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Second meeting on Big Darby Accord
slated for October 6
(Note: How many people living and/or farming in Madison County were
aware of this meeting? How many meetings have been held secretly on
this plan to develop land that is largely held by a small number of
power brokers? The same seven-score plus "partners" that
tried to steal the best farmland in Ohio -- ostensibly for a
"federal wildlife refuge" and "possible habitat"
for the Indiana bat -- are using another tactic to take control of
this area, the Darby drainage area of Ohio, and milk it for all it's
worth. This has nothing to do with "farmland preservation"
and everything to do with the profit motive. The Nature Conservancy
already led the way with development of land located right on the
Darby Creek, development that was made possible by the sale of a
fraction of the lands wrested away from an old woman with no heirs, to
the Roman Catholic Diocese for a new building and parking lot whose
runoff goes directly into the Darby Creek. Why, The Nature Conservancy
even runs a website that says it's "for" the Big Darby!
With friends like that, the saying goes, who needs enemies! "Last
great places," indeed! Maybe great for those with a profit
motive...)
September 29, 2005
By Carla Smith csmithwestside@aol.com or 614-875-2307 Fax: 614-875-6028 ThisWeek Staff Writer To submit a Letter to the Editor: editorial@thisweeknews.com After analyzing and taking into consideration public input, a critical part in the Big Darby Accord process will be presented to the public next week. A public meeting is scheduled to start with an open house at 5:30 p.m. Thursday Oct. 6 at Heritage Middle School, 5670 Scioto Darby Road. At 7 p.m. there will be a presentation followed by breakout discussion sessions at 7:45 p.m. The evening should wrap-up about 9 p.m. Tracy Hatmaker, Prairie Township administrator, said EDAW, the consultant hired to aid in the creation of the accord, will present to the public three different land use models and an analysis of each. The consultants will then gather more input from the community during breakout sessions to be conducted after the presentation. "They are taking those three different land use patterns and looking at how development and its intensity would affect water quality," Hatmaker said. "The results of that will be to come up with recommendations for a land use policy map." Last year, it was decided that 10 jurisdictions within the Big Darby Watershed would come together in the creation of a "comprehensive, intergovernmental planning accord" that would protect the Big Darby Creek. Entities involved include Columbus, Franklin County, Grove City, Hilliard, the village of Harrisburg and Prairie, Brown, Pleasant, Norwich and Washington townships. The meeting on October 6 is the second in a series of meetings to get the public involved. The first public meeting took place June 21 at Alton Hall Elementary School in Prairie Township, where the scope of the project was presented to the community. Paul Moyer, EDAW principal/vice president, said the implementation piece will be a critical part in the creation of the accord. "Implementation is a big piece," Moyer said. "How do you implement land use to protect the watershed?" The rights of private property owners was a concern during the last public meeting. Once there is a plan in place there could be a scenario in which land needs to be protected and that land may be private property. "There needs to be a financial aspect of this and we'll talk about some of the tools that can be used," Moyer said. Hatmaker said it's too soon to say whether or not the moratorium for building in the watershed can be lifted at the end of the year. "There is a lot that needs to be done before someone submits a zoning application on January 1 and we know what to do with it," Hatmaker said. "From now until then, we have to consider three hypothetical land use options. There are a lot of steps between here and there." Public input will once again be sought, collected and considered, Moyer said. "We've made it an important part of our thinking" he said. "We've heard concerns from the environmentalists and the private property owner[s?]. We've taken them very seriously and have talked about the issues." If all goes according to plan, a draft accord should be ready for presentation in about two months, Moyer said. More information on the accord process can be found at http://www.franklincountyohio.gov/bigdarbyaccord/ http://www.franklincountyohio.gov/BigDarbyAccord/index.cfm http://www.franklincountyohio.gov/BigDarbyAccord/overview.cfm A project phone line has also been established at 614-462-5629 for those who do not have Web access.
Copyright 2005, This Week Community Newspapers.
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