MEDINA COUNTY LAND USE MANAGEMENT
In Ohio, the authority and power to manage land use rests almost exclusively with home-rule local government. The
extent to which cities, villages and counties have adopted comprehensive land use plans, zoning ordinances, building
codes and subdivision regulations indicates the capacity of communities to manage land use and the linkages to
infrastructure, taxation, services, quality of life, and so on, rather than be managed by others. Table 2-6 indicates
the current extent of the land use management system in the study area.
Table 2-6
Medina County Land Use Management |
| Community |
Comprehensive
Plan |
Zoning
Ordinances |
Subdivision
Regulations |
Building
Codes |
| Middleburg Heights |
1972 |
1972 |
NA |
NA |
| North Royalton |
1993 |
1971 |
1971 |
1950's |
| Strongsville |
1991 |
1971 |
1967 |
1975 |
| Brunswick |
1995 |
1997 |
1972 |
1994 |
| Brunswick Hills Township |
1991 |
1991 |
1998 |
1992 |
| Granger Township |
1995 |
1997 |
1998 |
1992 |
| Guilford Township |
1993 |
1997 |
1998 |
1992 |
| Hinckley Township |
1993 |
1997 |
1998 |
1992 |
| Lafayette Township |
1987 |
1987 |
1998 |
1992 |
| Liverpool Township |
1994 |
1996 |
1998 |
1992 |
| Medina City |
1995 |
1997 |
1995 |
1996 |
| Medina Township |
1983 |
1997 |
1998 |
1992 |
| Montville Township |
1998 |
1997 |
1998 |
1992 |
| Sharon Township |
1996 |
1996 |
1998 |
1992 |
| Wadsworth City |
1996 |
1997 |
1998 |
1992 |
| Wadsworth Township |
1995 |
1997 |
1998 |
1992 |
| York Township |
1997 |
1995 |
1998 |
1992 |
| NA=Not Availiable |
Since 1990, the Medina County Planning Commission (MCPC), along with
the cities, villages and townships, have invested more than $250,000
in special planning, zoning and other land use projects.
Medina County Community Guide
The Community Guide is a countywide program to coordinate development
and public services. It was assembled by MCPC with input from the
county's cities, villages and townships, school districts, community
organizations, business representatives and citizens. The Community
Guide stresses that land use is the first decision in the planning
process, with infrastructure needs based on the land use policies.
The Community Guide contains tools for local jurisdictions to use
to improve land use policy-making, such as comprehensive land use
plans, open space plans, environmental analysis, fiscal impact analysis,
and methods to site commercial and industrial areas. In addition,
the Community Guide contains an assessment of land use patterns, population
projections and citizens' comments concerning their vision of
Medina County.
Medina County Thoroughfare Plan
As a companion piece to the Community Guide, the Thoroughfare Plan
is being prepared to address the countywide street system, local streets,
transit and bikeways. The Thoroughfare Plan identifies areas of needed
road improvements that will facilitate traffic circulation based on
the land use plans developed by the local jurisdictions. The Thoroughfare
Plan is expected to be completed in July 1998.
Higlights of the Plan are:
- Continue to evaluate the possibility of a new interchange at I-71
and SR-162 to:
- Provide a southern truck bypass connecting the western industrial
areas in Medina to I-71;
- Provide an alternative route to the downtown for trucks traveling
between I-71 and the westrn industrial area;
- Serve as an economic development stimulus for industrial development
through the provision of additional access to Medina; and
- Provide Montville and Sharon Townships additional opportunities and
access.
Highlights of Comprehensive Land Use Plans in the I-71 Corridor
City of Brunswick - The 1995 Development Policy Plan describes
the development trends, fiscal impact analysis, and development policies:
- Continue to aggressively pursue the widening of I-71 and the construction
of the Boston Road interchange;
- Pursue incremental improvements to the Pearl Road corridor to establish
it as a major corridor between Medina and Strongsville;
- Promote economically productive development such as commercial and
industrial uses in order to lessen the tax burden on residential areas.
These areas should continue to be located east of I-71;
- Preserve and develop commercial and industrial acreage and actively
increase the type of land use where appropriate;
- Review the zoning code and map to maximize the city's ability
to maintain vacant property that is appropriate for commercial or
industrial use and prevent rezoning to a less productive use;
- Review commercial and industrial land to assure that it will be developed
to its maximum tax generation potential;
- Develop site plan review standards for new development to ensure high
quality development. Fiscal analyses demonstrate that lower quality
commercial uses are not economically productive. High levels of investment
should be promoted in new commercial facilities;
- Primary costs are population driven and, until now, have shown no
significant cost per acre savings in higher density areas, the percentage
of residential land use devoted to multi-family development should
not be increased;
- Encourage low density single-family land use by maintaining a 80:20
ratio between single-family and multi-family housing stock; and
- Identify vacant areas suitable for residential uses to identify opportunities
to encourage low density residential development.
Brunswick Hills Township 1991 Land Use Plan
- There is no interest in encouraging or promoting large scale residential
developments or commercial and industrial growth;
- Preserve and protect a semi-pastoral atmosphere by promoting large
open spaces, green areas and large residential lots;
- Allow commercial and industrial development where permitted and appropriate;
and
- Provide all necessary services for current and future residents including,
but not limited to, central water and sewer services.
Hinckley Township 1993 Master Policy Plan Update
- Adopt and implement Land Use Policy that embraces and fosters a continuation
of the present rural residential character of the township;
- Recognize that central utility extensions may be needed to address
shortfalls or inadequacies in existing wells or septic systems;
- If utility extensions are needed, they should be provided to the least
possible extent to retain the rural residential character of the community;
- Explore expansion of open space areas;
- Develop conservation easements, residential clustering and modified
building setbacks to further preserve open space areas and rural atmosphere;
- Limit "urban type" development (small residential lots,
business and industry) to areas currently developed or zoned for these
purposes;
- Promote a Town Center development concept that would encourage small
scale commercial uses that would serve the local residents; and
- Work with other jurisdictions to assure that any needed road improvements
minimize through traffic and retains the township<@146>s rural character.
Medina City 1995 Comprehensive Plan
- Promote sound development practices to create an environment in which
viable economic activities are in harmony with conservation of natural
and manmade amenities;
- Encourage the compactness of commercial areas so that the traffic
carrying function of roads and the character of residential areas
will not be jeopardized;
- Discourage through traffic from entering the business centers; traffic
not headed for a destination within a business center should be encouraged
to use major routes which bypass the city of Medina;
- Continue to develop better routes through and around intensively developed
areas;
- Provide adequate amounts of industrial land to allow for the economic
growth of Medina;
- Develop areas in close proximity to existing water and sewer systems
first;
- Areas west and south of the drainage boundary should not be extensively
developed;
- Continue to improve Medina's Central Business Distict;
- Use policies and plans to acquire rights-of-way for proposed transportation
improvements, extensions and new connector roads by bypass roads;
- Minimize or prevent commercial strip zoning and concentrate new commercial
development in the CDC, the North Court Street shopping district,
and in selected neighborhood commercial centers;
- Provide a well-designed and balanced central core to attract activities;
- Provide for the development of industrial land with favorable connections
to the freeway systems to improve the economic base of the community;
- Assist existing industries to maintain and expand employment by providing
an attractive amenity package to industry; and
- Develop a roadway network that provides access to industrial areas
in order to necessitate nonresidential development and provide a balanced
tax base.
Medina Township 1983 Development Policy Plan
- Preserve, protect and improve the quality of the natural environment;
- Preserve a rural residential atmosphere in areas of the township not
planned for central sewer and water facilities and to provide reasonble
opportunities for planned growth in the limited area designated for
central sewer and waste service; and
- Insure that growth is properly planned and appropriate in a rural
or suburban residential context.
Montville Township 1997 Draft of the Development Policy Plan
- Preserve the rural atmosphere of the township in a manner which provides
for the potential growth and encourages community stability but maintains
the historical rural and agricultural charm;
- Protect sensitive natural areas, develop natural resources carefully,
and develop based on the natural capabilities and limitations of the
land;
- Maintain the thoroughfare network to ensure the safe, orderly and
convenient movement of vehicles; and
- Preserve open space and scenic natural resources.
Sharon Township 1996 Development Policy Plan Update
- Preserve the rural atmosphere of the township;
- Provide high quality economic development along SR-18;
- Maintain a level of community facilities and services adequate to
meet the needs of the population; and
- Guide the location and timing of new development on the basis of the
natural capabilities and limitations of the land.
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