|
Tuesday, 06 May 2008 |
Mayor: City comprehensive plan offers information, ideas and direction
By WILLIAM LANEY
Managing Editor
A 16-month study resulting in a comprehensive plan for the city of Wapakoneta should provide information for many city departments and committees, the city’s mayor says.
“I think the comprehensive plan will be used quite a bit because there is a lot of meat in this plan regarding land use, zoning, business areas and business types,” Wapakoneta Mayor Rodney Metz said after a presentation by former Councilor-at-large Deb Zwez at Monday’s Wapakoneta City Council meeting. “There is a lot of information in this plan and a lot of information on how to beautify the city and make it easier to get around the city.”
A meeting to discuss the plan is scheduled for this month.
The mayor said the comprehensive plan addresses areas which can affect each committee of city council as well as such boards as the Wapakoneta Zoning Board of Appeals, Wapakoneta City Planning Commission and the Wapakoneta City Recreation Board. The plan also contains information valuable to other boards such as the Wapakoneta Area Economi
Development Council, Wapakoneta Area Chamber of Commerce and the Downtown Wapakoneta Partnership.
Metz said city councilors can adopt the plan as legislation, but the mayor would like a written explanation from City Law Director Dennis Faller regarding its official adoption and implementation.
“I think the comprehensive plan contains a lot of valuable information in the document, a lot of useful information and a lot of valid, eye-opening suggestions and ideas as well as a strong direction for the city,” Metz told the Wapakoneta Daily News.
Zwez, who is a member of the Wapakoneta Comprehensive Plan Steering Committee, invited councilors and residents to attend an open house starting at 6:30 p.m. May 13 at the St. Joseph Parish Life Center.
She said more than 20 community members have been working since Jan. 11, 2007, on this “road map for Wapakoneta’s future growth.”
Zwez said the five major components to the comprehensive plan includes economic development, downtown revitalization and quality of life as well as improving the city’s infrastructure and improving the city’s land-use regulations.
The plan also includes an implementation matrix, which describes how to enact the plan and its elements.
Zwez urged councilors to read the draft of the plan and to take notes and comments on the document and have them ready for the May 13 meeting.
Zwez said the city’s comprehensive plan consultant Della Rucker is available for questions as well as Steering Committee Chair Eric Pfenning prior to the meeting.
Councilor-at-large Dr. Ed Wallen and 3rd Ward Councilor Bonnie Wurst also are members of the Steering Committee and could explain sections of the document.
4th Ward Councilor Dan Graf said a copy of the plan is available at his office for review, and Metz said he would make a copy available for public perusal at the Auglaize County Public District Library in Wapakoneta.
|
|
Last Updated ( Wednesday, 07 May 2008 )
|
