Our History
The Commission was formed primarily as a result of the announcement by
Governor Rhodes and The Ohio State University Officials that the Transportation
Research Center of Ohio would be located straddling the Logan and
Union County Line. This 8100-acre facility was touted to be the world's
largest automotive research center. Several studies indicated that
a lot of growth and development would take place around the TRC, which
would result in an influx of people, business, and industry. Therefore,
local officials felt that a Planning Commission should be formed to
start planning for the orderly development of the three counties.
The Commission elected Eugene Amrine from Marysville as its first president.
The Commission met at the Masonic Temple in North Lewisburg on a monthly
basis during 1967 and 1968. The Ohio Department of Development, Division
of Planning, under the direction of Paul Baldridge and Patrick Meeker
contracted with L-U-C as the consultant to develop the first Comprehensive
Plan for the three counties. This effort took two years to complete.
The first office for the Commission was located in a former residence
along US Route 33 on the site of the TRC. Carmen Scott of Bellefontaine
was hired as the recording secretary in April 1968 to take minutes
of the monthly meetings. In November, 1968 the Commission decided
to hire a full-time director and Carmen was selected from 8 applicants
for the position.
The monthly meetings were then moved to the Masonic Temple in East Liberty.
In 1970 the office was moved into the west half of the East Liberty
Restaurant building. It remained there until August 1972 when it moved
into its present building. During the early 1970's, the Commission
met on a quarterly basis at various locations throughout the three
counties. In the mid 1970's the Commission began having annual meetings
at the Ohio-Hi Point Joint Vocational School and has remained that
way.
The membership in the Commission is determined by the by-laws. Participating
villages, cities, and counties are permitted to have a certain number
of representatives. The first village to become a member was North
Lewisburg in March 1967 followed by St. Paris, Quincy, DeGraff, and
Richwood. In 1968 other municipalities began to join and today all
incorporated municipalities with the exception of Unionville Center
and Mutual are participating members. The first township to join the
Commission was Liberty Township in Union County in September 1967.
Over the years all 43 townships have become members. As a result,
there are 95 people representing the various political sub-divisions
on the Regional Planning Commission. An Executive Committee consisting
of 18 people is elected from the general membership at the Annual
Meeting. This committee meets monthly and is the decision and policy
making group for the Commission.
The Commission is charged under Ohio Law with certain responsibilities.
Among them are the review and approval of subdivisions located in
the unincorporated areas and the review and recommendation to township
zoning commissions concerning zoning amendments.
The Commission also acts as an Area-Wide Clearinghouse for applicants
who request federal and state assistance for selected projects.
Assistance is rendered to township and municipal zoning and planning commissions
regarding zoning and subdivision development.
The Commission and several of its members have been actively involved
in the attraction of new business and industry to the area and in
the improvement of US Route 33, 68 and other infrastructure improvements.
The Commission is funded by the villages, cities, townships of the three
counties and by the three counties themselves on a per capita basis.