Zoning Commission

THE CRAFTERS AND SHAPERS OF  ZONING LAW

The Zoning Commission is comprised of five (5) members who are residents of Painesville Township.  Members are appointed by the Painesville Township Board of Trustees to serve a five (5) year term, with one (1) member term expiring on the last day of December of each calendar year.  Regularly scheduled monthly meetings are held on the second Monday of each month at 6:30 PM at Township Hall.  In addition to the scheduled monthly meetings, special meetings and case hearing continuations may be arranged on an as-needed basis.

The original task of the Zoning Commission in 1953 and 1954 was to gather information and to craft a Zoning Resolution for which they would make a recommendation to the Painesville Township Board of Trustees for approval and adoption into law by Painesville Township.  The main focus of the Zoning Commission in the present day revolves around the amendment process.  An amendment, or a change, to either the text of the Resolution (Text Amendment) or to the zoning district assignment of specific parcels of land (Map Amendment) may be initiated by the Zoning Commission itself or by a private citizen or group of citizens through an application process.  The process of amending the Zoning Resolution is very deliberate and formal and is intended to give audience to all who wish to express an opinion or present evidence relative to a proposed amendment.  The first step in the process begins with the Zoning Commission setting the date, time and location for a public hearing to be held regarding the proposed amendment.  The matter is referred to the Lake County Planning Commission for comment and recommendation with that commentary and recommendation being read into the record of the public hearing.  Legal notices of the hearing are published and distributed as prescribed by Ohio Revised Code.  One of the very important factors considered in amendment deliberations is the relevance and relationship of the proposed amendment to the Painesville Township Comprehensive Plan.  At the conclusion of the public hearing, the Zoning Commission will forward the proposed amendment to the Painesville Township Board of Trustees with a recommendation for either approval, approval with modifications, or disapproval.  Once officially received by the Township Trustees, the matter is set for an additional public hearing.  All the previous documentation, evidence and recommendations are reviewed as well as any new testimony and evidence.  Legal notices of the hearing are published and distributed as prescribed by Ohio Revised Code.  At the conclusion of the Trustee’s hearing on the matter, the Trustees will either approve, approve with modification or disapprove the proposed amendment.  An amendment which is either approved or approved with modification by the Painesville Township Board of Trustees will become effective thirty (30) days after approval unless challenged by petition by the citizenry.

The Zoning Commission is also charged with the responsibility to conduct Site Plan Reviews for construction projects in non-residential districts.  This process also involves commentary from Lake County Departments such as the Planning Commission, County Engineer, Stormwater Management, Soil & Water Conservation District, the Department of Utilities and the Painesville Township Fire Chief.  The Board of Trustees has appointed the Zoning Commission to serve as the Architectural Review Board and in that capacity the Commission considers building design standards and landscaping in the Site Plan Review process as well.