCapua said a shortage of housing exists, but the special interest groups are saying it is because of local zoning and the red tape involved in homebuilding.

“There is a difference between a housing shortage and an affordable housing shortage,” she said.

In Canfield, DeCapua said township government is looking at that problem. She said the local zoning boards see a need to establish an R3 district to allow for smaller lots, smaller houses and a higher density. She said there is no need for uncontrolled construction, only affordable homes.

“The biggest thing is protecting property values for our residents,” Governor said.