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Commissioners OK Mahoning County Planning Commission’s updated 2016-26 Land Use Plan
By Sean Barron
YOUNGSTOWN
County commissioners have approved the Mahoning County Planning Commission’s updated 2016-26 Land Use Plan.
Meeting Thursday, county officials were briefed on the plan for the 424-square-mile county’s 14 townships, something that is updated every 10 years and incorporates township trustees’ input.
Chrystaline Speidel, the planning commission’s flood-plain administrator and office manager, noted that a primary feature of the 400-page updated version includes parcel, geological, soil, wetland, valuation and other maps that are clearer and easier to read, thanks largely to improvements in technology since the plan was last updated in 2006.
“Technologically, the maps have come forward in 10 years,” she said.
Also incorporated into the updated plan are more current population data as well as information on the percentage of land in each township that is zoned residential, agricultural and industrial, Speidel explained.
The plan’s overarching goal is to reflect the direction in which the townships, two of which are not zoned, want to grow regarding housing, business development and residential and commercial use, she continued.
The newest version, which took about 18 months to complete, also contains the latest census information. After it’s officially recorded, the updated plan will appear on the county’s website, www.mahoningcountyoh.gov, Speidel said.
Also at the session, county Engineer Patrick T. Ginnetti announced that two portions of North Four Mile Run Road in Austintown Township will be closed beginning March 27 for about 75 days to replace certain water valves as part of the Mahoning County Sanitary District’s water system. The sections affected will be the northern end of North Four Mile Run between Crum and County Line roads, Ginnetti said, adding that detours will be posted.
The next commissioners’ meeting is set for 10 a.m. Thursday in the Mahoning County Courthouse basement.