Residents press council on petition form, referendum process and recent rezoning decisions

Multiple residents used the June 16 public‑comment period to raise concerns about the referendum petition form and the city charter’s referendum provisions after a recent rezoning was denied referendum status. Speakers said the petition instrument provided by city staff did not match current state forms and therefore disenfranchised petitioners.

Tanya Brown told the council the petition form “did not meet the general laws of the state of Ohio,” and argued the city attorney and the clerk of council had duties under the charter to prepare and endorse the correctness of instruments. Brown said the charter requires petition papers to be “substantially in the same format as provided by the Clerk of Council” and asked why the city did not provide a form that “meets the laws of the state of Ohio.” She told council: “If the city charter requires petitioners to use the city's form,…