6545
Havens Road, Blacklick, OH 43004
Phone: 614-855-4265
Fax: 614-855-1759
Monday thru Thursday, 9am to 5pm
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 In
Jefferson, all zoning activity is supervised by Zoning Administrator Charles
McCroskey. Assisting him with inspections and routine applications is Ron
Anderson. Lori Coupland is secretary to the BZA and zoning commission.
Charles joined Jefferson Township about 2 years ago. Prior to
that, he was zoning inspector for the Franklin County Development Department.
Ron, a Gahanna resident, is retired from the insurance industry. Lori lives in
the Township and works full-time for a local health professional.
Charles and Ron carry out required inspections, receive and
review applications, follow up on zoning violations, and answer questions
having to do with land use from a variety of individuals and businesses.
In addition, Charles is the Township’s Zoning Inspector;
charged with making sure the Zoning Regulations are followed. He also
represents the Township during reviews of rezoning applications with county and
township officials, provides monthly reports on all activities of his
department; reviews each zoning-related application for compliance with the
zoning regulations, writes staff reports on each case to assist board and
commission members, and, working with the chair, sets the agenda for both
bodies
Township zoning is governed by Section 519 of the Ohio Revised
Code which provides for the regulation of land uses through a five-member
Zoning Commission. This commission, after considering each request in a public
hearing, makes recommendations to the Township Trustees. All zoning changes
follow this two-step program — first, a hearing and recommendation by the
commission, and then, after another hearing, the Trustees act on the
recommendation.
A separate body, also required by law, hears variances from
certain zoning standards, appeals from a code enforcement action, and cases
where the zoning code allows certain uses with conditions. These latter are
commonly referred to as "conditional uses." This Board of Zoning Appeals also
has five members.
The Board of Zoning Appeals is judicial in nature and therefore
its decision is final and may be appealed only to court.
In Jefferson, members of both bodies work very hard, studying
the data about the cases scheduled to come before them, traveling to the site
so they have a clear idea of its physical characteristics and those of the
neighboring parcels, and listening patiently to all who want to speak during
the public hearings. Both bodies meet once a month, and it’s not unusual for
each to have as many as 3-5 cases.
Since the zoning commission is tasked with recommending actual
changes in land use, members encourage applicants to first meet informally at a
public meeting, while there is time to discuss the applicant’s ideas and
outline the Township’s vision clearly to the applicant. These informal
"workshop" sessions occur at the commission’s regular public meetings so are
open to all.
Jefferson was the first Franklin County Township to adopt its
own zoning regulations and map specifying the location of certain zoning
categories (in 1974). This act brought this important—and sometimes
emotional—function under the control of Township residents who best know the
area and share a common vision for it. Prior to 1974, all land use decisions
for Jefferson were made by Franklin County offi-cials. Of the 17 Townships in
Franklin County, 7 followed Jefferson Township’s lead.
The Ohio Revised Code provides that the Township Trustees may
adopt a plan for future land use, and this document is most frequently called a
Comprehensive Land Use Plan and includes a map. The text of Jefferson’s plan is
simple and straightforward. It is the map that our officials look to most
frequently when they deliberate rezoning requests.
Jefferson’s current comprehensive plan was adopted in 1996, and
the land use map has been updated from time to time since then.
The plan and map are used to implement the Township’s Community
Core Values, which call for the Township to be a "Green Community," with
managed growth and large amounts of open space.
The comprehensive plan promotes "conservation development"
which allows housing to be grouped in portions of the site away from natural
resources and environmentally sensitive areas. These undeveloped areas are then
set aside as permanent open space, thus retaining the Township’s rural
character.
Most communities call their land use plan a "development plan."
Jefferson Township’s land use plan is truly a "preservation plan."
Using the Township’s conservation zoning category and the
comprehen-sive plan, most of the township is being developed with a very "light
touch," so as to preserve the rural character and natural beauty currently
enjoyed by our residents. Open space is required in nearly all of the
Township’s residential developments. In nearly every case, a minimum of 35
percent of each tract zoned in the Township since 1990 has been set aside as
open space.
The plan is a guide by which zoning commission members and
township trustees can determine if a request for rezoning to a specific land
use fits with the overall vision for the Township as outlined by the
comprehensive plan and map.
If the plan is followed, the township will have one-third less
popu-lation when it is completely built out (in 30 years or so) than it would
if each tract were allowed to develop as it is currently zoned.
The original zoning map was adopted in 1974, and much of the
zoning remains unchanged from that time.
About 5100 acres (most of the land north of Havens Corners and
west of Waggoner) is zoned to Restricted Suburban Residential (RSR) and allows
homes on 1-acre lots. However, the land use plan calls for no more than one
home for every 3 to 5 acres when this area is completely built out -- probably
20-30 years from now.
When a rezoning occurs, the primary zoning category used is
Planned Suburban Residential District (PSRD). This use allows
homes to be clustered to save open space and natural features. Greater (or
fewer) homes per one-acre can be approved, but no more than 2 _ dwelling units
per acre is permitted, and no less than 35% of the entire site must be retained
as open space. Most parcels zoned to this category have no more than 1 dwelling
unit/acre, and many sites have much more than 35% of the site set aside as
permanent open space. Subdivisions zoned PSRD include Kitzmillers Crossing
(1du/acre), Jefferson Estates (1du/acre) Blacklick Ridge (2/2 du/acre) Morrison
Farms (Woods at Swisher 0.7 du/acre).
Suburban Periphery Residential District (SPRD),
is confined to just 445 acres in the Township, all of it in the Waggoner Rd.
area next to land in the City of Columbus containing very high density. This
zoning category gave the Township a competitive edge to retain development in
the Township and stop the loss of Township ground to the City of Columbus
through annexation. This zoning category cannot be used elsewhere in the
Township.
The zoning map has other zoning categories as listed. It’s rare
that categories other than the “planned district” categories are used, thus
giving Township officials much greater control over density, design and open
space preservation; and better ability to manage growth.
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