Stow City Planning Commission recommends draft zoning chapters that consolidate districts, ease lot-size rules and add ADU standards

The Stow City Planning Commission voted to recommend approval of three draft zoning-code chapters that reorganize base districts, trim several lot-size requirements and add new use standards including rules for cannabis retailers, accessory dwelling units and temporary uses.

Commissioners voted, by roll call, to recommend approval of resolutions 25-127 (Chapter 2), 25-128 (Chapter 3) and 25-129 (Chapter 4) after staff presented major changes and answered questions. The votes were recorded as: Commissioner Missus Clancy — yes; Commissioner Mister Wagner — yes; Commissioner Missus Trepto — yes; Commissioner Mister Basic — yes. The motions were described in the meeting as recommendations of intent and direction for draft code language, not final adoption.

The draft Chapter 2 would consolidate current commercial districts from eight into three — C-1 (neighborhood commercial), C-2 (community commercial) and C-3 (regional commercial) — and reduce the industrial districts from two to a single I (industrial) district. The draft also would add a PI (public institutional) district intended for government-owned or institutional uses such as schools, fire stations, post offices and libraries, and create a “major planned development” category for larger, site-specific projects. Staff said the major planned-development threshold is not final and may be set at 4 or 5 acres.

Under the proposed Chapter 2…