Bath Township Trustees are holding virtual public meetings to discuss a proposed tax increase to motor vehicle registrations.

Their resolution would add an additional $5 to vehicle registrations for those living in the township. Two meetings are scheduled to hear the public's feed back on the proposal. The first meeting is tomorrow and the second is next Monday. Both are at 6:30 in the evening. The tax would generate $12,000 to $13,000 with that money going towards road improvements and maintenance in the township. One trustee says they are taking this approach to avoid having to go to a levy.

The sheriff's office and township trustees already have a contract in place. The trustees are using the flexibility in that contract to request an increased patrol throughout Bath Township. The trustees say there isn't an increased pattern of crime, but burglaries of cars and garages are becoming more apparent. One trustee did say it's common for burglaries to go up in the summer, but they are hoping more law enforcement visibility will deter that.

The Bath Township Trustees have officially passed an overlay resolution they believe will bring future growth in the Lost Creek area. The proposed overlay would cover State Route 309 between Saratoga Avenue and west of Devonshire Drive.

It would allow someone who buys a residential property in the area to change it into a commercial space as long it meets approved guidelines. Current homeowners would not be affected by the overlay unless they decide to sell their property.

After a few years of work, Bath Township nears a zoning overlay on Route 309, but not before another public hearing. The township has set in motion for a zoning overlay on the north side of Route 309 from Saratoga Avenue to the Immanuel Baptist Church. One trustee said the overlay sets restrictions and requirements for property development without changing the zoning. A public meeting is set with the zoning commission on Thursday. They will discuss what those restrictions might be for the overlay. The regional planning commission has already approved the plan with their own suggestions.