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Community Calendar
:: Trustees Meeting
(Jul 8 2008 7:00PM)
:: 2008 Household Hazardous Waste Collection
(Jul 12 2008 8:00AM)
:: Jefferson Community Farmers Market
(Jul 12 2008 9:00AM)
:: Board of Zoning Appeals
(Jul 15 2008 7:00PM)


Zoning Department
6545 Havens Road, Blacklick, OH 43004
Phone: 614-855-4265
Fax: 614-855-1759
Monday thru Thursday, 9am to 5pm
About the staff
Zoning Overview
About Land Use
Township Zoning Map

About our Zoning Department Staff

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

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Overview of Zoning in Jefferson Township

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.

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About the Land Use Plan

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.

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About Jefferson Townships Zoning Map

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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