Butler County engineer briefs Milligan Township on driveway permits, sight‑distance and lot‑split rules

Eric Pottinger, development services manager in the Butler County Engineer’s Office, told the Milligan Township Zoning Commission on April 2, 2025, that safety drives county driveway and access decisions and that driveway permits are reviewed against county and state design standards.

Pottinger said the office’s governing documents include the Butler County Thoroughfare Plan, the county Access Management Regulations, the Butler County Engineer permit policy, Butler County subdivision regulations and the Ohio Department of Transportation location and design manual, and that staff also reference the Ohio Revised Code for enforcement authority. “Safety is the highest, number 1 priority for the office and that relates directly to sight distance,” Pottinger said. He emphasized that the county will not issue a permit where a new driveway does not provide the required sight distance: “We’re not gonna issue a permit for a new driveway. If the traveling public can’t see someone pulling out of the driveway, that too is a problem.”

Why it matters: driveway approvals affect whether a property can be split, where homes can access public roads, whether cross‑access easements are required and who is responsible for maintenance. Pottinger’s presentation tied the technical standards (stopping sight distance, driveway width, pipe…