Geauga record. [volume] (Chardon, Geauga County, Ohio) 1952-1962, 1956-10-18

The need for a planning COM
mission has long been advocat-
ed by some folk in the county
but the commissioners have hes
itated in taking any action be-
cause they lacked funds to hire
the engineering service that
would be essential in putting
planning commission into full
operation.
Their action this week was
prodded by an open letter from
Munson township officials urg-
ing pompt action. The Munson
letter said:
"As you know, Munson, like
many of the other townships in
Geauga County, is growing, and
with growth comes the subse-
quent problems of order, devel-
opment and control.
"Our immediate problem is
control of subdivisions: this is
impossible without control of
new roads over which we have
no jurisdiction. Mayfield Road,
our main through highway, is
fast becoming hazardous with
numerous entrances (133 active
roads and driveways entering
onto Mayfield in its 6.2 miles
through MunSon Township. Fu-
ture development of areas be-
hind subdivisions along the
highway will be difficult indeed.
There is no plan for future roads
to link townships together and,
too often, roads dead-end. With
little planning now, this could
be avoided for the future.
There is need for industry in
the County but that, too, should
be planned. We should be plan
ming areas in the. County for
the use of industry (small and
large) with relation to reSiden-
tial and commercial zones. E.
mergency spot zoning by indi-
vidual Zoning Commissions or
Townships is not the answer to
such problems.
Therefore, We, the Planning
Commission of Munson Town
ship, do urge that you appoint
a Regional Planning Commits
sion to assist townships such
as ours to grow in a planned
and orderly fashion.
The letter was signed by Raw
mord Davies, chairman of the
Munson planning commission.
Martin Miller, Vice-chairman:
Stella J. Parker, secretary and
Members Roger K. Emmons.
and Lloyd Harrington.
Along with the letter to the
county commissioners the Mum
son officials also said:
I'VE feel that the problems of
orderly growth and development
are common to all of US. Under
state code, only the county COM
missionerS can control roads
and subdivisions; therefore we
are asking the commissioners to
appoint a planning commission
in Geauga while there is still
time
The private development Of
roads in newly organized subdi-
visions is the primary source of
concern in the county at the
present time. The roads in most
cases are being laid out without
regard to the general develop
ment of the county and if allow
ed to go unchecked, will result
in a hodge-podge of roads and
the possibility that MANY thous-
ands of acres of scenic Geauga
land may not profitably be de-
veloped into residential areas
because of blocked access.
A county planning commission
by their authority to refuse to
accept roads for dedication
could force subdividers to con-
form to an overall plan Of couIr-
ty development. However they
would be severely handicapped
by having no overall plan Of
county development available.
Such a plan would require con-
siderable engineering work and
at present no funds are avail
able for such a project. The ap-
pointment of planning COM
mission, however, might serve
in a limited capacity and If it
consisted of responsible citizens
might aid in eventually persuad-
ing taxpayers to provide the
needed money.
While roads are the most i'm
portant immediate problem the
planning commission would al
so be able to control water and
sewer lines which will become
increasingly important