2nd National Extension Nat Res Conference-Abstract 72

Timothy Lawrence, Ohio State University, 590 Woody Hayes Drive, Columbus, OH 43210; 614.292.6538; lawrence.53@osu.edu; Jacqueline LaMuth, 700 Ackerman Road, Suite 240 Columbus, OH 43209; lamuth.1@osu.edu; Molly Bean, 250 Agriculture Administration, 2120 Fyffe Road, Columbus, OH 43210; bean.21@osu.edu; David Patton, 700 Ackerman Rd, Suite 235 Columbus, OH 43209; patton.4@osu.edu

Land use issues including farmland preservation, urban revitalization, and poorly planned urban expansion are becoming increasingly important topics of discussion in many communities. The trend within Ohio is for most development to occur in areas outside of and around the older urban center. This development pattern is threatening some of the state?s most productive agricultural areas. At the same time, many of the urban areas continue to decline. Society has the means and the obligation to guide the pattern and pace of development in ways that reduce the disruptive effects of land use change. The development of a comprehensive public policy will require a sound urban revitalization program to retain and encourage residential and industrial development, and a farmland and a natural resource protection plan to discourage encroachment into these areas. Such a policy will affect several dissimilar groups. To the casual observer, it would appear that farmers and inner-city residents would have little in common in the land use debate. The results of a recent study, however, show this not to be the case. A close look at the data reveals the same forces that are leading to the rapidly expanding urban areas are, in fact, affecting both groups. This paper will present the results of this recently completed study that utilized a ?modified? Delphi technique to engage landowners/farmers and local ?urban? leaders to reflect, forecast, and find consensus about current and emerging land use issues. The results demonstrate that rural and urban residents share common concerns about the decision-making process that surrounds land-use issues. Study participants strongly agreed that land use is a major issue in Central Ohio although the types of challenges vary within and between the 2 groups. Comprehensive planning and consideration for the compatibility of land uses were strongly supported by all study participants. Opinions differ regarding maintaining rural open space, farmland protection, and urban revitalization. The lessons learned from this study will aid Extension and other community professionals as they develop strategies to help individual community members and community groups address the land use issues that are important to them, their livelihoods, and their communities.