WAYNE COUNTY PLANNING DEPARTMENT

An office of the Board of Wayne County Commissioners
Cheryl A. Noah * Ann M. Obrecht * Scott Wiggam

Planning Dept. Home | Meeting Agenda | Meeting Minutes

The Planning Department is charged with the implementation of the Wayne County Comprehensive Plan, "Tomorrow Together". View "Tomorrow Together" here. The 2007 Comprehensive Plan Audit was completed and effective May16, 2007. View the 2007 Audit here (PDF).

The Wayne County Planning Department is responsible for the enforcement of the Subdivision Regulations (PDF) and Floodplain Resolution (PDF) for the unincorporated areas of Wayne County. Four additional links are included to aid those interested. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has floodplain maps on line and enables searches by an address for the applicable floodplain map. The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (OEPA) provides information on both water and sewage treatment facilities. The Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) provides information on the communities with floodplain programs and the contact information Regulations for waterways and wetlands as well as permit information for our area can be found at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers website for the Huntington District Office.

The Planning Department works with the Rural Enterprise Zone program for the unincorporated areas and the villages in the County. Compliance with the tax incentive agreements is reviewed annually. A list of current Wayne County tax incentive agreements is available at the State of Ohio web site. Questions about the program and the county policies should be directed to us at (330) 287-5420.

The Department works on a variety of projects at the discretion of the Board of County Commissioners including Community Development Block Grants such as the Formula Allocation, Community Housing Improvement programs, and the Revolving Loan Fund. We are working with Rails-to-Trails of Wayne County on bike trail projects and with the County Airport Authority on Airport Improvement projects. Other projects include Scenic Byways for Wayne County, Agricultural Security Areas, the State of Ohio Agricultural Easement Protection program, and Ohio Public Works grant projects.

Please feel free to contact us if you have questions or need additional information.

WAYNE COUNTY AIRPORT
The Wayne County Airport Master Plan is in the process of being updated. The last plan was adopted in 1987. The update process includes several public comment opportunities and is being done with the assistance of a Technical Advisory Committee. The first two steps of the process included completion and comment upon WORKING PAPER "A" (8.1 MB PDF) and WORKING PAPER "B" - Revised (8.5 MB PDF). Additional comment opportunities will be available as this update progresses. Please contact the Department with any questions or comments.

Please visit: http://www.woosterwaynecountyairport.com/.

Agricultural Easement Purchase Program (A.E.P.P.)
In 2001, the Clean Ohio Fund was set up to preserve farmland and greenspace, develop recreational trails and clean up brownfield sites. $25 million of the $400 million is designated to farmland preservation. Through this program, landowners may apply to sell a permanent agricultural easement to the Ohio Department of Agriculture.

Grants are issued for up to 75 percent of the points-based appraised value of the farm's development rights. Payment caps have been set at $2000 an acre with a $500,000 maximum per farm.

Since the beginning of the program in 2001 six farms in Wayne County have been awarded grant money and therefore claiming the preserved farm status. The six farms are owed by: Jim and Deb Morris Farm in Clinton Township, Fred and Phyllis Canon Farm in Plain Township, David and Karen Mann in Franklin Township, Ross and Vesta Landis in Baughman Township, Donald Kosier in Chippewa Township and James and Jerome Badger in Congress Township.

The 2008 round of funding are now open. The Wayne County deadline is April 21, 2008 at 4:00 p.m. Your land must be at least 40 acres, enrolled in CAUV, Ag District and you must already have a conservation and/or nutrient management plan.

Please contact Katie M. Myers in the Planning Department.

Township Planning Assistance Grant (T.P.A.G.)
The Wayne County Planning Department, with support from The County Commissioners, has introduced an innovative Comprehensive Plan Assistance Program for the townships. We have committed Revolving Loan funds to the program and the township will have to contribute a 50% local match. The Wayne County Planning Department and the professional staff of Reveille will assist the awarded townships in completing a comprehensive plan. The townships must strive to obtain the following six goals:

  1. Provide land use assistance to those needing it most.
  2. Involvement of public in the process.
  3. Provide a thorough and complete comprehensive plan.
  4. Link goals and plan recommendations to zoning code update.
  5. Commitment to implement other goals from plan.
  6. Commitment to provide education to officials and the public.

A comprehensive plan will give townships the ability to achieve specific goals, guide growth and development, prepare for future issues, and most importantly preserve their local character.

2007 Awarded Townships include: Baughman, Chippewa, Congress and Green. The first public meetings were held March 5 & 6. See the results here S.W.O.T. (PDF)

Comprehensive Planning Steering Committees have been formed for each of the townships. See the meeting summaries here:

Please contact Katie M. Myers with any questions.

Agricultural Security Area
Ohio's Agricultural Security Area (ASA) legislation permits one or more landowners to request from county commissioners and township trustees to enroll at least 500 acres of contiguous farmland in the unincorporated area of the county into an ASA for 10 years. ASA's are voluntary; locally controlled; incentive-based; and respect private property rights.

ASA's provide certain benefits to farmers, including protecting against non-farm development, assembling a critical mass of land to help keep farming viable, and providing a new local tax benefit for investment in new agricultural real property. They are not designed to stop development, but to protect farmland by creating special areas where agriculture is encouraged and protected.

On April 26, 2006 the Board of Commissioners adopted policies and procedures for Security Areas in Wayne County (PDF). The State of Ohio ASA application (PDF) is available for your use. Wayne County charges a $40 fee at the time of application submission.

Ohio Scenic Byways
An Ohio Byway is a road deserving special recognition because of its importance to the state. Whether scenic beauty, natural qualities, historic significance, cultural, recreational or archeological importance, these roads are important to Ohio. Wayne County is currently drafting a proposal for inclusion in the state program. Please visit: www.ohiobyways.com

Rails to Trails of Wayne County Countywide Trail Map
Rails to Trails of Wayne County is a non-profit organization that has worked since 1995, to convert unused railroad and greenway corridors into multi-purpose, non-motorized public paths. Through public awareness, technical assistance, trail development at the local level, Wayne County Rails to Trails is striving for additional trail routes throughout Wayne County and connecting to the statewide network. The map shows the possibility of 75 miles of trail development throughout Wayne County. View the trail map here...

Currently, Wayne County Rails to Trails is in the process of land acquisition to start construction of the new 7-mile trail that will extend from Rittman to Creston. 2010 is the anticipated completion date.

Planning Department Contacts:

Betsy Sparr, Director
Email: bsparr@wayneohio.org

Lisa Johnson, Assistant Director
Email: ljohnson@wayneohio.org

Katie Myers, Planner
Email: kmyers@wayneohio.org

Jenny Frost, Administrative Secretary
Email: jfrost@wayneohio.org


Wayne County Planning Department | 428 W. Liberty Street, Wooster, OH 44691
Tel: (330) 287-5420 | Fax: (330) 287-5425 | Email: planning@wayneohio.org