<< Front page News April 30, 2004

Town plans zoning

For the last 18 months, a steering committee of prominent Oberlin city residents has been preparing a comprehensive land use plan for the town’s development.

The plan is nearing completion and contains several indications of the future of town-gown relations.

The current draft, which is still under revision, suggests that the College prepare a campus concept plan to indicate future sites for College expansion and allow the city to plan accordingly.

It also urges the College to locate future development as close to the center of town as possible to help preserve the integrity of Oberlin neighborhoods and plan the construction of parking facilities, where possible, to limit street parking.

A more controversial item in the plan states that the city should consider establishing an “institutional zoning district, which addresses the uses and needs of the College and provides for buffers between high- impact College uses and residential neighborhoods.”

The plan also addresses economic development and housing issues, zoning arrangements with neighboring Pittsfield and New Russia townships and the long-planned development of the Gasholder Building site.

A public hearing on the plan is tentatively scheduled for May 11. The plan will then be finalized and submitted to City Council for approval. The city’s planning commission will be responsible for its implementation.


 
 
   

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