Norwich Township trustees will consider new rules Tuesday for how the township handles speeding and traffic complaints on local roads.

The Oct. 20 meeting agenda lists a resolution adopting Traffic and Mobility Calming Guidelines alongside a revised construction permit and fee schedule set to take effect Jan. 1, 2027 if approved. The meeting starts at 11:30 a.m. at 5181 Northwest Parkway.

Proposed traffic calming process

The traffic calming resolution would create a step-by-step process for receiving, evaluating and acting on traffic and mobility concerns on township roads. Under the guidelines, Township Administrator Jamie Fisher or Road Superintendent Robbie Thomas would document complaints, inspect the roadway and consult law enforcement when speeding or unsafe driving is involved.

The township could then install a hidden speed-collection device or request a radar speed trailer from the Franklin County Engineer's Office. The Board of Trustees would review traffic studies and engineering recommendations before deciding whether to approve temporary or permanent calming measures, request more data, or take no action.

Possible measures listed in the resolution include speed feedback signs, pavement markings, traffic-control devices, pedestrian and bicycle safety improvements and intersection changes.

The resolution grew out of an Aug. 18 trustees meeting. Fisher presented Franklin County Engineer recommendations for the Ridgewood Drive and Cameron Road intersection, where speed data showed average speeds of 25.46 mph in a 25-mph zone, according to minutes from that meeting. Thomas and Trustee Trish Barker raised concerns that speed humps could create hazards for snowplows. Trustee Kelli Arthur Hykes asked for a spring 2027 review, and Trustee Brian Rothenberg requested a resolution outlining how the township manages speed and safety concerns.

Rothenberg also called for a communication agreement with the City of Hilliard on roadway improvements, saying the city had agreed in February to notify the township of future projects but had not followed through. Hykes said she would work on a memorandum of understanding with the city.

New fire construction permits and fees

Fire Chief Dave Baird is listed on the agenda to present a new construction permit and fee schedule. The schedule covers plan reviews at $130 per hour with a one-hour minimum, subdivision and apartment plan reviews at $650 plus $11 per lot or unit, and dozens of construction permit fees for fire protection systems.

Examples include $500 for an automatic extinguishing system, $250 base plus 4 cents per square foot for sprinkler systems, and $300 per hydrant for private fire hydrants. Acceptance testing by a fire code official would cost $130 per hour with a one-hour minimum.

The schedule also sets escalating re-inspection fees for fire safety violations. Initial inspections and first re-inspections carry no charge, when appropriate. Fees start at $100 on the second re-inspection and climb to $1,000 by the sixth, with a civil penalty possible on the seventh.

Other agenda items

Trustees will also consider:

  • A 2027 Mosquito Management Services contract extension through Franklin County Public Health and Vector Disease Control totaling $8,329.48, a 4% increase over the 2026 contract.
  • Purchasing three replacement saws for fire apparatus at $4,549.60 from Hilliard Lawn and Garden, a 2026 capital budget item.
  • A grave buyback request from Kelly Mallory for two graves in Block E, Lot 81, originally purchased Oct. 17, 1990, for $600.
  • Proclamations honoring Debbie Smith and Robin Brenneman for induction into the Norwich Township Senior Citizens Hall of Fame on Wednesday, Oct. 21.

Two executive sessions are scheduled to discuss public employee compensation and bargaining.

The next regular meeting is Nov. 17 at noon at 5181 Northwest Parkway.