CENTERBURG—County planning officials invited residents of southwestern Knox County to a workshop to gather their input on the county’s comprehensive planning efforts.
Twenty-three residents responded, meeting at the Hilliar Township Hall on Wednesday night.
Clinton, Milford, Liberty, Hilliar, and Miller township officials participated. No one represented Morgan Township.
Officials from the Village of Centerburg also attended.
The plan update, dubbed Together Knox, started in June. Round 1 gathered information through community surveys, stakeholder and small-group meetings, and technical demographic analysis. Feedback came from 1,200 participants.
Round 2 included an Oct. 29 workshop at The Woodward Opera House, with 170 people providing feedback.
“We thought that through this process, we were a little bit lacking in the feedback from this area,” Regional Planning Commission secretary Darrel Severns said.
“So we wanted to come directly to you to get better ideas of what you’ve experienced and what you’re expecting out of a plan for the county.”
Consultants Jamie Green and Bailey Morlan of Planning NEXT are facilitating the update and led Wednesday’s workshop.
Referencing the area’s proximity to Licking County’s Intel plant under construction, Green told the group, “Because you are more vulnerable in these townships, we felt we should check in with you.”
Background
Morlan presented the findings thus far, including the transition from agricultural to rural residential in the townships.
She also reviewed the key themes, principles, and goals developed based on feedback from Knox County residents and workers. (The PDF below provides details on each.)
Several of Wednesday’s participants said this is the first they heard of the update. They questioned who was on the steering committee, who participated in the previous surveys and meetings, and who received information about the update.
Ultimately, they agreed the findings fit their perception of what they want to see in the county.
“However we got to this level, it was terrific,” Centerburg Councilman Daniel Hardwick said. “I knew about it, but I was negligent to get involved, and so I’m happy it ended up here.”
One person asked whether the concept is to start in the city of Mount Vernon and grow outward.
Area Development Foundation President Jeff Gottke said the goal is to focus development where it’s already developed.
“The cheapest place to develop is where there are roads and utilities, places that have been annexed or properties that are sort of designated for development,” he said.
Green said growth occurs in three fundamental places:
•Infill: A place already served by infrastructure, but there’s nothing on the land.
•Redevelopment: Places already served by infrastructure, but the existing structures are not serving their purpose.
•Green field development: Urban sprawl
“If we picked up the idea from people accurately, you don’t want to sprawl. This is a place of town and country; not town, suburb, and country, right?” he said.
“But if you believe in these statements, then you put a better put a land use plan in place that reflects it and the project, policies, and programs to see it happen.”
Zoning complements comprehensive planning efforts
Zoning is the follow-up step to a comprehensive plan that states where residents want growth.
“If you really want to have this implemented from a land use standpoint, the zoning is the legal instrument to do that,” Green said.
According to Green, a comprehensive plan provides predictability for residents, developers, and investors.
“If these principles hold up and these principles flow through the actual land use plan, if you’re a big residential suburban subdivision developer, you’re probably not going to find a friendly place to do that because that’s not what you’re saying you want,” he told the group.
Green assured the attendees that the comprehensive plan does not supersede township zoning and that townships are not losing control. Instead, township zoning complements comprehensive planning.
Following the discussion, participants broke into groups and provided feedback on zoning, areas that should be developed or protected, and outcomes they would like to see incorporated into the plan.