As Reported by the Senate State and Local Government and Veterans Affairs Committee

124th General Assembly
Regular Session
2001-2002
Sub. H. B. No. 366


REPRESENTATIVES Core, Kearns, Hollister, Hagan, Reinhard, Willamowski, Lendrum, Flowers, Roman, Carano, Coates, Distel, Fessler, McGregor, Otterman, Schmidt, Setzer, Sferra, Stapleton, Strahorn, Widowfield, Sulzer, Seitz, Ogg, Allen, Niehaus, Metzger, Schneider, Fedor, Seaver, Peterson, Latell, Damschroder, Perry, Manning, Calvert, Womer Benjamin



A BILL
To amend section 711.131 and to enact sections 5552.011
to 5552.11 and 5552.99 of the Revised Code to allow2
counties to regulate access to county and township3
roads and townships to regulate access to township4
roads, and to permit the local platting authority5
to require compliance with those regulations before6
a parcel of land is subdivided without a plat.7


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

       Section 1.  That section 711.131 be amended and sections8
5552.01, 5552.02, 5552.03, 5552.04, 5552.05, 5552.06, 5552.07,9
5552.08, 5552.09, 5552.10, 5552.11, and 5552.99 of the Revised10
Code be enacted to read as follows:11

       Sec. 711.131.  Notwithstanding the provisions of sections12
711.001 to 711.13, inclusive, of the Revised Code, a proposed13
division of a parcel of land along an existing public street, not14
involving the opening, widening, or extension of any street or15
road, and involving no more than five lots after the original16
tract has been completely subdivided, may be submitted to the17
authority having approving jurisdiction of plats under the18
provisions of section 711.05, 711.09, or 711.10 of the Revised19
Code for approval without plat. If suchthe authority acting20
through a properly designated representative thereof is satisfied21
that suchthe proposed division is not contrary to applicable22
platting, subdividing, or zoning,or access management23
regulations, it shall within seven working days after submission24
approve suchthe proposed division and, on presentation of a25
conveyance of saidthe parcel, shall stamp the sameconveyance26
"approved by (planning authority); no plat required" and have it27
signed by its clerk, secretary, or other official as may be28
designated by it. SuchThe planning authority may require the29
submission of a sketch and such other information asthat is30
pertinent to its determination hereunderunder this section.31

       Sec. 5552.01.  As used in this chapter:32

       (A) "Metropolitan planning organization" has the same33
meaning as in division (A)(7) of section 3704.14 of the Revised34
Code.35

       (B) "Urban township" means a township that has a population36
in the unincorporated area of the township of fifteen thousand or37
more and that has adopted a limited home rule government under38
section 504.02 of the Revised Code.39

       Sec. 5552.02.  (A) Except as provided in divisions (C) and40
(D) of this section, for the purposes of promoting traffic41
safety and efficiency and maintaining proper traffic capacity and42
traffic flow, a board of township trustees may adopt, by43
resolution, regulations for the management of access onto township44
roads in the unincorporated area of the township in accordance45
with sections 5552.05 and 5552.06 of the Revised Code. As part of46
those regulations, the board may require permits, including47
interim and temporary permits, for the construction,48
reconstruction, use, and maintenance of any point of access from49
public or private property onto those township roads. If the50
board adopts regulations that require permits, the regulations51
shall include standards that will be used for the approval or52
denial of a permit. Any regulations regarding the approval or 53
denial of a permit shall specify a reasonable period for the 54
approval or denial and shall provide that a failure to approve or 55
deny, in whole or in part, any permit, license, or other approval 56
sought within that period shall constitute a granting of approval 57
for the permit, license, or other approval.58

        Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this division, a59
board of township trustees of a township other than an urban60
township may not adopt regulations authorized by this division61
until the date that is one year after the effective date of this62
section, and then only if the county does not adopt or initiate63
the process of adopting regulations under division (B) of this64
section within that one-year period. If the county initiates the65
process of adopting regulations under division (B) of this section66
within that one-year period but does not actually adopt67
regulations under division (B) of this section within two years68
after the effective date of this section, the township may adopt69
regulations authorized by this division on or after the date that70
is two years after the effective date of this section.71

        (B) For the purposes of promoting traffic safety and72
efficiency and maintaining proper traffic capacity and traffic73
flow, the board of county commissioners may adopt, by resolution,74
regulations for the management of access onto county and township75
roads in the unincorporated area of the county in accordance with76
sections 5552.04 and 5552.06 of the Revised Code. As part of77
those regulations, the board may require permits, including78
interim and temporary permits, for the construction,79
reconstruction, use, and maintenance of any point of access from80
public or private property onto those county and township roads.81
If the board adopts regulations that require permits, the82
regulations shall include standards that will be used for the83
approval or denial of a permit. Any regulations regarding the 84
approval or denial of a permit shall specify a reasonable period 85
for the approval or denial and shall provide that a failure to 86
approve or deny, in whole or in part, any permit, license, or 87
other approval sought within that period shall constitute a 88
granting of approval for the permit, license, or other approval.89

       The same county regulations that apply to county roads shall90
apply to township roads. Except as provided in divisions (C) and91
(D) of this section, upon their effective date, the county92
regulations shall apply to all county and township roads in the93
unincorporated area of the county.94

       (C) On or after the appropriate date provided in division95
(A) of this section for adopting regulations under that division,96
the board of township trustees of a township other than an urban97
township may adopt the regulations authorized by that division. If98
such a board of township trustees adopts regulations, and a board99
of county commissioners later adopts regulations under division100
(B) of this section that apply to the same township roads, then,101
one year after the effective date of the county regulations, the102
regulations adopted by the board of township trustees shall be103
void, and the regulations adopted by the board of county104
commissioners shall apply to those township roads. However, the105
board of township trustees may establish an earlier date for the106
county regulations to take effect and the township regulations to107
be void by adopting a resolution establishing an earlier date and108
sending a certified copy of that resolution to the board of county109
commissioners.110

       (D) Except as otherwise provided in this division, if an111
urban township adopts regulations under division (A) of this112
section and the county also adopts regulations under division (B)113
of this section that affect township roads in that township, the114
county regulations shall have no effect on the township roads in115
that township. If the urban township adopts its regulations116
after the county adopts its regulations, however, the county117
regulations shall remain in effect for one year after the township118
regulations are adopted unless the board of county commissioners119
establishes an earlier date for the county regulations to expire120
within that urban township. After the earlier established date or121
one year, whichever is applicable, only the township regulations122
shall apply to the township roads in that urban township, although123
the county regulations shall continue to apply to the county roads124
in that urban township.125

       (E) Any county regulations adopted under this section shall126
be, to the extent possible, consistent with county zoning127
regulations and coordinated with any existing township zoning128
regulations. Any township regulations adopted under this section129
shall be, to the extent possible, consistent with any county or130
township zoning regulations in effect in the township.131

       Sec. 5552.03.  (A) Regulations adopted under this chapter do132
not apply to subdivisions subject to plat approval under section133
711.05 or 711.10 of the Revised Code, and nothing in this chapter134
limits the authority granted in those sections for subdivision135
regulations to provide for the proper arrangement of streets or136
other highways in relation to existing or planned streets or137
highways or to the county or regional plan.138

       (B) Regulations adopted under this chapter do apply to139
subdivisions subject to approval without plat under section140
711.131 of the Revised Code, and to any parcel of property that is 141
not subject to regulations adopted under Chapter 711. of the 142
Revised Code.143


       Sec. 5552.04. (A) The process of adopting county access145
management regulations provided for in division (B) of section146
5552.02 of the Revised Code may be initiated in any of the147
following ways:148

       (1) The board of county commissioners may adopt a resolution149
proposing the consideration of access management regulations on150
its own initiative.151

       (2) The board of county commissioners shall adopt a152
resolution proposing the consideration of access management153
regulations if the county engineer certifies to the board a154
written request for the board to do so.155

       (3) The board of county commissioners shall adopt a156
resolution proposing the consideration of access management157
regulations if a majority of the boards of township trustees of158
townships within the county certify to the board of county159
commissioners resolutions requesting the board to do so.160

       (B) Upon adoption of a resolution proposing the161
consideration of access management regulations under division (A)162
of this section, the board of county commissioners shall request163
the county engineer to draft proposed regulations. The engineer164
shall prepare proposed regulations and, when they are complete,165
send a copy of them to each member of the advisory committee166
appointed under division (C) of this section along with a notice167
of the time and place of the first meeting of the advisory168
committee. That meeting shall take place within thirty days after169
the completion of the engineer's proposed regulations.170

       (C) Upon adoption of a resolution under division (A) of this171
section, the board of county commissioners shall establish an172
advisory committee to review the county engineer's proposed173
regulations prepared under division (B) of this section. The board174
shall appoint to the committee the county engineer or the175
engineer's designee, a registered surveyor in private practice, a176
representative of the homebuilding industry, a licensed realtor, a177
representative of a county or regional planning commission with178
jurisdiction in the county, a professional engineer with expertise179
in traffic engineering, a representative of the metropolitan180
planning organization, where applicable, at least three township181
trustees from any townships located in the county selected by the182
local county association representing the township trustees and183
clerks in that county, a member of the board of county184
commissioners, and any other person the board chooses to appoint.185

       At its initial meeting held as provided in the notice sent by186
the county engineer under division (B) of this section, the187
advisory committee shall elect one member to serve as the188
chairperson of the committee. Within two hundred seventy days189
after that initial meeting, the advisory committee shall provide190
the board of county commissioners with a copy of the engineer's191
proposed regulations, the committee's recommendations about each192
of the proposed regulations, and any other recommendations about193
the access management regulations the committee considers194
appropriate.195

       (D) Upon receiving the advisory committee's recommendations196
under division (C) of this section, the board of county197
commissioners shall hold hearings as provided in section 5552.06198
of the Revised Code.199

       Sec. 5552.05. (A) The process of adopting township access200
management regulations provided for in division (A) of section201
5552.02 of the Revised Code may be initiated in any of the202
following ways:203

       (1) The board of township trustees may adopt a resolution204
proposing the consideration of access management regulations on205
its own initiative.206

       (2) The board of township trustees shall adopt a resolution207
proposing the consideration of access management regulations if208
the county engineer certifies to the board a written request for209
the board to do so.210

       (B) Upon adoption of a resolution proposing the211
consideration of access management regulations under division (A)212
of this section, the board of township trustees shall request the213
county engineer to draft proposed regulations. The engineer shall214
prepare proposed regulations and, when they are complete, send a215
copy of them to each member of the advisory committee appointed216
under division (C) of this section along with a notice of the time217
and place of the first meeting of the advisory committee. That218
meeting shall take place within thirty days after the completion219
of the engineer's proposed regulations.220

       (C) Upon adoption of a resolution under division (A) of this221
section, the board of township trustees shall establish an222
advisory committee to review the county engineer's proposed223
regulations prepared under division (B) of this section. The224
board shall appoint to the committee the county engineer or the225
engineer's designee, a registered surveyor in private practice, a226
representative of the homebuilding industry, a licensed realtor, a227
representative of a county or regional planning commission with228
jurisdiction in the county, a professional engineer with expertise229
in traffic engineering, a representative of the metropolitan230
planning organization, where applicable, three residents of the231
township, and any other person the board chooses to appoint.232

       At its initial meeting held as provided in the notice sent by233
the county engineer under division (B) of this section, the234
advisory committee shall elect one member to serve as the235
chairperson of the committee. Within two hundred seventy days236
after that initial meeting, the advisory committee shall provide237
the board of township trustees with a copy of the engineer's238
proposed regulations, the committee's recommendations about each239
of the proposed regulations, and any other recommendations about240
the access management regulations the committee considers241
appropriate.242

       (D) Upon receiving the advisory committee's recommendations243
under division (C) of this section, the board of township trustees244
shall hold hearings as provided in section 5552.06 of the Revised245
Code.246

       Sec. 5552.06. (A) A board of county commissioners or a board247
of township trustees may adopt access management regulations or248
any amendments to those regulations after holding at least two249
public hearings at regular or special sessions of the board. The250
board shall consider the county engineer's proposed regulations251
prepared under division (B) of section 5552.04 or 5552.05 of the252
Revised Code and all comments on those regulations. The board, in253
its discretion, may, but need not, adopt any or all of those254
proposed regulations. After the public hearings, the board may255
decide not to adopt any access management regulations.256

       The board shall publish notice of the public hearings in a257
newspaper of general circulation in the county or township, as258
applicable, once a week for at least two weeks immediately259
preceding the hearings. The notice shall include the time, date,260
and place of each hearing. Copies of any proposed regulations or261
amendments shall be made available to the public at the board's262
office and, if the county engineer administers or is proposed to263
administer a point of access permit, in the engineer's office.264

       (B) In addition to the notice required by division (A) of265
this section, not less than thirty days before holding a public266
hearing, a board of county commissioners shall send a copy of the267
county engineer's proposed regulations, a copy of the advisory268
committee's recommendations, and a request for written comments to269
the board of township trustees of each township in the county, the270
department of transportation district deputy director for the271
district in which the county is located, a representative of the272
metropolitan planning organization, where applicable, and at least273
the local professional associations representing the following274
professions:275

       (1) Homebuilders;276

       (2) Realtors;277

       (3) Professional surveyors;278

       (4) Attorneys;279

       (5) Professional engineers.280

       (C) In addition to the notice required by division (A) of281
this section, a board of township trustees shall send a copy of282
the county engineer's proposed regulations, a copy of the advisory283
committee's recommendations, and a request for written comments,284
not less than thirty days before holding a public hearing, to the285
department of transportation district deputy director for the286
district in which the township is located, a representative of the287
metropolitan planning organization, where applicable, and at least288
the local professional associations representing the professions289
listed in division (B) of this section.290

       Sec. 5552.07. A board of county commissioners or board of291
township trustees that adopts access management regulations under292
section 5552.02 of the Revised Code shall include in those293
regulations the designation of a board to hear and decide appeals294
when it is alleged that there is error in any order, requirement,295
decision, or determination made by an administrative official in296
the enforcement of the regulations. This appellate board may be297
the board itself acting in an administrative capacity, or some298
other board appointed by the board of county commissioners or299
board of township trustees, whichever is applicable. The300
regulations also shall authorize that appellate board to grant301
variances that are not contrary to the public interest from the302
terms of the regulations where, owing to special conditions, a303
literal enforcement of the regulations will result in unnecessary304
hardship, and so that the spirit of the regulations will be305
observed and substantial justice done.306

       Sec. 5552.08. (A) A permit issued under access management307
regulations adopted under section 5552.02 of the Revised Code308
shall prescribe the limitations on, as well as the permitted uses309
of, the permit. No modifications or amendments to the permit310
shall be made once it is issued. To be subject to a different311
permit, a person shall apply for a new permit that specifically312
supersedes the existing permit.313

       (B) A board of county commissioners or a board of township314
trustees, as applicable, may charge a permit fee not to exceed the315
actual cost of administering the permit.316

       Sec. 5552.09.  Any access management regulations adopted317
under section 5552.02 of the Revised Code become effective on the318
thirty-first day following the date of their adoption unless319
otherwise indicated in the regulations. The board adopting the320
regulations shall publish notice of their adoption, and of their321
availability at the board's office, in at least one newspaper of322
general circulation in the county or township, as applicable,323
within ten days after their adoption. The board also shall324
provide a copy of the regulations to the department of325
transportation district deputy director for the district in which326
the county or township is located.327

       Sec. 5552.10.  The board of county commissioners shall328
designate the county engineer to administer county access329
management regulations, except that if the engineer declines to330
administer the regulations, the board may designate another331
person, or a planning commission, to administer them. If a board332
of township trustees adopts access management regulations, the333
board may administer the regulations or may appoint the township334
clerk or any other person to administer them, with the advice of335
the county engineer.336

       If the access management regulations apply to a subdivision337
and a permit request is filed pertaining to the subdivision, the338
county engineer, board of township trustees, planning commission,339
or other person administering the regulations shall approve or340
disapprove the permit request within the time period for approval341
of a subdivision without a plat specified in section 711.131 of342
the Revised Code.343

       Sec. 5552.11.  (A) No access management regulation, or344
amendment to an access management regulation, adopted under345
section 5552.02 of the Revised Code shall be construed to affect346
any access point that exists, or on which construction has begun,347
before the effective date of the regulation or amendment.348

       (B) Division (A) of this section does not prohibit access349
management regulations adopted under section 5552.02 of the350
Revised Code from regulating the reconstruction or relocation of351
access points or from applying when land use is changed in a way352
that significantly increases the types of traffic or traffic353
volume on a street or highway.354

       (C) No access management regulation, or amendment to an355
access management regulation, adopted under section 5552.02 of the356
Revised Code shall be construed to affect the state highway system357
or modify any access management standards or procedures358
established by the director of transportation under sections359
5501.31 and 5515.01 of the Revised Code.360

       (D) No access management regulation, or amendment to an 361
access management regulation, adopted under section 5552.02 of the 362
Revised Code shall apply to any streets, highways, or other 363
roadways located in a municipal corporation.364

       Sec. 5552.99.  Whoever violates an access management365
regulation adopted under section 5552.02 of the Revised Code shall366
be fined not more than five hundred dollars for each offense. Each367
day of violation is a separate offense.368

       Section 2.  That existing section 711.131 of the Revised Code369
is hereby repealed.370

       Section 3.  Chapter 5552. of the Revised Code shall be called371
"Road Access Management."372