CITY OF NEW FRANKLIN

2011 CONNECTING COMMUNITIES PLANNING GRANT APPLICATION

Connecting Communities

PLANNING GRANT

APPLICATION
Deadline: October 14, 2011

Connecting Communities PLANNING GRANT

The Akron Metropolitan Area Transportation Study developed the Connecting Communities Initiative to encourage the integration of land use and transportation. The Connecting Communities Planning Grant Program has been created to further this goal. AMATS has made $100,000 available for grants up to $50,000 to be awarded through the Connecting Communities Planning Grant Program. Applications may have more than one sponsor. Applications for no more than two grants may be submitted per sponsor. A selection committee, The Connecting Communities Planning Grant Task Force, will be charged with reviewing sponsors applications and making recommendations to the Policy Committee. The program is designed to provide communities with funding to develop transportation plans that will lead to projects eligible for AMATS funds. The grant program is intended to fund transportation plans that focus on livability, multimodal connections, and are consistent with the Connecting Communities Initiative. Connecting Communities Planning Grant applications should: Promote more transportation choices Enhance economic competitiveness Support and value existing neighborhoods Applications may be sent by email, mail or hand delivered, and must be received by 4:30 p.m. on Friday, October 14, 2011. Grant awards will be determined by the Policy Committee on December 7, 2011. For more information contact Heather Davis Reidl at hreidl@akronohio.gov or 330-375-2436.

Email, mail or hand deliver this complete application and attachments to:
Akron Metropolitan Area Transportation Study RE: Planning Grant 806 CitiCenter 146 S. High St. Akron, Ohio 44308 Telephone: 330. 375.2436 www.amatsplanning.org/programs/amats-planning-grant/

Connecting Communities PLANNING GRANT

Eligibility
Eligible activities are those that promote economic development as well as encourage alternatives to single occupant vehicles, such as: Development of transportation/land-use plans for corridors or neighborhoods, such as streetscape and access management plans Bicycle, pedestrian, and transit-oriented development plans Those that are consistent with the Livability Principles, shown on the sidebar on this page To be eligible for a Connecting Communities Planning Grant, a project must: Be intended for transportation planning Be site specific Result in transportation and land use improvements that are consistent with the Connecting Communities Initiative Ineligible activities include: Preliminary Engineering Final Design Preparation of environmental documentation Right-of-way acquisition Preparation of bid documents Construction

Livability Principles

Provide more transportation choices. Develop safe, reliable, and economical transportation choices to decrease household transportation costs, reduce our nations dependence on foreign oil, improve air quality, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and promote public health. Enhance economic competitiveness. Improve economic competitiveness through reliable and timely access to employment centers, educational opportunities, services and other basic needs by workers, as well as expanded business access to markets. Support and value existing communities and neighborhoods. Target federal funding toward existing communitiesthrough strategies like transit-oriented, mixed-use development, and land recyclingto increase community revitalization and the efficiency of public works investments and safeguard rural landscapes. Enhance the unique characteristics of all communities by investing in healthy, safe, and walkable neighborhoodsrural, urban, or suburban.

AMATS Connecting Communities Planning Grant 2010 grant recipients can be viewed here: www.amatsplanning.org/programs/amatsplanning-grant

Connecting Communities PLANNING GRANT

Connecting Communities is a guide to integrate land use and transportation planning, decision making, and investments in the Akron metropolitan area. It is intended to be used as a framework for targeting investments and regional cooperation. For a copy of the report, visit www.amatsplanning.org/programs/connecting-communities/. Applications should be consistent with one or more of these recommendations. The recommendations of Connecting Communities are: 1. Improve pedestrian planning and facilities through targeted investments. 2. Improve bicycle planning and facilities through targeted investments. 3. Enhance public transportation systems to meet the needs of current users and be attractive to new users. 4. Incorporate complete streets principles into land use and transportation decisions. 5. Implement land use policies that improve community cohesion and reduce urban sprawl. 6. Integrate environmental planning into land use and transportation planning. 7. Improve inter-agency coordination on regional planning. 8. Create a planning grant program to implement Connecting Communities.

WALK

BIKE

RIDE

COMPLETE

DEVELOP

CONSERVE

COORDINATE

PLAN

Connecting Communities PLANNING GRANT

Application
Scoring and Timeline Applications will be evaluated by the Connecting Communities Planning Grant Task Force beginning immediately after the October 14, 2011 application deadline. The Task Force was created to score, review, and recommend projects to the AMATS Policy Committee, which will select the grant recipients at its December 7, 2011 meeting.

1. Applicant/Sponsor (Implementing Governmental Agency Only). If sponsor is a township please provide a letter of support from County Government or County Engineer (letters of support should be limited to 3).

Community/Agency Contact Person Phone Number Fax Number Email Address Mailing Address

City of New Franklin Mark Kochheiser 330-882-4611 330-882-7052 zoning@newfranklin.org 5611 Manchester Road Akron, Ohio 44319

2. Project Co-Sponsor (If applicable. Please indicate which agency and contact person will be the lead.)

Community/Agency Contact Person Phone Number Fax Number Email Address Mailing Address

Connecting Communities PLANNING GRANT

3. Connecting Communities Planning Study Planning Study Title

Towpath Trail/Portage Lakes State Park Connector Trail The City of New Franklin is proposing a walking/bicycling trail to connect the Towpath Trail to Portage Lakes State Park. This trail would run mainly

Brief Description

along city roads between two green spaces and provide a direct connection to one of Ohio's busiest state parks. It would provide for better multimodal access throughout the area and link up with the City of Green's trail network. A transportation planning document describing the feasibility and process of

Summary of Expected Final Product(s)

creating a bi-modal transit system to link two existing recreational areas.

4. Project Map Please include a map of the proposed project planning area. If the map is not included in the main document of your application, please list the attached image filenames and include the files as an attachment when submitting. Image Filenames (if applicable):
Trail_Connector.pdf Trail Connector 3-D.pdf

(Please answer the remaining questions in no more than one typed page each and attach to this application) 5. Describe the planning area boundaries and size. Describe the existing transportation and land use issues. Define the problems facing the area. (10 points) 6. Define the purpose of the study, and the expected outcomes (access management, streetscapes, pedestrian facilities). (10 points) 7. Discuss how this study addresses the following three principles (See page 3 for more detail): a. Provide more transportation choices (5 points) b. Enhance economic competitiveness (5 points) c. Support and value existing communities and neighborhoods(10 points) 8. Explain the publics involvement in the study. What residents or groups will be included and invited to provide input? (5 points) 9. How will your community plan to implement this planning study? Describe potential funding sources that could be used for implementation. (10 points)

5. Describe the planning area boundaries and size. Describe the existing transportation and land use issues. Define the problems facing the area (10 points)

The planning area is the northeastern two-thirds of New Franklin and consists of an area of about 9 square miles. The Summit County Trail & Greenway Plan recognized the need to provide numerous interconnections throughout Summit County feeding into the spine of the trail system the Towpath Trail. This plan shows a proposed connector trail running along Vanderhoof Road from the Towpath Trail to Portage Lakes State Park (Main Unit) and on to Nimisila Reservoir (also part of Portage Lakes State Park). This would provide a connection between the spine and one of Ohios busiest state parks Portage Lakes State Park. The currently proposed trail project would bring this connector to fruition. The transportation system in the planning area consists mainly of narrow-shouldered former county roadways with pavement widths of 22 feet and containing deep ditches on each side in many locations. The speed limits on these roads range from 35 to 45 mph. The remaining roads are former township roads with pavement widths of 18 feet and largely no shoulders. These conditions make it hazardous for pedestrian and bicycle travel alike. The only safe mode of transit in this area is by motor vehicle. Public transportation consists of one bus route that runs perpendicular to the trail on Manchester Road and Renninger Road (Route 111 South Main/Waterloo). There are no sidewalks in the area. Trail development outside of the Towpath Trail and the trails within the state park areas is non-existent. The land use in the planning area consists mainly single-family residential dwellings with limited commercial and industrial facilities situated next to scattered agricultural farm fields and wooded areas. The main business corridor, along Manchester Road (State Route 93), consists of several fast food establishments, a gas station, a bank, two boat marinas, and a few personal/professional services offices. The previous industrial facility (a tool and die manufacturer) closed down three years ago. Because of the limited non-residential tax base, the residential land owner shoulders most of the tax burden for the City. The businesses in this area are in need of a larger customer base.
6. Define the purpose of the study, and the expected outcomes (access management, streetscapes, pedestrian facilities). (10 points)

The purpose of the study would be to establish and document answers to the following questions: 1. Where are the publicly-owned right-of-ways that could be used for the trail? 2. How suitable are those public right-of-ways for trail use with minimal modifications? 3. What would the cost be to upgrade those right-of-ways for trail use? 4. What are the challenges to developing the trail off of the public right-of-ways and what are the potential solutions? 5. How does this trail development correlate with other forms of transportation (public transit, car routes, other trail networks and parking opportunities? 6. Are there significant natural, historical and cultural characteristics to be preserved?

7. What are the community resources that could be attractions/amenities (campgrounds, parks, restaurants, businesses) for trail users? The expected outcome is a comprehensive document detailing the feasibility of the trail and a blueprint for potential public and private investments to complete it. It would describe the interlinking of current and proposed pedestrian facilities to lay the foundation for transit-oriented development along this section of Manchester Road. The plan would be used as a tool to secure funding for this project (Clean Ohio Trails Funds, Recreational Trails Program, Ohio & Erie Canal Association Grants Program).
7. Discuss how this study addresses the following three principles (See page 3 for more detail): a. Provide more transportation choices (5 points)

There are thousands of residents who live in the area surrounding Portage Lakes State Park and tens of thousands who visit the park every year. Visitors to the park usually arrive by one form of transportation the automobile. The proposed project would provide two additional transportation choices walking/hiking and bicycling. In fact, a bicyclist could transport his bike with him on a bicycle rack-fitted Metro bus and then hop on to the trail and visa versa. This trail would provide an efficient and safe travel corridor from the Towpath Trail to Portage Lakes State Park (Main Unit) and on to Nimisila Reservoir where it would connect with an existing hiking/bicycling trail. The Main Unit state park area contains several miles of walking/hiking trails and several miles of paved roads for bicycles.
b. Enhance economic competitiveness (5 points)

In the vicinity where the proposed trail follows Manchester Road is a small commercial business corridor consisting of several fast food establishments, a gas station, a bank, two boat marinas, and a few personal/professional services offices. Trail users could easily take advantage of this since the businesses are located less than one-fourth of a mile south of the trail. This exposure would help the existing businesses and attract more specialized trail businesses to the corridor because the nearest concessions along the Towpath Trail are in Canal Fulton, located approximately 10 miles to the south. There is also a small commercial business corridor adjacent to where the proposed trail would connect with the Nimisila Reservoir trail. Trail development would also increase housing values in the area. A recent real estate study, Walking the Walk: How Walkability Raises Housing Values in U.S. Cities, commissioned by CEOs for Cities, a national network of urban leaders from the civic, business, academic and philanthropic sectors, indicated that homes located within walking distance of amenities such as schools, parks and shopping arent only more convenient for their owners, often theyre also worth more than homes in neighborhoods where driving is the rule. The report looked at 94,000 real estate transactions in 15 markets. In 13 of those markets, higher levels of walkability were directly linked to higher home values.

c. Support and value existing communities and neighborhoods (10 points)

Neighborhood connections already exist in the planning area. However, those connections are for vehicular traffic only. There are no trails other than the Towpath Trail and the trails within the state park areas. This trail would link the disparate neighborhoods utilizing a means that would encourage a healthier lifestyle (walking and bicycling) and be good for the natural environment as well (no air pollution, noise pollution or light pollution).
8. Explain the publics involvement in the study. What residents or groups will be included and invited to provide input? (5 points)

A steering committee will be established with key stakeholders including: AMATS, Ohio Edison (First Energy), Metro Parks Serving Summit County, Ohio & Erie Canalway Coalition, Ohio Department of Natural Resources, the cities of Green, New Franklin and Barberton, Portage Lakes Advisory Committee, Portage Lakes Communities Council, Friends of the Portage Lakes, local hiking and bicycling clubs and property owners which contain the electric easement. There will be at least one public hearing to gather citizen input and stakeholder interviews with hiking and bicycling clubs and partner groups. There will also be regular meetings of an advisory committee serving as the primary decision-making body.
9. How will your community plan to implement this planning study? Describe potential funding sources that could be used for implementation. (10 points)

The City of New Franklin plans to utilize the long established network of public and private partners involved with the development of the Ohio & Erie Canalway Heritage Area, the Towpath Trail, the state and scenic byways and the Summit County Trail and Greenway Plan. This network provides a means to communicate and take advantage of opportunities through collaboration that one entity alone might miss. Potential funding sources include Clean Ohio Trails Funds, Recreational Trails Program, Ohio & Erie Canal Association Grants Program and various public and private foundations.

ATTACHMENTS PROJECT AREA MAP LETTERS OF SUPPORT

Barberton
City of New Franklin

Proposed Towpath Trail ~ Portage Lakes State Park Connector Trail

City of New Franklin
WT urk eyf

City of Green

oot L

ake

Rd

Rex Lake
Rex Hill Rd

Van Buren Rd

Mud Lake
Vand e rhoo

f Rd

Turkeyfoot Lake

Johns Rd

Renninger Rd

Renninger Rd

r Rd

Mancheste

E Cas

ton R d

W Caston Rd

Grove Rd

Center Rd

Nimisila Reservoir

Existing Off Road Trail Existing Expanded Berm Expanded Berm Under Construction Ohio Edison 150' Easement Portage Lakes State Park
pler Rd

Dailey Rd

Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail

Rheam Rd

W Nimisila Rd

Note: Aerials flown 3/2010

0 Miles 0.3

Prepared by: The City of Green Planning Department Oct 2011 CL With the assistance of the City of New Franklin Base data provided by: The Summit County GIS Department

S Main St

Proposed Trail Connector

Christman Rd

Elevation Profile of the Proposed Towpath Trail ~ Portage Lakes State Park Connector Trail

Beginning Point of Proposed Trail

Vande rhoof R d

Proposed Trail Connector

Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail

Existing Towpath Trail

Elevation

1045 - 1074 1020 - 1045 994 - 1020 960 - 994 940 - 960

1155 - 1180 1125 - 1155 1100 - 1125 1074 - 1100

Proposed Portage Lakes State Park Connector T rail

1,080 1,060 1,040 1,020 1,000 980 960 0 2,000 4,000 6,000 8,000 10,000 12,000

Elevation

Dis tance

14,000

16,000

18,000

20,000

22,000

24,000

Prepared by: The City of Green Planning Department Oct 2011 CL with the assistance of the City of New Franklin

A PROPOSAL TO ESTABLISH A HIKE & BIKE TRAIL CONNECTING THE TOWPATH TRAIL AND PORTAGE LAKES STATE PARK The City of New Franklin proposes to create a trail linking the Towpath Trail with Portage Lakes State Park. This would be a recreational walking and non-motorized bicycle trail consisting of mainly berm reconstruction along existing city roadways. It would begin at the existing section of the Towpath Trail located just west of the Van Buren/Vanderhoof Road intersection. The existing trail is located within several feet of Vanderhoof Road. The connector trail would begin at this location and proceed on to Vanderhoof Road. It would then follow Vanderhoof eastward to its intersection with Manchester Road. It would then proceed south along Manchester Road to the entrance to Portage Lakes State Park. It would then follow the park road eastward to a point where there is currently an auxilary gate at the parks south entrance. It would proceed out of the park and then westward along Rawlins Avenue to its intersection with Roble Road. It would proceed south on Roble Road to its intersection with Renninger Road. It would continue south on Renninger Road to an existing Ohio Edison high voltage transmission easement. The trail would run overland east then southeast along this easement to where it crosses West Caston Road. The trail would then run east along West Caston Road and connect to the existing Nimisila Trail at Nimisila Reservoir in the City of Green. The length of the trail would be approximately 4.5 miles. Most of the trail would traverse gently sloping terrain. The Summit County Trail & Greenway Plan shows a proposed connector trail running along Vanderhoof Road from the Towpath Trail to Portage Lakes State Park and on to Nimisila Reservoir. This grant would assist in defining the exact route of the trail. The trail would be traversing suburban and exurban planning areas according to AMATS criteria. Several establishments serving food and drink are located within one-fourth of a mile along Manchester Road and south of where Manchester Road intersects the state park entrance road. Trail users could easily take advantage of these due to their close proximity to the trail. This exposure would help the existing businesses in the area and draw more specialized trail-related businesses to the immediate Manchester Road corridor. The nearest concessions along the Towpath Trail are in Canal Fulton, located approximately 10 miles to the south. There are several businesses located near the east end of the proposed trail and adjacent to Nimisila Reservoir. A recent real estate study, Walking the Walk: How Walkability Raises Housing Values in U.S. Cities, commissioned by CEOs for Cities, national network of urban leaders from the civic, business, academic and philanthropic sectors, indicated that homes located within walking distance of amenities such as schools, parks and shopping arent only more convenient for their owners, often theyre also worth more than homes in neighborhoods where driving is the rule. The report looked at 94,000 real estate transactions in 15 markets. In 13 of those markets, higher levels of walkability were directly linked to higher home values.

The proposed project would further the following recommendations of Connecting Communities: 1) Improve bicycle planning and facilities through targeted investments. 2) Implement land use policies that improve community cohesion and reduce urban sprawl. It would also encourage a healthier lifestyle with individuals riding bicycles or walking/hiking the trail. These forms of transportation leave no carbon footprint, have no air pollution and little or no noise pollution associated with them. The Summit County General Plan recognizes the importance of such multi-modal uses. Clean Ohio Trails Fund, Recreational Trails Program, the Ohio & Erie Canal Association Grants Program and local, regional and national foundations could be viable sources of funding for this project.