Planning Committee proposes significant lot size and setback reductions for residential zoning

The City of Stow's Planning Commission meeting on April 22, 2025, focused on significant changes to zoning regulations aimed at reducing nonconformity in residential lot sizes. A key proposal discussed was the reduction of minimum lot area requirements across various residential districts. Currently, the R1 district requires 20,000 square feet; the recommendation is to lower this to 15,000 square feet, which would decrease nonconformity from 60% to about 15%. Similarly, the R2 district's requirement would drop from 16,000 to 10,000 square feet, and the R3 district from 12,000 to 7,000 square feet, also targeting a reduction in nonconformity.

Commission members acknowledged that while these changes would not allow for large subdivisions, they would enable property owners to split lots or add homes next to existing structures. Setback requirements for the R3 district may also be adjusted to accommodate smaller lots, potentially reducing front and street-side setbacks by 10 feet.

In addition to residential changes, the commission proposed eliminating lot area requirements for commercial districts (C1, C2, C3) while maintaining a minimum lot width of 50 feet. Setbacks for commercial properties would be slightly reduced, with C1 and C2 dropping from 40-50 feet to 30 feet, and C3 from 80 feet to 60 feet. Building height limits may see a slight increase of 5 feet across the board.

The meeting also touched on industrial zoning, where the building height limit would be raised to 60 feet to accommodate modern warehouse needs. The commission is considering further adjustments to lot area and setbacks for specific districts to better align with property sizes.

These proposed changes reflect a broader effort to modernize Stow's zoning regulations, making them more adaptable to current development needs while addressing existing nonconformities. The commission will continue to refine these proposals and seek community feedback in upcoming meetings.