(a) Any person desiring to drill an oil or gas well within the City shall make application for a drilling unit authorization permit with the Community Development Administrator, who will, after all requested information is provided, place it upon the Planning Commission's agenda. The fee for the permit must accompany the application. The fee is nonrefundable. The applicant must provide all the information and supporting documentation required in this chapter with the application for the permit. Thirteen copies of the application and all attachments must be submitted. After the drilling unit authorization permit and the drilling permit are issued, they will terminate and become inoperative after ninety (90) days from the date of issuance of the drilling unit authorization permit unless actual on site drilling of the well has commenced, without notification from or action by the City of cancellation. After the drilling of a well has commenced, the cessation of the drilling operations for more than ninety (90) days shall operate to terminate and cancel the permit. Thereafter, no person shall drill or operate any such well without the issuance of another permit, which requires an application and payment of all fees.
(b) The Council, upon recommendation of the Planning Commission, may for good cause grant an extension of the drilling unit authorization for no more than six (6) months without holding a public hearing. No well shall begin production until compliance with all provisions is certified by both the Chief of the Chardon Volunteer Fire Department/Fire Inspector and the Community Development Administrator.
(c) No person shall be permitted to have more than two (2) drilling unit authorization permits for the drilling of oil and/or gas wells at any time. Application for the third permit, or any subsequent permits, may be made after the completion of drilling the first, second and each numerically subsequent well.
(Ord. 3273. Passed 5-9-24.)