Licking County has launched a comprehensive plan process commissioners say will help manage growth and economic stability in one of the fastest growing areas of central Ohio.
The process will incorporate data to help assess that growth, leverage assets such as farmland and natural areas in the county, align investments in infrastructure and guide long-term fiscal and economic choices, the county stated in a news release.
Townships and municipalities across the county will play a role in the process, and commissioners appointed community members in the area to serve on the leadership team. The group is in place to ensure the process reflects different perspectives and priorities residents and leaders in the county have.
Once completed, the comprehensive plan will be the county’s first in more than 25 years, according to the release.
“This is one of a number of important tools in the county’s toolbox to manage change,” Licking County Commissioner Duane Flowers said in the release. “As we undertake this important work, all of our communities, including the townships, should see the value and see opportunities to advance their interests.”
Members of the leadership team first met March 12, a day before the county announced the launch of the upcoming plan. The group and county staff plan to host three events in which it will welcome engagement from the public, through different participation formats.
County staff will manage the planning process and Planning NEXT, a planning firm, will facilitate it. The group will analyze and discuss any insights it collects during the process, and will use that to shape the plan’s vision, goals, recommendations and implementation strategies, the release states.
“For this comprehensive plan to succeed, the leadership team must first reach consensus on what we are trying to accomplish,” Wallick CEO Amy Albery, who co-chairs the leadership team, said in the release. “Once we have that alignment, I’m committed to listening to all voices and helping guide a thoughtful, balanced path forward for Licking County.”
Some outcomes staff expect will be part of the plan include guidance on where growth and conservation in the county is most sensible and determinations on which housing and economic strategies reflect workforce needs. They also expect having better alignment on water, sewer and transportation investments in the county, among other outcomes.
Licking County is growing, largely in part to the massive Intel project and other housing developments in the area.
Several developers have ongoing housing projects across the county, and the continued growth is one reason why Licking Regional Water District is partnering with some townships to develop water and sewer line extensions in those areas.
The upcoming plan also comes at a time when more townships and municipalities are welcoming data centers to the region. Some leaders say the centers help create jobs and can improve the economy while others worry about their land use and effect on water and electricity supply. St. Albans Township banned data centers from the area during a meeting earlier this month.
County staff in the release said the final plan will serve as a guiding document for leaders across the region, with the idea that it aligns their decisions with the community’s values and aspirations. They also expect to launch a website for the project at some point.
Advocate reporter Josué Perez can be reached at jhperez@newarkadvocate.com.
This article originally appeared on Newark Advocate: Licking County to develop comprehensive plan in push to manage growth
Reporting by Josué Perez, Newark Advocate / Newark Advocate
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