Warren County commissioners approved a package of changes to the county's Subdivision Regulations on Tuesday, Aug. 4 and will consider launching a separate rewrite of the Rural Zoning Code at their Tuesday, Aug. 11 session, according to the commissioners' posted agenda. Both sets of rules govern how subdivisions and rezonings proceed in unincorporated land bordering Mason and Deerfield Township.
Subdivision Regulations: what changed
Commissioners Tom Grossmann and David G. Young voted 2-0 to adopt Resolution #26-1006 at the Aug. 4 meeting. Commissioner Shannon Jones was absent.
Ryan Cook of the Warren County Regional Planning Commission presented the amendments after a public hearing. The review process began April 2, when the Subdivision Review Committee first examined the proposals. The Regional Planning Commission requested to advertise the changes April 23 and held its own public hearing with a recommendation May 28 before commissioners took final action.
Key changes include:
- Requiring Final Plat sections to be recorded in sequence to ensure roadway connectivity
- Tightening the 18-month deadline for recording the first Final Plat
- Adding a new Section 403(I) outlining requirements for construction and extension of private streets
- Revising Section 802 to add notification rights and "injuriously affected" criteria for property owners in plat revision proceedings
- Updating the on-site sewage treatment system definition to align with the Warren County Health District and Ohio Department of Health
Rural Zoning Code amendments up next
At the Aug. 11 session, scheduled for 10 a.m. at 406 Justice Drive in Lebanon, Ray Dratt, director of building and zoning, will ask commissioners to initiate text amendments to the Rural Zoning Code. The agenda does not describe the substance of the proposed changes.
The Rural Zoning Code governs all planned-unit development and rezoning decisions in unincorporated Warren County, including townships along Mason's rural fringe. "Initiating" the process means commissioners would authorize the start of a formal amendment procedure, not vote on final changes Tuesday.
Deerfield Township cooperation agreement
Also on Aug. 4, commissioners voted 2-0 to adopt Resolution #26-1004, entering into an Ohio Public Works Commission Cooperation Agreement with Deerfield Township. The agenda does not detail the project scope or dollar amount.
What's next
Commissioners plan to cancel their Thursday, Aug. 13 and Tuesday, Aug. 18 meetings. No next regular session date has been publicly posted. The Aug. 11 meeting can be streamed live on the Warren County Board of Commissioners YouTube channel. Residents can reach the board at (513) 695-1250 or [email protected].
