Former ‘city farm’ to be mined for sand and gravel
Open house today seeks feedback ahead of commissioners’ vote.By Hasan Karim, Springfield News-Sun Staff Writer Preservation of farmland, promoting agriculture through public education and tourism events as well as stimulating economic growth through existing businesses in Champaign County are a few goals in a proposed update to its comprehensive plan. The long-term strategic planning effort focuses on future economic growth and development in the county while setting forward goals that can be followed by community leaders over the next five to 10 years. HOW TO GO
What: Open house for draft of Champaign County comprehensive plan Where: County Building, 1512 S. U.S. Hwy 68 When: 4 to 8 p.m. today Admission: free More info: www.lucplanning.com
With the recent publication of the draft South Main Street Corridor Plan, a public meeting (open house) has been scheduled to allow interested parties to learn more about the draft plan. This meeting is scheduled for Thursday, Jan. 9, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. in the upstairs training room of the Urbana Municipal Building at 205 S. Main St. ADA access is available to the training room via a chairlift.
The draft plan also is viewable by visiting www.burtonplanning.com/urbana_mainplan. Comments will be accepted at the upcoming meeting in written format. In addition, comments can be submitted online through the plan’s website. The deadline to submit public comments about the draft plan is Friday, Jan. 31. As part of the planning process, the consultant collected information on the natural and built environments to understand strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats within the planning area. This SWOT analysis closely reviewed biological and ecological factors, land use, transportation facilities, housing conditions, economic conditions and demographics. The SWOT analysis, stakeholder interviews and a public opinion survey were used as the basis for a future development and implementation plan within the draft South Main Street Corridor Plan. After the public feedback portion of the planning process, adoption of the plan will be the final step in this planning process, with the short-term goal of having this plan adopted by the Urbana Planning Commission, Urbana City Council and the Urbana Township Board of Trustees. An implementation strategy for the goals and strategies outlined within the plan includes potential timelines. The timing of the implementation strategies are defined as immediate (within six months of plan adoption), near-term (within two years of plan adoption), mid-term (within five years of plan adoption), and long-term (five or more years after plan adoption). The second funding period for TechCred, a program that connects businesses with the talent they need, is now open., including 219 new approved credentials!
Through TechCred, businesses can identify the specific qualifications they need and employees they want to upskill toward a more advanced position. In partnership with Clark State Community College, the employer can apply online to be reimbursed up to $2,000* of training costs upon completion of a credential. Credentials can be customized to fit your needs, the new credentials were all approved from employer submitted applications during the first round of funding. Contact us today to discuss customized needs and let us assist you with the information needed to apply. *$2,000 per employee, up to $30,000 total available per funding round. Does your workforce need a different credential or training? Work with us to submit an application customized to fit your needs for TechCred funding review. Employers can request a credential be added to the eligible list. _________________________________________________________________________ More information, including a full list of credentials, can be found by visiting https://techcred.ohio.gov/. The online application period begins January 2, 2020. TechCred is a competitive, merit-based program. By Christopher Selmek, Urbana Daily Citizen
The three-story, 54-room Cobblestone Hotel under construction at 170 state Route 55, Urbana, is on budget and on schedule to be completed by mid-May 2020, according to Urbana Hotel LLC managing member Terry Howell. The framing crew lost 12 days of work due to weather, allowed under the construction schedule. Roofers were expected to begin placing tile on Monday. “The schedule had allowances for weather, and they’ve used up all those allowances to date,” Howell said Friday, Dec. 27. “I would personally like to have seen it a week ahead of schedule, but we’ve had rain come at inopportune times. On Monday the shingle people will come in and they’ll start putting the soffit on and the shingles on.” Howell said that the framing crew was contracted from Florida by BriMark Builders, that the crew is the number one framing crew for BriMark and that this is the 15th hotel they have built. “Any construction project usually has a little impediment here or a miscommunication there. That’s kind of normal, but there’s not been very much of that,” he said. “There’s always some of that on any project, but there hadn’t been very much of that on this one. It’s going very smoothly.” Plumbers and HVAC contractors are at work inside the structure. The concrete pool is built and just needs a liner. Howell said there are as many as 10-15 people working on site during any given day depending on what they are trying to accomplish that day. “There’s a schedule where you have different trades that have to come together to fit,” Howell said. “The rooms are all laid out and numbered already on the inside. They’re laid out in a rough frame, and there’s an electrical map on each room so electricians know where to run wires and so on. It has been sequenced appropriately and is right on schedule and on budget. Everything is going fairly smooth.” Howell added that the people working on the entrance will install awning, and then signage will go on the cupola. The “mountain of mud” currently surrounding the building will be transformed into a parking lot big enough to park buses beside the building within the coming months. “I would have no problem staying here,” he said. “I live just three miles from here so I doubt if I ever will spend the night here, but all the rooms have character. We’ve got like six different styles of rooms … and they have varying amenities that they offer, so they’re not all the same. We are really excited.” Christopher Selmek can be reached at 937-508-2304 |
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