Board of Zoning Appeals

Board of Zoning Appeals

The Board of Zoning Appeals (BZA) consists of five volunteers appointed by the Board of Trustees to serve five-year, overlapping terms. The board has the power to decide appeals, make interpretations of the Zoning Resolution, grant requested variances, and approve conditional uses. The board's purpose is to look out for the spirit and intent of the Zoning Resolution, even when exceptions to the rule are made. The ultimate goal is to preserve and protect property values for all residents.

Perhaps more than any Township board, the BZA is an example of grassroots government in action. Property owners or businesses who want to build something that's a little too close, a little too high, or a little too big, typically must take their cases to the BZA.

While other citizen boards provide assistance or direction to Township government, the BZA issues decisions directly affecting what property owners may or may not do. Their decisions can only be appealed to the Court of Common Pleas. 

Upcoming Meetings

The Board of Zoning Appeals usually meets on the fourth Monday of the month at 6 pm in the Blair Meeting Room of the Government Center, 8200 McEwen Road.

The next meeting will be held August 25 at 6 pm in the Blair Meeting Room at the Government Center, 8200 McEwen Road.

• View Pending Public Hearing Requests

• View Meeting Minutes

• View Meeting Dates for 2025

Information for Applicants

Board of Zoning Appeals cancellations must be submitted by the applicant or their agent in writing, and delivered to the Washington Township Zoning Inspector, 11 or more calendar days prior to the case's regular scheduled hearing date. Failure by the applicant or their agent to make such notification of cancellation within the described terms will result in the applicant being required to pay the filing fee again, to cover the costs of publishing, posting and/or mailing notices of hearing or hearings required. Each separate time a hearing date is set for a Board of Zoning Appeals case, the same rules will apply.

Variances

Most BZA cases are presented by businesses or homeowners who are requesting a variance. The most common business requests involve signs -- for instance, placing them higher than allowed, increasing their square footage, or moving them closer to the street. However, most variances are requested by homeowners who want to make an improvement such as building a shed, adding a covered deck, or constructing an addition to their home.

Variances are for people who encounter practical difficulties in meeting the requirements of the Zoning Resolution. They have the ability to seek relief from zoning standards that make construction impractical. For instance, topography, such as a creek or an embankment, can make placement difficult. When reviewing variance requests, board members must follow the Ohio Revised Code's "Practical Difficulties Test." As a result, many variances are turned down or minimized.

Conditional Use Permits

Property owners who wish to obtain Conditional Use Permits also must have their application approved by the BZA. A conditional use typically is a more intense use than the original zoning district's principal permitted uses. It could be larger in scale or generate more traffic, or require parking lots. Each zoning designation in Washington Township allows for some specified conditional uses, such as the construction of a church or school within a residential area.

Board of Zoning Appeals Members

• Scott Colwell

• Dan Faulkner

• Carlton Jackson

• Jenet Mullins

• Bill Rike

• Jack W. Omer (Alternate)