Planning to plan for Wells County's next 20 years

Area Plan Commission board members began discussing a new 20-year comprehensive plan for the county during its Thursday, April 6, meeting, but before they can plan, they must discuss how to plan the plan.

Specifically, APC members want to create a steering committee and several subcommittees to address a plethora of topics, from farming to utilities.

The APC released the following layout for committee membership and responsibility during the meeting. To learn more, read "Comprehensive plan revision gets under way" in the Friday, April 6, News-Banner.

Steering Committee
Reviews, Amends and Compiles recommendations from the subcommittees to the Plan Commission. Creates Subcommittee Topic List
a. APC, BZA, or PC Member
b. APC, BZA, or PC Member
c. APC, BZA, or PC Member
d. Elected official Representing Bluffton
e. Elected official Representing Ossian
f. Elected official Representing (Zanesville, Uniondale, Poneto, or Vera Cruz)
g. Elected official Representing the County Commissioners
h. Elected official Representing the County Council
i. Representative from the school boards
j. Citizen Member
k. Citizen Member

Subcommittees
The subcommittees success will be based on their member’s diversity and interest in the topics.
a. Jackson Township (3 Trustee, 3 Commissioners, and 3 Council) (9)
b. Chester Township (3 Trustee, 3 Commissioners, and 3 Council) (9)
c. Nottingham Township (3 Trustee, 3 Commissioners, and 3 Council) (9)
d. Liberty Township (3 Trustee, 3 Commissioners, and 3 Council) (9)
e. Harrison Township (3 Trustee, 3 Commissioners, and 3 Council) (9)
f. Rock Creek Township (3 Trustee, 3 Commissioners, and 3 Council) (9)
g. Lancaster Township (3 Trustee, 3 Commissioners, and 3 Council) (9)
h. Union Township (3 Trustee, 3 Commissioners, and 3 Council) (9)
i. Jefferson Township (3 Trustee, 3 Commissioners, and 3 Council) (9)
j. Bluffton (9)
k. Ossian (9)
l. Poneto (9)
m. Vera Cruz (9)
n. Uniondale (9)
o. Ossian (9)
p. Zanesville (9)
Subcommittee Topics
a. Farming
b. Commercial/Retail Business
c. Industrial
d. Residential
e. Future Land Use Map
f. Government
g. Drainage
h. Utilities
i. Amenities
j. Energy
k. Transportation
l. Natural Disasters & Floodplain Regulations
m. Technology
n. Fire Protection / Police Protection
o. Additional subcommittee topics can be created at any time by the steering committee.