Panel will suggest some changes

Some proposed zone changes are significant.
By TIM YOVICH
Vindicator Trumbull Staff
LORDSTOWN -- The village planning commission will be recommending zoning regulation changes to council, and is discussing others -- including the control of vicious dogs.
Ron Barnhart, village planning and zoning administrator, said dangerous dogs such as pit bulls, have not been a problem in the community. But he said the village should have some restrictions dealing with them before a problem develops.
Barnhart looked at ordinances dealing with dangerous and vicious animals in other communities. He selected current law in McDonald village as a basis for the proposal.
The proposal calls for an owner to keep the animal in a locked enclosure. If the animal is off the premises, it must be on a leash not longer than 6 feet and with a minimum tensile strength of 300 pounds.
The law would also prohibit possession of such animals with the intent to sell or breed them within the village.
Zoning
Barnhart said he and the zoning commission have been working for about three months "to clean up the planning and zoning ordinance."
Some changes will be presented to council this month.
The makeup of the zoning board of appeals also may be changed. It calls for the elimination of the mayor as a member of the five-person board. The board would be made up of a council member and four members from the public.
With the mayor as a board member, Barnhart explained, he or she can order a property owner to be cited for a violation and then sit in judgment of the actions of the administrator. This is a conflict of interest, he said.
Another proposal to council will be defining what is a front setback, side yard and rear setback. The number of feet are now defined, but the regulations don't specify that the measurements are from the property line to the structure.
Currently the regulations call for an animal storage area such as a horse barn be built 200 feet from a neighboring house. However, if the neighboring land is vacant, the barn must be constructed 200 feet from the property line because a house can be constructed nearly anywhere on the vacant land.
The change puts responsibility on the owner of the vacant land to build a house at least 200 feet from the barn.
Also, proposals eliminate the duties of income tax administrator from under the administrator of planning and zoning, because the job has been under the treasurer's office for six years.
Basements
In addition, basements would be defined so the regulations can deal with them.
Some of the other restrictions being discussed by the planning commission, Barnhart said, concern driveways and culverts.
The administrator explained that houses are supposed to have a 200-square-foot parking space for each vehicle although the shape isn't defined.
Under discussion is to make each space 10 feet by 20 feet at a minimum rather than, for example, 5 feet by 40 feet, or 200 square feet.
Also being discussed is the requirement to install culvert pipes along the front of property to close in ditches. The final authority would be the street commissioner because the grade of some properties isn't conducive to drainage pipe. The commissioner would also decide on the size of pipe that would be used.
There is a proposal being discussed to control fencing on properties of less than five acres. This will eliminate the fencing restrictions on farmland.
yovich@vindy.com