Buckeye Lake Village Council approves 1.5% municipal income tax ballot measure, adopts planning commission change and short‑term rental cap

Buckeye Lake Village Council on July 28 adopted a package of measures that will reshape local administration and raise local revenue.

The council voted to establish a municipal income tax at a rate of 1.5% per year, to take effect Jan. 1, 2026, and authorized the mayor and fiscal officer to execute an agreement for participation in the regional income tax agency for administration. The ordinance (2025‑28) was adopted by roll call; Councilor Douglas Keener recorded an abstention on the final vote, with the motion passing 5–1.

The council also adopted Ordinance 2025‑37, revising the composition of the village’s planning and zoning bodies to consolidate planning and zoning into a single commission (the mayor, a council designee and three electors) and to keep a separate Board of Zoning Appeals with additional resident members. Council suspended the rules, amended language where needed (changing "resident" to "elector" by a 5–1 floor vote on the amendment), and then adopted the ordinance on final roll call 6–0.

Separately, Council approved a recommendation from the Community Development Committee to create an ordinance that will cap the number of short‑term rentals within village boundaries at 60 units, with annual review. The floor vote to proceed with that limit passed 6–0; implementation details and permitting timelines were not specified at the meeting.

On capital projects, the council authorized Ordinance 2025‑40, directing the mayor to enter a contract with ADR & Associates for project design, bidding and inspection services for the 2025 trench‑line repair and paving program. Council suspended the rules and adopted the ordinance 6–0; Public Works Superintendent Toby Miller said appropriations exist to allow work to begin before October.

Council also adopted several amendments to the village’s permanent appropriations ordinance (Ordinances 2025‑38, 2025‑39 and 2025‑41) by unanimous votes after suspending the rules. Ordinance 2025‑42, which would update bed tax requirements and penalties, was introduced and moved to second reading and was not acted on tonight.

The council additionally adopted Resolution 2025‑12 to submit the planning‑commission charter amendment to the electorate and adopted Resolution 2025‑09 to place the 1.5% income tax question on the ballot; the resolution vote included the same abstention pattern recorded with the ordinance vote. According to the motions recorded in the minutes, emergency language was added when the council took Resolution 2025‑09 from the table and adopted it the same evening.

Votes at a glance: - Ordinance 2025‑28 (1.5% municipal income tax, effective Jan. 1, 2026): Adopted; roll‑call yes — Cable, Green, Julian, Lemmon, Wadley; abstain — Keener; outcome: approved (5–1–0). - Resolution 2025‑09 (submit 1.5% tax question to electors): Adopted (motion passed after adding emergency language); same roll‑call pattern noted above. - Ordinance 2025‑37 (amend planning/zoning composition): Amendment (change "resident" to "elector") passed 5–1; ordinance adoption passed 6–0. - Ordinance 2025‑40 (contract with ADR & Associates for trench line repair and paving): Adopted 6–0. - Ordinances 2025‑38, 2025‑39, 2025‑41 (permanent appropriations amendments): Adopted 6–0. - Ordinance 2025‑42 (bed tax update): Introduced and moved to second reading; no vote to adopt. - Short‑term rental cap (floor vote to create an ordinance limiting rentals to 60 units): Approved 6–0 (recommendation to draft ordinance and review annually).

Why it matters: If voters approve the tax, Buckeye Lake will have a new local revenue stream intended to fund municipal services and capital needs; consolidating the planning and zoning commissions changes how land‑use decisions will be staffed and heard locally; the short‑term rental cap will affect owners/operators of rental properties and the village’s short‑term lodging supply.

What’s next: The charter amendment and income tax question will be submitted to the electorate as required by council motions. The administration is authorized to move forward on the paving project procurement; the short‑term‑rental ordinance will be drafted and returned for committee and council consideration.

Source: Buckeye Lake Village Council meeting minutes, July 28, 2025.