Ashland County Subvision & Lot Split Process: An Overview for Realtors

Did you know Ashland Soil & Water Conservation District leads Ashland County Planning efforts? We do! Here’s an example of how the process works:

Is your new lot (and the remainder) over 20 acres? You get to bypass our office and go directly to tax map.

Is your new lot (or the remainder) under 20 acres? Your proposed lot will be reviewed by county planning.

Submit an application; those are available on our website.

So, what do we look for in these reviews?

Not sure what our county subdivision regulations are? A copy of those regulations are online.

This review is based on our County Engineering Code and Access Management regulations. They are both available online, too!

The health department now requires a soils evaluation on both parts of a split:

  • If there’s an existing septic, there must be a suitable replacement site identified.

  • If the land is vacant, a suitable site for a new system AND a replacement system must be identified.

  • Evaluations must be done by a soil scientist and submitted to county planning and/or the health department before your application is considered complete.

  • The health department maintains a list of soil scientists that can be used.

How can I tell if a property is in the floodplain? For a general idea, use the layers on our county auditor site.

Not sure who the appropriate zoning inspector is? There’s a listing on the county planning website.

Not sure what your township zoning requirements are? Those are online, too.


Now, let’s talk timelines:

  • 1-2 weeks in lot split review committee

  • Once surveyor submits final, it usually takes 1-1.5 weeks at tax map before a final is ready

  • But that only works IF you have everything prepared and submitted on time

Tips to make the process go smoothly:

  • Use a surveyor

  • Contact a soil scientist ASAP


So what if you don’t meet one of those requirements and your application is denied? That’s what a variance is for. There are 2 types:

  • Access variance (an appeal of the engineer’s denial)

  • General subdivision variance - 2 part process; required approval from township BZA AND county planning commission

What kind of timeline are we looking at for a variance?

  • Must be approved by township

  • Must get scheduled before planning commission (2nd Wednesday of the month; the deadline for submission is the Monday a week and a half earlier)

  • Then is goes back into the subdivision process.

What is an exemption?

What kind of timeline are we looking at for an exemption?1-1.5 weeks

Ashland SWCD