Strategic Planning Committee
THE STRATEGIC PLANNING COMMITTEE IS HERE TO AID IN PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE OF OUR COMMUNITY
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About the Strategic Planning Committee
On January 21, 2022, the Intel Corporation announced it would be making a $20 billion investment in microchip manufacturing plants in neighboring Jersey Township – a project that would impact the entire Central Ohio region – and which is just a few miles from Harlem Township. Township officials quickly understood that the development risks have never been greater. In March 2022, the Board of Township Trustees appointed the Strategic Planning Committee to serve as their advisory body and hired a consulting firm, Crossroads Community Planning, LLC, to help identify specific strategies to implement the 2020 Comprehensive Plan, while acknowledging the fact that the Township is on the cusp of development.
In August 2022, the Strategic Planning Committee held a large Community Meeting to inform residents of the information gathered to date on the extent of these development pressures, particularly when paired with the extension of sanitary sewer service to the southern portion of Harlem Township from Columbus (in partnership with Delaware County and outside of Harlem Township's authority). The upcoming availability of sanitary sewer service significantly impacts the types of growth pressures and development Harlem Township will see.
For the next several months, the Strategic Planning Committee held regular public meetings and drafted a Quick Strategy Guide to supplement the 2020 Comprehensive Plan. The Quick Strategy Guide provides additional recommendations in the areas of land use, communications, and administrative capacity to outline steps that the Township should take to be prepared for these development pressures.
The Strategic Planning Committee held a further series of Community Meetings in January/February 2023 to present to Township residents the recommendations in the proposed Quick Strategy Guide.
The narrated presentation from these Community Meetings can be viewed here:
⏯ Harlem Township January 2023 Community Meetings Presentation
The Quick Strategy Guide was reviewed and recommended for approval to the Trustees by the Zoning Commission in February 2023, and adopted by the Trustees on March 22, 2023.
A PDF copy of the adopted plan can be accessed here:
2023 Harlem Township Quick Strategy Guide
Future meetings will be on the 1st Tuesday of each month at 6:30 PM. (Prior to November 2023, meetings had been held on 1st & 3rd Tuesdays).
The meetings are open to the public and are also available to attend via Zoom. The Zoom link can be found on the Township website under Government / Official Notices / Public Notices, and also on the Township calendar on the main page of the website.
Meetings will be focused on the development of new and/or updated Zoning Regulations and other economic development tools as outlined in the Quick Strategy Guide. The Strategic Planning Committee is an advisory body only and has no legislative authority. Adoption of any Zoning Regulation changes or other economic development tools will follow appropriate procedures for adoption by the Board of Township Trustees, in accordance with the Ohio Revised Code.
We hope to see you at an SPC meeting soon!
Contact Us / Subscribe to Our Email List
We would love to hear from you! Please e-mail questions or comments to: SPC@harlemtwp.com
If you would like to subscribe to our growing E-mail distribution list, please complete the form below.
Current Committee Members
The current Committee is comprised of the following members, along with representatives from Crossroads Community Planning, LLC:
- Carl Richison, as representative of the Harlem Township Board of Trustees
- Mike Cannon, Harlem Township Director of Zoning and Development
- Tom Nied, as representative of the Harlem Township Zoning Commission
- Jim Steelesmith, as representative of the Harlem Township Board of Zoning Appeals
- Steve Eisenbrown, as at large representative of Harlem Township residents
- Bruce McClary, as at large representative of Harlem Township residents
- Molly Snodgrass, as at large representative of Harlem Township residents
- Crossroads Community Planning, LLC
Sub-committees
The Strategic Planning Committee currently has three active subcommittees, as described below. Please email SPC@harlemtwp.com if you are interested in volunteering to assist with any of the below sub-committees! There is no minimum time commitment required, and attendance at the bi-weekly SPC meetings is not required in order to volunteer/be involved on a sub-committee.
Infrastructure: Sub-committee chair is Bruce McClary. This subcommittee focuses on the current state and future needs of many categories of infrastructure within the township. This includes but is not limited to: stormwater runoff/drainage, roads, sewers, electrical, water, natural gas, internet.
Developer Relations: Sub-committee chair is Jim Steelesmith. This sub-committee focuses on maintaining open dialogue with developers and/or property owners who currently own land in the township that they may wish to develop. This sub-committee does NOT seek out developers to bring into Harlem Township, but rather seeks to stay informed of and in communication with existing developers in the township or seeking to be in the township.
Communications: Sub-committee chair is Molly Snodgrass. This subcommittee seeks to improve communication between the township and its residents, focusing on education and outreach, and updates the Strategic Planning Committee page on the township website.
Harlem Township Files and Links
⏯ Guest Speaker from OFBF - Dale Arnold - 2023-09-19 (Topic: Landowner Rights and Proposed AEP Transmission Line)
Harlem Township 2020 Comprehensive Plan (Adopted November 2021)
2023 Harlem Township Quick Strategy Guide (Addendum to 2020 Comprehensive Plan, Adopted March 2023)
⏯ Harlem Township January 2023 Community Meetings Presentation (Recorded Overview of the 2023 Quick Strategy Guide)
Intel and Columbus on Our Doorstep (August 2022 Informational Flyer)
Harlem Township 2023 Newsletter (Published early August 2023)
Additional Local/Regional Resources
AEP Vassell - Green Chapel Transmission Enhancements - DISCLAIMER: Townships have no authority granted in the Ohio Revised Code to directly influence utility projects such as this. Property owners are encouraged to understand their individual landowner rights. The Trustees sent a letter in opposition to the project and suggesting alternate routes for consideration. On September 19th, 2023, the SPC hosted a guest speaker from the Ohio Farm Bureau Federation, Dale Arnold, who gave a presentation on the specific process that certain utility projects in Ohio, such as this AEP transmission line, must follow. The presentation is worth viewing by all Harlem Township residents, and especially for property owners who might be impacted by the proposed transmission line. **Update** AEP sent a letter to Harlem Township on Oct. 5th, 2023 in response to the information presented on Sept. 19th by Dale Arnold. Please review this letter, as it contains some information which contradicts what was presented by Dale Arnold.
Big Walnut Sanitary Sewer Trunk Extension Phase 2 - Construction started in May 2023 on the project that will extend sanitary sewer service from the City of Columbus to the southwest corner of Harlem Township, just west of the Smothers Road roundabout. From that point, sanitary sewer feeder lines will be extended into the southern half of the township based upon actual demand for service. The Sewer Trunk Extension Phase 2 has a tentative completion date of mid-2026. The extension of feeder lines into the township falls under the authority of the Delaware County Regional Sewer District and will take place after the completion of the trunk extension.
Licking County TID - Local Roads Study Presentation - Licking County Transportation Improvement District focuses on planning for transportation infrastructure within a 10-minute drive time of the Intel site.
ODOT State Route 37 Corridor Studies (PID 119328 "SR 37 Corridor Study" from I-71 to SR-161 and PID 119326 "SR 161 and I 70 Connection Study" from SR-161 to I-70) are in the early planning stages. For more information about both projects, go to the ODOT site that tracks open projects through "Ellis", their project management system and search under each PID number.
Intel Pipeline Project - Construction started in May 2023 on a 12" diameter high pressure natural gas distribution pipeline, from a point near the intersection of South County Line Road and Evans Road on the eastern edge of the township. This 4.15-mile pipeline will run along the eastern side of South County Line Road in Licking County until it reaches US-62 and then zig-zag to the Intel site.Delaware County Regional Planning Commission - The Delaware County Regional Planning Commission was established to provide growth management systems, planning services and general information to all governmental entities in Delaware County, Ohio, relating to land use planning and coordination for activities of regional significance.
FRAMEWORK Licking County - With the opportunities sparked by the presence of Intel and other economic development efforts (suppliers, Meta, Google, Amazon, Amgen, etc.), the FRAMEWORK process aims to guide growth and change, not just react to it. Alignment of public and private leadership around a shared vision offers an unprecedented chance to shape a shared and impactful future. Licking County has much to gain by strategically aligning interests around a shared vision for the future.
Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission (MORPC) coordinates planning for land use and infrastructure development within the central Ohio region.
Fiscal ReportMeeting Minutes
Most recent minutes are at the top.
Dates listed without hyperlinks have meeting minutes that are either pending approval or have not yet been uploaded to the township website.
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| 2023-10-17 | Pending | ||
| 2023-10-03 | Minutes | ||
| 2023-09-19 | Minutes | Video | Guest Speaker from OFBF |
| 2023-09-05 | Minutes | Video | |
| 2023-08-15 | Minutes | Video | |
| 2023-08-01 | Minutes | ||
| 2023-07-25 | Minutes | ||
| 2023-07-18 | Minutes | Video | |
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| 2023-05-16 | Minutes | Video | |
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| 2023-04-18 | Minutes | Video | |
| 2023-04-04 | Minutes | Video | |
| 2023-03-21 | Minutes | ||
| 2023-03-07 | Minutes | ||
| 2023-02-21 | Minutes | Video | |
| 2023-01-03 | Minutes | ||
| 2022 |
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| 2022-12-20 | Minutes | |
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| 2022-10-18 | Minutes | |
| 2022-10-04 | Minutes | |
| 2022-09-20 | Minutes | |
| 2022-09-01 | Minutes | |
| 2022-08-16 | Minutes | |
| 2022-08-02 | Minutes | |
| 2022-07-19 | Minutes | |
| 2022-07-05 | Minutes | |
| 2022-06-21 | Minutes | |
| 2022-06-07 | Minutes | |
| 2022-05-24 | Minutes | |
| 2022-05-03 | Minutes | |
| 2022-04-19 | Minutes | |
| 2022-04-05 | Minutes | |
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