Bay Village has been debating establishing a riparian setback for the last few years. The proposal which began with a 75 foot setback has now been scaled down to 25 feet. Yet the ordinance is still controversial and City Council decided to delay its vote enacting the provision.
The debate before Council was covered in
Northeast Ohio has led the state in the adoption of ordinances that establish setback requirements from streams and wetlands. Buried within municipal codes is the requirement to stay out of buffer areas surrounding streams and wetlands.
Homeowners, businesses and developers often learn of these requirements after they go to the City with their designs for
Municipalities and counties are utilizing riparian and wetland setbacks in their zoning and planning efforts on a more frequent basis. Setbacks can be an effective tool to control growth, protect valuable natural resources as well as meet federal and state Phase II stormwater requirements.
While setbacks are beneficial, officials must understand the level of impact on both