Minutes of the Meeting of the Rootstown Township Zoning Commission
June 15, 2009

The Rootstown Township Zoning Commission held a public hearing on Monday, June 15, 2009, a 7:00 p.m. at the Rootstown Town Hall.

Present:
Paul Galido
Richard Petro
Helen Vari
Ann Marie Mullenix
George Tishma

Absent:
Karen Henry
Rob Swauger

Also present:
Judy Adamson, secretary
Jim Mahood, Zoning Inspector
Van-Note Black, Assistant Zoning Inspector

Chairperson, Ann Marie Mullenix, called the meeting to order.

Everyone stood to recite the Pledge of Allegiance.

Dave Armentrout, Trustee, was present and was given the floor. He updated the group on several of the current issues the trustees are dealing with and other information that also affects our area in regard to storm water regulations, etc. Mr. Armentrout attended the meeting of the Storm Water Task Force which is mandated by the federal government and began six years ago. This was started to clean up the water supply. Ordinances target areas which were passed on to the Ohio EPA to commercial and industrial phases, then onto the residential phase and rural areas which affects basically everyone. The township has already done a GPS search of each and every pipe that goes into township ditches and reported the findings to the Soil & Water Department. Then, during dry months the ditches are to be tested again to examine the water to see if it’s contaminated with sewage, etc.

The state set the standards for new septic systems recently and they are more expensive but work better and last longer. This mound system requires a soil scientist testing the area and could possibly affect the amount of land needed for installing the system. The local departments had no funding to help create the storm water district mandated by the state, so under the Ohio Revised Code, the county commissioners can create it and assess a $3. fee on each homeowner’s parcel. There will be two public hearings on this subject and then the commissioners may begin the process in November. The Health Department, the County Engineer’s Office, and the Soil & Water Department will then handle the actual processes.

The Portage County Regional Planning Commission is working on wind turbine issues in other townships in our county and will be sharing findings for use in future proposed regulations for our township. Local zoning can place restrictions on these units, but if they fall over the 10 KW limit, that would be regulated by the state. There are a few commercial and industrial units in use and tax credits are becoming available; however, the initial cost is quite high for residential applications.

Mr. Armentrout explained about the Alert System (Reverse 911) which the township is implementing. The fire department is managing this service that notifies residents of tornado or other disaster warnings as well as other selected important information. Residents can opt out of this, or they can also ask to have their cell phone numbers included. The Communicator, published by the school district, will have the specific information about this important program. The trustees are setting up the technical procedures for opting out, what notification will be included, etc. There are approximately 7,200 residents and 3,400 households currently in Rootstown Township. A new census is due next year.

The ongoing progress at the new park is going well. The new pavilion is done and the 2-acre pond is stocked.

The cemetery storage building is being replaced soon. The township-owned house has been connected to the public sewer system and has since been rented.

Paul Galido made a motion to approve the Zoning Commission meeting minutes as presented. Helen Vari seconded the motion and all ayes were heard.

Zoning Inspector, Jim Mahood, reported the Giant Eagle expansion is coming along and they have requested permits for the signs to complete the process. They also have requested approval for a liquor department from the state. The outside of the building will also be updated.

The tabled item from last month regarding landscaping and yard requirement deadlines was next. The trustees had asked the zoning commission to re-visit the issue after they disapproved the initial proposed changes.

Each member was asked to give their specific comments on the two choices of wording provided by the secretary regarding changes to Section 310.05. Although both would work well in the resolution, the more simple and straightforward one using the one-year deadline was thought to be better. The zoning inspector also added that including the occupancy permit as part of the deadline wouldn’t be feasible because he doesn’t know when the homeowner gets approval for occupancy.

Helen Vari made a motion for a proposed amendment to require deadlines on landscape and yard requirements as follows (changes shown in bold):

SECTION 310.05 YARD REQUIREMENTS FOR O-C, R-1, R-2, R-0, AND R-V DISTRICTS.

Principal buildings shall be located on a lot in a manner that maintains the minimum required yards set forth in this section for the district in which the lot is located, except as otherwise regulated in Chapter 320 for planned residential developments. Every part of a required yard shall be unobstructed and open to the sky, except as otherwise specifically permitted in this Chapter.

The following shall be completed within 1 year from the start of construction:

1. Final grading and final stabilization (see Chapter 150) of soil
2. Grass seeding or placement of sod

A-D – Unchanged

And….. add to Chapter 150 – Definitions – FINAL STABILIZATION: All soil disturbing activities at the site are complete and a uniform perennial grass or sod cover (e.g., evenly distributed, without large bare areas) with a density of at least 70 percent cover for the area has been established on all unpaved areas and areas not covered by permanent structures or equivalent stabilization measures (such as the use of landscape mulches, rip-rap, gabions or geotextiles) have been employed.

Rich Petro seconded the motion and voting was as follows: Galido, YES; Tishma, YES; Petro, YES; Vari, YES; and Mullenix, YES --- Passed 5/0. This will be re-submitted to the Trustees for their approval.

The next regularly scheduled Zoning Commission meeting is July 20, 2009. Fencing regulations will be reviewed.

Helen Vari made a motion to adjourn. George Tishma seconded the motion and all ayes were heard.

__________________________________
Ann Marie Mullenix, Chair
Rootstown Township Zoning Commission

Judy Adamson, secretary