Richfield's First Full Zoning Rewrite Since 2010 Heads to Public Vote of Confidence

Richfield Village is entering the public-review phase of a zoning code overhaul that's been years in the making, with two meetings scheduled this fall to let residents weigh in before officials finalize the rewrite. The village hired Atlanta-based planning firm Tunnell-Spangler-Walsh & Associates to lead the update, and the draft code that emerges is expected to be the first comprehensive rewrite of Richfield's zoning rules since 2010.

According to Cleveland.com, Richfield's current zoning code contains conflicting provisions and has been amended repeatedly over the past 14 years since that last major update. Tunnell-Spangler-Walsh, known widely as TSW, is working with Richfield's planning department staff, the Planning Commission, and village council as needed to draft the replacement code. The village council approved a $96,200 contract with TSW under Resolution 27-2025 in April 2025, a cost that came in slightly over the initial budget and required a transfer from service department savings, according to ScripType Publishing.

Residents will get their say at a work session running from 5 to 8 p.m. on Sept. 22 at Town Hall, 4410 W. Streetsboro Road, followed by a joint meeting of village council and the Planning Commission from 6 to 8 p.m. on Oct. 14 at the same location, per the outlet's report. The two fall sessions represent the formal public-review checkpoint for a draft code that's been shaped by community input gathered across the village's north end, historic district, and south end.

What Residents Want Preserved

Public feedback collected so far has emphasized preserving Richfield's rural, small-town, natural, and historical character while also making the village safer and more connected, the report notes. Residents voiced the importance of property maintenance and improvements across the north end, historic district, and south end, and many pushed for maintaining clear separation between residential, commercial, and industrial uses rather than blending them.

Each part of the village carries its own wish list. The north end has a recommendation for better pedestrian and bicycle connections, the historic district has a recommendation for support of local businesses and compatible housing, and the south end has a recommendation for redevelopment opportunities paired with corridor improvements, according to the same account.

Comprehensive Plan Sets the Framework

The draft code is meant to implement Richfield's comprehensive plan, which prioritizes age-friendly housing and calls for preserving the village's rural character even as it supports managed growth. The plan also includes expanding housing options, improving connectivity, protecting open space, and encouraging redevelopment of existing properties, while prioritizing improved traffic flow and safer pedestrian connections, the article states.

That age-friendly housing emphasis tracks with Richfield's demographics. The village had a population of 3,729 and a median age of 50.2 as of the 2020 U.S. Census, and local projections estimate residents aged 55 and older will make up 56% of the village by 2035, according to Census data and village demographic analysis. Richfield covers 9.3 square miles in Summit County, sitting between Cleveland and Akron.

Moratoriums Bought Time for the Rewrite

While TSW and village staff drafted the new code, council used temporary legal freezes to hold off development that might not fit the eventual rules. In March, council enacted Ordinance 18-2026, a 180-day moratorium on data centers, and Ordinance 19-2026, a six-month moratorium on multi-family housing developments, according to ScripType Publishing. A year earlier, council had also passed a six-month moratorium on new car and truck wash facilities under Ordinance 26-2025, after municipal staff flagged increased development requests and frequent emergency service calls at existing wash sites — a freeze that followed an earlier moratorium on vehicle service and fuel stations.

Not every neighborhood issue is being folded into the zoning code itself. During work sessions in October 2025, the Planning Commission decided that short-term rental regulations would be pulled from the draft zoning code and instead handled through a separate, stand-alone village ordinance, citing concerns over parking, aging-in-place needs, and residential lot character.

Investments Beyond the Code

The zoning rewrite isn't the village's only infrastructure move tied to its comprehensive plan goals. Richfield set aside $295,000 in May 2025 to build permanent sidewalks along Kinross Lakes Boulevard, replacing a street-painted walking lane that commercial tenants along the business-park corridor had said felt unsafe given vehicle speeds. Village planning staff also presented plans in early 2025 to establish a Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area around the Village Green, aimed at boosting historic district retail and dining activity — DORAs allow patrons to carry open alcoholic drinks within bounded commercial zones under Ohio law.

Residents can track the process and leave feedback directly through a public portal hosted with web platform Konveio, which the village extended through October so residents can review interactive draft maps and comment on draft code text as it's finalized. The Richfield Planning and Zoning Department has directed residents to the zoning-code project website for updates and draft materials, and is fielding questions at [email protected], per Cleveland.com's reporting.

The Fiscal Backdrop

The zoning debate is unfolding as the school district serving Richfield faces its own long-term financial strain. Revere Local Schools, which serves students across Bath Township and Richfield Village and holds a 5-star academic rating, is projected to begin deficit spending in 2028 and burn through $15 million in cash reserves by 2031 because of state property tax policy changes, Hoodline previously reported. That fiscal pressure adds weight to the zoning debate, since decisions about housing and commercial growth in Richfield feed directly into the property tax base the district depends on.

The village's zoning overhaul builds on land-use studies dating back to Richfield's incorporation in 1967, including earlier targeted corridor plans for Brecksville Road and Route 303. With the September and October meetings now set, residents will have their clearest opportunity yet to shape how the next generation of Richfield's zoning code balances that long rural history against the housing and infrastructure needs of an aging village.