Colerain Township's Board of Zoning Appeals is gearing up for a busy night, with a public hearing set for Wednesday, Feb. 25 at 6 p.m. in the trustees' chamber at the Colerain Township Government Complex, 4200 Springdale Road. The township planning office notice lists three separate cases: a conditional-use request for an adult-use cannabis dispensary and two variance requests tied to residential properties. The applications are available for public review during regular business hours, and members of the public may attend the hearing and speak.
What Is On The BZA's Docket
The notice sets the public hearing for 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 25 in the trustees' chambers and lays out three specific matters on the agenda.
First up is case BZA-26-1 at 3261 W. Galbraith Rd., with applicant Lou Anevski seeking a variance to allow an accessory structure that is larger than the primary structure. That request was previously tabled from January and is now back before the board.
The second item, BZA-26-2, concerns 9880 Colerain Ave. in the Central Plaza shopping center. Applicant F.W. Green Investments LLC, on property owned by CP Colorado, LLC, is seeking a conditional-use approval to operate an adult-use cannabis dispensary at the site.
Rounding out the trio of cases is BZA-26-3 for 2974 Banning Rd., a use variance request from GMX Holdings LLC to permit a single-unit dwelling. The township notice detailing these cases was posted on Facebook.
Central Plaza Dispensary Plan And Local Backstory
The dispensary proposal would place an adult-use cannabis retailer inside Central Plaza, a roughly 3.14-acre shopping center at 9880 Colerain Ave., according to commercial property listings. LoopNet identifies the lot as part of a regional shopping center.
The application arrives after Colerain Township trustees reversed an earlier prohibition on dispensaries and agreed to a framework for host-community payments. Local outlets reported that the operator would pay the township and could remit a percentage of sales as part of an agreement. As reported by FOX19, trustees discussed host-community payments and timing in 2025.
How Residents Can Weigh In
The Board of Zoning Appeals meets in the trustees' chamber at the Colerain Township Government Complex, and the board's procedures and appeals process are outlined on the township website. As explained by Colerain Township, BZA hearings are quasi-judicial, open to the public, and recorded as part of the public record.
State law requires notice and a hearing schedule for BZA matters. For the rules on hearings and public notice, see Section 519.15 of the Ohio Revised Code. The township notice reiterates that applications are available for public review during regular business hours and lists the planning and zoning office phone number, 513-923-5010, for questions, according to the posting on Facebook.
What A BZA Vote Would And Would Not Do
A BZA conditional-use approval for the Central Plaza site would clear a key local land-use hurdle but would not replace the separate state retail license required to sell adult-use cannabis. The Ohio Division of Cannabis Control handles state licensing and program rules. For state-level requirements, see the Ohio Division of Cannabis Control.
If the conditional use is approved, the site would still need to secure any required state permits and comply with all township conditions before it could open.
