As Passed by the Senate                       1            

122nd General Assembly                                             4            

   Regular Session                        Am. Sub. H. B. No. 388   5            

      1997-1998                                                    6            


 REPRESENTATIVES HAINES-MOTTLEY-OPFER-GARCIA-LUCAS-TERWILLEGER-    8            

   REID-OGG-CORBIN-LEWIS-VESPER-OLMAN-HARRIS-METZGER-JOHNSON-      9            

         SENATORS GARDNER-MUMPER-SCHAFRATH-KEARNS-CARNES           10           


                                                                   12           

                           A   B I L L                                          

             To amend sections 303.04, 303.13, 303.15, 519.04,     14           

                519.13, and 519.15 of the Revised Code to provide  17           

                for the appointment of two alternate  members to   18           

                a  county rural zoning commission, a county board  19           

                of zoning appeals, a township zoning commission,   20           

                and a township board of zoning  appeals.           21           




BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF OHIO:        23           

      Section 1.  That sections 303.04, 303.13, 303.15, 519.04,    25           

519.13, and 519.15 of the Revised Code be amended to read as       27           

follows:                                                                        

      Sec. 303.04.  The board of county commissioners of any       36           

county proceeding under sections 303.01 to 303.25, inclusive, of   37           

the Revised Code, shall create and establish a county rural        38           

zoning commission.  The commission shall be composed of five       39           

members who reside in the unincorporated area of the county to be  40           

zoned, to be appointed by the board, and the.  THE BOARD OF        41           

COUNTY COMMISSIONERS MAY APPOINT TWO ALTERNATE MEMBERS TO THE      43           

COUNTY RURAL ZONING COMMISSION, FOR TERMS TO BE DETERMINED BY THE  44           

BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS.  AN ALTERNATE MEMBER SHALL TAKE     45           

THE PLACE OF AN ABSENT REGULAR MEMBER AT ANY MEETING OF THE        46           

COUNTY RURAL ZONING COMMISSION, ACCORDING TO PROCEDURES            47           

PRESCRIBED BY RESOLUTION BY THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS.     48           

AN ALTERNATE MEMBER SHALL MEET THE SAME APPOINTMENT CRITERIA AS A  49           

REGULAR MEMBER.  WHEN ATTENDING A MEETING ON BEHALF OF AN ABSENT   50           

                                                          2      

                                                                 
MEMBER, THE ALTERNATE MEMBER MAY VOTE ON ANY MATTER ON WHICH THE   51           

ABSENT MEMBER IS AUTHORIZED TO VOTE.  THE terms of the REGULAR     53           

members shall be of such length and so arranged that the term of   54           

one member will expire each year.  Where there is a county or      55           

regional planning commission the board of county commissioners     56           

may appoint qualified members of such commission who reside in     57           

the unincorporated area of the county to serve on the county       58           

rural zoning commission.  Each REGULAR OR ALTERNATE member shall   59           

serve until his THE MEMBER'S successor is appointed and            61           

qualified.  Members of the zoning commission shall be removable    62           

for nonperformance of duty, misconduct in office, or other cause   63           

by the board, upon written charges being filed with the board,     64           

after a public hearing has been held regarding such charges, and   65           

after a copy of the charges has been served upon the member so     66           

charged at least ten days prior to the hearing, either             67           

personally, by registered mail, or by leaving such copy at his     68           

THE MEMBER'S usual place of residence.  The member shall be given  70           

an opportunity to be heard and answer such charges.  Vacancies     71           

shall be filled by the board and shall be for the unexpired term.  72           

      Sec. 303.13.  In any county which adopts zoning regulations  81           

the board of county commissioners shall appoint a county board of  82           

zoning appeals COMPOSED of five members who shall be residents of  83           

the unincorporated territory in the county included in the area    84           

zoned, not more than two of whom shall be from any one township    85           

if the area zoned includes three or more townships.  THE BOARD OF  87           

COUNTY COMMISSIONERS MAY APPOINT TWO ALTERNATE MEMBERS TO THE      88           

COUNTY BOARD OF ZONING APPEALS, FOR TERMS TO BE DETERMINED BY THE  89           

BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS.  AN ALTERNATE MEMBER SHALL TAKE     90           

THE PLACE OF AN ABSENT REGULAR MEMBER AT ANY MEETING OF THE BOARD  91           

OF ZONING APPEALS, ACCORDING TO PROCEDURES PRESCRIBED BY                        

RESOLUTION BY THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS.  AN ALTERNATE     92           

MEMBER SHALL MEET THE SAME APPOINTMENT CRITERIA AS A REGULAR       93           

MEMBER.  WHEN ATTENDING A MEETING ON BEHALF OF AN ABSENT MEMBER,   94           

THE ALTERNATE MEMBER MAY VOTE ON ANY MATTER ON WHICH THE ABSENT    95           

                                                          3      

                                                                 
MEMBER IS AUTHORIZED TO VOTE.  The terms of all REGULAR members    97           

shall be of such length and so arranged that the term of one       99           

member will expire each year.  Each REGULAR OR ALTERNATE member                 

shall serve until his THE MEMBER'S successor is appointed and      101          

qualified.  Members may be removed for the same causes and in the  103          

same manner as provided by section 303.04 of the Revised Code.     104          

Vacancies shall be filled by the board of county commissioners     105          

and shall be for the unexpired term.  The members may be allowed   106          

their expenses, or SUCH compensation, or both, as the board of     108          

county commissioners may approve and provide.                      109          

      The board of zoning appeals may, within the limits of the    111          

moneys appropriated by the board of county commissioners for the   112          

purpose, employ such executive, professional, technical, and       113          

other assistants as it deems CONSIDERS necessary.                  114          

      Sec. 303.15.  The county board of zoning appeals shall       123          

organize and adopt rules in accordance with the zoning             124          

resolution.  Meetings of the board of zoning appeals shall be      125          

held at the call of the chairman CHAIRPERSON, and at such other    126          

times as the board determines.  The chairman CHAIRPERSON, or in    128          

his THE CHAIRPERSON'S absence the acting chairman CHAIRPERSON,     130          

may administer oaths, and the board of zoning appeals may compel   132          

the attendance of witnesses.  All meetings of the board of zoning  133          

appeals shall be open to the public.  The board of zoning appeals  134          

shall keep minutes of its proceedings showing the vote of each     135          

REGULAR OR ALTERNATE member upon each question, or, if absent or   136          

failing to vote, indicating such fact, and shall keep records of   137          

its examinations and other official actions, all of which shall    138          

be immediately filed in the office of the board of county          139          

commissioners and be a public record.                              140          

      Appeals to the board of zoning appeals may be taken by any   142          

person aggrieved or by any officer of the county affected by any   143          

decision of the administrative officer.  Such appeal shall be      144          

taken within twenty days after the decision by filing, with the    145          

officer from whom the appeal is taken and with the board of        146          

                                                          4      

                                                                 
zoning appeals, a notice of appeal specifying the grounds.  The    147          

officer from whom the appeal is taken shall transmit to the board  148          

of zoning appeals all the papers constituting the record upon      149          

which the action appealed from was taken.                          150          

      The board of zoning appeals shall fix a reasonable time for  152          

the public hearing of the appeal, give at least ten days' notice   153          

in writing to the parties in interest, give notice of such public  154          

hearing by one publication in one or more newspapers of general    155          

circulation in the county at least ten days before the date of     156          

such hearing, and decide the appeal within a reasonable time       157          

after it is submitted.  Upon the hearing, any person may appear    158          

in person or by attorney.                                          159          

      Sec. 519.04.  The board of township trustees of any          168          

township proceeding under sections 519.01 to 519.99, inclusive,    169          

of the Revised Code, shall create and establish a township zoning  170          

commission.  The commission shall be composed of five members who  171          

reside in the unincorporated area of the township, to be           172          

appointed by the board, and the.  THE BOARD OF TOWNSHIP TRUSTEES   174          

MAY APPOINT TWO ALTERNATE MEMBERS TO THE TOWNSHIP ZONING           175          

COMMISSION, FOR TERMS TO BE DETERMINED BY THE BOARD OF TOWNSHIP    176          

TRUSTEES.  AN ALTERNATE MEMBER SHALL TAKE THE PLACE OF AN ABSENT   177          

REGULAR MEMBER AT ANY MEETING OF THE TOWNSHIP ZONING COMMISSION,   178          

ACCORDING TO PROCEDURES PRESCRIBED BY RESOLUTION BY THE BOARD OF   179          

TOWNSHIP TRUSTEES.  AN ALTERNATE MEMBER SHALL MEET THE SAME        180          

APPOINTMENT CRITERIA AS A REGULAR MEMBER.  WHEN ATTENDING A        181          

MEETING ON BEHALF OF AN ABSENT MEMBER, THE ALTERNATE MEMBER MAY    182          

VOTE ON ANY MATTER ON WHICH THE ABSENT MEMBER IS AUTHORIZED TO     183          

VOTE.  THE terms of the REGULAR members shall be of such length    185          

and so arranged that the term of one member will expire each       186          

year.  Where there is a county or regional planning commission     187          

the board may appoint qualified members of such commission to      188          

serve on the township zoning commission.  Each REGULAR OR          189          

ALTERNATE member shall serve until his THE MEMBER'S  successor is  191          

appointed and qualified.  Members of the zoning commission shall                

                                                          5      

                                                                 
be removable for nonperformance of duty, misconduct in office, or  192          

other cause by the board, upon written charges being filed with    193          

the board, after a public hearing has been held regarding such     194          

charges, and after a copy of the charges has been served upon the  195          

member so charged at least ten days prior to the hearing, either   196          

personally, by registered mail, or by leaving such copy at his     197          

THE MEMBER'S usual place of residence.  The member shall be given  200          

an opportunity to be heard and answer such charges.  Vacancies     201          

shall be filled by the board and shall be for the unexpired term.  202          

      Sec. 519.13.  In any township, which adopts zoning           211          

regulations the board of township trustees shall appoint a         213          

township board of zoning appeals COMPOSED of five members who      215          

shall be residents of the unincorporated territory in the                       

township included in the area zoned.  THE BOARD OF TOWNSHIP        217          

TRUSTEES MAY APPOINT TWO ALTERNATE MEMBERS TO THE TOWNSHIP BOARD   218          

OF ZONING APPEALS, FOR TERMS TO BE DETERMINED BY THE BOARD OF      219          

TOWNSHIP TRUSTEES.  AN ALTERNATE MEMBER SHALL TAKE THE PLACE OF    220          

AN ABSENT REGULAR MEMBER AT ANY MEETING OF THE BOARD OF ZONING     221          

APPEALS, ACCORDING TO PROCEDURES PRESCRIBED BY RESOLUTION BY THE   222          

BOARD OF TOWNSHIP TRUSTEES.  AN ALTERNATE MEMBER SHALL MEET THE                 

SAME APPOINTMENT CRITERIA AS A REGULAR MEMBER.  WHEN ATTENDING A   223          

MEETING ON BEHALF OF AN ABSENT MEMBER, THE ALTERNATE MEMBER MAY    224          

VOTE ON ANY MATTER ON WHICH THE ABSENT MEMBER IS AUTHORIZED TO     225          

VOTE.  The terms of all REGULAR members shall be of such length    226          

and so arranged that the term of one member will expire each       227          

year.  Each REGULAR OR ALTERNATE member shall serve until his THE  228          

MEMBER'S successor is appointed and qualified.  Members shall be   230          

removable for the same causes and in the same manner as provided                

by section 519.04 of the Revised Code.  Vacancies shall be filled  231          

by the board of township trustees and shall be for the unexpired   232          

term.  The members may be allowed their expenses, or such          233          

compensation, or both, as the board of township trustees may       234          

approve and provide.                                                            

      The board of zoning appeals may, within the limits of the    236          

                                                          6      

                                                                 
moneys appropriated by the board of township trustees for the      237          

purpose, employ such executives EXECUTIVE, professional,           238          

technical, and other assistants as is deems IT CONSIDERS           239          

necessary.                                                                      

      Sec. 519.15.  The township board of zoning appeals shall     248          

organize and adopt rules in accordance with the zoning             249          

resolution.  Meetings of the board of zoning appeals shall be      250          

held at the call of the chairman CHAIRPERSON, and at such other    251          

times as the board determines.  The chairman CHAIRPERSON, or in    253          

his THE CHAIRPERSON'S absence the acting chairman CHAIRPERSON,     255          

may administer oaths, and the board of zoning appeals may compel   257          

the attendance of witnesses.  All meetings of the board of zoning  258          

appeals shall be open to the public.  The board of zoning appeals  259          

shall keep minutes of its proceedings showing the vote of each     260          

REGULAR OR ALTERNATE member upon each question, or, if absent or   261          

failing to vote, indicating such fact, and shall keep records of   262          

its examinations and other official actions, all of which shall    263          

be immediately filed in the office of the board of township        264          

trustees and be a public record.                                   265          

      Appeals to the board of zoning appeals may be taken by any   267          

person aggrieved or by any officer of the township affected by     268          

any decision of the administrative officer.  Such appeal shall be  269          

taken within twenty days after the decision by filing, with the    270          

officer from whom the appeal is taken and with the board of        271          

zoning appeals, a notice of appeal specifying the grounds.  The    272          

officer from whom the appeal is taken shall forthwith transmit to  273          

the board of zoning appeals all the papers constituting the        274          

record upon which the action appealed from was taken.              275          

      The board of zoning appeals shall fix a reasonable time for  277          

the public hearing of the appeal, give at least ten days' notice   278          

in writing to the parties in interest, give notice of such public  279          

hearing by one publication in one or more newspapers of general    280          

circulation in the county at least ten days before the date of     281          

such hearing, and decide the appeal within a reasonable time       282          

                                                          7      

                                                                 
after it is submitted.  Upon the hearing, any person may appear    283          

in person or by attorney.                                          284          

      Section 2.  That existing sections 303.04, 303.13, 303.15,   286          

519.04, 519.13, and 519.15 of the Revised Code are hereby          288          

repealed.