Copley trustees deny accessory dwelling units

COPLEY — Copley Board of Trustees Jan. 17 voted 2-1 on an amendment to zoning that would have permitted accessory dwelling units (ADU).
At a public hearing Jan. 3, Copley Zoning Inspector Shawna Gfroerer said the Planning Commission recommended allowing ADUs as a conditional use, which would include specific setback requirements and other conditions, including requiring the owner of the ADU live on the same property and use the same utilities as those living in the accessory dwelling.
At the Jan. 17 meeting, Trustees Scott Dressler and Bruce Koellner voted to deny the amendment, citing concerns over whether the township would be able to enforce zoning violations related to ADUs. Trustee Jim Schulte voted in favor of the amendment, adding that he would have liked the amendment to include additional conditions for ADUs such as a requirement of a half-acre lot size and a distance of 100-feet from other dwelling units. Schulte also said he opposes ADUs in residential neighborhoods with smaller lots and single-family homes.
Also at the meeting, trustees approved:
• payments of $216,960 to Tim Lally Chevrolet for five marked police vehicles and up to $55,000 to Halls Public Safety Outfitters to change equipment in three of the new vehicles; $11,509 to Lewis Landscaping to provide fertilizer and weed control treatments on township property and to maintain the playground at Copley Community Park, representing a 5% increase over 2022 with an additional $800 for turf work at Copley Circle according to Service Director Greg Tracy; $13,333 to AARDVARK to purchase three sets of gear for Copley Police Department officers assigned to the Metro SWAT team; $37,400 to CESO Engineering for additional design services related to the extension of Sunset Drive and the new safety facility project; and $22,510 for the December 2022 payment to the Ohio Police and Fire Pension Fund; and
• establishing a special revenue fund to track revenue and expenses related to an Ohio First Responders Wellness, Recruitment, Retention and Resilience grant received by Copley Fire Department to cover wages and benefits for two full-time firemedics.
The board also announced receipt of a $3,258 grant from Dominion Energy to create a rain garden on township property near the eastern gateway sign and approved dates for this year’s Bike Rodeo as May 27, Halloween in the Park as Oct. 28 and Trick or Treat as Oct. 29.
Copley trustees next meet Feb. 14 at 6 p.m. at Town Hall, 1540 S. Cleveland-Massillon Road. The meeting is also available for viewing at www.copley.oh.us, under “Government” and “Board of Trustees Meeting Videos.”