Zoning & Planning

The City of New Franklin has been a zoned community since 1957 in order to promote the health, safety, comfort, morals and general welfare of the City.

Zoning is a locally enacted law that regulates and controls the use of private property. It is designed for several reasons:

  • To put land to the use for which it is best suited
  • To protect or maintain property values
  • To promote health and safety
  • To provide for more orderly development of the community
  • To attract business and industry to a specified area

Department Responsibilities

The Zoning Department is responsible for reviewing all structural, site and subdivision plans. This includes all facets of residential, commercial and industrial development within the City. The Zoning Department reviews all lot splits, lot combinations and/or lot reconfigurations proposed within the City. 

The Zoning Department is responsible for the enforcement of the Zoning Code (PDF), Subdivision Regulations and/or zoning-related City Ordinances. The Zoning Department also works within the parameters of the Comprehensive Land Use Plan (PDF). View the City of New Franklin Zoning Map (PDF).

Zoning-Related Boards

The City of New Franklin has two Zoning-related Boards. The first is the Planning and Zoning Commission (PZC), which consists of five members that proposes and recommends additions, deletions or changes in the Zoning Code or Subdivision Regulations. The PZC takes action on all rezoning requests and makes all planning and/or zoning-related recommendations to City Council. The PZC is also responsible for the review and approval of land subdivisions as specified in the Subdivision Regulations.

The second board is the Board of Zoning Appeals (BZA), which consists of five members, plus an alternate. The BZA is an autonomous quasi-judicial body whose decisions must be appealed to the Summit County Court of Common Pleas. It is empowered to perform five primary tasks:

  1. To hear variance requests from specific zoning standards, where, owing to special conditions of the land, literal enforcement of those standards is alleged to cause a hardship to a property owner;
  2. To hear requests for conditional uses which may or may not be detrimental to surrounding properties;
  3. To hear and decide appeals where it is alleged there is an error in any order, requirement, decision, or determination made by the Zoning Administrator or related staff in the enforcement of the Zoning Code;
  4. To hear requests for changes in non-conforming uses;
  5. To hear variance requests from the Subdivision Regulations.

Zoning Complaints

For all Zoning complaints, investigations and enforcement matters, please contact Code Enforcement Inspector Bill Young at 330-882-4611, ext. 228 or by email.

Zoning Permit Application

Zoning Permit Applications can be completed online. Applications can also be printed and completed and mailed to City Hall or dropped off during business hours. 

Zoning Application Fees

Zoning application fees can be paid online here or in-person at City Hall. 

All Other Zoning Matters

For all other Zoning and Planning related matters including permits, site plans, building plans, variances and environmental issues, please contact Zoning and Planning Administrator Barry L. Ganoe at 330-882-4611, ext. 220 or by email. 

Due off-site zoning inspections and meetings, appointments with the Code Enforcement Inspector and/or the Zoning and Planning Administrator are highly encouraged to better serve our citizenry. 

Summit PatchThe Zoning Department is involved in complying with the requirements of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Phase 2 Storm Water Management Program. This program, mandated by the federal government, is designed to clean up the nation's rivers, streams and creeks. New Franklin is part of a countywide planning group called "Summit County Communities for Clean Storm Water." To learn more about this program, visit the Summit County Public Heath stormwater webpage or the Summit Soil and Water Conservation District webpage.