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Planning committee reviews simplified future land-use map, asks staff to verify park designations
Summary
The Ashland County Planning Committee reviewed a simplified countywide future land-use map that uses two primary designations (natural areas and rural/developed areas) plus a farmland-preservation overlay. Members asked GIS staff to check state and town parks, requested additional themed maps (transportation, housing) and confirmed those will be prepared as separate plan elements.
The Ashland County Planning Committee reviewed a draft future land-use map on June 16 that reduces the countywide map to two broad categories — 'natural areas' for publicly owned and conserved land, and 'rural and developed areas' for all other lands — with an overlay showing the farmland preservation area. The chair opened the agenda item and a GIS staff member presented the map and explained that other element maps (transportation, housing, environmental constraints) will be prepared separately.
Why it matters: Committee members said the simplified map should be easier for residents to read and more amendable over time, but raised concerns about a few high-profile sites that appeared misclassified on the presenter’s screen. "It also appears that Copper Falls State Park is not green now," said one committee member; GIS staff agreed to "double check my query" and correct state- and town-park classifications if needed.
Committee discussion centered on clarity and practical use. Members asked that state parks and town parks be coded as natural areas when the underlying data indicate public ownership, and requested separate thematic maps for transportation, recreational trails, and housing so that the future land-use map would inform—but remain distinct from—zoning decisions. One member noted that the map is intended to "inform your zoning decisions" rather than replace zoning.
Public comment and next steps: During the public-comment segment earlier in the meeting, the county grant writer announced a second public hearing tied to grant funding for the comprehensive-plan work, which staff said will be on the county board agenda June 23. The committee asked the presenter to correct the park classifications, deliver the other element maps as they are completed, and circulate corrected map queries by email ahead of the next meeting.
The committee did not take a formal vote on the map itself; staff will update and re-circulate the map for further review at the next meeting.
