Rather than hire a large planning firm with no connection to Chester Township to determine the future of its land use, officials are pressing for community input and involvement.
Rather than hire a large planning firm with no connection to Chester Township to determine the future of its land use, officials are pressing for community input and involvement.
Chester Township Zoning Inspector Chris Alusheff and Zoning Commission and Board of Zoning Appeals Secretary Kathleen McCarthy hosted a town hall meeting March 19 to discuss the process of updating the township’s land use plan.
It’s best to update the plan every 10 years, Alusheff said.
Chester’s hasn’t been updated since 2008.
“An up-to-date zoning land use plan is an important tool in ensuring that future growth or change reflects the will of the community at large,” Alusheff said.
Chester’s current plan — available at chestertwp.com/land-use-plan/ — provides township officials with a blueprint for future development and growth, Alusheff said.
“A land use plan is a document designed to guide the future actions, development, growth and direction of a community that is created with the input of residents, business owners and stakeholders to reflect a vision for the future of the township,” he said.
It covers zoning information, natural resources, recreation, agricultural information, community goals, future development, transportation information, among others, Alusheff added.
Currently, the township is working to assemble a land-use committee, which will look at survey results, demographics, Census data and data from the American Community Survey, he said.
In 2019, a Cleveland developer said it would cost an estimated $70,000 to $90,000 to help the township update its land use plan, Alusheff said, adding by using in-house resources, the township will save that money.
Instead, Alusheff and the Geauga County Planning Commission will facilitate the land-use committee.
“An added benefit to this approach is the plan will be made by Chester and for Chester, rather than a vision created by a large planning firm in downtown Cleveland or elsewhere with no ties to the community,” Alusheff said. “This represents active involvement of the community, of creating the plan, rather than passive involvement of approving a plan created by someone else.”
Residents will be invited to fill out a survey regarding their vision for Chester Township using an online platform and both Alusheff and McCarthy reassured residents they would work to get every household to fill out the survey.
Alusheff hopes the committee will have its first meeting at the end of May and meet once a month for the next 18-24 months.
They are looking for residents to apply in specialized areas, such as architecture, real estate, engineering, water resources, public safety, logistics and finance, he said, adding they hope to include business owners, civic leaders and both new and long-time residents of Chester. The Chester Township Trustees will ultimately choose committee members.
Residents interested in applying to the committee can visit chestertwp.com/land-use-plan/ and click “App for Lup Comm.” Paper copies will also be available in the town hall lobby. Applications are due April 1.
For more information on the land use plan, residents can visit the new zoning department Facebook page where Alusheff will post progress and updates.
