The Newark City Council voted 9-0 to deny Ordinance 25-23, which would have changed the zoning for 15 Vogel Street from CD (Conservation) to CSI (Church School Institutional). The decision followed a public hearing at which a nearby resident urged the council to keep the parcel in the conservation district.

Rochelle Bowman Smith, 237 Violet Court, told the council the parcel “is right by a river area, and conserved for a purpose. I don't wanna see this being changed from public land, personally.”

The council heard the ordinance read into the record and conducted a public hearing. Councilmember Raff, who moved to adopt the ordinance, noted the planning commission had reviewed the proposal and said the commission recommended against removing the property from the conservation district; Raff said he would vote no. After roll call the motion failed, recorded as “25 dash 23 fails 9 0.”

Why it matters: rezoning a river-adjacent parcel from conservation to institutional can change allowable uses and future development; neighbors and the planning commission raised preservation concerns during the hearing. The council’s unanimous vote preserves the parcel’s current CD designation.

Details: Ordinance 25-23 was described in the public hearing as applying to property generally described as 15 Vogel Street, Newark, Lincoln County, Ohio, parcel tax ID 054-204468-00. The ordinance text read to the council specified changing the zoning classification from CD Conservation Zoning District to CSI Church School Institutional Zoning District under the city’s zoning code. The planning commission’s written or oral recommendation against the change was cited during council discussion.

No subsequent motions or directions associated with the parcel were recorded during the meeting. The public hearing was closed before the council took its vote. The transcript shows no further administrative action or referral tied to this item during the session.

Provenance: The city clerk read Ordinance 25-23 at the public hearing and the matter was opened for public comment. The hearing included a statement from Rochelle Bowman Smith; later in the meeting the council voted 9-0 to deny the ordinance.