MEDINA, Ohio – The council is considering adding a number of amendments to Medina’s zoning code, particularly regarding short-term rentals within the city. The organization recently held a public hearing on the issue during which no one spoke for or against the proposed amendments.

Community Development Director Andrew Dutton said the proposed changes were reviewed and recommended by the planning commission on July 11.

“Currently, there are a number of short-term rentals in the city, near the historic district, but we have no regulations for short-term rentals,” Dutton said.

Dutton said city officials looked at regulations put in place by other municipalities.

“In some other communities, short-term rentals are regulated in various ways, including a registration process,” Dutton said. “We have taken the opposite path with more general regulations.”

Dutton said the proposed regulations would allow short-term rentals in the C2 Commercial District and the MU District and would be conditionally permitted in the R2 and R3 Residential Districts located within 4,000 feet of the city center.

“That’s where they all are right now,” Dutton said. “The regulations would require a minimum number of parking spaces, maximum occupancy based on the number of rooms and prohibit short-term rental events.”

The proposed changes also focused on fitness facilities, giving them their own definition in the zoning code. Fitness facilities would be permitted in the C3 commercial district and permitted conditionally in the C1 and C2 commercial districts as well as industrial districts.

“This change was necessary as we see fitness facilities evolve,” Dutton said. “You see more of things like CrossFit that are commonly found in industrial areas.”