Ontario City Council seeks clarity on proposed zoning changes ahead of public hearing

ONTARIO — Proposed changes to Ontario’s zoning code aim to make development rules more clear.

At a special meeting Tuesday evening, representatives from Reveille, the firm that helped the city develop its comprehensive plan, walked City Council through the proposed changes and explained how the proposed code changes would modernize regulations.

Council members questioned how the proposed code would address multiple concerns including residential zoning, property maintenance, fencing, swimming pool barriers and whether the city can prevent certain businesses from becoming oversaturated.

Council will have a public hearing on the proposed zoning code at 7 p.m. Oct. 21 at the Ontario Municipal Building, 555 Stumbo Road. Residents can review the proposed changes and share their concerns before council considers adoption.

Council President Eddie Gallo said the public will have four opportunities to review the proposal as council considers it through a public hearing and three readings.

Proposed code aims to modernize development rules

Glenn Grisdale, Reveille’s principal of planning and economic development, said the zoning review follows the city’s comprehensive plan, which drew on community surveys, student feedback and an 18-month planning process.

The comprehensive plan identified zoning updates as a key step toward managing growth in a way that reflects residents’ vision for Ontario.

“They don’t want you to be Columbus. Of course, they don’t want you to be Mansfield either. They want you to simply be Ontario,” Grisdale said.

Rachel Bach, Reveille’s principal of community development, said the team worked with a city-appointed steering committee to identify problems with the existing code and make the regulations easier for residents, property owners and developers to navigate.

Bach said the proposed code would replace the existing zoning ordinance in its entirety rather than add another round of amendments to a document that has evolved over the years.

“We really tried to simplify the language, try to take too much of that legalese out, so that it’s readable,” she said.

Revisions would reorganize permitted land uses into one table, update definitions and revise development standards. Reveille also proposed new zoning districts for agricultural land, public and institutional properties, neighborhood businesses and smaller single-family residential lots.

The proposal adds an Old Ontario overlay district with area-specific development and design standards intended to encourage walkability, connectivity and landscaping near Ontario schools and surrounding properties.

Residential zoning changes raise some concerns

The proposed zoning map also would change some properties from residential single-family zoning to two-family residential zoning and convert certain office-service areas to neighborhood business districts.

Under the proposed code, R-1 would designate single-family, low-density residential areas, while R-1A would designate single-family medium-density residential areas. R-2 would designate two-family residential areas. A table beginning on page 25 of the draft outlines the uses permitted in each district.

Bach said the team identified numerous residential properties that do not meet the current code’s requirements for lot width, lot area or building size.

They also proposed changes to conform existing homes and lots to the code’s requirements without forcing owners to alter their properties, she said.

(Story continues below image of proposed changes to the City of Ontario’s Zoning Map.)

Gallo said those changes need to be explained carefully so residents understand what a new zoning designation could mean for their properties.

Bach said the team could examine whether the proposed R-1A district, which would accommodate smaller single-family properties, would work better than the proposed R-2 designation in some areas.

“We’re not trying to take anybody’s property rights away,” Bach said. “In fact, we’re trying to, where it makes sense, make them more legal as opposed to less legal.”

Gallo also emphasized the need for clear development rules that would help developers understand what they can build without repeated disputes with the city.

Bach said Reveille would review the affected areas under an R-1A scenario before bringing the revised code back to council.

Council raises questions about property standards, walkability

Councilman Jason Bilyj questioned whether the code adequately addressed barriers around above-ground pools, specifically noting concerns for stairs with the barrier. He also asked how the city would handle hazardous materials associated with solar panels.

Bach said the team could strengthen the pool provisions and examine additional language addressing solar-panel disposal.

“You mentioned fencing, but I’d like to talk about which side of the fence you’re talking about. I’ve heard from previous residents about who needs to take care of what side of the fence,” Bilyj said.

Mayor Josh Bradley said the city has examined fencing regulations in Lexington, where the rules require fences to sit 2 feet from property lines.

“We can certainly look at it,” Bach said. “Typically it’s just on the property line. The other issue would be if you have a 2 foot strip of grass between the fences, who maintains it?”

She agreed to review how the code handles fences between neighboring properties and responsibility for maintaining the land around them.

Council members also discussed whether the revised code could help prevent an oversaturation of certain businesses, including gas stations, car washes and restaurants.

Bach said the city could establish separation requirements between certain uses or strengthen standards for businesses that raise concerns about their impact on surrounding properties.

Grisdale said Ontario could use development standards for lighting, landscaping and other site features to influence how businesses fit into the community.

He also noted stricter requirements could discourage some businesses from locating in the city.

Proposed code addresses development and existing properties

Bilyj asked whether the proposed code would make Ontario more walkable, particularly in areas where sidewalks and connections between neighborhoods remain limited.

Grisdale said the Old Ontario overlay district would encourage connectivity as properties undergo redevelopment. He pointed to the comprehensive plan’s broader strategies for improving pedestrian connections throughout the city.

Bilyj asked about the possibility of converting abandoned railroad property into a walking trail, an idea identified in the city’s comprehensive plan.

The plan recommends exploring a potential route from Rock Road West into Springfield Township and possibly Galion, creating a recreational connection between the communities. It also identifies a possible connection along Rock Road to Ontario Marshall Park, with a potential trailhead near Park Avenue and Rock Road or within the park.

The proposed code also updates parking, lighting, landscaping and sign regulations. These changes would modernize standards for development and consolidate provisions that currently appear in different sections of the zoning ordinance.

The draft includes a placeholder for data center regulations but does not establish new requirements for those facilities. Since the city is waiting for additional state guidance, Bach said they would wait before addressing the issue.

Ontario resident Craig Hunt asked how the new code would affect properties that already comply with the current rules.

Bach said existing legal uses and structures generally would remain legal after the city adopts the new code. However, a significant change to a property or redevelopment of a vacant site would need to meet the applicable requirements.

Reveille will return to council with a revised zoning code before the Oct. 21 public hearing, giving residents an opportunity to weigh in before the city considers adoption.