The City of Delaware has announced the scheduling of a planning workshop that will help to develop its Southwest Area Plan, which focuses on an area of the city that has been identified as one of six areas “needing special attention and focus to help guide future land use and development decisions,” according to the city.
On Monday, May 15, the workshop will be held from 6-8 p.m. in the Community Room at the Delaware Community Center YMCA, located at 1121 S. Houk Road in Delaware. The workshop will allow community members to learn about the planning process, provide input, identify priorities, and meet members of the Southwest Area Task Force and Delaware planning team.
In a release announcing the workshop, the city stated, “The Southwest Area was identified in Delaware Together, adopted in May 2021, as the city’s long-term business and employment focus area. It includes a strong existing business and industrial base, the Delaware Municipal Airport, and significant roadway infrastructure.”
The Southwest Area Plan will be guided by a task force that will include city department leaders and key stakeholders, in addition to the public input from the workshop as well as from online engagement. The plan is anticipated to be completed this fall.
“The Area Plan will include strategic planning for land use and character, infrastructure, and zoning regulations,” the city website states. “It will consider how the city can best capitalize on existing assets and advance economic development objectives while promoting high-quality development that will contribute positively to the city as a whole.”
Delaware Planning and Community Development Director Dave Efland said of the area’s importance, “With careful planning, the city can leverage these assets to generate jobs, support the local tax base, provide housing, and create a new, vibrant part of the city that will attract workers and residents.”
For more information about the Southwest Area Plan, including ways for the public to get involved, visit DelawareOHFocusAreas.org.
Reach Dillon Davis at 740-413-0904. Follow him on Twitter @DillonDavis56.
