Ashtabula County Comprehensive Plan Ashtabula County Comprehensive Plan 2003 “Ashtabula County is currently a beautiful and unique area in this country. In order to maintain and improve upon that beauty and uniqueness, there is a need for vision and long-term planning…. Land and Living Bold Statement Ashtabula County Comprehensive Plan Table of Contents Citizen Advisory Council Members........................................................................................................ iv History/Heritage Committee .................................................................................................................. iv Economic Development/Transportation Committee.............................................................................. iv Recreation Committee............................................................................................................................ v Greenspace Committee.......................................................................................................................... v Farmland Preservation Committee......................................................................................................... v Chapter 1 The Planning Process ........................................................................................................ 1 What is a county comprehensive plan?.................................................................................................. 1 What is the need for a county comprehensive plan? ............................................................................. 1 Past Public Involvement ......................................................................................................................... 2 1993-1994: ACT 2000 (Ashtabula County Tomorrow).................................................................... 2 1997 Ashtabula County Telephone Survey..................................................................................... 2 1999 Land and Living in Ashtabula County..................................................................................... 3 Developing This Comprehensive Plan ................................................................................................... 3 Appreciative Interviews........................................................................................................................... 3 Future Search......................................................................................................................................... 4 The Citizen Advisory Council - CAC....................................................................................................... 5 Visions .................................................................................................................................................... 6 Greenspace..................................................................................................................................... 6 Farmland Preservation .................................................................................................................... 6 Transportation ................................................................................................................................. 6 Economic Development .................................................................................................................. 6 History and Heritage........................................................................................................................ 6 Recreation ....................................................................................................................................... 7 General Recommendations.................................................................................................................... 7 Township Level ............................................................................................................................... 7 Public Hearings and Official Filing .................................................................................................. 7 Amendment Process ....................................................................................................................... 7 General Land Use and Demographic Information........................................................................... 8 Chapter 2 Greenspace Preservation ................................................................................................ 14 Vision .................................................................................................................................................... 14 Introduction ........................................................................................................................................... 14 Why is Comprehensive Planning Important to Greenspace Preservation? ......................................... 14 Greenspace Priorities: Areas of Concern and Focus........................................................................... 15 Threats to the Watershed ..................................................................................................................... 16 Greenspace Preservation Tools and Programs ................................................................................... 21 Priority Areas ........................................................................................................................................ 23 Primary Importance ....................................................................................................................... 24 Secondary Importance .................................................................................................................. 25 Evaluating Ecologically Sensitive Areas............................................................................................... 28 Land Holders and Their Importance in Greenspace Preservation ....................................................... 29 Recommendations................................................................................................................................ 32 Water Resources........................................................................................................................... 32 Woodlands..................................................................................................................................... 32 Development ................................................................................................................................. 32 i Ashtabula County Comprehensive Plan Zoning............................................................................................................................................ 33 Significant Lands ........................................................................................................................... 33 Chapter 3 Farmland Preservation..................................................................................................... 34 Vision............................................................................................................................................. 34 Introduction.................................................................................................................................... 34 Why a Land Use Plan is Important to Farmland Preservation in Ashtabula County..................... 35 Areas of Concern & Focus ............................................................................................................ 36 Issues & Challenges to Farmland Preservation ...................................................................................37 Farmland Preservation Tools ............................................................................................................... 39 Chapter 4 Transportation................................................................................................................... 44 Vision............................................................................................................................................. 44 Introduction.................................................................................................................................... 44 Transportation Goals and Priorities...................................................................................................... 44 Intergovernmental Coordination.................................................................................................... 44 Consistency and Concurrency ...................................................................................................... 45 Alternative Modes of Travel........................................................................................................... 45 Public Transportation ............................................................................................................. 46 Non-motorized Travel - Bicycle and Pedestrian .................................................................... 47 Rail Transportation................................................................................................................. 47 Air Transportation .................................................................................................................. 48 Ports....................................................................................................................................... 50 Transportation