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Record of Proceedings

Powell Planning & Zoning Commission Meeting - July 15, 2026: Comprehensive Zoning Code Update Review

City Council & Boards — Wednesday, July 15, 2026
BodyPowell, Ohio
SessionCity Council & Boards
DateWednesday, July 15, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 46:05

Original source
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0:00

We're gonna call to order the July 15th planning and zoning commission meeting.

0:06

Please call the role.

0:07

Lester?

0:08

Sean Simpson.

0:09

Yes.

0:10

Servine is absent.

0:11

Sit around Kapaka.

0:13

Yes.

0:14

Blackford is absent.

0:15

Sean Greer?

0:16

Here.

0:16

Greg Speyer's here.

0:19

Pledge of allegiance.

0:24

Pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands.

0:30

One nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all.

0:37

The Planning and Zoning Commission is an advisory board to city council and zoning map amendments.

0:42

Preliminary and final development plan for plotting of property is under consideration.

0:47

In such cases, city council will receive recommendations from the commission.

0:51

In other cases, the commission has a decision making responsibility.

0:56

Hearing any visitors today, seeing none other than our friend.

1:01

I have a motion to approve the move.

1:03

So moved.

1:04

Everyone say aye.

1:06

Nay.

1:09

Before we get to our first item, it's a very special day today.

1:14

And I would like to wish Ms.

1:15

Claw.

1:18

We got your own small cake.

1:21

And I got everyone a mini project.

1:26

Thank you.

1:27

I get one too.

1:28

Oh, yeah.

1:31

Sure.

1:32

Yeah, it's a birthday today.

1:35

Yeah.

1:37

Turning 35 again.

1:40

Happy birthday.

1:41

Thank you.

1:42

Ladies.

1:45

Not a bad way to start this off.

1:48

It's not.

1:56

Boy, thank you.

2:00

I was new surprise.

2:10

Okay.

2:11

Now let's get really appreciative.

2:23

All right.

2:24

We got one item on the agenda tonight.

2:28

This is the administrative review of the zoning code update.

2:31

Case 2025, as 12 ADM.

2:34

It's a request for review and recommendation of approval to City Council for the comprehensive update of the City of PAL zoning code.

2:41

Chapter 11 of the Codified Ordinances.

2:44

This is the final step after everything.

2:49

For us at least.

2:50

Well, for this board.

2:55

Let's hear it.

2:56

Yeah.

2:56

No, I want to I want to start by by thanking you all for working with us to reschedule this special hearing for it.

3:03

You know, this is believe it or not, two years in the making since we first started this process.

3:08

So a lot of work has gone into this, and while I may be the one that's doing most of the talking for this, I think it's important to know just how much effort our staff put into this.

3:19

You know, Claudia, myself, uh Jacob Bond, who is also in our in our office.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Planning And Zoning█████████████████████████████████████████████79%
Technology and Innovation███6%
Procedural███5%
Historic Preservation██4%
Engineering And Infrastructure██4%
Tree Management█2%
Summary of Proceedings

Powell Planning & Zoning Commission Meeting - July 15, 2026

On July 15, 2026, the Powell Planning & Zoning Commission held a special meeting at 6:30 PM in Council Chambers, 47 Hall Street, Powell, OH. The sole substantive agenda item was Case 2025-12ADM, an administrative review and recommendation to City Council for a comprehensive update of the City of Powell Zoning Code (Chapter 11). The update, two years in development, was presented by staff with support from consultant Zone Co. The Commission voted unanimously to recommend approval to City Council, with a first reading scheduled for July 21, 2026, second reading on August 4, 2026, and an effective date of September 4, 2026.

Consent Calendar

  • Approval of Minutes: The Commission unanimously approved the minutes from the June 11, 2026, meeting.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • No visitors spoke during the Hearing of Visitors for items not on the agenda.

Discussion Items

  • Comprehensive Zoning Code Update (Case 2025-12ADM): Staff presented a detailed overview of the proposed code, emphasizing its origins in the 2016 Comprehensive Plan, a 2024 consultant assessment, and extensive community engagement including a visual preference survey at PALFest and an online survey. The new code is organized into 4 titles and 17 chapters, covering: zoning districts (10 total, including a new historic overlay and civic/institutional district), use tables, general development standards (parking, landscaping, sign regulations), improvement standards, subdivision procedures, and approval processes. Key features include: right-sized parking requirements (e.g., one space per residential unit), increased building height (up to 40 feet in commercial/historic districts), clearer deviation criteria, and a commitment to periodic updates every two years. Nonconforming structures may continue as-is; only new additions must comply. The code is designed to be more user-friendly and flexible, reducing reliance on custom planned districts.
  • Commission Q&A: Commissioners asked about council reading dates (July 21 and August 4), selection of Zone Co. (RFP process), treatment of existing planned districts (e.g., Golf Village and OSU), nonconforming additions (only addition must conform), building height adjustments (Liberty Green needed one extra foot), parking reductions, temporary signage restrictions (not allowed in downtown but limited permits for grand openings), and how the code empowers Commission review (clarifies criteria). Staff confirmed a lessons-learned review every two years and that new permitting software will launch September 1, 2026.

Key Outcomes

  • Vote: A motion to recommend approval of the comprehensive zoning code update to City Council passed unanimously on a roll call vote: Greg Spires (yes), David Lester (yes), John Simpson (yes). Members absent: Servine and Blackford.
  • Next Steps: The recommendation will be presented to City Council for a first reading on July 21, 2026, and a second reading on August 4, 2026, with adoption and an effective date of September 4, 2026. The updated Downtown Design Guidelines and new permitting software are expected to align with this timeline.

Meeting Transcript

We're gonna call to order the July 15th planning and zoning commission meeting. Please call the role. Lester? Sean Simpson. Yes. Servine is absent. Sit around Kapaka. Yes. Blackford is absent. Sean Greer? Here. Greg Speyer's here. Pledge of allegiance. Pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all. The Planning and Zoning Commission is an advisory board to city council and zoning map amendments. Preliminary and final development plan for plotting of property is under consideration. In such cases, city council will receive recommendations from the commission. In other cases, the commission has a decision making responsibility. Hearing any visitors today, seeing none other than our friend. I have a motion to approve the move. So moved. Everyone say aye. Nay. Before we get to our first item, it's a very special day today. And I would like to wish Ms. Claw. We got your own small cake. And I got everyone a mini project. Thank you. I get one too. Oh, yeah. Sure. Yeah, it's a birthday today. Yeah. Turning 35 again. Happy birthday. Thank you. Ladies. Not a bad way to start this off. It's not. Boy, thank you. I was new surprise. Okay. Now let's get really appreciative. All right. We got one item on the agenda tonight. This is the administrative review of the zoning code update. Case 2025, as 12 ADM. It's a request for review and recommendation of approval to City Council for the comprehensive update of the City of PAL zoning code.

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