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Fairfield Township
Butler County, Ohio
Your Township for Today and Tomorrow!
Zoning Resolutions
The purpose of zoning is to protect public health, safety, and welfare. A zoning resolution is legal, if it is wholly
in the concept of general welfare. To meet this criteria, the zoning resolution must:
++ Secure a Public Purpose
The "public purpose"
prevents landowners or tenants from using their site to the detriment of the general welfare of the community at large. Actions that
have no bearing on public health, safety, and general welfare are outside the scope of zoning.
++ Be Reasonable
Zoning regulation must
be reasonable. For example, the size and location of sheds may be regulated, but to ban them completely is considered unreasonable.
++
Not be Confiscatory
Zoning must not be confiscatory. If land is regulated to the extent it cannot be used for anything of economic
value, the effect is to take the land. The courts have ruled that these regulations have exceeded the boundaries of power and are
unconstitutional.
++ Be Consistent
Ordinances must be uniform for each class of property throughout any zone. For example, all structures
must be the same setback distance from the road in all Townships. All housing developments must have the same distance of road frontage
as all other housing districts in the same category.
Definition of Zoning
Zoning is defined as the division of a jurisdiction into districts
to enable the regulation of land according to the nature and use of the land in order to promote the orderly development of the area,
and the protection of public health, safety and general welfare. Zoning permits the enjoyment of all property rights, so long as the
owner does not infringe upon or impair the exercise of the same rights of others.
Fairfield Township trustees are responsible for establishing
the zoning resolutions. Responsible zonings within the Township should coordinate with the planning direction of Butler County. However,
the trustees retain the right to make decisions in the Township's interest.