These regulations shall be known and may be cited as the Trenton, Ohio Zoning Code or Zoning Ordinance.

(Ord. 16-2003. Passed 5-1-03.)

   The text and map of this Zoning Code are established pursuant to applicable provisions of the Ohio Revised Code and under the Home Rule authority granted by Article XVIII, Section 3 of the Ohio Constitution. By the adoption of this Zoning Code, the City intends to promote the health, safety, morals and general welfare of its residents, businesses and visitors through the following objectives:

   (a)   To prevent community needs and priorities from becoming subservient to regional market pressures.

   (b)   To prevent hazards to the health and safety of the public and of all occupants of improved real property.

   (c)   To assure adequate light, air and convenience of access for all properties.

   (d)   To promote the delivery of public services such as utilities, streets, refuse collection, emergency medical services, fire and police protection.

   (e)   To separate incompatible land uses and cluster compatible and mutually supportive land uses.

   (f)   To create physical buffers between zones where generally beneficial, and within zones where tensions or conflicts may occur between dissimilar land uses.

   (g)   To provide for creatively designed single-use and mixed-use Planned Unit Developments, and to preserve their character and vitality through ongoing regulatory supervision.

   (h)   To assure, through an appropriate site plan review, that the general, district and supplementary regulations of this Zoning Code are being followed in the design of each new site improvement or redevelopment.

   (i)   To minimize adverse effects on traffic safety caused by development and certain land uses.

   (j)   To minimize adverse effects on the environment resulting from development and certain land uses.

   (k)   To facilitate the efficient and economical development and use of land and public facilities.

   (l)   To allocate to each site development, rather than to the public, the maximum feasible portion of the infrastructure and operating costs which arise as a result of that development.

   (m)   To fairly balance the interest of property owners and occupants in continuing their nonconforming land uses against the community interest in achieving full compliance with this Zoning Code.

   (n)   To protect floodways and flood plains from development which increases the general risk of flooding or puts occupants of the development at risk.

   (o)   To preserve and enhance property values.

   (p)   To protect public and private water supplies, both in quality and quantity.

   (q)   To promote the economic vitality of business and industry.

   (r)   To direct particular land uses to the parcels of land best suited for them physically and in terms of access to highways and public services.

   (s)   To enhance the predictability and profitability of private investments made in the City.

   (t)   To continuously improve the aesthetic character of all parts of the City.

   (u)   To provide for variances from certain aspects of this Zoning Code where justified by special circumstances and where the public interest will not be adversely affected.

   (v)   To provide for thorough, efficient and lawful Code administration.

(Ord. 16-2003. Passed 5-1-03.)

   This Zoning Code is the primary means by which the City can implement its Land Use Master Plan and accomplish the long-range goals that its citizens have for the development and redevelopment of their community. Although the Land Use Master Plan does not control all zoning decisions, it should be followed to the maximum extent practicable, taking into account the current facts and circumstances.

(Ord. 16-2003. Passed 5-1-03.)

   This Zoning Code shall apply to all land that has been zoned by action of the City Council. All property owners, lessees and other persons having a legal or equitable interest in land subject to this Code shall comply under penalty of law.

(Ord. 16-2003. Passed 5-1-03.)

   Upon the annexation of any lands into the City, with or without an application by the affected property owner(s), the Planning Commission shall forthwith undertake a study to determine the most appropriate zoning for the newly annexed lands, in view of the Master Land Use Plan of the City (hereinafter "Master Plan"). In the event that the Master Plan does not encompass the annexed area, the Commission may consider an appropriate enlargement of the planning area before or after the development of zoning recommendations for the enlargement area. The Commission shall forward its recommendations for zoning of the newly annexed area, and any recommendations related to enlargement of the Master Plan, to the City Council. After notice and hearing as required by Ohio R.C. 713.12, the Council shall then adopt City zoning for the newly annexed lands.

(Ord. 16-2003. Passed 5-1-03.)

   In their interpretation and application, the provisions of this Zoning Code shall be minimum requirements. Where this Zoning Code imposes a greater restriction or level of performance than is imposed or required by other provisions of law or by other rules or regulations or ordinances, the provisions of this Zoning Code shall control.

(Ord. 16-2003. Passed 5-1-03.)

   It is hereby declared to be the legislative intent that, if any provision or provisions of this Zoning Code, or the application thereof to any zoning lot, building, structure, or tract of land, are declared by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid or ineffective, in whole or in part, or to be inapplicable to any person or situation, the effect of such decision shall be limited to the provision or provisions which are expressly stated in the decision to be invalid or ineffective, and shall apply only to the zoning lot, building, structure, or tract of land immediately involved in the controversy. All other provisions of this Zoning Code shall continue to be fully effective.

(Ord. 16-2003. Passed 5-1-03.)