Introduction Leslie Kohli Administrator Springfield Township Lucas County, Ohio

Swan Creek Watershed Pilot Project

Lake Erie Commission Provides Opportunity Balanced Growth: a voluntary, incentive-based strategy to protect and restore Lake Erie, the Ohio River, and Ohio's watersheds to assure long-term economic competitiveness ecological health, and quality of life. To promote best land use for the protection of water quality

What is Balanced Growth? Key Aspects of Balanced Growth Maximizes incentive based initiatives Focuses on ecological protection/restoration Encourage land uses in appropriate locations Balanced Growth is a strategy to protect and restore Lake Erie and its watersheds to assure long-term economic competitiveness and quality of life.

About Swan Creek watershed 205 square miles of land in Lucas, Fulton, and Henry counties. Swan Creek is 40 miles long. 200 miles of ditches & streams. 23 political jurisdictions 3 counties 13 townships 2 cities 5 villages

The Partnership Swan Creek Committee Representatives from jurisdictions Watershed interest groups Representatives of: Conservation Development Agriculture

Committee members TMACOG staff Soil & Water Conservation district County Commissioners County Engineers Planning Commissions Consulting Engineers Municipalities Townships Park Districts Nature Conservancy Board of Realtors

Political Jurisdictions

The Partnership NamecountyPopulation Percent PopulationAcres Percent of Watershedsupport Harding TownshipLucas %5, %no Spencer TownshipLucas1, %5, %no Village of HollandLucas1, % %no Amboy TownshipFulton %1, %yes Fulton TownshipFulton1, %17, %yes Pike TownshipFulton %3, %yes Swan Creek TownshipFulton5, %19, %yes Village of DeltaFulton1, % %yes Village of SwantonFulton3, %1, %yes York TownshipFulton 0.01%yes Washington TownshipHenry %2, %yes City of MaumeeLucas5, %2, %yes City of ToledoLucas54, %8, %yes Monclova TownshipLucas6, %13, %yes Providence TownshipLucas3, %12, %yes Springfield TownshipLucas16, %9, %yes Swanton TownshipLucas3, %14, %yes Village of WatervilleLucas2, % %yes Village of WhitehouseLucas2, %2, %yes Waterville TownshipLucas1, %8, %yes 96.90%90.84% 20 Jurisdictions Plus 3 Counties

The Breakdown Townships population 36%,land area 88% Village,Cities Population 64%land area 12% Grant required: 75% population 75% land area 75% jurisdictions = 225% We had: 97% population 91% land area 87% jurisdictions = 275%

Swan Creek watershed – topographically very flat Lucas County is on a nearly level plain… The Oak Openings extends northeast- southwest from Sylvania to Neapolis…the flat surface is broken by low, rounded hills, or undulations of sand. -Soil Survey of Lucas County, Ohio

GOAL: Priority Areas Project outcome is to recommend future land use priority areas PCAs – Priority Conservation Areas Natural areas, parks, forests, wetland or other habitat PDAs – Priority Development Areas Areas that are attractive for Residential, Commercial, or Industrial development PAAs – Priority Agricultural Areas Agricultural preservation areas

Priority Areas: the process Technical Committee Met monthly Selected & prioritized modeling criteria Determined what computer data would identify “good” areas for conservation, development and agriculture; data sources Prepared maps of PAAs, PCAs, PDAs, & Combined Priorities Maps for review & comment

Priority Area Process Brainstorm criteria affecting development, conservation, agriculture Long list of criteria 57 items total Voted to rank most important

But Wait…….. Why not just use existing plans? Not all areas are zoned – creates a patchwork Inconsistent from jurisdiction to jurisdiction Most zoning – status quo, not addressing the environment or efficient smart development

PCA: Top Conservation Priorities Wetlands Rare plants/animals Forest size Conservation areas Floodplain Riparian corridor

Using the Criteria Conservation Priority IndexRanking of Value Ranges Total Possible ParameterData Source4321Weight Presence of wetlandsODNR, GIMSYes Rare plant/animal occurrences: density within 1 mile radius ODNR, Natural Heritage Database >50 per mile per mile per mile 2 > per mile Forest patch sizeODNR>100 acres acres acres>0 - 5 acres416 Protected conservation areas[1] County auditors; USGS GAP; metroparksYes yr. FloodplainFEMA In floodplain-- 28 Riparian corridorUSGS NHD <500 ft. from stream-- 14 Highest Possible Score84

PDA: Top Residential Priorities Sanitary Sewer Water Recreation: parks, open space Cultural attractions Quality of schools Existing commercial

PDA: Top Industrial Priorities Water Highways Sanitary Sewer Brownfields Incorporated areas: distance Interchanges / Major intersections

PDA: Top Commercial Priorities Incorporated areas Water Sanitary Sewer Commercial market Per Capita Income Highways

PAA: Top Agricultural Priorities Farmland preservation Prime/Important farmland Size of farm CAUV Current farmland Drainage capacity

Combined Priorities Residential – Industrial – Commercial — combined into multi-use “PDAs” Areas may score high for multiple priorities Selected top-scoring – highest 10% by area – for each land use Resolved almost all multi-priority designations

Local Input = change Committee/Computer generated maps presented to jurisdiction Jurisdiction may chose to alter the priority areas Committee reviews/discusses the proposals and makes changes if in keeping with the intent of the project

Final Priority Areas

2013 Update: Streamside Buffers

Developer Concerns Will the balanced growth plan restrict development? Will developers be penalized as a result of the plan? Can developers take advantage of incentives? NO YES

Where do we go from here? Transitioned from Technical Advisory committee to Balanced Growth committee Representatives of public jurisdictions in watershed Representatives from Technical committee Currently formulating focus of committee Encourage Airport/Oak Openings initiatives Review projects proposed in watershed and provide endorsement if they fit the plan