The passage of legislation allowing for recreational use marijuana prompted Springfield Township to amend its zoning resolution.
The trustees approved changes to the text amendment at the March 5 meeting.
At a meeting last November, Jacob Barnes, planning director, proposed the text amendment. “We requested this modification to have a regulatory provision in place prior to the Ohio Department of Commerce issuing adult-use recreational licenses for marijuana,” he explained.
The changes include removing medical marijuana dispensaries from the C-2 general commercial district and as a permitted use in the office and research district.
Marijuana dispensaries, cultivators, processors and testing laboratories may now be approved as conditional use only in an M-1 limited industrial district and are not a permitted use in the M-1 area.
Changes in language include removing the term “medical” marijuana under supplemental regulations and simply stating “marijuana.”
In addition, the amendment requires marijuana dispensaries to be a minimum of 1,000 feet from any school (K-12), church, public park, public playground, public library, preschool, child day care center, publically owned property, or other use established specifically for the activities of minors.
Cultivators, processors and testing laboratories shall be a minimum of 500 feet from the above facilities.
Following the public hearing, Mr. Barnes presented the zoning report for February. The department issued 13 permits and collected $1,530.
“There were quite a few new occupants for businesses which is always good to see,” he said.
Mr. Barnes also noted that over the past several weeks, he has visited more than 50 businesses to bring awareness of the solar eclipse.
“We want them to be prepared,” he said, explaining to each that there will be a substantial increase in vehicular and pedestrian traffic.
Other Business
In other business, the trustees:
•Approved a joint cooperation agreement with Lucas County for crack sealing of roads in the township.
Crack sealing will be performed on 4.77 miles of township roads in Spring Valley, Pineridge, Shadow Valley and Valley Stream subdivisions, as well as South Avenue from McCord to Quigley roads.
In addition, 5.6 miles of county roads within the township will be crack sealed. Those roads are Angola, Old State Line, Crissey, Centennial, King, Wilkins, Eber and Holland Sylvania. Portions of McCord will be crack sealed between Angola Road and Hancock Avenue and Central and Sylvania avenues.
The trustees approved the advertisement of bids for the project which, according to the county engineer, is estimated at $96,450.
•Announced that the Lucas County engineer’s office sent letters to 18 property owners to inform them of a roundabout project at Angola and Crissey roads scheduled to take place in summer 2027.
Survey crews will begin work in the next few weeks, checking existing conditions for the plan development. As a result, crews will be on properties, as needed, to complete the work.
•Approved the purchase of a Sutphen pumper vacuum truck for the fire department through a four-year lease purchase agreement with Leasing 2 Inc. at a cost of $1.92 million.
•Heard from Administrator Mike Hampton that the township is looking into the purchase of portable Flock cameras.
“They could have helped us in break-ins at Stone Oak subdivision and could be used at construction sites,” he said.
Township attorney Gary Sommers said he is exploring what the responsibilities are to the township even though any data collected would go directly to the sheriff’s department.
“We are still trying to work out the details,” he added.
•Paid bills from February 27 to March 5 totaling $100,770. They also approved electronic payments of $316,885, which includes the biweekly payroll of $298,581.
•Discussed, but took no action on, the appointment of a fiscal officer. The position became open when Rachel Geiger was appointed a township trustee.
The next trustees meeting will be at 5 p.m., Tuesday, March 19, in the township meeting hall, 7617 Angola Road, and is open to the public.
