Chapter 5552 | Road Access Management

Section 5552.01 | Road access management definitions.

• Effective: July 1, 2005
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 66 - 126th General Assembly

As used in this chapter:

(A) "Metropolitan planning organization" means a metropolitan planning organization designated under section 9(a) of the "Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1962," 76 Stat. 1148, 23 U.S.C. 134, as amended.

(B) "Urban township" means a township that has a population in the unincorporated area of the township of fifteen thousand or more and that has adopted a limited home rule government under section 504.02 of the Revised Code.

Section 5552.02 | Regulations for management of access onto county and township roads.

• Effective: October 24, 2002
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 366 - 124th General Assembly

(A) Except as provided in divisions (C) and (D) of this section, for the purposes of promoting traffic safety and efficiency and maintaining proper traffic capacity and traffic flow, a board of township trustees may adopt, by resolution, regulations for the management of access onto township roads in the unincorporated area of the township in accordance with sections 5552.05 and 5552.06 of the Revised Code. As part of those regulations, the board may require permits, including interim and temporary permits, for the construction, reconstruction, use, and maintenance of any point of access from public or private property onto those township roads. If the board adopts regulations that require permits, the regulations shall include standards that will be used for the approval or denial of a permit. Any regulations regarding the approval or denial of a permit shall specify a reasonable period for the approval or denial and shall provide that a failure to approve or deny, in whole or in part, any permit, license, or other approval sought within that period shall constitute a granting of approval for the permit, license, or other approval.

Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this division, a board of township trustees of a township other than an urban township may not adopt regulations authorized by this division until the date that is one year after the effective date of this section, and then only if the county does not adopt or initiate the process of adopting regulations under division (B) of this section within that one-year period. If the county initiates the process of adopting regulations under division (B) of this section within that one-year period but does not actually adopt regulations under division (B) of this section within two years after the effective date of this section, the township may adopt regulations authorized by this division on or after the date that is two years after the effective date of this section.

(B) For the purposes of promoting traffic safety and efficiency and maintaining proper traffic capacity and traffic flow, the board of county commissioners may adopt, by resolution, regulations for the management of access onto county and township roads in the unincorporated area of the county in accordance with sections 5552.04 and 5552.06 of the Revised Code. As part of those regulations, the board may require permits, including interim and temporary permits, for the construction, reconstruction, use, and maintenance of any point of access from public or private property onto those county and township roads. If the board adopts regulations that require permits, the regulations shall include standards that will be used for the approval or denial of a permit. Any regulations regarding the approval or denial of a permit shall specify a reasonable period for the approval or denial and shall provide that a failure to approve or deny, in whole or in part, any permit, license, or other approval sought within that period shall constitute a granting of approval for the permit, license, or other approval.

The same county regulations that apply to county roads shall apply to township roads. Except as provided in divisions (C) and (D) of this section, upon their effective date, the county regulations shall apply to all county and township roads in the unincorporated area of the county.

(C) On or after the appropriate date provided in division (A) of this section for adopting regulations under that division, the board of township trustees of a township other than an urban township may adopt the regulations authorized by that division. If such a board of township trustees adopts regulations, and a board of county commissioners later adopts regulations under division (B) of this section that apply to the same township roads, then, one year after the effective date of the county regulations, the regulations adopted by the board of township trustees shall be void, and the regulations adopted by the board of county commissioners shall apply to those township roads. However, the board of township trustees may establish an earlier date for the county regulations to take effect and the township regulations to be void by adopting a resolution establishing an earlier date and sending a certified copy of that resolution to the board of county commissioners.

(D) Except as otherwise provided in this division, if an urban township adopts regulations under division (A) of this section and the county also adopts regulations under division (B) of this section that affect township roads in that township, the county regulations shall have no effect on the township roads in that township. If the urban township adopts its regulations after the county adopts its regulations, however, the county regulations shall remain in effect for one year after the township regulations are adopted unless the board of county commissioners establishes an earlier date for the county regulations to expire within that urban township. After the earlier established date or one year, whichever is applicable, only the township regulations shall apply to the township roads in that urban township, although the county regulations shall continue to apply to the county roads in that urban township.

(E) Any county regulations adopted under this section shall be, to the extent possible, consistent with county zoning regulations and coordinated with any existing township zoning regulations. Any township regulations adopted under this section shall be, to the extent possible, consistent with any county or township zoning regulations in effect in the township.

Section 5552.03 | Relationship of regulations for management of access onto county and township roads to platting requirements.

• Effective: October 24, 2002
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 366 - 124th General Assembly

(A) Regulations adopted under this chapter do not apply to subdivisions subject to plat approval under section 711.05 or 711.10 of the Revised Code, and nothing in this chapter limits the authority granted in those sections for subdivision regulations to provide for the proper arrangement of streets or other highways in relation to existing or planned streets or highways or to the county or regional plan.

(B) Regulations adopted under this chapter do apply to subdivisions subject to approval without plat under section 711.131 of the Revised Code, and to any parcel of property that is not subject to regulations adopted under Chapter 711. of the Revised Code.

Section 5552.04 | Initiating process of adopting county access management regulations.

• Effective: October 24, 2002
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 366 - 124th General Assembly

(A) The process of adopting county access management regulations provided for in division (B) of section 5552.02 of the Revised Code may be initiated in any of the following ways:

(1) The board of county commissioners may adopt a resolution proposing the consideration of access management regulations on its own initiative.

(2) The board of county commissioners shall adopt a resolution proposing the consideration of access management regulations if the county engineer certifies to the board a written request for the board to do so.

(3) The board of county commissioners shall adopt a resolution proposing the consideration of access management regulations if a majority of the boards of township trustees of townships within the county certify to the board of county commissioners resolutions requesting the board to do so.

(B) Upon adoption of a resolution proposing the consideration of access management regulations under division (A) of this section, the board of county commissioners shall request the county engineer to draft proposed regulations. The engineer shall prepare proposed regulations and, when they are complete, send a copy of them to each member of the advisory committee appointed under division (C) of this section along with a notice of the time and place of the first meeting of the advisory committee. That meeting shall take place within thirty days after the completion of the engineer's proposed regulations.

(C) Upon adoption of a resolution under division (A) of this section, the board of county commissioners shall establish an advisory committee to review the county engineer's proposed regulations prepared under division (B) of this section. The board shall appoint to the committee the county engineer or the engineer's designee, a registered surveyor in private practice, a representative of the homebuilding industry, a licensed realtor, a representative of a county or regional planning commission with jurisdiction in the county, a professional engineer with expertise in traffic engineering, a representative of the metropolitan planning organization, where applicable, at least three township trustees from any townships located in the county selected by the local county association representing the township trustees and clerks in that county, a member of the board of county commissioners, and any other person the board chooses to appoint.

At its initial meeting held as provided in the notice sent by the county engineer under division (B) of this section, the advisory committee shall elect one member to serve as the chairperson of the committee. Within two hundred seventy days after that initial meeting, the advisory committee shall provide the board of county commissioners with a copy of the engineer's proposed regulations, the committee's recommendations about each of the proposed regulations, and any other recommendations about the access management regulations the committee considers appropriate.

(D) Upon receiving the advisory committee's recommendations under division (C) of this section, the board of county commissioners shall hold hearings as provided in section 5552.06 of the Revised Code.

Section 5552.05 | Initiating process of adopting township access management regulations.

• Effective: October 24, 2002
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 366 - 124th General Assembly

(A) The process of adopting township access management regulations provided for in division (A) of section 5552.02 of the Revised Code may be initiated in any of the following ways:

(1) The board of township trustees may adopt a resolution proposing the consideration of access management regulations on its own initiative.

(2) The board of township trustees shall adopt a resolution proposing the consideration of access management regulations if the county engineer certifies to the board a written request for the board to do so.

(B) Upon adoption of a resolution proposing the consideration of access management regulations under division (A) of this section, the board of township trustees shall request the county engineer to draft proposed regulations. The engineer shall prepare proposed regulations and, when they are complete, send a copy of them to each member of the advisory committee appointed under division (C) of this section along with a notice of the time and place of the first meeting of the advisory committee. That meeting shall take place within thirty days after the completion of the engineer's proposed regulations.

(C) Upon adoption of a resolution under division (A) of this section, the board of township trustees shall establish an advisory committee to review the county engineer's proposed regulations prepared under division (B) of this section. The board shall appoint to the committee the county engineer or the engineer's designee, a registered surveyor in private practice, a representative of the homebuilding industry, a licensed realtor, a representative of a county or regional planning commission with jurisdiction in the county, a professional engineer with expertise in traffic engineering, a representative of the metropolitan planning organization, where applicable, three residents of the township, and any other person the board chooses to appoint.

At its initial meeting held as provided in the notice sent by the county engineer under division (B) of this section, the advisory committee shall elect one member to serve as the chairperson of the committee. Within two hundred seventy days after that initial meeting, the advisory committee shall provide the board of township trustees with a copy of the engineer's proposed regulations, the committee's recommendations about each of the proposed regulations, and any other recommendations about the access management regulations the committee considers appropriate.

(D) Upon receiving the advisory committee's recommendations under division (C) of this section, the board of township trustees shall hold hearings as provided in section 5552.06 of the Revised Code.

Section 5552.06 | Hearing on adoption of regulations.

• Effective: September 29, 2011
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 153 - 129th General Assembly

(A) A board of county commissioners or a board of township trustees may adopt access management regulations or any amendments to those regulations after holding at least two public hearings at regular or special sessions of the board. The board shall consider the county engineer's proposed regulations prepared under division (B) of section 5552.04 or 5552.05 of the Revised Code and all comments on those regulations. The board, in its discretion, may, but need not, adopt any or all of those proposed regulations. After the public hearings, the board may decide not to adopt any access management regulations.

The board shall publish notice of the public hearings in a newspaper of general circulation in the county or township, as applicable, once a week for two weeks or as provided in section 7.16 of the Revised Code, immediately preceding the hearings. The notice shall include the time, date, and place of each hearing. Copies of any proposed regulations or amendments shall be made available to the public at the board's office and, if the county engineer administers or is proposed to administer a point of access permit, in the engineer's office.

(B) In addition to the notice required by division (A) of this section, not less than thirty days before holding a public hearing, a board of county commissioners shall send a copy of the county engineer's proposed regulations, a copy of the advisory committee's recommendations, and a request for written comments to the board of township trustees of each township in the county, the department of transportation district deputy director for the district in which the county is located, a representative of the metropolitan planning organization, where applicable, and at least the local professional associations representing the following professions:

(1) Homebuilders;

(2) Realtors;

(3) Professional surveyors;

(4) Attorneys;

(5) Professional engineers.

(C) In addition to the notice required by division (A) of this section, a board of township trustees shall send a copy of the county engineer's proposed regulations, a copy of the advisory committee's recommendations, and a request for written comments, not less than thirty days before holding a public hearing, to the department of transportation district deputy director for the district in which the township is located, a representative of the metropolitan planning organization, where applicable, and at least the local professional associations representing the professions listed in division (B) of this section.

Section 5552.07 | Board to hear appeals.

• Effective: October 24, 2002
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 366 - 124th General Assembly

A board of county commissioners or board of township trustees that adopts access management regulations under section 5552.02 of the Revised Code shall include in those regulations the designation of a board to hear and decide appeals when it is alleged that there is error in any order, requirement, decision, or determination made by an administrative official in the enforcement of the regulations. This appellate board may be the board itself acting in an administrative capacity, or some other board appointed by the board of county commissioners or board of township trustees, whichever is applicable. The regulations also shall authorize that appellate board to grant variances that are not contrary to the public interest from the terms of the regulations where, owing to special conditions, a literal enforcement of the regulations will result in unnecessary hardship, and so that the spirit of the regulations will be observed and substantial justice done.

Section 5552.08 | Permits.

• Effective: October 24, 2002
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 366 - 124th General Assembly

(A) A permit issued under access management regulations adopted under section 5552.02 of the Revised Code shall prescribe the limitations on, as well as the permitted uses of, the permit. No modifications or amendments to the permit shall be made once it is issued. To be subject to a different permit, a person shall apply for a new permit that specifically supersedes the existing permit.

(B) A board of county commissioners or a board of township trustees, as applicable, may charge a permit fee not to exceed the actual cost of administering the permit.

Section 5552.09 | Regulations effective date.

• Effective: October 24, 2002
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 366 - 124th General Assembly

Any access management regulations adopted under section 5552.02 of the Revised Code become effective on the thirty-first day following the date of their adoption unless otherwise indicated in the regulations. The board adopting the regulations shall publish notice of their adoption, and of their availability at the board's office, in at least one newspaper of general circulation in the county or township, as applicable, within ten days after their adoption. The board also shall provide a copy of the regulations to the department of transportation district deputy director for the district in which the county or township is located.

Section 5552.10 | Administering regulations for management of access.

• Effective: December 20, 2005
• Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 107 - 126th General Assembly

The board of county commissioners shall designate the county engineer to administer county access management regulations, except that if the engineer declines to administer the regulations, the board may designate another person, or a planning commission, to administer them. If a board of township trustees adopts access management regulations, the board may administer the regulations or may appoint the township fiscal officer or any other person to administer them, with the advice of the county engineer.

If the access management regulations apply to a subdivision and a permit request is filed pertaining to the subdivision, the county engineer, board of township trustees, planning commission, or other person administering the regulations shall approve or disapprove the permit request within the time period for approval of a subdivision without a plat specified in section 711.131 of the Revised Code.

Section 5552.11 | Rules of construction.

• Effective: October 24, 2002
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 366 - 124th General Assembly

(A) No access management regulation, or amendment to an access management regulation, adopted under section 5552.02 of the Revised Code shall be construed to affect any access point that exists, or on which construction has begun, before the effective date of the regulation or amendment.

(B) Division (A) of this section does not prohibit access management regulations adopted under section 5552.02 of the Revised Code from regulating the reconstruction or relocation of access points or from applying when land use is changed in a way that significantly increases the types of traffic or traffic volume on a street or highway.

(C) No access management regulation, or amendment to an access management regulation, adopted under section 5552.02 of the Revised Code shall be construed to affect the state highway system or modify any access management standards or procedures established by the director of transportation under sections 5501.31 and 5515.01 of the Revised Code.

(D) No access management regulation, or amendment to an access management regulation, adopted under section 5552.02 of the Revised Code shall apply to any streets, highways, or other roadways located in a municipal corporation.

Section 5552.99 | Penalty.

• Effective: October 24, 2002
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 366 - 124th General Assembly

Whoever violates an access management regulation adopted under section 5552.02 of the Revised Code shall be fined not more than five hundred dollars for each offense. Each day of violation is a separate offense.