LAND USE CONTROLS
In Ohio, land use management authority resides with counties, municipalities and townships, with each of the
jurisdictions having specific authority over various aspects of land use decision-making.
All jurisdictions have the ability to prepare land use plans. Zoning and subdivision regulations are largely the
responsibility of cities and townships.
Zoning is a method by which a community designates land for various uses, primarily residential, commercial and
industrial. The legal basis for the classification of land use is to: encourage, regulate and restrict the use of land;
promote the orderly development of land; prevent traffic congestion; prevent overcrowding; promote a health
environment; and prevent conflicting uses of land.
Subdivision regulations address how land is divided and built upon;
municipalities have authority to adopt and administer subdivision
regulations. The development of subdivision regulations in townships
are the responsibility of the Boards of County Commissioners.
Subdivision regulations are used to: promote the orderly development of land; provide community facilities; manage
resources; determine the arrangement of streets and highways and the location of public/private utilities or facilities;
provide open space; provide safe vehicular and pedestrian movement and accurately survey and record the
subdivision of land.
Table 3-1 shows the distribution of land uses zoned in the communities in the I-71 corridor.
