Ordinance went into effect July 1

CHESAPEAKE — Members of Chesapeake’s council will be fanning out in the coming week to inform residents of the new permit fee for those doing business in the village.

“This is a money maker and it lets us know who is doing business in the village,” council member Paul Hart said.

Those doing business in the village will have to pay a $10 annual fee to receive a certificate, to be displayed in the window of a business.

The ordinance was passed at May’s meeting of council.

Hart brought copies of a notice to the meeting to be distributed to every resident in Chesapeake.

The council agreed to split up and deliver the notices to the six sections of the village to which they were assigned.

The ordinance went into effect July 1 and businesses have 30 days to comply, Hart said.

Hart said he would be collecting petition signatures in the Symmes Creek Road area while he’s out delivering the notices, for residents to request action to be taken on road slippage.

The council also heard from village solicitor Casey Baker, who was there to advise them on the adoption of a property maintenance code for the village.

The code, based off of North Bend, Ohio, was voted for in first reading by the council earlier this year.

Baker said he felt the code would be more effective if it was combined with a zoning ordinance.

“Ohio is much more clear on zoning than property maintenance,” he said.

He said, in order to do zoning, the council would first have to vote to form a planning commission, comprised of council members, and then host public meetings on the issue.

Zoning would require three readings, and the entire process would take about three months, he said.

Mayor Tommy Templeton gave his approval of the idea, stating that zoning is something that is needed in the village and something he has been wanting to tackle.

The council voted 6-0 to create the commission.

Hart asked if property maintenance could be addressed by passing a nuisance ordinance.

Baker said yes, and advised the council to take a look at an ordinance in South Point on the subject.

In other business, the council:

– Heard from fire chief Frank Meehling II, who informed them that the six airpacks and tank on the village fire trucks are out of date and can no longer be tested.

Meehling said the cost of replacement would be $21,036. Council members asked if, for the time being, the department can use tanks on the Union Township fire truck.

– Voted 6-0 to annex section of the Chesapeake Bypass. Templeton said permission would be needed from the state for the non residential area.

– Voted to approve a curb cut on Third Avenue near the old AEP building, proposed by resident Doug Marcum.

– Voted 6-0 to require that Chesapeake police stay within the village while on duty, unless called out by the Lawrence County sheriff for a “life threatening” emergency.

– Met in executive session to discuss a personnel matter. No action was taken.