Ashland County planning committee approves subcommittee structure for comprehensive plan update

The Ashland County Planning Committee voted May 12 to approve a structure of subcommittees to develop elements of the countycomprehensive plan, assigning committee members as chairpersons and encouraging county board participation.

The subcommittees will cover intergovernmental cooperation; trends and issues; cultural resources and community facilities; agriculture, forestry and natural resources; transportation and utilities; housing; land use and economic development; and risk and opportunities. The committee approved the list of chairs and empowered those chairs to recruit additional members, including at least one county board member on each working group.

Committee members listed assignments during the meeting. The chairs and primary assignments recorded in the meeting were: Charlie Ortman (intergovernmental cooperation), Lisa Radke (trends and issues; also listed for risk and opportunities), Liz (Elizabeth) Franek (cultural resources and community facilities), Pat Kinney (agriculture, forestry and natural resources; noted as excused at roll call), George Boussay (transportation and utilities), Bradley Wright (housing), Gary Mertig (land use and economic development) and others as discussed.

Bradley Wright moved to approve the subcommittee structure; Charlie Ortman seconded. The motion passed on a voice vote with all in favor and no recorded opposition; the chair said the structure was approved and that the public participation plan would be placed on the next meeting agenda for formal action.

Committee members discussed how subcommittees should gather input and the need for broad public engagement. The chair asked that subcommittee chairs "incorporate a breadth of input from the community and relevant, concerned constituents," including township boards, townships and the tribal government where appropriate. Members noted the statutory requirement that a comprehensive plan address specific elements (transportation, utilities, housing, etc.) and debated how to group sections for subcommittee work while ensuring the final product meets those statutory elements.

The committee agreed that subcommittees have flexibility in how they gather input and may hold meetings or hearings anywhere in the county. The committee stated it expects to return to the public participation plan for approval at the next meeting once members have had a chance to review the draft scope of work provided by Northwest Regional Planning.

Less-critical details: the committee also discussed preserving continuity with the 2016 plan's element groupings to reduce confusion and to align with Northwest Regional Planning's scope of work. Several members said regional planning staff would provide background data and facilitate meetings once their contract is executed.