To amend sections 303.02, 303.161, 519.02, 519.171, and 3735.27 and to enact section 3313.537 of the Revised Code to change the composition of certain metropolitan housing authorities, to alter the purposes for and scope of county and township zoning regulations, to permit counties and townships to have landscaping and architectural standards in their zoning codes in any zone, and to allow students enrolled in a community school sponsored by their school district to participate in extracurricular activities at the school district schools to which they otherwise would be assigned.

Section 1. That sections 303.02, 303.161, 519.02, 519.171, and 3735.27 be amended and section 3313.537 of the Revised Code be enacted to read as follows:

Sec. 303.02.  Except as otherwise provided in this section, in the interest of the public health, and safety, convenience, comfort, prosperity, or general welfare, the board of county commissioners may regulate by resolution, in accordance with a comprehensive plan, regulate by resolution the location, height, bulk, number of stories, and size of buildings and other structures, including tents, cabins, and trailer coaches, percentages of lot areas that may be occupied, set back building lines, sizes of yards, courts, and other open spaces, the density of population, the uses of buildings and other structures, including tents, cabins, and trailer coaches, and the uses of land for trade, industry, residence, recreation, or other purposes in the unincorporated territory of the county. Except as otherwise provided in this section, in the interest of the public convenience, comfort, prosperity, or general welfare, the board by resolution, in accordance with a comprehensive plan, may regulate the location of, set back lines for, and the uses of buildings and other structures, including tents, cabins, and trailer coaches, and the uses of land for trade, industry, residence, recreation, or other purposes in the unincorporated territory of the county, and may establish reasonable residential landscaping standards and residential architectural standards, excluding exterior building materials, for in the unincorporated territory of the county and, for. Except as otherwise provided in this section, in the interest of the public convenience, comfort, prosperity, or general welfare, the board may regulate by resolution, in accordance with a comprehensive plan, for nonresidential property only, the height, bulk, number of stories, and size of buildings and other structures, including tents, cabins, and trailer coaches, percentages of lot areas that may be occupied, sizes of yards, courts, and other open spaces, and the density of population in the unincorporated territory of the county. For all these purposes, the board may divide all or any part of the unincorporated territory of the county into districts or zones of such number, shape, and area as the board determines. All such regulations shall be uniform for each class or kind of building or other structure or use throughout any district or zone, but the regulations in one district or zone may differ from those in other districts or zones.

For any activities permitted and regulated under Chapter 1509., 1513., or 1514. of the Revised Code and any related processing activities, the board of county commissioners may regulate under the authority conferred by this section only in the interest of public health or safety.

Sec. 303.161. The board of county commissioners may create an architectural review board to enforce compliance with any zoning standards it may adopt pertaining to landscaping or architectural elements in areas zoned for residential use. The board of county commissioners shall adopt the standards and procedures for the architectural review board to use in reviewing zoning permit applications for compliance with those landscaping or architectural standards. If the board of county commissioners does not create an architectural review board, it may delegate this enforcement authority to the zoning inspector or the zoning commission.

An architectural review board shall consist of no more than five residents of the county. At least one member shall be a licensed architect or engineer.

Sec. 519.02.  Except as otherwise provided in this section, in the interest of the public health, and safety, convenience, comfort, prosperity, or general welfare, the board of township trustees may regulate by resolution, in accordance with a comprehensive plan, regulate by resolution the location, height, bulk, number of stories, and size of buildings and other structures, including tents, cabins, and trailer coaches, percentages of lot areas that may be occupied, set back building lines, sizes of yards, courts, and other open spaces, the density of population, the uses of buildings and other structures, including tents, cabins, and trailer coaches, and the uses of land for trade, industry, residence, recreation, or other purposes in the unincorporated territory of the township. Except as otherwise provided in this section, in the interest of the public convenience, comfort, prosperity, or general welfare, the board by resolution, in accordance with a comprehensive plan, may regulate the location of, set back lines for, and the uses of buildings and other structures, including tents, cabins, and trailer coaches, and the uses of land for trade, industry, residence, recreation, or other purposes in the unincorporated territory of the township, and may establish reasonable residential landscaping standards and residential architectural standards, excluding exterior building materials, for in the unincorporated territory of the township; and, for. Except as otherwise provided in this section, in the interest of the public convenience, comfort, prosperity, or general welfare, the board may regulate by resolution, in accordance with a comprehensive plan, for nonresidential property only, the height, bulk, number of stories, and size of buildings and other structures, including tents, cabins, and trailer coaches, percentages of lot areas that may be occupied, sizes of yards, courts, and other open spaces, and the density of population in the unincorporated territory of the township. For all these purposes, the board may divide all or any part of the unincorporated territory of the township into districts or zones of such number, shape, and area as the board determines. All such regulations shall be uniform for each class or kind of building or other structure or use throughout any district or zone, but the regulations in one district or zone may differ from those in other districts or zones.

For any activities permitted and regulated under Chapter 1509., 1513., or 1514. of the Revised Code and any related processing activities, the board of township trustees may regulate under the authority conferred by this section only in the interest of public health or safety.

Sec. 519.171. The board of township trustees may create an architectural review board to enforce compliance with any zoning standards it may adopt pertaining to landscaping or architectural elements in areas zoned for residential use. The board of township trustees shall adopt the standards and procedures for the architectural review board to use in reviewing zoning permit applications for compliance with those landscaping or architectural standards. If the board of township trustees does not create an architectural review board, it may delegate this enforcement authority to the zoning inspector or the zoning commission.

An architectural review board shall consist of no more than five residents of the unincorporated territory of the township. At least one member shall be a licensed architect or engineer; if a licensed architect or engineer does not reside in the unincorporated territory of the township, that member of the architectural review board may be a resident of the county.

Sec. 3313.537.  (A) As used in this section, "extracurricular activity" means a pupil activity program that a school or school district operates and is not included in the school district's graded course of study, including an interscholastic extracurricular activity that a school or school district sponsors or participates in and that has participants from more than one school or school district.

(B) A student in grades seven to twelve who is enrolled in a community school established under Chapter 3314. of the Revised Code that is sponsored by the city, local, or exempted village school district in which the student is entitled to attend school pursuant to section 3313.64 or 3313.65 of the Revised Code shall be afforded the opportunity to participate in any extracurricular activities offered at the traditional public school that is operated by the school district and to which the student otherwise would be assigned. If more than one such school operated by the school district serves the student's grade level, the student shall be afforded the opportunity to participate in any extracurricular activities offered at the school to which the student would be assigned by the district superintendent pursuant to section 3319.01 of the Revised Code.

(C) In order to participate in any extracurricular activity under this section, the student shall fulfill the same academic, nonacademic, and financial requirements as any other participant, including the rules and policies adopted by the school district under section 3313.535 of the Revised Code. The school district board of education may require the student to enroll and participate in no more than one academic course at the school offering the extracurricular activity as a condition to participating in the activity. In that case, the board shall admit students seeking to enroll in an academic course to fulfill the requirement as space allows after first enrolling students assigned to that school.

(D) No school or school district shall impose fees for a student to participate under this section that exceed any fees charged to other students participating in the same extracurricular activity.

(E) No school district, interscholastic conference, or organization that regulates interscholastic conferences or events shall require a student who is eligible to participate in extracurricular activities under this section to meet eligibility requirements that conflict with this section.

Sec. 3735.27.  (A) Whenever the director of development has determined that there is need for a housing authority in any portion of any county that comprises two or more political subdivisions or portions of two or more political subdivisions but is less than all the territory within the county, a metropolitan housing authority shall be declared to exist, and the territorial limits of the authority shall be defined, by a letter from the director. The director shall issue a determination from the department of development declaring that there is need for a housing authority within those territorial limits after finding either of the following:

(1) Unsanitary or unsafe inhabited housing accommodations exist in that area;

(2) There is a shortage of safe and sanitary housing accommodations in that area available to persons who lack the amount of income that is necessary, as determined by the director, to enable them, without financial assistance, to live in decent, safe, and sanitary dwellings without congestion.

In determining whether dwelling accommodations are unsafe or unsanitary, the director may take into consideration the degree of congestion, the percentage of land coverage, the light, air, space, and access available to the inhabitants of the dwelling accommodations, the size and arrangement of rooms, the sanitary facilities, and the extent to which conditions exist in the dwelling accomodations accommodations that endanger life or property by fire or other causes.

The territorial limits of a metropolitan housing authority as defined by the director under this division shall be fixed for the authority upon proof of a letter from the director declaring the need for the authority to function in those territorial limits. Any such letter from the director, any certificate of determination issued by the director, and any certificate of appointment of members of the authority shall be admissible in evidence in any suit, action, or proceeding.

A certified copy of the letter from the director declaring the existence of a metropolitan housing authority and the territorial limits of its district shall be immediately forwarded to each appointing authority. A metropolitan housing authority shall consist of members who are residents of the territory in which they serve.

(B)(1) Except as otherwise provided in division (C), (D), or (E) of this section, one member the members of a metropolitan housing authority shall be appointed as follows:

(a)(i) In a district in a county in which a charter has been adopted under Article X, Section 3 of the Ohio Constitution, and in which the most populous city is not the city with the largest ratio of housing units owned or managed by the authority to population, one member shall be appointed by the probate court, one member shall be appointed by the court of common pleas, one member shall be appointed by the board of county commissioners, and two members one member shall be appointed by the chief executive officer of the city that has the largest ratio of housing units owned or managed by the authority to population, and two members shall be appointed by the chief executive officer of the most populous city in the district, in accordance with the last preceding federal census. At

(ii) If, in a district that appoints members pursuant to division (B)(1)(a) of this section, the most populous city becomes the city with the largest ratio of housing units owned or managed by the authority to population, when the term of office of the member who was appointed by the chief executive officer of the city with the largest ratio expires, that member shall not be reappointed, and the membership of the authority shall be as described in division (B)(1)(b) of this section.

(b) In any district other than one described in division (B)(1)(a) of this section, one member shall be appointed by the probate court, one member shall be appointed by the court of common pleas, one member shall be appointed by the board of county commissioners, and two members shall be appointed by the chief executive officer of the most populous city in the district.

(2) At the time of the initial appointment of the authority, the member appointed by the probate court shall be appointed for a period of four years, the member appointed by the court of common pleas shall be appointed for three years, the member appointed by the board of county commissioners shall be appointed for two years, one member appointed by the chief executive officer of the most populous city in the district shall be appointed for one year, and the other member appointed by the chief executive officer of the most populous city in the district shall be appointed for five years. Thereafter

If appointments are made under division (B)(1)(a) of this section, the member appointed by the chief executive officer of the city in the district that is not the most populous city, but that has the largest ratio of housing units owned or managed by the authority to population, shall be appointed for five years.

After the initial appointments, all members of the authority shall be appointed for five-year terms, and vacancies due to expired terms any vacancy occurring upon the expiration of a term shall be filled in the manner provided in the original appointments by the appointing authority that made the initial appointment.

(3) For purposes of this division, population shall be determined according to the last preceding federal census.

(C) For any metropolitan housing authority district that contained, as of the 1990 federal census, a population of at least one million, two members of the authority shall be appointed by the legislative authority of the most populous city in the district, two members shall be appointed by the chief executive officer of the most populous city in the district, and one member shall be appointed by the chief executive officer, with the approval of the legislative authority, of the city in the district that has the second highest number of housing units owned or managed by the authority.

At the time of the initial appointment of the authority, one member appointed by the legislative authority of the most populous city in the district shall be appointed for three years, and one such member shall be appointed for one year; the member appointed by the chief executive officer of the city with the second highest number of housing units owned or managed by the authority shall be appointed, with the approval of the legislative authority, for three years; and one member appointed by the chief executive officer of the most populous city in the district shall be appointed for three years, and one such member shall be appointed for one year. Thereafter, all members of the authority shall be appointed for three-year terms, and any vacancy shall be filled by the same appointing power that made the initial appointment. At the expiration of the term of any member appointed by the chief executive officer of the most populous city in the district prior to before March 15, 1983, the chief executive officer of the most populous city in the district shall fill the vacancy by appointment for a three-year term. At the expiration of the term of any member appointed by the board of county commissioners prior to before March 15, 1983, the chief executive officer of the city in the district with the second highest number of housing units owned or managed by the authority shall, with the approval of the municipal legislative authority, fill the vacancy by appointment for a three-year term. At the expiration of the term of any member appointed prior to before March 15, 1983, by the court of common pleas or the probate court, the legislative authority of the most populous city in the district shall fill the vacancy by appointment for a three-year term.

After March 15, 1983, at least one of the members appointed by the chief executive officer of the most populous city shall be a resident of a dwelling unit owned or managed by the authority. At least one of the initial appointments by the chief executive officer of the most populous city, after March 15, 1983, shall be a resident of a dwelling unit owned or managed by the authority. Thereafter, any member appointed by the chief executive officer of the most populous city for the term established by this initial appointment, or for any succeeding term, shall be a person who resides in a dwelling unit owned or managed by the authority. If there is an elected, representative body of all residents of the authority, the chief executive officer of the most populous city shall, whenever there is a vacancy in this resident term, provide written notice of the vacancy to the representative body. If the representative body submits to the chief executive officer of the most populous city, in writing and within sixty days after the date on which it was notified of the vacancy, the names of at least five residents of the authority who are willing and qualified to serve as a member, the chief executive officer of the most populous city shall appoint to the resident term one of the residents recommended by the representative body. At no time shall residents constitute a majority of the members of the authority.

(D)(1) For any metropolitan housing authority district located in a county that had, as of the 2000 federal census, a population of at least four hundred thousand and no city with a population greater than thirty per cent of the total population of the county, one member of the authority shall be appointed by the probate court, one member shall be appointed by the court of common pleas, one member shall be appointed by the chief executive officer of the most populous city in the district, and two members shall be appointed by the board of county commissioners.

(2) At the time of the initial appointment of a metropolitan housing authority pursuant to this division, the member appointed by the probate court shall be appointed for a period of four years, the member appointed by the court of common pleas shall be appointed for three years, the member appointed by the chief executive officer of the most populous city shall be appointed for two years, one member appointed by the board of county commissioners shall be appointed for one year, and the other member appointed by the board of county commissioners shall be appointed for five years. Thereafter, all members of the authority shall be appointed for five-year terms, with each term ending on the same day of the same month as the term that it succeeds. Vacancies shall be filled in the manner provided in the original appointments. Any member appointed to fill a vacancy occurring prior to the expiration of the term shall hold office as a member for the remainder of that term.

(E)(1) An additional two members shall be appointed to the metropolitan housing authority in any district that has three hundred or more assisted housing units and that does not have at least one resident as a member of its authority. For the purposes of this section, an "assisted unit" is a housing unit owned or operated by the housing authority or a unit in which the occupants receive tenant-based housing assistance through the federal section 8 housing program, 24 C.F.R. Ch VIII, and, a "resident" is a person who lives in an assisted housing unit.

(2) The chief executive officer of the most populous city in the district shall appoint an additional member who is a resident for an initial term of five years. The board of county commissioners shall appoint the other additional member, who need not be a resident, for an initial term of three years. After the initial term, the terms of both members shall be five years, and vacancies shall be filled in the manner provided in the for original appointments. Any member appointed to fill a vacancy occurring prior to the expiration of the term for which the member's predecessor was appointed shall hold office as a member for the remainder of that term.

(3) A member appointed as a resident member who no longer qualifies as a resident shall be deemed unable to serve, and another resident member shall be appointed to serve the unexpired portion of that term.

(F) Public officials, other than the officers having the appointing power under this section, shall be eligible to serve as members, officers, or employees of a metropolitan housing authority notwithstanding any statute, charter, or law to the contrary. Not more than two such public officials shall be members of the authority at any one time.

All members of an authority shall serve without compensation but shall be entitled to be reimbursed for all necessary expenses incurred.

After a metropolitan housing authority district is formed, the director may enlarge the territory within the district to include other political subdivisions, or portions of other political subdivisions, but the territorial limits of the district shall be less than that of the county.

(G)(1) Any vote taken by a metropolitan housing authority shall require a majority affirmative vote to pass. A tie vote shall constitute a defeat of any measure receiving equal numbers of votes for and against it.

(2) The members of a metropolitan housing authority shall act in the best interest of the district and shall not act solely as representatives of their respective appointing authorities.

Section 2. That existing sections 303.02, 303.161, 519.02, 519.171, and 3735.27 of the Revised Code are hereby repealed.