Chester Township to Seek Advice on Zoning Language

March 9, 2023 by Brian Doering

Chester Township Trustees, Zoning Commission and Board of Zoning Appeals discussed potential areas of change to the township’s zoning laws at the Geauga West Public Library March 1.

During the joint meeting, trustees and zoning board members touched on a number of topics, including the exclusion of nursing homes, signage, cluster homes, swimming pool covers and park district designations.

Zoning Commission Chair Johnathan Oswick said Chester Township’s location — easily accessible from the interstate and the next closest area for people to move to — has drawn interest from developers.

“It’s become a hotbed for people to come in and take a look and start poking around, as we all know from the first congregate care,” said Oswick. “Those things, cluster homes and developments. The developers are keying in on our township.”

In August of last year, trustees voted unanimously to deny a zoning amendment change sought by an out-of-state nursing home corporation wishing to build a nursing home facility on property in the commercial district. If the amendment had passed, congregate care facilities would have been permitted for any property zoned as commercial in the township.

Trustees nixed the plan after hearing from members of the community and other interested parties, including recommendations from the zoning commission and the Geauga County Planning Commission.

Other concerns voiced were that allowing a congregate-care facility could lead to the building of high-density housing and drug rehabilitation centers; an increased need for police, fire and emergency services; increased traffic; sewer capacity and water availability.

Oswick said the zoning commission is not truly prepared for such a situation and there should be a discussion about hiring consultants at some time down the road.

“We feel that there’s multiple routes to be in preparation for and we also feel that with the cluster homes, congregate care and even signage, it’s going to take someone more astute than us. We feel as a board, we should consider spending the money because we aren’t those professionals,” Oswick said. “These (issues) are bigger than us and these will last for years. It’s way beyond us and our children.”

Zoning commission member Andrew Chess said the issues of signage, cluster homes and congregate care have been brewing for many years and been constantly kicked down the road.

“I think all three things right now are going to come to a head really quickly and we’re gonna be caught flat-footed. Every time this group here takes a major issue, it takes us a year, year and a half, two years to get it through,” Chess said. “I’m asking everybody here, what are we going to do if nobody wants to spend any money, to speak up and help us along? It’s all going to come upon us. There’s just not enough man-hours here.”

Trustee Craig Richter said any such issues will come to the BZA and not the zoning commission.

“If anyone has an issue with signage and it’s not in our zoning resolution, then the applicant goes to them for relief or approval, or not approval, of a variance,” Richter said. “It’s not even on you guys. If they don’t approve it, then it goes to court and then it comes to us, so we’re happy to assist in it, but it’s up to them.”

Zoning Commission member Sergey Kats asked if signage was the biggest issue in the township or are citizens more concerned with cluster homes and congregate care coming in.

“What we’re trying to figure out is what’s our priority list? Because part of the reason we’re here is so we don’t get in the same situation as we did last year,” Kats said.

Trustee Ken Radtke said part of the township zoning resolution’s purpose is for clarity and consistency for signage, and the public doesn’t want nursing homes in the community based on their input from last year.

“You talked about the sense of urgency and the ability to get something done. That could probably be done rather quickly to craft that language,” Radtke said.

Radtke asked Chess if the zoning commission needs specific expertise.

“What we’re saying is if we’re going to tackle other things, there’s experts at other townships and cities that work in conjunction (with them) that we have to maybe spend some money to get,” Chess said.

Kats said everyone is on the same page when it comes to signage.

“We’re going to take a look at it, keep you guys informed, have the public hearings,” Kats said. “I think the idea in regards to the other two is probably a little bit more of a hot topic issue that needs to be addressed fairly soon. Probably hire an outside person to tell us the legalities and how to properly do it.”

Radtke said he plans to speak with Assistant County Prosecutor Sheila Salem regarding what would be the best way to write language for the prohibition of nursing homes in the township.