City Council

City of Trotwood 3035 Olive Road Trotwood, Ohio 45426 937.837.7771 www.trotwood.org Meeting Minutes - Final Monday, March 17, 2025 6:30 PM Special Meeting - Workshop Trotwood Community and Cultural Arts Center 4000 Lake Center Drive, Trotwood, Ohio 45426 City Council Mayor Yvette F. Page Vice Mayor Tyna R. Brown, Ward 4 Council Member Bettye L. Gales, Ward 1 Council Member Martha H. Clark, Ward 2 Council Member Milton J. Pearson, Ward 3 Council Member Rhonda C. Finley, At Large Council Member Denise Moore, At Large Clerk of Council Kara B. Landis City Council Meeting Minutes - Final March 17, 2025 I. Call to Order Mayor Page called the meeting to order at 6:30 p.m. II. Pledge of Allegiance Mayor Page led the Pledge of Allegiance. III. Roll Call Clerk Landis took Roll Call. Present: 7 - Council Member Gales, Council Member Moore, Council Member Clark, Council Member Finley, Council Member Pearson, Vice Mayor Brown and Mayor Page STAFF MEMBERS PRESENT: City Manager Quincy Pope, Clerk of Council Kara Landis, Law Director Chris Conard, Deputy City Manager Stephanie Kellum, Police Chief Erik Wilson, and Fire Chief Richard Haacke. IV. Approve the Agenda Mayor Page requested a Motion to approve the Agenda. A Motion was made by Vice Mayor Brown, seconded by Council Member Finley, and the Motion CARRIED by the following vote: Aye: 7- Council Member Gales, Council Member Moore, Council Member Clark, Council Member Finley, Council Member Pearson, Vice Mayor Brown and Mayor Page V. Special Presentation and Staff Reports PR05-25 Future Land Use Plan - Final Draft Presented by Tyler Hauck, Planning and Zoning Administrator Attachments: PR05-25 Memo to Council PR05-25 Land Use Plan - Final DRAFT Planning and Zoning Administrator Tyler Hauck reviewed the final draft of the 2025 Comprehensive Land Use Plan, which included discussion about the moratorium on self-storage facilities, mini-storage facilities, and mini-warehouses; and the moratorium on three-four family dwellings and multi-family dwellings. Mr. Hauck gave an overview of the demographics and statistics, guiding principles, future land use plan map, future land use categories, and plan recommendations and implementation. He added that the plan was created by the consultant with input from the public, a steering committee that met monthly, and a Council workshop held last December. Mr. Hauck stated that his presentation will include discussion about the storage moratorium and the multi-family moratorium and how they fit into the plan. City of Trotwood Page 1 City Council Meeting Minutes - Final March 17, 2025 Mr. Hauck reminded Council that the land use plan is the guiding document for the City in regards to making policies and decisions. He explained that when someone approaches him about future development, the first thing he does is review the document to determine how their development fits in the plan. He shared that based on best practices, plans are reviewed annually by staff, with major updates every five (5) years and a new plan created every 10 years. Mr. Hauck advised Council that the City's current plan was adopted in 1999. Mr. Hauck explained that the land use plan is a guide book for creating policy, it doesn't actually change the rules and regulations, while the zoning code is where the rules and laws that are adopted based on the plan are set forth. He added that the zoning code shows the zoning currently in place, while the land use plan depicts the desired zoning for the future. Mr. Hauck mentioned the nine guiding principles, specifically speaking about principle number two relating to housing as he knows it is a key component to this discussion. He stated that this principle basically says if there is to be density, it should be in areas that can support it, and that we want to maintain the rural character of the rural land. Mr. Hauck suggested more detail be added to principle number two to address home ownership, then asked for Council's input. Council Member Finley asked where the mobile home parks are located based on the existing land use map. Mr. Hauck shared that there is a mobile home park on Wolf Creek Pike (Catalpa Grove) and on Third Street (Voyager Village). Council Member Finley also pointed out the importance of noting 42.1% of homes in Trotwood are rentals and she agrees there needs to be more focus on home ownership. She would like to understand why Clayton only has 18.4% of their homes as rentals, noting they are a neighboring community. Mr. Hauck advised that he would speak with the consultant and consider adding some language to this regard as part of a guiding principle. Council Member Finley then mentioned how the CIC repurposes homes and she believes many of those homes are becoming rentals; she would like to incorporate a policy addressing this concern. Mr. Hauck advised that the City does not have the ability to regulate the use of private property in such a way. Law Director Conard added that requirements such as this are normally handled through a community's HOA. He went on to explain that both the Fifth Amendment and Ohio Constitution have strict guidelines, and Ohio law has a preference that it is a presumption that a property owner can do what they want with their property unless there's reasonable zoning to limit it. Law Director Conard stated that he believes any effort to restrict private property to owner-occupied would be a significant challenge and he would have concerns that the City couldn't defend such a position. Vice Mayor Brown added that in addition to HOAs, private funding programs can also add such restrictions. Law Director Conard suggested that the source of funding can affect the ability to establish such restrictions. Mr. Hauck asked Council Member Finley for some examples and offered to speak with TCIC Executive Director Chad Downing to understand the funding programs used by the CIC to see if such restrictions are in place or possible. He then added that he is aware of a potential sale of CIC property where the buyer expressed a desire to rent the property, and they ended up going another way with the sale so he does know the CIC is looking for owner occupants. Council Member Pearson asked if it is possible to require the new companies City of Trotwood Page 2 City Council Meeting Minutes - Final March 17, 2025 coming to Trotwood to employ residents. Mr. Hauck explained that he is not aware of any formal agreement, but knows they are highly motivated to work with the City and employ qualified residents. Council Member Pearson asked if land contract agreements are part of this conversation. Mr. Hauck shared that from a zoning perspective, land contract agreements are not relative to this discussion. Council Member Clark recalled hearing from the CIC that new owners of a CIC home have to commit to occupancy for a certain period of time. Mr. Hauck stated that he will look into this and get an answer. Council Member Moore shared that when she served on the CIC Board she recalls their goal was owner occupancy, not rentals. Mayor Page added that as member of the CIC Board, she can confirm that owner occupancy is a priority. Mr. Hauck then referred back to guiding principle two and suggested, based on the feedback from Council, adding a sentence emphasizing home ownership. Council Members indicated (verbally and non-verbally) that they agreed. City Manager Pope added that due to the 2008 recession, over 1,000 homes were vacant and bought by investors for a very low price, which is why the percentage of home rentals is high. He stated that he believes the best way to transition to home ownership is by creating jobs and working with the schools to create positive reasons to move to Trotwood. Council Member Finley suggested that it's not only important to attract new residents, but to also retain current residents and Trotwood doesn't offer housing with certain amenities that appeal to those wanting to age in place. She then mentioned that some communities are offering incentives to young people, such as paying a portion of their student loan, in order to help them purchase a home. Council Member Finley also mentioned incorporating electric vehicle chargers in new homes as suggested by Mr. Hankins during his presentation at the March meeting. Mr. Hauck reiterated that the plan reflects wanting residents to be able to age in place, and he commented that guiding principle one addresses the ideas shared by Mr. Hankins. Mr. Hauck reviewed the future land use plan map and explained that the map reflects the feedback received during this project and depicts how the City should look in the future. During discussion about the core neighborhood category, one example used by Mr. Hauck was the Drexel area. He explained that the future map shows attached residential housing i.e. two-family dwellings, condos, townhomes, etc. should be located along collector or arterial streets and serve as a buffer between residential and commercial. Vice Mayor Brown questioned the placement of condos and townhomes on Third Street in the Drexel area. Mr. Hauck explained that the future map merely suggests this type of housing could be appropriate in this area, and whatever is built there should blend in with what is already established. Vice Mayor Brown stated that she feels it should be something more up-to-date to show support and growth. Council Member Finley asked about tiny homes. Mr. Hauck shared that there City of Trotwood Page 3 City Council Meeting Minutes - Final March 17, 2025 was some feedback about tiny homes, but not enough to be included in the plan. He suggested the possibility of lowering the minimum square footage requirement for a home to allow more variety in the homes people choose to build. He also shared that there was a lot of support for accessory dwelling units, which is additional living space on the same property but not attached to the existing residence. Mayor Page asked Mr. Hauck about patio homes in this area as she feels the City should upgrade from what is already existing. Mr. Hauck liked the suggestion of patio homes and also discussed zero-lot-line homes which removes the requirement for a side lot setback so each unit would be on its own property, but they would share a wall. Council Member Pearson expressed concern over long-term home ownership with tiny homes. Mr. Hauck explained that tiny homes might be attractive to a single person who would like to own a home, but he anticipates they would move on after getting married and starting a family. Council Member Pearson asked if there is any data to suggest how long someone lives in this style of home. Mr. Hauck stated that he would see what information he could find. Law Director Conard commented that typically tiny homes are a part of affordable housing initiatives and added that Trotwood has a lot of land, which he believes could have an impact on the type of housing attracted to the area. Mr. Hauck summarized the feedback suggesting to strike from guiding principle two about being consistent with what is around that area and focus on the types of housing in older neighborhoods like Townview and Drexel. Vice Mayor Brown suggested not necessarily striking the statement, but not making it what is already there because Council wants to upgrade the areas suggested. Mayor Page added that the current homes in these areas are not attached, which is why she likes the idea of patio homes; she does not like the idea of adjoining homes. Mr. Hauck then suggested being consistent with what is already in place, single-family or smaller-sized homes. Mr. Hauck then discussed low-intensity multi-family housing, using Shiloh Springs Road as an example. He explained that this category includes buildings that are one to two floors, include up to eight units per acre for small apartment buildings or up to 11 units per acre for townhomes, duplexes, two-family homes and other attached housing. He added that the suggestion is to keep the current look and encourage the area to remain a mix of housing, but to not expand the category with additional units. Mr. Hauck reiterated that the future plan depicts only the current multi-family housing areas, no new areas or expansion of multi-family housing. Mayor Page and Vice Mayor Brown expressed that they do not want to expand the multi-family zoning district. City Manager Pope added that he has been listening to Council over the last couple of years and he understands that they do not want to expand the multi-family zoning district. Council Member Finley asked about the future zoning suggestion of the new housing area along Olive Road. Mr. Hauck explained that the property being developed across from the government center is designated on the future plan as neighborhood mixed-use, then reminded Council that the plan is simply a guiding document, it doesn't change the zoning district. Mr. Hauck then reviewed the details of the neighborhood mixed-use district. City of Trotwood Page 4 City Council Meeting Minutes - Final March 17, 2025 Council Member Moore suggested that by having the land use plan in place, it provides some wiggle room as to what is approved or not approved when developers present proposals. Mr. Hauck agreed and stated that the land use plan is not a black and white document, it is reflective of what residents want to see the community look like. Council Member Moore then commented that the current plan is from 1999, 26 years old. City Manager Pope shared that in 2014, they were working to update the plan; however, Council did not like the consultant, who was eventually let go and the draft plan was tabled indefinitely. Council Member Gales commented on the documented median household incomes and pointed out that the City of Clayton income amount is double the income amount of Trotwood. She then mentioned the new housing in Clayton at the corner of Westbrook Road and Union Road. Council Member Gales added that the school system is another factor to consider, as it is not where it needs to be to attract families to move to Trotwood. Mayor Page responded, stating that while the median income is lower than other communities, it has increased significantly since 2019. She stressed the importance of this number because it is what brings amenities to the community and she anticipates it will increase even more with the new manufacturing jobs. Council Member Clark asked if the amount listed includes only taxable income because the Trotwood community has a lot of senior citizens that have income, but it is not taxable, or earned income. Mr. Hauck will research this question. Mr. Hauck then moved on to the Mixed-Use Core district and stated it was suggested if there was to be a higher-intensity density area it would likely be in the former Salem Mall area. He stated this could include office/commerical on the ground floor with residential above, up to 30 units per acre, improved open space such as playgrounds and patios, and separate uses with a gross density of 18 units per acre such as purely residential or purely commercial should be allowed. Mr. Hauck discussed the Special Area designation on the future land use map. He asked Council if there are any categories that would not be a good fit in each specific area. Council suggested striking the low-intensity multi-family from all of special areas. Council Member Gales asked about flex space. Mr. Hauck explained that flex space could be industrial or commercial space that has a lot of uses and can be customized to serve various business functions. Mr. Hauck went on to discuss certain recommendations, to include "right-sizing" the City's zoning requirements as 70% of residential lots do not meet current standards. He added that doing so will provide some relief for homeowners who want to update their property. Mr. Hauck explained that another recommendation is to allow accessory dwelling units. Council Member Moore asked if someone wanted to build something like this on their property, would they be allowed to offer it as a rental property, and also asked how many detached structures would be City of Trotwood Page 5 City Council Meeting Minutes - Final March 17, 2025 allowed on someone's property. Mr. Hauck stated that regulations could be crafted to address all of these concerns. Law Director Conard added that typically after setbacks are considered, properties only support adding one dwelling. Mr. Hauck reviewed several other recommendations and then discussed self-storage facilities. He explained that he believes the City is saturated with these types of businesses, which are less beneficial. He suggested there are higher and better uses for land in Trotwood so he will consider not allowing them in most, if not all, districts. He added that this use will be addressed in the forthcoming updated Appendix B. Council had no further questions about self-storage. Council Member Gales commented that there are a lot of recommendations to consider and asked when Council would begin discussing them. Mr. Hauck shared that the recommendations include short, medium, and long-term goals, and his next step would be a complete overhaul of the zoning code, which could take anywhere from 18-24 months. He added that in the short term, the Appendix B will be updated and presented to Council for consideration. Mayor Page asked if Council had any further questions. No questions or comments were presented by Council. City Manager Pope asked Mr. Hauck to make the suggested revisions and stated that because all of Council's questions and comments about the new land use plan have been addressed and documented, they should be prepared to adopt the plan at the next Council meeting on April 7th. Council indicated, verbally and non-verbally, that they understood. Law Director Conard briefed Council stating that zoning laws were not recognized by the United States Supreme Court until 1924, so there are inconsistencies because there were no rules when Trotwood became a City. He went on to point out that while the land use plan gives guidance as to the vision of the City, non-conforming uses exist everywhere. He added that there is always going to be tension between the vision of what might be and the land use plan because there are rights under Ohio law for property owners to use their land and when you have grandfathered uses, people don't understand why things are different. He pointed out that the City's zoning code has not been updated in a very long time and that a number of patches have been adopted over the years. He asked Council to have patience and understanding during this process as it takes time to get it right. Law Director Conard reiterated that we don't want residents to have to go to the Board of Zoning Appeals for everything and that Council needs to trust staff to interpret their vision. He commented that when discussing variances, area variances are very common; however use variances are very different and treated differently in the law; many communities do not allow use variances. He reiterated the importance of updating the zoning code to align with the land use plan. There were no additional questions or comments from Council and Mayor Page thanked Mr. Hauck for his excellent presentation. SR25-08 MORATORIUM: Self-Storage Facilities, Mini-Storage Facilities, and City of Trotwood Page 6 City Council Meeting Minutes - Final March 17, 2025 Mini-Warehouses This moratorium was discussed as part of PR05-25. It was suggested by Mr. Hauck that this use will not be permitted in any zoning district and that the updated Appendix B, to be presented to Council next month, will reflect such details. SR25-09 MORATORIUM: Three-Four Family Dwellings and Multi-Family Dwellings This moratorium was discussed as part of PR05-25. Council indicated they do not want to expand multi-family housing. Therefore, Mr. Hauck suggested that this use will not be permitted in any zoning district and that the updated Appendix B, to be presented to Council next month, will reflect such details. VI. Adjourn Mayor Page confirmed that all minds were clear and the meeting was adjourned at 8:30 p.m. City of Trotwood Page 7