The Richland County Planning Board met with the new county planner at the Community Service Building 1201 W. Holly St. Sidney on Tuesday to discuss revising bylaws, codes, and growth policies.
Rachel Laqua, planning director for Interstate Engineering was awarded a five-year contract by the Richland County Board of Commissioners to act as county planner.
Laqua advised the board that the codes, including subdivision regulations, must be streamlined according to state codes.
“We will do an in-depth audit of all our codes,” Laqua said.
Another topic under review was outdated 2012 planning board bylaws that were never officially signed. The board will still use the old bylaws, Laqua said, because the members are operating under them.
“However, the board should go through their bylaws and have a conversation,” she said.
Items not to include in the bylaws include meeting locations. Laqua said that if the board needed public hearing, they may need a larger room to accommodate the number of people.
Board Vice President Bill Linder said the board should meet earlier than its next regular meeting to discuss the bylaws since members may have more time to deliberate.
All were in favor of an earlier meeting to discuss revising the bylaws and a date was set for May 30 at 7 p.m. at the Interstate Engineering Office in downtown Sidney. The bylaws will be officially adopted and signed on July 11.
Ray Trumpower, the planning board president, said he was in favor of meeting there as long as it was not a conflict of interest between the board and the engineering company.
The final item on the agenda was discussing a growth policy, or comprehensive development plan, that was tabled until 2024.
Richland County, the city of Sidney and the town of Fairview completed a growth policy together in 2015.
“Growth policies are required every five years,” Laqua said.
