City Plans Public Meeting on Zoning Code Audit

October 20 meeting will highlight effort to modernize, streamline regulations

MOUNT VERNON, October 6, 2022 – The City of Mount Vernon has embarked on a process to modernize its planning, zoning and subdivision regulations to ensure that it is ready to welcome and accommodate strategic growth that meets the goals of the City and its residents.

As part of this process, the City will have a public meeting at 6:00 p.m. on Thursday, October 20 to discuss and address any questions and concerns about the audit undertaken by a consultant hired by the City to update its zoning code. All members of the public are invited. The meeting will be in Council Chambers, Mount Vernon City Hall, at 40 Public Square.

The City’s zoning code ordinances are the tools the City uses to establish how land can be used, the types of housing and businesses allowed, density of development, as well as site design elements such as signage, landscaping, architecture, parking and access. At the meeting, the consultant will provide an overview of a preliminary audit of the existing zoning code and identify some initial direction for change.

The audit intends to summarize the strengths and weaknesses of the existing regulations in terms of usability, organization and substantive standards, and provide options for improvement. It also includes a proposed outline for a reorganized zoning code to improve usability by staff, residents, business owners and City officials.

The zoning code audit can be found on the City’s website at https://mountvernonohio.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Mount-Vernon-Code-Audit-5-24-22.pdf.