Township Talk - September 3
New Trustee
Sylvania Township Trustee chairman Neal Mahoney administered the oath of office to Jill Johnson on Aug. 19, the day before she took her seat as the new Township Trustee, replacing John Crandall who resigned on June 30.
Johnson was selected by the Committee to Nominate Crandall for his election in 2021, as per Section 503.24 of the Ohio Revised Code, when trustees Mahoney and John Jennewine were unable to come to a decision on a candidate.
Before taking the oath for this office, Johnson had been elected to the Sylvania School Board and resigned from that position after serving three years of her term to take the township position. “It has been an honor and a privilege to serve on the school board, however, I feel I can make a bigger impact as a trustee, allowing me to contribute more to the community that I love. I am very patriotic and also love and want to serve my country. I realize that the best place to start is right here on the local level,” she offered.
“I like to think I will bring a different perspective to the board of trustees and make a positive impact by bringing rational, evidenced-based decision-making processes to the board,” Johnson added.
"As the eighth largest township in Ohio, Sylvania is a thriving area and while things are running smoothly, there is always room for improvement. My goal is to focus on maintaining the quality of life that our residents enjoy, while also exploring new opportunities to enhance services, support our local economy, and ensure that we are well prepared for the future,” Johnson noted.
“I look forward to working closely with the community, listening to their needs, and continuing to build on the strong foundation that has been laid.”
Zoning changes
The Sylvania Township Zoning Commission approved a zone change request for the property at 5629 Webster Dr. during its regular meeting held on Aug. 14. The property has been split zoned with both C-2, general commercial, and R-A, low density residential, designations. The zone change allows the entire property, which is a personal home site, to be brought under R-A zoning.
Also at the meeting, Daryl Graus, Township Planning and Zoning Manager, requested three text amendments be made to the Sylvania Township Zoning Resolution (STZR). The first request dealt with adding language to regulate the installation of electric vehicle charging stations as they are becoming more prevalent in the Township. After discussing the amendment, the board chose to table it and gather more information on the installations in both personal and commercial areas.
The Zoning Commission approved the second request made by Graus, which added language allowing the Board of Zoning Appeals to grant exceptions to the requirement for a public sidewalk along the frontage of a new development. The reasons an exception may be granted are listed in the STZR.
The third text amendment approved by the Commission dealt with Conditional Use permits. The Planning and Zoning Manager or the Township Administrator may designate the requested permit as Major or Minor. Graus explained this will allow some streamlining of the process of reviewing conditional use applications.
In other business, the commission approved sending a citizen-generated request for an amendment change to the Lucas County Plan Commission. The request is to eliminate the use of “Truck/Terminal Wash” from the list of uses excluded within the Central Avenue Overlay.
The final item passed during the meeting clarified the language naming the Planning and Zoning Manager as the person who forwards all applications for zoning changes and text amendments to the Lucas County Planning Commission.
Distinguished Citizen Award
A deadline of Sept. 29 has been set for the nomination of residents to be considered for the Sylvania Township Distinguished Citizen Service Award.
The award is designed to recognize residents of Sylvania, the Township and community of northwest Ohio whose voluntary efforts have improved the community but have largely been undertaken quietly and without recognition. The Township wants to shine a light on the high-impact volunteers who have given of themselves for the betterment of the community and their fellow citizens.
The award program specifically excludes elected officials from consideration or anyone who may have already been honored by the naming of a street, park, or other public space for them.
Anyone from Sylvania Township or the city of Sylvania who would like to nominate a person to be considered for the honor should send the information to Oliver Turner, Sylvania Township Administrator. Turner can be reached via email at oturner@sylvaniatownship.com or by mailing or dropping off a nomination at the Sylvania Township Administration Building, 4927 N. Holland-Sylvania Rd.