Zoning - What is the Board of Zoning Commission?

The Plain Township Board of Zoning Commission consists of six (6) legal residents of the township that are appointed by the Township Trustees to serve a five (5) year term with one (1) term expiring every year. There are five (5) permanent positions and one (1) alternate position.

The function of the Zoning Commission is to make recommendations to the Board of Trustees with regard to amendments to the zoning text and map.

Amendments to the Zoning Resolution may be initiated by:

Motion of the Zoning Commission
Passage of a Resolution by the Board of Trustees
Filing of an application by one or more of the owners or lessees of the property

The burden of proof to support such a change rests with the person(s) requesting the change. The Zoning Commission or Board of Trustees do not have to prove to the applicant why his/her land should not be rezoned, but rather, the applicant, in submitting his/her request to the Township, must prove his/her case for the proposed change.

Amendment process:

Within thirty (30) day of the hearing, the Zoning Commission must forward its recommendation to the Board of Trustees along with the application and the recommendation of the Stark County Regional Planning Commission. The Zoning Commission must recommend either approval, disapproval, or a modification of the proposed amendment.
Upon receipt of the Zoning Commissions recommendation, the Board of Trustees shall set a time for a public hearing within thirty (30) days of the date of receipt of the Zoning Commissions recommendation.
Within twenty (20) days after the public hearing, the Trustees can accept, reject or modify the proposed amendment. The unanimous vote of the Board of Trustees is required to reject or modify the Zoning Commission’s recommendation. A majority vote is not needed to affirm the Zoning Commission decision.
Any amendment adopted by the Trustees becomes effective thirty (30) days from the date of such adoptions unless a petition for referendum is filed within that thirty (30) day period.

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