THENS COUNTY - athensswcd.org

1 1 ATHENS COUNTY COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 2 TABLE OF CONTENTS Page # EXECUTIVE SUMMARY .. 6 CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION .. 9 . Review of Process for Plan Preparation .. 9 Vision 10 Task Forces & Their Areas of Study .. 12 Overview of Athens COUNTY .. 13 CHAPTER 2: AN HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE BY MARJORIE STONE .. 17 CHAPTER 3: TRANSPORTATION .. 23 Statement of Purpose .. 23 Process .. 23 Roadways-Present Conditions and Trends .. 24 Transportation Modes-Present Conditions & Trends .. 28 Private 28 Public Transportation .. 29 Trucking .. 31 Bicycle Transportation .. 31 Pedestrian 33 Air Transportation .. 34 Rail Transportation .. 36 Water Transportation .. 37 Plan Concept .. 37 Goals & 39 CHAPTER 4: ENVIRONMENT AND NATURAL 43 Statement of Purpose.

2 43 Process .. 43 Background .. 45 Present Conditions & 45 Land .. 46 Water .. 50 Agriculture and Woodland .. 51 Air, Sky, and Viewshed .. 56 Plan 58 Goals & 59 CHAPTER 5: ECONOMIC 64 Statement of Purpose .. 64 Process .. 64 Background .. 65 Conditions & Trends .. 65 Plan Concept .. 68 Goals & Policies .. 69 3 Page # CHAPTER 6: UTILITIES AND INFRASTRUCTURE .. 71 Statement of Purpose .. 71 Process .. 71 Background .. 71 Conditions & 72 Public Water .. 72 Wastewater 73 Solid Waste .. 74 76 Natural Gas .. 76 Communications .. 76 Plan Concept .. 78 Goals & Policies .. 80 CHAPTER 7: HOUSING .. 83 Statement of Purpose .. 83 Process .. 83 83 Conditions & Trends .. 83 Units .. 84 84 Age .. 84 85 Green Building.

3 85 Housing 86 Rural Demographics .. 86 Land and Infrastructure Costs .. 87 Affordable 87 Housing Programs .. 88 Plan Concept .. 89 Goals & Policies .. 90 CHAPTER 8: HERITAGE, ARTS, AND 92 Statement of Purpose .. 92 Process .. 92 92 Conditions & Trends .. 93 Historic Places .. 93 Arts .. 94 94 Farms .. 94 Plan Concept .. 94 Goals & 95 CHAPTER 9: PARKS AND RECREATION .. 98 Statement of Purpose .. 98 Process .. 98 Background .. 99 Conditions & Trends .. 99 National Recreation .. 100 Age Effects .. 103 4 Page # Workplace Changes .. 103 Home Ownership .. 103 Health 104 Computer Access .. 104 Preference Changes .. 104 Athens COUNTY 105 Hiking and Biking 106 106 Hunting and Fishing .. 107 Wilderness-Like 107 ATV Trails.

4 107 Aquatic 107 Plan Concept .. 108 Goals & 109 CHAPTER 10: COMMUNITY FACILITIES .. 111 Statement of Purpose .. 111 Process .. 111 Background .. 111 Conditions & Trends .. 111 Law Enforcement and Jails/Detention 111 Fire Stations .. 112 Hospitals and Clinics .. 112 Mental Health .. 113 Children Services .. 113 Education .. 113 Emergency Preparedness .. 114 Elderly Care .. 114 Libraries .. 115 Community Centers .. 115 Dog Shelter .. 116 Courthouse .. 116 Job and Family Services .. 116 Municipal 117 Health Department .. 117 Highway 117 Fairgrounds .. 117 Maintenance and 118 Plan Concept .. 119 Goals & Policies .. 121 CHAPTER 11: LAND USE .. 122 Statement of Purpose .. 122 Process .. 122 122 Conditions & Trends .. 124 Land 126 Land Uses.

5 126 Forestry and Agriculture .. 126 127 Commercial and Industrial .. 127 Mineral Exploration/Extraction .. 128 128 5 Page # Site Planning .. 128 Planning Tools .. 131 Future Land Use and Plan 135 Goals & Policies .. 137 Appendices Appendix A - Planning History of Athens COUNTY .. 140 Appendix B - Authority for Plan Preparation .. 143 Appendix C - Previous Plans and Studies .. 145 Appendix D - Task Force 146 Appendix E - Maps .. 148 Railroads Abandoned and 149 Average Daily Traffic (On Highways).. 150 Soil Slip Potential .. 151 152 Median Household Income .. 153 Per Capita 154 Commercial Developable Land .. 155 Industrial Developable 156 Major Utility Corridors .. 157 Utilities Water & 158 Population Living in Rural/Urban 159 Total Population Per Square 160 Residential Developable Land.

6 161 Historic Register 162 Indian Mounds .. 163 Cemeteries .. 164 Churches .. 165 State and Federal Public 166 Community 167 Critical Facilities Incorporated Areas .. 168 Critical Facilities Incorporated Areas and The 169 Critical Facilities (Unincorporated Areas).. 170 Red Cross Shelters .. 171 172 Critical Facilities Athens 173 Athens City 3-Mile 174 Voting 175 Zip 176 COUNTY Owned 177 Appendix F - Trails, Parks, and Recreation Areas .. 178 Appendix G - Land use by Township .. 183 Appendix H - Survey Questionnaire .. 184 Appendix I - Survey Results .. 190 Appendix J - Ohio COUNTY Profile - Athens 200 6 Executive Summary The Athens COUNTY Comprehensive Land Use Plan is a citizen-driven effort that will help COUNTY Commissioners make policy for land use in the COUNTY through the year 2030.

7 Formal organization for the Plan began in the summer of 2006 after the COUNTY Commissioners and the Athens COUNTY Regional Planning Commission agreed that it is time for an update to the existing, outdated COUNTY Plan. The Regional Planning Commission provided guidance during various phases of the planning process including: Organization and goal setting Citizen participation and key person interviews Data collection, historical research, and literature review Issues analysis Policy guidelines Mapping Plan writing and editingA Steering Committee comprised of 18 individuals prepared a vision statement and agreed to be the leaders of eight task forces. The vision for the Plan is Athens COUNTY will build upon its unique heritage to practice wise land use that creates a healthy, prosperous and cohesive community for a diverse population.

8 We, the citizens of Athens COUNTY , are committed to: Meaningful employment Entrepreneurial opportunities Sustainable agriculture Environmental stewardship Education achievement & cultural opportunities Appropriate transportation and other public services Vibrant rural areas and small towns The Plan was prepared by eight task forces composed of dedicated citizen volunteers working in the areas of: housing environment and natural resources utilities and infrastructure parks and recreation economic development heritage, arts, and culture community facilities transportation 7 Each task force prepared a written report for its topic area. The reports became the Plan chapters and generally covered purpose, process, existing conditions, trends, and goals and policies for each topic area.

9 A Land Use chapter was added to focus on key issues that were woven through the other chapters and to discuss planned future conditions. The key theme expressed in this document is that land use planning can chart a course for Athens COUNTY that will lead to more efficient use of land and tax dollars and in the process help to protect the valuable resources that Athens COUNTY citizens appreciate. The COUNTY Commissioners have regular opportunity to impact policy concerning how land is used in the COUNTY . The Plan will serve as their guide, particularly in the task force s eight topic areas. Specific issues addressed in each chapter can be summarized as follows: Housing Athens COUNTY should focus on how to make housing more affordable, efficient, and accessible.

10 Minimum building standards should be promoted and better site planning should lead to improved housing conditions. Environment and Natural Resources Resource management is the principal focus for this planning theme. Protection of vital resources, information for citizens, promotion of forestry and farming, and minimizing pollution are all strategies for planned use and safeguarding of the environment. Utilities and Infrastructure Making wise use of existing infrastructure and carefully choosing locations for new infrastructure is key to good planning. Zoning is an essential growth management planning tool for areas that have public sewer. Alternative forms of public sewer need to be provided to the small towns and villages that still rely on home sewage treatment systems.