TROY — An amendment to the city of Troy Zoning Code regarding the historic preservation overlay district was approved by Troy City Council Tuesday evening.

This was the third and final reading of an amendment that has been the subject of public discourse since late July. The zoning changes come in response to an ongoing legal battle over the demolition of 112-118 W. Main St., which was damaged in a 2020 tornado and approved for demolition by the Troy Planning Commission.

In a detailed report, the Community and Economic Development Committee, along with a memorandum from City Director Patrick Titterington, addressed the concerns of the public and clarified points of confusion in the amendment.

“It is the recommendation of this committee that council should proceed to enact ordinance O-42-2022 as before council and as recommended by the Troy Planning Commission,” said Jeffrey Schilling, sixth ward council member, following his report.

The changes to the zoning code are as follows:

• Update the procedure for appeals to provide clarity;

• Remove certificate of appropriateness (COA) requirements for and define minor alterations;

• Explain when a COA is required and define criteria for an application;

• Describe the COA review and define the zoning administrator and Planning Commission’s responsibilities;

• Introduce a process for demolition that must meet predetermined standards;

• Propose a historic preservation – overlay district (HP-O) design manual which would provide guidelines to review COA applications;

• Provide criteria for demolition by neglect and follow the penalty section of the zoning code.

The amendment was approved by a vote of 7-0.

Also on Tuesday, council approved a resolution to accept the tax levies for the Troy and Miami East School Districts.

“As a small portion of Troy is within the Miami East School District, certifications are provided for both the Troy City School District and the Miami East Local School District,” said Titterington.

“Also, as a portion of the City of Troy continues to be in Staunton Township, there are now certifications related to both school districts for the Staunton Township area within Troy.”

These levies, approved on a yearly basis, are required by state law and based on the general duplicates for the coming fiscal year.

The council, by unanimous vote, vacated an easement at the location of the new Fire Station 11.

The easement, which is not needed for a public purpose, must be vacated before the city can file to replat the two lots on which Fire Station 11 sits.

The use of the public square for a Pink Ribbon Girls event on Oct. 8, 2022, was also approved.

The fundraiser would be cost neutral to the city and all proceeds would go towards the Pink Ribbon Girls organization. The event would include a 5k, a concert on Prouty Plaza, the sale of alcohol within the designated outdoor refreshment area (DORA), and the closure of public roads between 3 and 11 p.m.

Following guidance from the Auditor of State, the council approved the creation of the OneOhio Opioid Settlement Fund, Fund 262. Council has previously enacted legislation enrolling Troy in the OneOhio Settlement agreement.

This agreement stems from a $808 million settlement between Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost and major pharmaceutical distributors who were sued for their part in Ohio’s opioid crisis. Of this $808 million, 30% goes to the communities of Ohio, including Troy.

With the establishment of this fund, Troy will receive their portion of the payout over a period of 20 years.

The three-reading rule was suspended for all legislation that required it. Council members William Twiss and Kristie Marshall were absent at Tuesday’s meeting.

At the end of the meeting, the City Council heard a presentation from members of Isaiah’s Place concerning the establishment of a Child Advocacy Center in Miami County.

“We want to make sure that we provide services that are open, not only to our foster care network, but to everybody in our community. And one of the ways we would like to do that is with a child advocacy center,” said Robbie Lybarger, development coordinator at Isaiah’s Place.

“In a nutshell, a child advocacy center is a coordinated response of the mandated investigators that handle child abuse investigations. So, those folks in children’s services, law enforcement, prosecutors’ office, victim witnesses, and then, of course, our mental health and our medical professionals. What the advocacy center provides is not only coordinating those people but giving them a location to respond in a coordinated manner,” said Child Advocacy Center Program Director Jennifer Knisley.

The group was seeking a $5,000 commitment from the city of Troy to help with the up-front costs of establishing and running the center. Once it is up and running, the center can apply for state and federal funding.

The next Troy City Council meeting will take place on Monday, Sept. 19 at 7 p.m. in Council Chambers.