Planning + Development News 
Hamilton County Planning Partnership
Remote Meeting Guidelines 
for Planning Commissions

On April 2, 2020, the Hamilton County Regional Planning Commission (RPC) convened remotely for the first time to continue to meet its Ohio Revised Code obligations even in these times of "social distancing" and States of Emergency. Lucky for us, there was just one, non-controversial case on the agenda and plenty of support from our IT staff. We also are lucky to have a group of commissioners who take their responsibilities to heart and are gamers for trying out new technology. As part of our service to our member communities, we want to pass along the guidance and our learnings - and offer a hand of support - to make sure your planning meetings can occur and support the economic activity that is so critical to our recovery as a Country, State, County and local jurisdictions.

Adjusting to Change
There was some urgency for the RPC because according to Ohio Revised Code (ORC) section 711.05, the RPC is required to consider subdivision applications and act on them within 30 days or the subdivision plat is automatically approved (See reference at end of document for exact wording of that section).

We also were quick to embrace the changes the State of Ohio has made to the Open Meetings Act during the current State of Emergency. ORC 121.22, concerning the Open Meetings Act, was amended by a provision in Amended Substitute House Bill 197 to allow members of a public body to hold and attend meetings and conduct and attend hearings by means of teleconference, video conference or other electronic technology. Any resolution, rule or formal action shall have the same effect as if it had occurred in an open public meeting. Members of the public body who attend using technology are considered present and permitted to vote and shall have their presence counted for purposes of determining a quorum.

The language requires public bodies provide 24-hour notice to the public and the media unless an emergency arises and provides that the public and media have access to the hearing or meeting commensurate with the method in which the meeting is being conducted. The public shall have the right to observe and hear the discussions and deliberations of all members participating in the public body. When conducting a hearing the body must establish a way, through the use of widely available electronic equipment, to communicate with witnesses and to receive testimony or evidence. The teleconference provision was established through end of end of State of Emergency or December 1, 2020 whichever occurs first.

We also received legal guidance from the County Prosecutor's Office to clarify any unique situations where the new regulations would apply.

Coming up with a Plan
The County has a Zoom Meeting account that can provide access to large numbers of participants for unlimited amount of time. Commission members attended the RPC meeting via the County Zoom Meeting account. To ensure that commission members had access to Zoom, one-on-one trainings were held with commission members. A formal calendar invitation was sent to each member of the Commission to facilitate their participation in the Zoom audio/visual meeting.

The public also has access to the Zoom Meeting and is expected to follow established protocols of speaking only when invited by the Chair of the RPC. Members of the public are asked to stay on mute during the staff presentation of the case and board deliberation.

To ensure that all can participate regardless of access to a computer, the conference call function of Zoom was available as backup.  We also used the  Zoom Meeting function to record the meeting.   Even before COVID-19, the RPC meeting agenda packet was posted a week before the meeting at the Planning + Development website here .

The staff powerpoint presentation was also posted at this location and was shown during the Zoom Meeting through the screen share function. Notice of how the public can participate was posted on the webpage 24-hours before the meeting. Submission of written questions was allowed. Example notice based on what the Board of County Commissioners is using can be found below:
NOTICE
In order to keep the public and employees safe during the COVID-19 outbreak, the Hamilton County Regional Planning Commission is holding commission meetings virtually. The public is urged to view the commission meetings live online through Zoom Meeting or conference call:
  • Zoom Meeting number
  • Conference Call number
Members of the public may forward comments one hour before the start of the commission meeting in order for the comment to be entered into the record. Please email comments to  Steve.johns@hamilton-co.org
Resources for Public Meetings during COVID-19 from APA Ohio

Ohio Attorney General Response to Ohio's Open Meetings Act
The Ohio Attorney General's Office has received numerous questions regarding the applicability of Ohio's Open Meetings Act (OMA) during this time of a COVID-19 declared emergency. Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost and responded with a letter outlining requirements and adjustments available.

Public Meetings in the Time of COVID-19
From ICMA, read about how one Seattle-area community has started moving critical community meetings online using Zoom Video Communications and YouTube.

Web-based Platform for Citizen Participation
Lakewood, Colorado, increased participation in planning commission meetings through a web-based platform, LakewoodSpeaks.org. Residents can review materials, ask questions, and comment on proposed actions in advance of the in-person meetings.

Online Tools for Public Engagement
This PAS QuickNotes offers four recommendations to consider if you are looking to begin or expand your use of online community engagement tools.

ORC - 711.05 - Approval or Rejection - rules to govern plates

Within five (5) days of submission of the plat, the board shall schedule a meeting to consider the plat and send a written notice by regular mail to the fiscal officer of the board of township trustees of the township in which the plat is located and the board of health of the health district in which the plat is located.

The approval of the board required by section  711.041 of the Revised Code or the refusal to approve shall take place within  thirty (30) days from the date of submission or such further time as the applying party may agree to in writing; otherwise, the plat is deemed approved and may be recorded as if bearing such approval.

National Community Development Week

This week, April 13-17th, is National Community Development Week. CD Week  is intended to highlight the impact of the U.S. Department of Housingand Urban Development (HUD) Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and Home Investment Partnerships Program (HOME) programs in a weeklong celebration. Hosted by the  National Community Development Association, "the objective of National Community Development Week is to educate the community and Congressional Members on the CDBG and HOME programs, their impact on the community, and the need for increased program funding."

Share the impact of CDBG and HOME funds in your community with the hashtag #CDWeek2020. Hamilton County Planning + Development will be sharing posts daily on the impact in our participating jurisdictions and region. Here are some sample posts from our Facebook page.

Mini Planning Grant 
The Community Development Division has officially opened up the application process for the Mini Planning Grant program. $100,000 is allocated annually for small planning projects to participating local governments outside the City of Cincinnati. The maximum award is $40,000. 

As directed by the Board of County Commissioners, Planning + Development will not be using outside consultant contracts to complete these projects.  As such, all planning grants will be completed by the Community Planning Division staff for 2020 projects.  Samples of past projects they have completed can be found on the Mini-Planning Grant website under the "Community Planning Past Projects" folder at the bottom of the page.

The pre-application and application has been combined and as a result altered the timeline. 
  • Revised Announcement - April 14, 2020
  • Q&A Zoom Meeting - April 17, 2020
  • Application Deadline - Wednesday, May 6, 2020
  • Review by Mini Planning Grant Committee - May 15, 2020
  • Recommendations to County Administration - by May 26, 2020
  • Notification of Selected Proposals - by May 31, 2020 
  • Planning Grant Expenditure Deadline - June 30, 2021 
Again, the Mini Planning Grant Program Q&A  is scheduled for Friday, April 17th. The website allows you to submit and review questions on the website here.
Hamilton County Planning + Development | P: 513-946-4550 | F: 513-946-4475 | Email  | Website
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