Brunswick Hills puts on public information session for comprehensive land use plan

BRUNSWICK HILLS TWP. — Brunswick Hills residents provided their feedback and ideas regarding the future of the township on Tuesday as part of the development process for the township's comprehensive plan. A comprehensive land-use plan is a guiding document for the township. Brunswick Hills is updating its comprehensive plan for the first time since 2005. Mackin Engineering Community Planner Dan Bowling said the comprehensive plan steering committee has been working on the plan for a little over a year now. "Today, we're here to review recommendations and objectives for the comprehensive land-use plan," he said. "We're here to solicit input from the public to see what should be priorities and what we should do or not do." Attendees were given $1,000 in fake money, and there were multiple stations that listed a variety of subcategories under quality of life, transportation and infrastructure. Bowling said participants could put their fake money into however many boxes that they support the township focusing on for the next 10 to 15 years. Examples of categories participants could support include green space, recreation, economic growth and safety services. "This information will be used in the final document itself," he said. "This will help us identify what should be a priority and what should not and what should be added and what should be removed. We use it as a good marquee to decide what should have been a priority versus what should not have been." The next step in the process is to analyze the public input from Monday's session and meet with the steering committee to go over public comments and the actual draft plan, Bowling said. The goal is to also have a public review and a public hearing for the comprehensive plan in the future. "This plan, in its essence, helps the township have a frame for future growth, future development and future preservation," he said. "We want to make sure that everything's a harmonious future that balances growth with preservation." Contact reporter Madisyn Woodring at (330) 721-4049 or mwoodring@medina-gazette.com.