Ross County advances comprehensive plan, applies for stormwater and agriculture grants

Ross County officials told commissioners on Jan. 5 that the county’s comprehensive plan has moved into the writing phase and will return to the public for verification later in the spring.

Speaker 7 said the county will implement critical-path strategies as chapters are completed and will hold stakeholder meetings in Scioto Township and other focus areas south and southeast of Chillicothe. The county announced plans to add a radiological-response annex to the Emergency Operations Plan in light of regional facilities and contractor activity.

Funding efforts tied to the plan are underway. County staff are applying for an art/implementation grant to partially fund a stormwater planning effort in the Delano Road corridor and Illinois Ditch area; Speaker 7 said the county is seeking up to $425,000 for that project. The county is also pursuing a $50,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to help offset comprehensive-plan costs.

Speaker 7 said the county will reconvene infrastructure stakeholder meetings and is working with consulting teams that will prepare the plan chapters and associated critical-path strategy lists. The county expects to return drafts to the public for review in late March–May 2026, depending on progress.

The report also included downtown and visitor-site development updates: a development agreement and performance bond for the Great Seal Medical Complex have been received and will be forwarded for board action once finalized; geotechnical testing for a visitors center was nearly complete and a final cost estimate was expected within days to determine competitive-bid timing.

Ending

County officials asked the board to expect a series of upcoming items tied to the comprehensive plan, including grant decisions and a future vote on the development agreement once the bond and final contract documents are in order.