Archbold Village Council held its first reading on adopting a comprehensive plan at its Monday, March 1 meeting.
The beginning of the plan dates back to October 2019, when council approved hiring Reveille, a Bowling Green-based consulting firm, to work with village officials to develop the plan.
During the meeting, council members were each presented with an approximately inch-thick stack of 11-inch by 17-inch papers, which represented the draft of the plan.
Dexter Krueger, village engineer, said the latest version of the plan is available on the village website, www.Archbold.com.
He said the plan still needs final adjustments.
Council also went through the first reading of a measure amending the village permitted and conditional use table for areas zoned B1, central business; B-2, highway and general business; M-1, restricted industrial districts; and M-2, general industrial districts.
Krueger said the zoning code references things that do not have definitions in the tables, and definitions are the key to a zoning code.
“You don’t want to go to the Webster’s dictionary to find the definition of a café,” Krueger said.
Village officials are also working on an overhaul of the village zoning code and subdivision regulations.
Vaughn Bentz, councilman, asked why zoning and subdivision regulations couldn’t be included in one document.
Krueger explained the two documents have different places.
“Zoning tells you how many parking places each business requires. The subdivision regulations tells how big the spaces need to be,” he said.
Putting subdivision regulations into the zoning code has the effect of making them law.
Any changes that need to be made would require the approval of council.
By making the regulations administrative documents, changes would be easier to make.
He added council will be kept informed of changes.
Sidewalk Closed
Bentz questioned Krueger about the reconstruction of the village underground wastewater lift station along South Defiance Street at the Brush Creek bridge.
Bentz suggested the northbound traffic lane be closed to vehicular traffic so people who use the bike path in that area can move around the construction without being forced into traffic.
Krueger said the bike path is closed.
If he were to redirect northbound traffic into the center turn lane, it would require flashing lights.
He said he was “not crazy” about the idea.
Bentz said the bike path may be closed, but people are still using it and are being forced out into the street to get around the construction.
The wet well, the deepest part of the project, is scheduled to be set into the ground today, Wednesday. Krueger needs to confer with the contractor to find a better solution to keeping the bike path open.
“We need to do something. It’s not safe,” Bentz said.
Housekeeping
Council also approved a housekeeping measure, transferring funds from the water meter trust fund to the village general fund.
Also introduced was a proclamation declaring April 30 as Arbor Day in Archbold.
Council reviewed information from the Feb. 24 park board meeting, the income tax report for February, and the zoning permit report for 2020.
Council also reviewed an email from First Energy, parent company of Toledo Edison, concerning the Sunday night, Feb. 21 power outage.
Dettling said the problem was traced to insulator failure.
The next meeting is Monday, March 15, 5:30 pm, at the Ruihley Park Pavilion.