What is FRAMEWORK?

FRAMEWORK is a collaborative initiative that includes 15 jurisdictions focused on understanding the impacts―and identifying the potential benefits―of the anticipated investments of Intel and from the public and private sectors. The objective is to work with the Licking County communities who will be most immediately impacted to establish a development plan and strategic approach to managing growth to ensure our communities remain healthy and are successfully positioned for the future.

FRAMEWORK is a resource, a toolkit, to help local governments address conservation and development in their communities. It is not a binding document, rather, it is an important guide that includes public input and technical analysis. It should be utilized to empower local jurisdictions to make informed decisions.

FRAMEWORK is a framework, a guide, a set of best practices, a set of recommended policies, and a tool that can be leveraged by local communities and the county to better plan and manage the future.

It is not the expectation that every jurisdiction agrees with 100% of FRAMEWORK. It is the expectation that all jurisdictions agree that FRAMEWORK was an open and helpful process that produced insights and recommendations that could be helpful for the local jurisdictions to implement as they choose.

FRAMEWORK does not mandate any updates to comprehensive plans or individual jurisdiction documents. It is a choice for a jurisdiction to make any updates based on what they have learned. Many have expressed an interest in capturing what they have learned through FRAMEWORK to improve their plans, their zoning, and, ultimately, their community.

The participating jurisdictions include:

• Granville Township
• Harrison Township
• Jersey Township
• Liberty Township
• Monroe Township
• St. Albans Township
• Union Township
• Village of Alexandria
• Village of Granville
• Village of Hebron
• City of Heath
• City of Johnstown
• City of Newark
• City of Pataskala
• Licking County Government

Why is this being done?

The announcement in early 2022 that Intel would construct two new leading-edge processor factories in Licking County will fuel unprecedented development in this part of the region. The $20 billion project spans nearly 1,000 acres and is the largest single private-sector investment in Ohio’s history. The initial phase of the project will create 3,000 Intel jobs with an expected average salary of $135,000. In addition, the project will require 7,000 construction jobs and support tens of thousands of additional long-term jobs across a broad ecosystem of suppliers, partners, and supportive businesses. Intel will be joining global businesses already established in Licking County like Amgen, Meta, Google, Amazon, Microsoft, and businesses located on the Central Ohio Aerospace and Technology Center campus.

FRAMEWORK is a proactive effort to understand the impacts of this historic investment and manage the future of the most immediately impacted communities based on their needs, values, and anticipated realities.

What process outcomes are expected?

FRAMEWORK is expected to deliver the following:

• Alignment of public and private leadership around a shared vision for a portion of the County (understood to include 15 communities) during a period of unprecedented change.
• Development of a rational picture for the future of the County as a whole, with strong fiscal underpinnings.
• Maximization of long-term benefits with respect to economic opportunity and quality of life for all who live or work in the County and create alignment for external investments.

What benefits of implementation are expected?

The benefits of implementing the recommendations include unprecedented local government alignment on development policies and projects. This alignment has the potential to receive greater external funding than possible through individual pursuits. With respect to future investors, they will have a clear idea of local expectations and will be able to operate in a predictable environment.  In addition, sharing and collaborating can create camaraderie and shared problem-solving to everyone’s benefit.

What has been accomplished in the process so far?

FRAMEWORK began in July 2022 with foundational work, including getting oriented with the current conditions in the study area. The first round of engagement took place in Fall 2022. More than 85 stakeholder interviews were completed with representatives from businesses, community organizations, schools, and more from across the FRAMEWORK study area. More than 4,000 community members participated through in-person pop-up events or through an online survey. The planning team then moved to analysis and visioning. This phase included analyzing the public input received and completing technical work, such as reviewing the zoning and future land use maps within the study area and working with jurisdictions to understand future planning efforts.

The final FRAMEWORK report was released in September 2023. FRAMEWORK provides jurisdictions with four tools to help manage change: a set of guiding principles, a collection of character types, a conservation and development map, and an implementation matrix.

How long will this process take?

FRAMEWORK began in July 2022 and the final report was released to the community in September 2023. The Thomas J. Evans Foundation has agreed to continue to serve as the neutral convenor for FRAMEWORK through the first year of implementation and will continue to work in coordination with Planning NEXT.

How does this relate to other plans for the County?

FRAMEWORK includes reviewing all relevant plans and policies of the participating jurisdictions. These plans and policies may inform FRAMEWORK. It is expected that the research and analysis of FRAMEWORK will yield new policy ideas that could be incorporated into local plans and policy documents. Amendments may be needed to some of the community-specific plans and documents.

FRAMEWORK has coordinated integration with the following studies, and continues to integrate additional studies as they materialize:

• City of Newark and Licking County Thoroughfare Plan – Licking County Planning Commission/County Engineer/City of Newark; Burgess & Niple
• Water and Wastewater Facilities Plan – County Commissioners; American Structurepoint
• Metropolitan Transportation Plan – Licking County Area Transportation Study (LCATS); MS Consultants
• Transportation Improvement Plan – LCATS
• Timing Study, Western Licking County – Licking County TID; MS Consultants
• Comprehensive Plans – Individual Jurisdictions
• Eastern Franklin County and Western Licking County Transit Study – ODOT

Who is involved?

The Thomas J. Evans Foundation is serving as a neutral convener for FRAMEWORK, a public/private partnership, and is providing leadership and staff support to the project. The Leadership Team includes an elected representative from each participating jurisdiction plus leadership from the private sector partners.  Others involved include the following.

• Elected Officials: In addition to the elected officials representing the 15 jurisdictions serving on the Leadership Team, other elected officials will be informed about and engaged in the planning process.
• Government Staff: The staff from the participating jurisdictions will contribute past and current plans and perspectives on the future needs and opportunities for their community.
• Thomas J. Evans Foundation Staff: Members of the staff will play a lead role in coordinating the process, including the various participants.
• Stakeholders: Community members representing all aspects of the planning area will be directly engaged in the process through interviews and work sessions.
• Public: The public will have many opportunities to learn about the process, the potential impacts, and to share their personal feedback which will inform the recommendations for shaping a desired future
• Private Sector Funders: Six organizations have stepped up to fund 65% of the cost of FRAMEWORK. Funders include First Federal Savings, Heath-Newark-Licking County Port Authority, Licking Memorial Health Systems, Park National Corporation, Southgate Corporation, and Thomas J. Evans Foundation.
• Consultants: The process is being facilitated by Planning NEXT (planning-next.com) with support from Ninigret Partners (ninigretpartners.com). Additional consultants may participate as needed.

Why do we need FRAMEWORK?

Documenting a vision of what Licking County wants to look like is important. If we do not, outside developers and other organizations will direct our growth and that will likely not be in alignment with our County’s goals and values. This gives a community a voice and then a playbook to say, you want to develop housing…here are the communities and locations that are looking for additional housing. FRAMEWORK will go beyond a vision. It will include insight and a “toolbox” that can be used for local jurisdictions for specific implementation priorities.

Will participating communities be legally bound by FRAMEWORK?

FRAMEWORK does not have legal or controlling power. Like a community’s comprehensive plan, it is a policy document. We can’t and don’t want to try to take control away from a local governmental entity and the community it serves. The goal is to engage your community, seek input, and craft a plan that allows you to plan for growth where it makes sense, and your community can accept it and hold off unnecessary challenges that can result from unplanned growth.  Since the plan will reflect what your community wants to be, it will want to leverage zoning and other tools to guide your community to follow the plan.

How does FRAMEWORK fit in with the planning work we are already doing in our community?

The intention of FRAMEWORK is to “knit together” individual plans and make sure they fit with a neighboring community and that as a county all components are being addressed. Many communities immediately engaged in updating their plans which is very important but there are lots of initiatives happening that cross communities—for example, roads, sewer, water, etc. A community can’t function in a silo. We will pull all the existing comprehensive plans which will include zoning, etc., and look at them holistically. Planning NEXT will be able to say community X you are missing this, or community Y your plan won’t work with the adjacent community’s plan, etc.

How is FRAMEWORK funded?

FRAMEWORK is funded through a public/private partnership. The private sector has come forward with 65% of the funding with the 15 jurisdictions participating providing the remaining 35%.