Community Development and Planning

Planning and Community Development

City planning and community development initiatives are under the direction of the Steubenville Planning and Zoning Commission, a five (5) member group of citizens who serve without compensation. Members of the Planning and Zoning Commission are appointed by the Mayor and approved by City Council. The Planning and Community Development Office provides staff support for the Commission’s activities. Planning and Zoning Commission meetings are held on the first Monday of each month at 7:00 p.m. in Steubenville City Council Chambers.

Planning and Zoning

The Planning and Community Development Office processes applications for certificate if zoning approval, amendments to the zoning map (rezoning), conditional use approval, home occupation permits, temporary construction trailer permits, portable sign permits and floodplain development permits. The processing of applications for subdivision approval, both within the city limits and within the city’s three (3) mile jurisdictional area, is also a function of the Planning and Community Development Office. A certificate of zoning approval is required anytime the use of land or buildings is changed, or when a building is constructed. This includes:

• Building a new building
• Building a garage, shed or other accessory building
• Adding, expanding or enclosing a patio, porch or deck
• Installing or widening driveways or parking areas
• Erecting a fence, wall or sign
• Constructing an addition to any building
• Any change in the use of land or buildings

A certificate of zoning approval is not required for:

• Interior renovations not involving a change in use
• Roof , gutter and downspout replacement
• Window or door replacement
• Installing or repairing siding, soffit and fascia
• Repairs to existing driveways or parking areas
• Landscaping
• Sidewalks

An applicant for a certificate of zoning approval must be capable of showing proof of the accurate location of property lines. If the applicant cannot, a property survey will be required.

Planning and zoning related fees are established by ordinance as follows:

Subdivisions/Lot Splits

• Preliminary Subdivision Plats (where applicable): $25.00, plus $2.50 per lot or parcel
• Final Subdivision Plats (where preceded by a required preliminary plat): $15.00, plus $1.00 per lot or parcel
• Final Subdivision Plats (where preliminary plats are not required): $25.00, plus $2.50 per lot or parcel
• Request for Alteration of Requirements or Appeal of Staff Decisions: $50.00
• Recording Fees: Established by the Office of the Jefferson County Recorder

Certificate of Zoning Approval

New construction, remodeling or additions – existing residential buildings with three (3) or fewer dwelling, boarding or rooming units under the same roof; including fences, walls, driveways and accessory buildings or uses:

• $10.00 when a certificate of zoning approval is applied for prior to the commencement of remodeling or construction;
• $20.00 when a certificate of zoning approval is applied for after the commencement of remodeling or construction.

New construction, remodeling or additions – existing residential buildings with four (4) or more dwelling, boarding or rooming units under the same roof, commercial and other uses; including fences, walls, signs, parking lots, driveways and accessory buildings or uses:

• $20.00 when a certificate of zoning approval is applied for prior to the commencement of remodeling or construction;
• $40.00 when a certificate of zoning approval is applied for after the commencement of remodeling or construction.

Existing buildings or uses – Fee of ten dollars ($10.00) for issuance of certificate of zoning approval when requested by property owner.

Home Occupation Permits

• Home Occupation Permits: $10.00 annually

Temporary Construction Trailer Permit

• Temporary Construction Trailer Permit on active construction sites only: $25.00 per trailer for 6 months

Portable Sign Permit

• Portable Sign Permits: $25.00 annually for each sign

Zoning Map Amendment (Rezoning)

Rezoning Fee:

From Current Zoning District to                                                Fee

P ………………………………………………….…………………..$100.00
C-1 or C-2 …………………………………………………………...$100.00

R-1 or R-1A …………………………………………………………$100.00
R-2 or R-2A …………………………………………………………$125.00
R-3 or R-3A …………………………………………………………$150.00
R-4 …………………………………………………………………..$175.00

B-1 …………………………………………………………………..$275.00
B-2 or B-2A …………………………………………………………$275.00
B-3 …………………………………………………………………..$250.00
B-4 …………………………………………………………………..$225.00
B-5 …………………………………………………………………..$200.00

I-1 or I-1A …………………………………………………..……….$300.00
I-2 ……………………………………………………………..……..$325.00
I-3 ……………………………………………………………..……..$350.00

Plus deposit of $500.00 to cover City costs made payable to Clerk of City Council

Conditional Use Approval

No fee, deposit only of $500.00 to cover City costs made payable to Clerk of City Council

Copy of Subdivision and Zoning Code: $25.00 plus postage if mailed, or may be downloaded free from City Council section of this website as a part of the Codified Ordinances of Steubenville.

Copy of Zoning Map

Zoning Maps must be obtained from the Engineering Department. Map sizes available are as follows:

Small Map (22” x 34”)
Large Map (40” x 64”)

Check with the Engineering Department for the fees charged.

Floodplain Development Permits and Determinations

Floodplain development permits are required prior to construction or development in floodplain areas. In Steubenville, floodplain areas are found along the Ohio River and along Permar’s Run. Floodplain determinations are available by contacting the Planning and Community Development Office. These determinations are made using existing available floodplain mapping resources. No fee is charged for floodplain development permits or floodplain determinations. More information about developing in floodplains can be found by visiting the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) website, www.fema.gov , or the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) website, www.dnr.state.oh.us/water and selecting “floodplains”.

Zoning Appeals

The Board of Zoning Appeals (BZA) consists of five (5) citizens who serve without compensation. Members of the BZA are appointed by the Mayor with the approval of City Council. The BZA meets on an as needed basis, when there is business to come before it, and may: grant variances from the Zoning Code for front, side or rear yard requirements; decide, when in question, the exact location of a zoning district boundary line or an interpretation or application of the Zoning Code; grant variances to those denied zoning approval where such denial is alleged to be unreasonable or unjust, and grant variances from floodplain regulations.

Zoning appeals fees are established by ordinance as follows:

Appeals Fee:

Land Use Type                                                                  Fee

Single-family detached dwellings,
single-family semi-detached, two-family
dwellings and governmental uses ……………………………..$35.00

All other types of residential dwellings ……………………….$75.00

Commercial, industrial and other ……………………………..$150.00

Plus deposit of $500.00 to cover City costs made payable to Planning and Zoning Commission.

 

Community Development

The Planning and Community Development Office administers Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program funds received from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD); Community Housing Improvement Program (CHIP) funds received from the Ohio Department of Development (ODOD), Office of Housing and Community Partnerships (OHCP); and grant funds from a variety of other sources. Some projects funded in the past from these sources include:

• Owner-occupied housing rehabilitation
• First time home buyer down payment assistance
• Project based rental housing rehabilitation
• Tenant based rental assistance
• Rehabilitation of homeless and domestic violence shelters
• Park and recreation improvements
• Historic façade rehabilitation
• Street and sidewalk improvements
• Water and sewer system improvements
• Revolving business loans
• Brownfield remediation and redevelopment
• Clearance and demolition of dilapidated structures

More information about housing and community development programs can be found at HUD’s websites, www.hud.gov or www.huduser.org; and at ODOD’s website, www.odod.state.oh.us. Information about homebuyer assistance programs can be found at www.hud.gov or www.ohiohome.org.

Historic Preservation

Historic Preservation activities are overseen by the Steubenville Historic Landmarks Commission. The Historic Landmarks Commission consists of seven (7) citizens who serve without compensation. The City has two (2) existing historic districts, these being the Steubenville Commercial Historic District located in the Central Business District (CBD) and the North End Neighborhood Historic District, both of which are found in the downtown area and have been listed by the U.S. Department of the Interior on the National Register of Historic Places. All exterior alterations or changes in the historic districts must comply with the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation and the design guidelines adopted by the Historic Landmarks Commission. The Planning and Community Development Office processes applications for certificate of appropriateness for work in historic districts. Historic Landmarks Commission meetings are held on the first Thursday of each month at 7:00 p.m. in Steubenville City Council Chambers. More information about historic preservation can be found at www.ohiohistory.org, www.nps.gov and www.nationaltrust.org.

Economic Development

The City has two (2) programs which offer development incentives. The first program provides property owners with an incentive for rehabilitation of existing buildings or for construction of new facilities within a specified geographic target area. Property owners within the designated community reinvestment area (CRA) may be granted real property tax abatements on any increase in property valuation which results from new construction or remodeling of existing structures. The City has a second program which is available city-wide that provides eligible businesses with reimbursement for certain public infrastructure improvements necessitated by a development project. The total business investment must be at least $250,000 and the project must meet other eligibility criteria. Applications for CRA abatements are reviewed and acted upon by the Community Reinvestment (CR) Council. Applications for infrastructure reimbursement are reviewed by the CR Council then forwarded to City Council for final approval and legislative action. The CR Council consists of seven (7) members who serve without compensation. Applications for CRA abatements and infrastructure reimbursement are processed by the Planning and Community Development Office. The CR Council meets on an as-needed basis, however no less than annually.

More information about economic development programs can be found at the website of Progress Alliance, the area economic development agency, www.progressalliance.com, at ODOD’s website, www.odod.state.oh.us, and at the Small Business Administration’s website, www.sba.gov. Information about minority business development can be found at www.odod.state.oh.us/dmba and www.mbda.gov.

Fair Housing

Fair housing activities are under the direction of the Steubenville Fair Housing Practices Commission. The Fair Housing Commission assists those who have been victimized by housing discrimination with the filing of complaints with the U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the Ohio Civil Rights Commission (OCRC). The Fair Housing Commission also provides educational seminars and workshops for the public concerning equal housing opportunity and housing discrimination; and encourages area banks to invest in low income and predominantly minority neighborhoods. The Fair Housing Commission consists of five (5) members who serve without compensation. The fair housing program is administered by the Planning and Community Development Office. Fair Housing Commission meetings are held on the third Monday of each month at 6:30 p.m. in Steubenville City Council Chambers.

A fair housing complaint can be filed on-line by visiting HUD’s website, www.hud.gov and selecting “fair housing”, and by visiting the OCRC’s website, www.crc.ohio.gov and selecting “charge forms”.

Forms and Publications

Application forms and publications used by the Planning and Community Development Office can be obtained by visiting the download section and selecting the appropriate item.

The Steubenville Planning and Community Development Office may be contacted at:

Steubenville Planning and Community Development Office
308 Market Street, Room 205
Steubenville, OH 43952
Phone: (740) 283-6000 Ext. 1700
Fax: (740) 283-6082
E-Mail: cdp@cityofsteubenville.us

 

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