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Stow City hearing sets April 15 deadline for unpermitted accessory structure at 2000 Elmwood Avenue
Summary
At a Stow City administrative hearing over violation B25174, staff set an April 15 compliance date for removal or permitting of an unpermitted accessory structure (a chicken coop). Staff said other violations (vehicle on grass, pets without permit) were already addressed; owners were told to contact city staff for extensions if weather prevents work.
Stow City held an administrative hearing on violation B25174 concerning 2000 Elmwood Avenue and set a compliance date of April 15 for the property owners to remove or obtain permits for an unpermitted accessory structure, city staff said.
An unnamed city staff member opened the record, identifying the case and saying, “Owners are Rodney and Jeanie White.” City staff outlined the inspection history, saying a late-October complaint led to an Oct. 28 inspection and a first notice of violation. The staff member listed three items identified by inspectors: a vehicle parked on grass, pets without a permit, and an accessory structure without a permit.
Staff told the owners that the vehicle and fence issues have since been resolved but that the accessory structure remained at a Dec. 4 inspection and was the subject of a Jan. 8 notice limited to the unpermitted structure. "We inspected on October 28," one staff speaker said, and later summarized the outstanding issue as the unpermitted accessory structure.
Owners and neighbors described the accessory items on the lot. City staff recorded the property contains an unattached garage (reported as 676 square feet), an 8-by-10 pavilion, and a chicken coop. A neighbor told the hearing the pavilion had been present since about 2006; staff said they would check permit records for that structure.
City staff told the owners the new structure would push the property over the maximum allowed accessory area on the lot and that a variance would likely be necessary. "Because of the lot size... due to a new structure, you're already over the maximum," a staff speaker said, explaining that owners could either apply for a variance or alter the structure so it fits within existing limits.
Given the progress on other items, a hearing official proposed a compliance date and stated in the record: "we'll set the compliance date as April 15, at least for right now." Staff also explained a practical extension process: if frozen ground or weather prevents fence installation, the owners should contact city staff (Zach or Sarah) to request more time, and reasonable extensions would be considered.
Staff noted a forthcoming code update on Feb. 9 that will add specific regulations for chicken coops (including size-based counts and setbacks) but emphasized that coops would still count toward the maximum accessory-area total and could require a variance depending on the proposed size and run. Owners said they currently plan to keep the birds in the garage and possibly remove the outdoor coop once a fence is installed; they also said weather, illness and recent snow delayed work.
The hearing concluded with staff offering to work with the owners, re-evaluate permit status for the pavilion, and assist with next steps toward compliance. City staff indicated they would prepare an order reflecting the April 15 date and mail it to the property owners.
