Troy’s Planning Commission will hold its final review of the Unified Development Code (UDC) rewrite on Wednesday, August 26 at 3:30 p.m. in Council Chambers, the last step before the document heads to City Council for adoption. If you care about how land gets used in Troy for the next generation, this is the meeting to attend.
Tattoo Studios: From Banned to Permitted
One of the most significant substantive changes in this code has it has evolved deals with tattoo businesses. One of the first versions the Planning Commission reviewed earlier this year listed “Tattoo Parlor” among a short list of land uses specifically prohibited citywide, regardless of zoning district. The latest draft removes that outright ban entirely. It renames the use “Tattoo Studio,” strikes it from the prohibited-uses list, and instead adds it to the General Commercial district’s permitted-use table (subject to use standards). The new draft also attaches specific conditions: no two studios within 2,000 feet of each other, no more than three permitted citywide, an outright ban within the Downtown Riverfront Overlay District, mandatory state and county health department approval, and a requirement that all tattooing and piercing occur inside an enclosed building. In short, a use that was flatly banned in the earlier draft is now a permitted commercial use in Troy, with guardrails attached.
Data Centers: Added Layers of Public Review
Data centers were already addressed as a distinct use category in the earliest version of the draft code the Planning Commission first reviewed. What’s changed over the summer is that the Commission has layered on additional reviews: it now adds a set of mandatory public hearings specifically for data center applications, treating these facilities as Planned Unit Developments. Because a Planned Unit Development requires review and approval from both the Planning Commission and City Council, this means data centers must clear sign-off from both bodies — and now must also go through a dedicated public hearing before the Planning Commission to gather community comments and concerns before that approval can happen. The draft also lets the Planning Commission tack on additional protective standards case-by-case and gives the City Engineer authority to weigh in on whether a proposed data center would strain water supply for existing customers in Troy and Miami County. For a use this land- and resource-intensive, requiring two full public bodies and a dedicated hearing is a meaningful check.
Accessory Dwelling Units: What’s Allowed
Beyond the specific redline between drafts, it’s worth reminding residents what the new code generally permits for accessory dwelling units (ADUs) — secondary living spaces added to a residential lot, sometimes called “in-law suites” or “granny flats.” The code allows both attached ADUs (built onto or within the primary home) and detached ADUs (a separate small structure on the same lot).
Attached ADUs must be at least 250 square feet, carry their own unit address, connect to municipal sewer (no septic systems allowed), and use the home’s existing driveway — and only one is allowed per primary dwelling. The property owner must live in the primary structure, and the ADU cannot be sold off separately.
Detached ADUs require a lot of at least half an acre, must be architecturally compatible with the main house, cannot exceed 25 feet in height or 50 percent of the primary dwelling’s square footage (or 800 square feet, whichever is smaller), and must sit behind the front of the main house. Like attached units, only one detached ADU is allowed per lot, ownership can’t be split from the primary home, and septic systems are prohibited.
Why This Meeting Matters
A ban that becomes a permitted use, and a high-impact commercial use that now requires two additional layers of public review — these are the kinds of substantive shifts that shape actual development outcomes for years, not just paperwork cleanup. This is also functionally residents’ last chance to raise questions or concerns before the Commission sends its recommendation to City Council, who holds the final vote on adoption.
If land use and how new development fits into Troy’s neighborhoods matters to you, show up Wednesday, August 26 at 3:30 p.m. in Council Chambers. Bring your questions — that’s exactly the kind of decision where an informed public makes for a better outcome than a quiet one.
This is what it looks like when residents stay informed. If you find value in this work, share it with a neighbor, a colleague, or anyone who cares about this community. Paid subscriptions keep it going — $5 a month.
Civic Capacity runs on one thing: readers who believe local journalism matters. If you want to support this work without a subscription, you can now make a one-time contribution through Buy Me a Coffee — or in my case, Buy Me an Iced Tea. Click the button below. Every contribution goes directly into the work you read here every day.
I still don't get the comment that it would be short-sighted to outright ban data centers. They're loud. They use electricity. They're not wanted, so why even give them a chance to come into Troy?
They had a ban on tattoo studios and now they are basically listed as bad? Lmfao. Troy is trying to be like a private Cinci school district. They ain’t gonna call you bro, you’re still Troy