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Planning
Commission business—
Board
to hold hearing on small lot
The Village Planning Commission will hold a public hearing this Monday,
Nov. 11, to consider a proposal that would make it easier to build houses
on existing small lots in Yellow Springs.
The proposal would amend section 1266.06 of the Village Zoning Code, which
governs nonconforming lots of record, or lots that are recorded with the
Greene County Recorder’s office but do not meet current Village zoning
requirements. These lots are often called 50-foot lots because many are
50 feet wide.
At their meeting Oct. 14, plan board members said they supported a proposal
from Village Manager Rob Hillard that repeals some of the restrictions
on these small lots, making it legal to build single-family houses on
certain lots that do not meet current zoning regulations.
The proposal would still have to be ratified by Village Council, which
has final say over changes to the Zoning Code. Council would likely hold
a first reading on the proposal at its next meeting, Nov. 18.
At its meeting Monday, plan board will consider whether to recommend that
Council approve the measure.
The proposal would loosen the restrictions on nonconforming lots by eliminating
three requirements in the current Zoning Code. Because these requirements
involve ownership of these small parcels, they limit who can build on
the lots. Removing the restrictions would make more lots available for
new construction, Hillard said after the meeting.
Under the proposal, lots that are 40 feet wide in zoning districts Residences
B and C and 50 feet wide in Residence A would be eligible for construction
if the proposal is approved. Currently, development can occur on lots
that are 60 feet wide in Residence B and C and 75 feet wide in Residence
A. Construction would be limited to single-family residences.
Plan board members said the proposal was only a first step and that they
want to consider changing other zoning restrictions to make more small
lots eligible for construction in Residence B and C, which include the
center and northern end of Yellow Springs. Commission member Bruce Rickenbach,
for instance, suggested the Village consider allowing houses to be built
on all lots that are at least 45 feet wide in Residence C and 50 feet
wide in Residence B.
In other Planning Commission business:
• Plan board unanimously approved a conditional use request from
Friends Care Community to expand its independent living facility. Planners
approved the request with several conditions: only part of the facility
can be developed right now under the current permit; Friends Care must
explore options to build up more screening, such as trees, on its western
and southern sides of its property; the facility must mark all setback
areas prior to beginning construction; and the facility must address concerns
regarding the traffic traveling between Friends Care and Antioch on residential
streets.
Dick Eastman, president of the Friends Health Care Association Board of
Directors, did not object to the conditions. Friends Care plans to build
16 duplexes on an as needed basis. He estimated it could take 10 to 20
years to complete the project.
Several of the facility’s neighbors expressed concern that there
would not be enough of a buffer between their properties and the facility
as it expands. Eastman said Friends Care would try to work with its neighbors
to satisfy their concerns.
• Planning Commission unanimously agreed to support a plan to collect
data from area builders and contractors about the obstacles they have
encountered when they have tried to build new homes in Yellow Springs.
At their meeting Oct. 21, Village Council members said they supported
the plan.
• Planning Commission chair John Struewing recommended the Village
participate in the Tree City USA program as part of an effort to protect
trees in Yellow Springs. Plan board agreed to discuss the program at its
meeting Monday.
—Robert
Mihalek
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