MOUNT VERNON — Regional Planning Commission members recently voted to rezone two Berlin Township parcels from Commercial (C-1) to single-family residential (R-1).
Parcels 0100259.001 and 0100259.003 are located at 19418 Old Mansfield Road.
Knox Marine anticipated expanding its business to the parcels, the site of a now-vacant kennel. However, the distance from the existing facility to the parcels was impractical.
A potential buyer wants to build a home on the site. Since residential is a conditional use under C-1 zoning, Knox Marine requested the rezoning to R-1.
The acreage has an existing water well and septic system that need to be tested. A potential homeowner would also need to designate an area for a replacement septic system should the current one fail.
RPC members unanimously approved the rezoning.
RPC secretary Darrel Severns said the office continues to be busy with lot splits. He also noted that “land prices are continuing to rise rapidly.”
Commission members were reminded that Aug. 23 is the deadline to complete the online survey for Together Knox, the process of collecting information for the next Knox County Comprehensive Plan.
Mount Vernon Mayor Matt Starr said 1,216 residents responded to Knox Public Health’s Community Health Assessment.
“That’s almost 2% of Knox County, which, statistically, is not too bad,” he said.
KPH will use the information to create the next Community Health Improvement Plan.
Knox County EMA
James T. DeChant, director of the Knox County Emergency Management Agency, was the guest speaker for the Aug. 15 meeting.
DeChant said EMAs are state-mandated, although not totally state-funded. The agency focuses on five areas:
•Prevention — Homeland Security, terrorist threats, cybersecurity
•Protection — how to protect Knox County with resources available (fire, EMS, law enforcement)
•Mitigation — reducing loss of life and property by lessening the impact of future disasters
•Response — respond quickly, protect property and the environment, meet basic human needs in the aftermath of an event
•Recovery — reunification efforts in schools, getting primary roads open, or responding to power outages after large storms
“It’s a lot of information sharing, a lot of partnerships,” he said.
Continuity in government and operations, if an incident occurs, is a big focus.
DeChant said one way townships can help EMA is to provide an updated list of township equipment. EMA can turn to that resource management list if, for example, the agency needs specific equipment to clear roads or generators to supply power after a storm.
Reports
Rob Clendenning, director of the Knox Soil & Water Conservation District, said the office plans to apply for a grant from the Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District to create a digital layer on water infrastructure, including ditches and waterways.
Much of the infrastructure was installed in the 1940s, and much of the hard copy documentation is not easily accessible and difficult to track because it was previously tied to an owner, not a parcel.
The annual meeting is Sept. 11 at the Knox County Fairgrounds. Two seats are open on the board; three candidates are interested.
Office staff continue to work with property owners who signed up for the H2Ohio program.
Other reports:
•County commissioners: Work continues on capital improvement projects (HVAC, window replacement, fixing tile in the parking lot in back of the service center, boilers in the Memorial Building and county jail)
•Gambier: Council will allow deer permits for bow hunting to control the deer population.
•Fredericktown: Streetscape is almost complete.
•Mount Vernon: Two resident-driven referendums are on the November General Election ballot (Edgewood Road and Vernonview Drive).
•Knox Public Health: The county identified two more West Nile Virus cases.
