Canfield council sets March 19 public hearing on Highway Commercial zoning changes, approves MOU with Mahoning Soil & Water

The Canfield City Council at its meeting dispensed with a full reading and set a public hearing for March 19 at 5:30 p.m. on an ordinance to amend Canfield Codified Ordinance section 1141.15, the B‑3 Highway Commercial district, and approved a memorandum of understanding (MOU) authorizing the city manager to contract with the Mahoning Soil and Water Conservation District.

The zoning inspector, Mister Thorne, told council the proposed B‑3 amendment narrows and clarifies allowed uses along the highway corridor. "This provides for some ... professional offices, business offices, cafes, and bars are permitted restaurants. Permitted uses of both restaurants and banks. The conditionally permitted uses will be gas stations, drive in restaurants, hotels, theaters, and commercial recreation facilities," Thorne said during the discussion. He added that the draft removes car washes, commercial off‑street parking, inside storage facilities and adult‑oriented businesses from the list of permitted uses, explaining those uses "didn't seem to make sense" for the corridor as drivers enter town along T 24.

Council members moved to treat the ordinance as a first reading and to set the public hearing; the motion carried on the record. The amendment will return for public comment and further council consideration at the March 19 hearing.

Separately, council approved a motion authorizing the city manager to enter a one‑year MOU with the Mahoning Soil and Water Conservation District. Council was told the city will contribute $5,000 annually under the agreement. According to the description provided to council, the district will assist the city with education and outreach required by the city’s stormwater management plan, review and comment on the city’s stormwater pollution prevention plans and notices under the EPA National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) program, provide technical assistance and inspection of best management practices (BMPs), comment on preliminary development proposals, and review NRCS technical data and timber harvest management plans when requested. The district also conducts permitting and inspections for underground detention systems on development projects, including work at MCCTC cited in the discussion.

Council members noted the MOU is an annual arrangement and said the arrangement is intended to provide expertise the city does not have in house. No ordinance number was specified at the meeting; the draft amendment and the MOU will return to council for any additional action after the public hearing and staff follow up.

Votes at a glance: the motion to dispense with full reading and treat the ordinance as a first reading carried on the record with council members recorded as voting yes during the roll call; the council also approved the MOU motion. (The meeting transcript records affirmative roll‑call responses for Mayor Dragish, Mr. Namm, Mr. Oliver and Mr. Chase during the ordinance reading motion and records support for the MOU motion during the subsequent roll call.)