Council will view proposal for subdivision regulations

Proposed regulations will be more suitable for the village, one official said.
By TIM YOVICH
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
LORDSTOWN -- Village council will get its first look Tuesday at the new subdivision regulations being proposed.
"We're trying to clean some things up," Mayor Michael A. Chaffee said of the proposal. "It will be easier for people to build and move into the town."
Currently, the village follows the subdivision regulations updated in August 2003 by the Trumbull County Planning Commission.
Ron Barnhart, village planning and zoning director, said the county regulations were originally adopted in the 1950s and the village adopted them in 1991.
Barnhart said he started working on putting together the village's own regulations about two years ago after the county updated its regulations.
Essentially, he explained, the village will be adopting the county's updated regulations with some changes that are suitable in Lordstown.
'A major change'
"It's a major change to coordinate it with the county changes," Barnhart said. "We want to keep as close to the county [regulations] as possible."
One change reduces front footage of a lot on a cul-de-sac from 100 feet to 40 feet.
Cul-de-sac lots are pie-shaped, and it would be nearly impossible to build a house on a lot that requires 100 front feet.
In another change, the county regulations permit construction of alleys or half-streets.
Barnhart, however, said the village doesn't want them. An alley is a street that abuts a building.
A half-street is a street that is only paved on one side. It's cheaper than paving the entire street and sometimes used when houses are being built on one side of the street.
"Pave the entire street or none at all," Barnhart said.
The proposal also calls for larger lot sizes than required by the county. Village lots for houses must be 100 feet, except at a cul-de-sac, and 200 feet deep.
Barnhart said a public hearing will be at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday in the village administration building. Council will give the legislation creating the local regulations the first of three readings after the 6 p.m. caucus session.
yovich@vindy.com