Zoning permits increased in 2019

Complaints for the year dropped by nearly half

Madison Township issued a greater number of zoning permits and documented fewer zoning complaints in 2019.

Those were two of the highlights in the Zoning Department’s latest annual report, which township trustees received at a recent meeting.

“Complaints went down and permits went up,” Zoning Inspector Frank Walland said.

For all of 2019, 142 zoning permits were issued in the township at an overall estimated construction cost of $5.2 million. That compares to the 104 zoning permits with a combined construction cost predicted at $4.6 million that were awarded by the township in 2018.

“So, that’s got to be a sign of the economy,” Walland said, regarding the rise in number of zoning permits and associated construction costs.

Throughout the year, the township issued zoning permits for construction of 16 single-family homes with a total estimated construction value of a little more than $3 million, according to supplementary data provided by Walland.

In addition, 17 permits were secured in 2019 for alterations or additions to existing single-family homes. The overall projected cost of those improvements was set at $528,500.

Zoning permit fees collected last year added up to $10,250, compared with $7,187 of similar revenue in 2018.

Meanwhile, the total number of complaints logged by the township Zoning Department dropped by nearly half in 2019 when

compared with the previous year. The decrease stemmed from 101 zoning complaints being recorded last year versus 197 in 2018.

Individual categories that fell sharply included high-grass complaints, which dropped to 53 in 2019 from 70 during the previous year; and out-of-compliance vehicle violations, which plummeted to 13 last year compared with 56 in 2018.

Walland said there are many rental properties in Madison Township, and he believes the word is getting around to owners that the township doesn’t take zoning violations lightly. He hopes that the drop in zoning

complaints reflects that more landlords are urging tenants to keep the exterior of their properties in good condition.

“After all, fines (for zoning violations) go to property owners,” Walland said.