Cuyahoga County is trying to untangle decades of zoning red tape, rolling out a new unified zoning code program on June 9 that officials say could make it much easier to build housing and commercial projects. The voluntary effort would let suburbs opt in to a shared rulebook while still leaving each local government in charge of adopting and enforcing the code. County planners say the goal is simple, if not easy: make it clear what can be built where, without sending everyone on a scavenger hunt through multiple municipal codes.
According to Crain's Cleveland Business, the Cuyahoga County Planning Commission is pitching a pilot that would let several suburbs road-test a shared zoning rulebook. Crain's reports that County Planning intends to lean on outside consultants and new mapping tools to assemble the code and cut through confusion created by dozens of separate municipal zoning schemes.
How the unified code would work
County Planning says the unified code would be strictly voluntary, administered day to day by local governments and backed up by county technical support. That support would include shared online mapping and ongoing maintenance of the common rules. Meeting records show that several communities have already sent letters of interest to get into the pilot phase, according to the Cuyahoga County Planning Commission.
Costs, partners and timeline
County board documents peg the expected outside consultant work at roughly $500,000 to $900,000 and suggest it could take two to three years to fully design and roll out the program. The work is expected to be funded through a mix of grants and partner contributions. A December presentation laid out a central feature of the plan: creating “a single online zoning map showcasing the zoning districts of all communities that have opted into the Unified Zoning Code in one place,” according to the Cuyahoga County Planning Commission.
County Planning says it plans to issue an RFQ or RFP for consultant services and is looking for at least five partner communities to form an implementation consortium. Those early adopters would help shape how the shared code works on the ground.
Why developers care
Developers and municipal staff have been grumbling for years that a maze of inconsistent zoning rules and slow permitting can add months and extra cost to projects. As reported by Ideastream Public Media, permitting backlogs and complex codes are frequent flashpoints for builders and neighborhood groups across the region. Supporters of the county’s push say that a shared code and clearer, county-supported maps could trim variance requests and speed up infill housing and smaller developments.
Next up for County Planning is securing funding, issuing the consultant RFP, and working with interested suburbs through adoption and implementation. Officials told Crain's Cleveland Business that the June 9 launch follows months of internal discussion and signals that local leaders are ready to make zoning less of an obstacle and more of a tool for getting projects built.
