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Staff presents flowcharts to clarify township rezoning and lot‑split process
Summary
County staff presented flowcharts to clarify how townships and the county should handle lot splits, conditional uses and rezoning after recent confusion in Kanan/Summerford and Derby townships; staff will formalize the workflow and share documents with township trustees to prevent multi‑month delays.
At the June 9 meeting, county staff recommended a written flowchart to clarify how township zoning, lot splits and rezoning applications should move through county and township review after recent cases exposed gaps in the informal process.
Dennis, a county staff member who presented two flowcharts, said the lack of a clear written process left trustees and county staff unsure how to proceed when a property owner files a lot split or rezoning: “I made a couple flowcharts,” he told the board, adding that an older 2002 agreement exists but needs updating and consistent application. He said the charts show the path for conditional uses, variances and subdivision reviews and urged legal and planning staff to codify the steps to avoid six‑ to eight‑month delays on applications.
Commissioners and staff discussed the formal sequence for a rezoning: an application to the zoning commission, a public hearing, referral to the county regional planning commission for recommendation, and then township trustee action. Staff clarified that if the regional planning commission recommends changes the zoning commission reconvenes to consider those recommendations, and that an adopted rezoning typically does not take effect immediately but after a statutory waiting period to allow required notice and appeal steps.
Participants also discussed how townships that adopt their own codes must decide whether to mirror county code or develop independent standards; that decision affects whether past conditional uses (CUs) granted under county zoning carry forward or must be reauthorized. County staff said they are backtracking records to find which CUs were recorded on deeds and which were not, and Val (staff) is compiling a list of outstanding CUs for review.
To improve administrative clarity, staff proposed uploading project letters and review notes into the county’s online case‑tracking system so township trustees and the public can see where a submittal sits in the workflow. Chad Evans, a county staff member, said the group “pretty much have things ironed out now” but emphasized that townships will need to establish or confirm the authorities (zoning commissions, boards of appeals) to carry out the work once they adopt codes.
Next steps: commissioners asked legal and planning staff to draft a formal workflow/flowchart for circulation to affected townships (Kanan/Summerford, Derby) and to return with recommended documentation so trustees and applicants know the expected timing and the required steps.
