February 10, 2005

Council sets forum schedule

By Robert Mihalek

Village Council will hold three forums this month and in March on issues related to growth and the Village budget. The forums will provide information about Village zoning rules, the Village Comprehensive Plan and results of the financial surveys that Council created.

Council agreed to the forums’ dates at its meeting Monday. Here’s the forum schedule:

• Monday, Feb. 28: this forum will focus on Village zoning regulations, how land is currently being used around the village and in Miami Township; and development processes, including annexation rules and the steps needed to develop properties.

• Wednesday, March 9: this meeting will provide historical information about the Village Comprehensive Plan and other influential plans and studies.

• Tuesday, March 15: at this forum, Council will review the results of the financial surveys that were conducted in December and January; Council has said that it will use the survey data to create a five-year financial plan for the Village.

All three forums will likely take place from 7 to 9 p.m. in the Bryan Community Center; Council needs to check on the availability of space in the Bryan Center before setting specific times and locations.

Council president Tony Arnett has developed an outline of topics to discuss at the first two forums. During Council’s meeting Monday, he said that the survey results should be available by Council’s March 7 meeting, giving Council time to review the data before the third public forum.

The forums are not part of a broader community visioning effort that some residents have called for. Council members said last month that they should not lead such an effort, instead preferring that a private group or individuals take charge of organizing a visioning process.

Tecumseh Land Trust is organizing an educational weekend on smart growth in April.

Council began considering sponsoring community forums on growth-related issues in December, after the controversial request to annex into Yellow Springs the Fogg farm on Dayton-Yellow Springs Road was pulled by one of the property’s owners, Doug Miller, the broker/owner of HRI Commercial Realty in Beavercreek. Council said that Miller’s decision to delay his annexation request gave the community time to discuss development issues.