Toledo launches draft of comprehensive land use plan
Posted By: Toledo Blade on May 2, 2024. For more information, please click here to read the source article.
Toledo has released a draft of its comprehensive land-use plan for public review.
The plan, called Forward Toledo, will inform the development and planning of the city for the next decade and beyond, reflecting the community’s vision for the future.
“Forward Toledo represents a collective vision of our community’s dreams and aspirations, outlining the path Toledo will follow to foster a dynamic, thriving, and sustainable city environment,” Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz said. “This comprehensive land-use plan articulates the needs of our community, emphasizing how we want to develop and grow as a city.”
The plan was created by the Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commission, with extensive input from city administration, Toledo City Council, and various executive committees. Each committee focused on a specific theme within the plan, setting high-level goals and direction.
The development of Forward Toledo was heavily influenced by a nine-month public input process, which included 39 community events attended by 1,600 residents and resulted in more than 3,000 survey responses. The input shaped the plan by prioritizing strategies around residents’ feedback, including:
- • Enhancing city-wide accessibility through better infrastructure.
- • Expanding housing options to meet diverse needs and affordability.
- • Supporting local businesses and economic revitalization.
- • Advancing green initiatives and sustainable practices.
“We set out to create a plan that would enhance Toledo for residents, businesses, and visitors,” said Tom Gibbons, the plan commission’s director. “We have ended up with a thoughtful roadmap for promoting sustainable and inclusive growth for all Toledoans while preserving the city’s rich culture and history.”
The full draft is accessible on the city’s website at toledo.oh.gov/forward.
The public review period runs until June 15 and will conclude with an official city review beginning in July. It is the final opportunity for residents to review the draft and provide comments.
“This is a rare opportunity for the citizens of Toledo to design their future,” Mr. Kapszukiewicz said.
Though the city is nearly 200 years old, the plan is only the third time it has gone through the process, he said.
“These opportunities don’t happen often. It takes years and a lot of energy to plan for the future. So we’re in one of those moments now,” the mayor said. “I’m encouraged by what has already been done. But there’s still an opportunity for public input.
“I would encourage the public to go online and share their thoughts so we can have a consensus document that guides us to what Toledo in 2050 would look like,” he added.
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