WHAT IS ZONING?
Zoning is the regulation of the use of land and buildings which permits a community to control the development of its own jurisdiction. Simply stated, zoning is a locally enacted law that regulates and controls the use of private property. Zoning involves dividing the countryside into districts or zones for agricultural, residential, commercial, industrial, and public purposes. The zoning law or resolution then states which specific uses are permitted in each district, and under what circumstances. It provides for orderly growth by protecting homes and property from harmful uses on neighboring properties. Zoning also regulates the size of lots, the distances which buildings must be set back from roads or property lines, the maximum height of buildings, the population density, and other land use considerations. Any zoning restriction must have a reasonable relationship to public health, safety, morals, comfort or general welfare. Thus, zoning is one response to the complexities of modern life.
Ohio authorized township zoning in 1947 and Clearcreek Township originally adopted a zoning code on August 31, 1953. Ohio law now adequately provides for the submission of a zoning plan to the electors of the township and contains provisions for the administration, enforcement, and amendment of the zoning plan if it is adopted.