Dale, the township zoning representative, told trustees on Nov. 24 that the zoning commission will take up proposed changes to Article 7.1, which would increase the minimum lot size for agricultural lots from 3 acres to 5 acres. "There is a lot of other implications that I'm finding out about taking it from 3 to 5 acres, that I want to discuss with the zoning commission and see if that is what we really want to do," Dale said.

Dale said the commission was asked to inventory acreage for each lot in the township so members can estimate how many properties would be affected if the minimum increased. He described a process that includes subcommittee review and further consideration by the Butler County Planning Commission (BCPC); he expects the matter to return to the BCPC after subcommittee review.

Trustees and staff noted the potential effect on existing parcels. Dale observed that changing the minimum to 5 acres would affect many lots in the township, including parcels that had been split prior to the township’s 1989 zoning code and are currently "grandfathered". The board cited jurisdictional limits in some cases: health and septic issues remain under the board of health rather than township zoning.

Dale also reported enforcement activity on inoperable-vehicle cases, where court action led to fines and removals. He said 2787 Bell Road was ordered to remove all inoperable vehicles and was fined $500 by Judge Keith Stape on Nov. 4; he credited persistent follow-up and assistance from prosecutor’s staff including Steve Wagner.

The zoning commission will discuss Article 7.1 and related violation/penalty language at its Dec. 1 meeting; staff indicated it will prepare acreage analyses and present additional detail to trustees and the BCPC for further action.