Building, Zoning, Property Maintenance & Land Use

Land use and the maintenance of public and private properties in Oakwood are high priorities, particularly because of our community’s age and almost fully developed state. Planning and Zoning Manager/Building Commissioner Ethan Kroger and Code Enforcement Officer JT Ferguson had primary responsibility for overseeing all land use and property maintenance.

Are there any current redevelopment projects in the city?

Modern commercial building rendering at 2533-2537 Far Hills Avenue with ground floor cafe and large storefront windows

The building located at 2533-2537 Far Hills Avenue was purchased by 2533 Far Hills Investments, LLC, in January 2022. The new owner has completed exterior building renovations, with interior renovations to follow, including mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems. Common area finishes will be done last, as determined by the ultimate tenant mix. The owner seeks a mix of tenants, including café/restaurant, specialty service, or retail use for the first floor and office tenants for the second.

In April 2017, Kettering Health purchased the 2600 Far Hills Avenue office building to redevelop it into medical offices and related support services. The city proactively meets with Kettering Health officials to discuss their plans for the site; they intend to develop plans for extensive reuse of the property. As part of their plans, Kettering Health also intends to add supporting parking in the immediate area.

At the corner of Old River Trail and Far Hills Avenue, a vacant lot once approved for the development of an 88-unit assisted living facility exists. While that project was never pursued, city staff will continue to work with the property owner to find a suitable use for this property situated at the entrance to our community

The city has a pre-sale/rental inspection program that requires an inspection before a property is sold and when new tenants move into a rental property. How many pre-sale and rental inspections have been performed during the past five (5) years?

PRE-SALE/RENTAL INSPECTION TOTALS

2020	2021	2022	2023	2024
458	414	360	306	344

Magnifying glass inspecting a miniature model house

The pre-sale/rental inspection program has been in place for 50+ years and is one of the primary methods by which Oakwood enforces the Property Maintenance Code. Given the average age of Oakwood homes, this program plays a very important role in maintaining the community and our home values.

Oakwood is recognized as a community that takes a proactive approach to exterior property maintenance. What are my responsibilities as a property owner in maintaining my property?

Worker using a scraper tool to remove peeling paint from residential wood siding

The Property Maintenance Code is designed to protect property values by encouraging property owners to maintain all structures and property consistent with a first-class residential community. Specifically, property owners are required to keep all property and premises in a clean, safe and sanitary condition. All hard surfaces, such as sidewalks, driveways, steps, and patios, must be kept in a proper state of repair, free of cracks and deterioration. All exterior walls and other hard surfaces shall be free from holes, breaks, and peeling materials and shall be painted or stained to prevent deterioration. Roofs shall be maintained so as to prevent leaking or damage to interior surfaces of the structure. Bushes, trees, and flowers shall be properly maintained and trimmed and may not encroach into the right-of-way (sidewalks, alleys, or streets). Although the city monitors properties on a continuing basis and notifies property owners of existing violations, we encourage citizens to contact the city if they have concerns about a property or structure in their neighborhood. The city has a 24-member citizen Property Maintenance Board to assist in the enforcement of the Property Maintenance Code.