APA OPC Planning Workshop

Southington Township Comprehensive Plan:

Vision 2060November 18, 2011

Southington Township• In Trumbull County, Ohio,

near Warren• “A Small Town With A Big

Heart”• Founded 1805• Population 2010: 3717• Intersection of three main

US/State Routes• Mostly agriculture/residential• No sewer or water right now

Southington Location – Trumbull County

Existing Land Use

Why Our Plan Now?• Outdated zoning code • Prepare for sewer and

water, or none• Incorporate

community members’ voice and vision

• New school

Partners in the Process

• Trustees and Zoning Commission• Core Working Group: eight members,

including trustees and zoning commission members, longtime residents, school board representative, and business owners

• Citizens Advisory Committee: • CSU Center for Community Planning and

Development

TimelineAdministrative Organization & Plan Kick-off: March 2010

Phase 1: Data Collection & Analysis: April-October 2010

Phase 2: Visioning & Goal Setting: Nov. 2010-Jan. 2011

Phase 3: Action Strategies: February-May 2011

Phase 4: Plan Preparation: June-September 2011

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Planning Elements and Work Group Assignments

• Population• Land Use• Housing• Economics• Infrastructure• Transportation

• Agriculture• Natural

Resources• Community

Facilities• Historical,

Cultural, & Scenic Resources

PHASE 1:Data Collection and

Analysis

Existing Conditions and Trends

Collecting and Analyzing Data• Data Sources: walk

arounds, web, personal knowledge, County

• Key Questions: Toolkit• Mapping: CSU• Assets and Challenges:

discussion, Community Meetings (Sept and Nov 2010)

• Questionnaire (October 2010)

Existing Zoning• Extensive unused commercial and industrial areas•No distinction of rural character and historic areas•Limited commercial along 422

Example Maps –Community Facilities and Services

Example Maps –Ground Cover and Surface Water Resources

Key Assets• Small community with strong

history and identity• Steady, stable population since

1960’s • Room for growth and

development• Close to transportation• Facilities such as sports

complex, new school• Historic resources and century

homes• Rural character and open spaces• New Amish community

Key Challenges• Large portion of land zoned

for commercial/industrial• Zoning needs updating• Aging housing stock• Lack of water/sewer , poor

soils for septic limit new construction

• Need for (some) senior housing, social services, day care

• Need for bike trails, recreation

Community Open House #1

• Reviewed Planning Process and Timeline

• Presented Existing Conditions

• Presented Assets and Challenges

Community Open House #1

WHAT SHOULD STAY THE SAME?• Small Town Feel• Agricultural opportunities• Keep a strong school system in our community• Our town center• Keep it small town community without

industrial commotion• Keep the country area. This isn’t the city.

Community Open House #1

WHAT SHOULD CHANGE?• Work to attract young families / small

neighborhoods• Work to attract small business• Township dump should be a park• Get a senior center• Get federal funding for sewer and water out

on 422

Community Questionnaire – October 2010

• 200 responses received, mostly longtime residents• Excellent/good rating: EMS/safety, housing,

small town atmosphere, schools, appearance• Fair/poor rating: jobs, shopping, water/sewer,

recreation• Needs: jobs, water/sewer, shopping,

conveniences, restaurants

Creating a Community Vision

PHASE 2:Visioning & Goal Setting

Community Open House #2November 8th

• Reviewed Community Vision• Presented Planning Goals and

Objectives• MAJOR QUESTION: What can

happen without water and sanitary sewer?

VISION STATEMENT

Preserve and enhance Southington Township’s character as a safe and friendly place to grow up, live well, raise and educate children, and retire.

Create a unique area within northeastern Ohio that will enhance our quality of life, increase our property values, leverage our regional location and access, while maintaining a small town feel with manageable growth.

Southington Township will be a community rich in history, with a developed core area, preserved agriculture and open space, stronger planning and connectivity among all decision-makers, strong schools, increased jobs, and relatively low congestion.

GOAL 1: Maintain the small town feel of Southington, while allowing manageable,

focused growth and development aligned with the Community's expressed desires

• Develop Community Core with desired shopping and services along 422

• Establish Historic Center at 305/534 and old school

• Maintain rural character, scenic vistas and open space outside “triangle”

Potential Land Use Patterns

Goal 2: Bring Water and Sewer Service to Southington to accommodate managed, long-term growth and improve current conditions

• Water and Sewer Board to continue their work

• Explore use of Chalker School sewer plant

Goal 3: Maintain and improve community facilities and services

• Conduct quarterly meetings of all interested decisionmakers, community members, and groups

• Work on improving VFD facilities, sheriff and state patrols, and community watch

Goal 4: Maintain population and grow population in a manageable, focused manner

• Develop a mix of housing types

• Leverage excellent location to attract new residents and businesses

• Reduce and focus quantity of land zoned for commercial and industrial

Goal 5: Improve Recreational and Community Gathering Opportunities

• Create bike paths• Redevelop Chalker

School for cultural/recreational use

• Create a pedestrian friendly area in Community Core

Existing and Proposed Transportation

Prioritization & Implementation

PHASE 3: Developing Action Strategies

Selected Action Strategies• Create a Southington Civic Group to assist in

implementing the plan• Contact Heritage Ohio about creating and

implementing the Historic Core• Consider Conservation Development and Stream

Setbacks in rural character area• Create a well-planned system of trails and

parkland• Improve circulation within and between the new

school site, community core, and historic core

Conservation Development and

Common Access Drives

What if no sewer/water? Selected Objectives

• Historic Core exploration• Zoning code update• Southington Civic Group and joint meetings• Stream setbacks/resource protection• Network of recreational trails with

landowners• Improve safety

PHASE 4: Plan Preparation

Pulling It All Together

• Mapping – with CSU• Writing – Core Group

members• Draft Review Process –

with CSU and County• Adoption – planned for

January 2012?• Publicizing the Plan –

through community web site (ongoing)