Yellow Springs News archive photo
Rural zoning updates coming for Miami Township
- Published: May 16, 2026
At their Monday, May 4, meeting, the Miami Township Trustees held a public hearing on the final phase of updates to the Township’s Zoning Resolution, which governs land use in unincorporated areas, and approved a first reading of all amendments to the resolution.
The hearing and first reading are part of the final phase of a months-long process led by the Township’s Zoning Commission and Zoning Administrator Bryan Lucas, with assistance from the Greene County Regional Planning and Coordinating Commission. The update includes 15 amendments aimed at clarifying the Township’s zoning resolution, as well as bringing it in line with state law and land-use practices.
The work to update the Zoning Resolution has been funded through a state grant that expires May 30.
The May 4 hearing focused on text amendments regarding accessory dwelling units, short-term rentals and home-based businesses, following earlier hearings in April on other portions of the code.
A new section of the Zoning Resolution encompassing accessory dwelling units, or ADUs, would allow a second residential unit — either attached or detached — on a single lot in agricultural and residential districts. The stated goal of the section is to “increase housing flexibility, expand affordable housing options and support multigenerational living arrangements.”
A separate amendment sets regulations for short-term rentals, including traditional bed and breakfast operations and those listed through online platforms such as Airbnb and VRBO. According to the amendment, short-term rentals would be allowed as a conditional use, requiring approval and owner-occupancy of at least 185 days per year, site plans and emergency contact provisions.
The final section updates rules for small-scale businesses operating from residences, with the aim of balancing residents’ ability to earn income at home with provisions for how neighboring properties would be affected.
Though the hearing centered on those final sections, discussion returned to language from Section 513, covering temporary uses and public events, for which a public hearing was held during the Trustees’ April 20 meeting.
Property owner Steve Wirrig raised concerns about how the revised language could affect gatherings at his pavilion property, which in recent years has hosted both commercial and noncommercial events, including performances by comedian Dave Chappelle in 2021 and 2022 that required zoning variances.
Under the proposed code rewrite, “public events” are described as “ticketed, non-ticketed, and invitation only events,” including “hosted semi-public gatherings, such as weddings, parties, or other celebrations, for someone other than the property owner or occupant.” Those events would require a conditional use permit and could be subject to limits on frequency, duration and hours.
Wirrig’s concern, he said during the meeting, was on noncommercial uses — such as family weddings, YS High School prom and other gatherings he allows at no charge — which he said had not previously required permits. As written, he said, the new language clarifies rules for commercial events but creates uncertainty for those informal uses that fall somewhere between private and public.
Michelle Hudnell of the Regional Planning and Coordinating Commission said the zoning code is intended to evolve over time, adding that the resolution should function as a “living, breathing document” that can be revisited and refined as issues arise.
At the suggestion of Zoning Administrator Bryan Lucas, Trustees ultimately approved the first reading of the full amendment package; also at the suggestion of Lucas, the Trustees said they would recommend that the Zoning Commission revisit the temporary uses and public events section to address Wirrig’s concerns.
A second reading of the text amendments will be held at the next regular meeting of the Trustees on Monday, May 18, at 5 p.m.
To read all 15 text amendments in full, go to miamitownship.net/zoning-resolution.
In other Township business—
Fire Chief James Cannell reported that full-time firefighter Brian Burnett has submitted his resignation after accepting a position closer to his hometown of Cincinnati, and has requested to remain with the department in a part-time role. Cannell recommended promoting part-time firefighter Dan Watt, who has been with the department for six months, to fill the now-vacant full-time position. He also recommended hiring Zion Robinson, a recent graduate of the Columbus Fire Department’s cadet program, as a part-time firefighter. Trustees heard the recommendations as part of the chief’s report.
Trustee Lori Askeland reported that the Township’s adherence to new state cybersecurity requirements will result in a transition to a new .gov domain for the Township’s website. The change is intended to improve security and standardize communications across Township functions.
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