1 00:00:00,240 --> 00:00:09,560 Oh, >> this conference will now be recorded. 2 00:00:05,040 --> 00:00:09,560 » This conference will be recorded. 3 00:00:10,880 --> 00:00:21,480 » All righty. Well, let's uh call to order the zoning commission regular meeting 4 00:00:16,400 --> 00:00:21,480 for Wednesday, September 9th, 2026. 5 00:00:22,320 --> 00:00:28,720 You uh call the role, please. >> Okay. Mr. Fwell 6 00:00:27,279 --> 00:00:30,800 » here. Mr. King >> here. Mr. Pratt 7 00:00:30,240 --> 00:00:33,600 » here. >> Mr. Green 8 00:00:31,679 --> 00:00:39,920 » here. >> All right. Um, next we have the to uh 9 00:00:37,200 --> 00:00:43,120 approve the minutes of the July 8th, 2026 10 00:00:41,440 --> 00:00:47,440 meeting. We have any additions or corrections to 11 00:00:45,040 --> 00:00:50,719 those minutes? >> None. 12 00:00:48,320 --> 00:00:54,399 » All right. If not, we entertain a motion to approve. 13 00:00:51,680 --> 00:00:56,640 » I'll move to approve minutes from uh July. 14 00:00:55,120 --> 00:01:02,960 » I'll second. >> Okay. Call the RO, please. 15 00:00:59,760 --> 00:01:04,640 Okay, Mr. Sab. >> Yes, 16 00:01:03,840 --> 00:01:06,320 » Mr. King. >> Yes, 17 00:01:05,439 --> 00:01:07,680 » Mr. C. >> Yes, 18 00:01:06,720 --> 00:01:11,840 » Mr. K. >> Yes. 19 00:01:09,360 --> 00:01:16,960 All right. I see we have no old business on the agenda. So, we'll move right on 20 00:01:14,400 --> 00:01:23,759 to the new business. Uh, first we have a text amendment for article 8, 21 00:01:20,000 --> 00:01:28,320 supplemental regulations, section 803. You mind walking us through that, Daryl? 22 00:01:25,920 --> 00:01:32,400 Yes. This past spring, the Sain Township 23 00:01:30,240 --> 00:01:38,000 Zoning Department was made aware of the inaccuracy in section 8003 of the 24 00:01:35,759 --> 00:01:43,360 Savannah Township Zoning Resolution regulating agricultural uses. 25 00:01:40,720 --> 00:01:48,159 Specifically, per the Ohio Revised Code section 51921, [clears throat] 26 00:01:45,840 --> 00:01:53,759 townships in Ohio cannot regulate agricultural uses on any parcel not 27 00:01:51,360 --> 00:01:57,119 within the private subdivision regardless of the acreage size of 28 00:01:55,759 --> 00:02:01,119 parcel. Additionally, there is interest among 29 00:01:58,960 --> 00:02:06,479 some township residents to expand or modify the allowed farm livestock uses 30 00:02:04,000 --> 00:02:09,691 on parcels that are that are within the private subdivision. 31 00:02:08,800 --> 00:02:14,560 SP [cough] [clears throat] department is presenting 32 00:02:11,200 --> 00:02:20,400 two amendments to section 8003. One of them must be approved to align 33 00:02:16,400 --> 00:02:24,319 this section of the Spain and Township, sorry, the Spain and Township zoning 34 00:02:22,640 --> 00:02:31,040 resolution with section 521 2021 of the OC. 35 00:02:28,800 --> 00:02:35,760 Proposed amendment number one corrects the language of section 8003 to 36 00:02:33,760 --> 00:02:41,280 adequately meet the requirements of the OC. No additional regulations or 37 00:02:38,800 --> 00:02:47,360 allowances are added. No definitions are amended. 38 00:02:45,280 --> 00:02:52,400 and no new definitions added to the zoning. 39 00:02:49,680 --> 00:02:58,879 Post amendment two corrects the language of section 8003 to adequately meet the 40 00:02:55,680 --> 00:03:05,040 requirements of the OC plus refine subsection 803B on the livestock use 41 00:03:02,400 --> 00:03:11,280 permitted on competitive lots measuring 1.01 to 4.99 acres in size. 42 00:03:09,599 --> 00:03:16,640 Additionally, the definition of livestock is removed from article 19 43 00:03:13,760 --> 00:03:21,519 definitions of the zonal resolution and replaced with livestock and non 44 00:03:19,280 --> 00:03:25,760 livestock. Lucas County Plan Commission planning 45 00:03:23,760 --> 00:03:31,680 planning staff recommended approval of the staff report and at the August 26, 46 00:03:28,720 --> 00:03:37,200 2026 hearing, the plan commission voted to recommend approval to the township of 47 00:03:34,319 --> 00:03:41,000 proposed amendment number two. zoning staff has no recommendations. 48 00:03:44,080 --> 00:03:50,640 » Okay. So, you've given us >> a little bit confusing. 49 00:03:47,440 --> 00:03:57,120 » Yeah. You you've given us what we currently have and then also the 50 00:03:52,879 --> 00:04:04,480 proposed U markup here to reflect those those changes. Um 51 00:04:01,920 --> 00:04:09,799 any any comment comments or questions from the the board members here? 52 00:04:10,239 --> 00:04:16,959 » And generally speaking, you don't get many calls from people in a platted 53 00:04:13,920 --> 00:04:20,560 subdivision that want chickens or livestock anyway, right? 54 00:04:19,519 --> 00:04:24,080 » You do. >> You do. 55 00:04:22,160 --> 00:04:26,800 » But this is still not allowing it. On the flip side of that, we get calls 56 00:04:25,939 --> 00:04:29,440 [clears throat] from people in the subdivision 57 00:04:28,080 --> 00:04:32,160 complaining about somebody. >> Exactly. 58 00:04:31,120 --> 00:04:38,600 » It's a double-edged sword. >> So, we do get calls. 59 00:04:34,639 --> 00:04:38,600 We just run both ways. 60 00:04:41,600 --> 00:04:49,600 » But long story short, we were out of compliance before anyways cuz we were 61 00:04:45,280 --> 00:04:55,520 » the Ohio strict. So per the OC, if it's not in a planted subdivision, we can't 62 00:04:53,040 --> 00:05:01,120 regulate how much li what livestock they have or how much regardless if they're 63 00:04:57,759 --> 00:05:05,720 on half an acre or 50 acres. >> And we were 64 00:05:02,720 --> 00:05:05,720 » Yeah. 65 00:05:07,280 --> 00:05:17,600 Okay. So if I'm in a subdivision on a halfacre lot, I can have as many 66 00:05:14,400 --> 00:05:22,560 chickens in my backyard as I want. or I cannot have those chickens. Okay. 67 00:05:20,080 --> 00:05:26,560 As long as it's platted. >> It's platted and I cannot. If it's 68 00:05:24,960 --> 00:05:31,520 platted, I cannot. >> And then HOAs would have their own rules 69 00:05:28,800 --> 00:05:34,520 also probably in most subdivisions. >> Yeah. 70 00:05:36,880 --> 00:05:43,840 » Uh any any comments or questions from the crowd? Please go to the podium. 71 00:05:41,520 --> 00:05:46,880 State your name, don't I? >> Yeah. Just name and address for the for 72 00:05:46,160 --> 00:05:52,000 the record there. >> My name is Yuri Aster. How my address is 73 00:05:48,720 --> 00:05:54,720 2231 Centennial Road, Toledto, Ohio. I'm also the chairman for the board of 74 00:05:53,520 --> 00:05:55,759 zoning appeals for Sennsylvania Township. 75 00:05:55,440 --> 00:06:00,400 » Okay. >> So, a little bit of context of why we're 76 00:05:58,240 --> 00:06:05,759 here and what we're doing here. So, specifically, so Darl and I, as well as 77 00:06:03,280 --> 00:06:10,000 Oliver and then John Burell, legal counsel for us obviously, um have been 78 00:06:08,479 --> 00:06:16,160 looking at this carefully. So, we've had quite a few cases over the last year 79 00:06:12,800 --> 00:06:21,280 regarding chickens, mainly in areas that are platted. So, platted is not like you 80 00:06:19,440 --> 00:06:25,360 typically think of a subdivision. So, subdivision can be platted. All 81 00:06:23,680 --> 00:06:30,319 subdivisions are platted, but not all platteds are subdivisions. 82 00:06:27,680 --> 00:06:33,840 So, for example, like you t think of like um Deer Point or something like 83 00:06:32,080 --> 00:06:37,919 that would be a typical subdivision. Usually those are less than an acre, 84 00:06:36,080 --> 00:06:41,600 usually a half acre, quarter acre or something like that. Those are almost 85 00:06:39,520 --> 00:06:47,199 always platted because they have to be platted to be subdivided. What has 86 00:06:43,919 --> 00:06:52,880 became a problem is these larger spaces that are acres or like for example on 87 00:06:49,600 --> 00:06:58,080 Gradwell there's a a lady came in and she has 2 acres but it was platted back 88 00:06:55,520 --> 00:07:01,680 in 1950 something or something like that. I don't recall it was a long time 89 00:06:59,440 --> 00:07:05,520 ago. It wouldn't be your traditional subdivision. Looks nothing like a 90 00:07:03,199 --> 00:07:09,599 subdivision. She cannot have any chickens under the proposal. So, as we 91 00:07:08,160 --> 00:07:14,000 started digging into this a little bit deeper, we saw two issues. The first 92 00:07:11,919 --> 00:07:19,599 issue is what the First Amendment is addressing. So, in the state of Ohio, 93 00:07:16,319 --> 00:07:25,039 like Daryl said, you cannot regulate agriculture on anything that is not 94 00:07:22,960 --> 00:07:28,960 platted. So, if it's platted, you have as a 95 00:07:27,520 --> 00:07:34,560 township, it's called powers conferred to the township. We can regulate that. 96 00:07:31,840 --> 00:07:38,720 But if it's not platted, you cannot regulate that. So, we have to clean that 97 00:07:36,400 --> 00:07:42,479 up. So that's the first amendment. As we dug deeper into this and we started 98 00:07:40,400 --> 00:07:47,440 looking at this under the second amendment or the way the resolution is 99 00:07:44,240 --> 00:07:51,759 wrote now, if you look at it, um the rules are for 1 to four acres and this 100 00:07:50,560 --> 00:07:56,479 is where it gets a little confusing because it refers to not platted and 101 00:07:54,400 --> 00:08:01,599 it's like well you can't regulate that. But the intent was is you could only 102 00:07:58,479 --> 00:08:06,160 have one livestock animal per acre. Now, this is where this gets a little bit odd 103 00:08:04,479 --> 00:08:11,840 because that means that I could have one draft horse, which is a massive animal 104 00:08:08,479 --> 00:08:15,599 or a cow, for example. But I can't have two chickens. You could only have one 105 00:08:13,759 --> 00:08:20,720 chicken. It just doesn't make a lot of sense. So, we started talking to um the 106 00:08:19,039 --> 00:08:24,639 other township. So, I specifically reached out to Parisburg Township. Hey, 107 00:08:22,479 --> 00:08:28,080 what are you guys doing with your chicken rules? What are you doing with 108 00:08:26,240 --> 00:08:32,399 your livestock? um looked at a lot of different 109 00:08:29,919 --> 00:08:37,919 municipalities actually and townships and for the most part everybody's 110 00:08:34,959 --> 00:08:42,640 regulating them at six per acre is a reasonable amount of chickens. So that's 111 00:08:40,320 --> 00:08:46,560 what we included in this proposal and I got to give credit to my wife Amanda 112 00:08:44,399 --> 00:08:50,320 here. Um she's the one that actually came up with the definition of hooved 113 00:08:48,080 --> 00:08:53,839 and nonhooed animals. I would not have thought about that. But your hooked 114 00:08:51,600 --> 00:09:00,000 animals and you would know Mike or all your cows and your your donkeys, your 115 00:08:57,279 --> 00:09:02,720 you know what goats, horses, you know, all that sort of 116 00:09:01,279 --> 00:09:05,920 thing, right? Those are big animals generally speaking. They're noxious 117 00:09:04,320 --> 00:09:11,040 animals at times. I mean, you have to have some land, which makes sense to 118 00:09:08,000 --> 00:09:14,560 have one um farm animal per acre. Chickens, on the other hand, they're 119 00:09:12,560 --> 00:09:19,680 non-hooved. Rabbits are non-hooked. Under the current resolution, you can't 120 00:09:16,800 --> 00:09:24,640 even have a rabbit. Now, what this proposal still eliminates, to your point 121 00:09:22,160 --> 00:09:29,839 previously, is anything that's under an acre the township can regulate that's 122 00:09:27,360 --> 00:09:33,760 platted and it's you cannot have any livestock on it. So, your subdivision 123 00:09:32,160 --> 00:09:37,440 specifically like Deer Point or Farmbbrook or something like that, you 124 00:09:36,000 --> 00:09:40,720 can't do that. You don't have enough livestock or you don't have enough land 125 00:09:39,040 --> 00:09:45,760 out there to do that. In addition to your point too, Tom, 126 00:09:43,040 --> 00:09:50,480 HOA always supersedes our township rules. So you do the towns or the if a 127 00:09:48,640 --> 00:09:55,519 specific subdivision says hey you know I really don't want chickens they can have 128 00:09:52,959 --> 00:10:00,080 most of them have there like eagle um Eaglewood has HOA rules that says hey 129 00:09:58,800 --> 00:10:04,720 even if we could have chickens now it's in Sylvania we can't we we don't want 130 00:10:02,560 --> 00:10:10,480 chickens here so we think that we put together something um that is fair to 131 00:10:07,440 --> 00:10:13,920 everybody um that kind of meets both criteria that allows those people that 132 00:10:12,080 --> 00:10:18,560 has that little bit more rural area to have chickens. We also tightened up, 133 00:10:16,000 --> 00:10:22,399 you'll see in there, which Daryl really helped with this, but with the the 134 00:10:20,560 --> 00:10:26,160 setbacks, making sure that you have enough space, like for example, 50 foot 135 00:10:24,399 --> 00:10:31,120 setback from any dwelling or property line. Livestock can't be 5 foot. It 136 00:10:29,279 --> 00:10:35,440 can't be anywhere within 5 foot of the property line. Barns and stables have to 137 00:10:33,519 --> 00:10:39,680 be clean. Slaughtering, you can't do that, that sort of thing. So, we tried 138 00:10:37,440 --> 00:10:45,440 to really um look at everybody else's code and try to put in things that were 139 00:10:41,200 --> 00:10:52,760 going to be a problem. So obviously like you to prove it but that's your 140 00:10:48,399 --> 00:10:52,760 consideration. So any questions 141 00:10:54,880 --> 00:11:02,079 additional questions? >> Okay. Thank you very much for uh for 142 00:11:00,240 --> 00:11:05,920 that explanation. That that certainly helps. 143 00:11:03,920 --> 00:11:11,680 I I'll ask this for Daryl cuz he was involved with the uh what was John 144 00:11:08,320 --> 00:11:16,079 Bell's stance on like the legal side? I mean, if someone's horse runs over, they 145 00:11:13,760 --> 00:11:20,399 got to have more homeowners insurance, right? That doesn't put the township at 146 00:11:17,920 --> 00:11:25,279 any liability, does it? For >> um We didn't look at that specific 147 00:11:23,519 --> 00:11:30,959 issue, but no, I would see >> I would think it would go with the Yeah, 148 00:11:27,120 --> 00:11:35,240 it would go with the house or the farm. >> Same as if somebody's dog 149 00:11:35,519 --> 00:11:43,200 goes and damages someone else's property or bites their kid or that. Yeah, cuz I 150 00:11:41,120 --> 00:11:49,440 mean sadly dogs can be more annoying than most livestock. We did have a 151 00:11:45,839 --> 00:11:52,560 donkey once. So they when you have one >> once, 152 00:11:50,000 --> 00:11:58,000 » they're companion animals. One can be really noisy, but it actually was a 153 00:11:54,800 --> 00:12:01,600 better guard dog than a dog. [laughter] So I'm just saying we should tread 154 00:11:59,680 --> 00:12:05,839 lightly because some animals are when there when there is only one, you know, 155 00:12:03,839 --> 00:12:10,880 whether it be a cow or a horse, usually the goats, they all like to have two 156 00:12:08,000 --> 00:12:14,880 generally. But if you're 5 acres or more, it's not an issue, right? It's 157 00:12:13,200 --> 00:12:18,720 just for the one acre, you're allowed one. 158 00:12:15,680 --> 00:12:22,160 » Yeah. So, it's one per Yeah. >> So, if you had two acres, you would 159 00:12:20,160 --> 00:12:25,600 allow you'd [snorts] be allowed to have >> companion both animals. 160 00:12:24,000 --> 00:12:31,200 » Yeah. I think you guys did a good job. It's sized right in my opinion. And it's 161 00:12:28,320 --> 00:12:36,079 not allowing everybody to have a horse in the township, you know. 162 00:12:33,279 --> 00:12:42,639 » Yeah, I agree. main thing is is that we're back in compliance, but we put a 163 00:12:39,519 --> 00:12:49,120 lot of thought into, you know, it being as fair to all of the 164 00:12:46,720 --> 00:12:55,519 the residents of the community and and also fair in both ways, not having too 165 00:12:52,959 --> 00:13:03,040 many animals and and you know, not overregulating. So, um, any additional 166 00:12:59,040 --> 00:13:09,399 comments from the board before we take a, uh, take a motion to approve? 167 00:13:10,160 --> 00:13:15,160 I'll make a motion to approve. I'll second that. 168 00:13:15,760 --> 00:13:23,920 Wait, do we need to do both? I'm sorry. Uh, we'll make a a proposal to um or a 169 00:13:23,360 --> 00:13:29,040 motion to >> for each one. 170 00:13:24,880 --> 00:13:31,680 » Yeah, for each one. So, proposal one. Um, 171 00:13:30,160 --> 00:13:34,880 » I don't think that you actually have to vote on both of them. 172 00:13:32,959 --> 00:13:41,440 » Oh, okay. >> You just have to one or the other. 173 00:13:39,519 --> 00:13:45,839 » So, if you decide to take the second proposal, you can 174 00:13:45,040 --> 00:13:50,160 on that one >> because the second includes the need 175 00:13:48,160 --> 00:13:54,639 language to fix the first one. >> So, the second two proceeds. 176 00:13:52,720 --> 00:13:57,519 » I didn't catch that. Okay. 177 00:13:56,000 --> 00:14:03,199 » Well, we could just make a motion to approve both text amendments. 178 00:14:00,959 --> 00:14:07,519 » No, it's proposal one or proposal two. Proposal two is ultimately 179 00:14:05,920 --> 00:14:11,120 » what cleans everything up. >> Gotcha. 180 00:14:08,320 --> 00:14:12,480 » Okay. So, um All right. Let's strike that. 181 00:14:11,519 --> 00:14:15,480 » Start that over again. >> Yeah. 182 00:14:15,519 --> 00:14:21,920 » Yeah. Yeah. It's uh great leadership here. 183 00:14:18,720 --> 00:14:29,160 » Okay. I will make a motion to um approve proposal two on the text amendments and 184 00:14:25,600 --> 00:14:29,160 I'll second that. 185 00:14:32,720 --> 00:14:35,839 » Mr. Zel, >> yes. 186 00:14:34,959 --> 00:14:37,199 » Mr. King, >> yes. 187 00:14:36,320 --> 00:14:38,480 » Mr. Pat, >> yes. 188 00:14:37,600 --> 00:14:42,399 » Mr. >> Yes. 189 00:14:39,920 --> 00:14:49,040 » All right. Motion passes. Uh so now we have a second text 190 00:14:45,120 --> 00:14:56,920 amendment. It looks like article 19 uh definitions in section 1900. 191 00:14:52,639 --> 00:14:56,920 » Mr. Chairman, that actually 192 00:14:57,360 --> 00:15:05,920 we probably should have maybe worded these a little bit. Um but the 193 00:15:02,560 --> 00:15:10,000 definitions are included at the end of the uh second. 194 00:15:08,880 --> 00:15:15,120 » It's the same. >> Okay. It is the same. Okay. Well, that's 195 00:15:12,480 --> 00:15:18,880 uh you know, strike two for me tonight. So I guess 196 00:15:16,320 --> 00:15:21,760 » I think pretty >> so we do not need to enter put this 197 00:15:20,959 --> 00:15:26,320 together for us. >> Yeah. Well, 198 00:15:23,839 --> 00:15:31,279 yeah. There are two items there in different 199 00:15:28,240 --> 00:15:38,000 sections. Um, but let the record be known that we have already voted on both 200 00:15:34,720 --> 00:15:46,485 of those article text amendments in article 8 and 19 as under one uh 201 00:15:42,639 --> 00:15:48,505 amendment in the in the second proposal. [snorts] 202 00:15:49,440 --> 00:15:56,519 Okay. Do we have anything else for the good of the order? 203 00:15:56,800 --> 00:16:02,399 No. Well, nothing else. Let's uh >> no meeting next month. 204 00:16:00,720 --> 00:16:06,560 » And no meeting next month. Okay. >> I'll make a motion to adjurnn. 205 00:16:04,079 --> 00:16:11,720 » I'll second. >> Okay. 206 00:16:08,720 --> 00:16:11,720 » Mr. 207 00:16:13,199 --> 00:16:16,000 » Yes. >> Yes. 208 00:16:15,120 --> 00:16:21,399 » M. >> Yes. 209 00:16:17,199 --> 00:16:21,399 » All right. Meeting is adjourned.