2. SHAPING OUR FUTURE
“Our world is changing and this new approach is being launched
that listens to your needs, identifies core issues and creates a
plan of action that will lead our region.” Chester R. Jourdan, Jr.
• What will help you achieve your organization’s
goals in central Ohio?
• What does our region need in order for you to
feel proud to call it ―Home‖?
3. Why Plan for a Region?
What is a region?
What are we planning for?
4. Definitions of a Region
• A specified district or area
• An area of interest or activity
• Competitive both nationally and
globally
• Cooperative, coordinated area
working together to save
resources and build stronger
economies and communities
5. Why is the central Ohio region 12 counties?
• Columbus – Marion –
Chillicothe
Metropolitan Area
• Tied together through
– Economy
– Nature
Delaware Madison
Fairfield Marion
Fayette Morrow
Franklin Pickaway
Knox Ross
Licking Union
6. Why Plan for the Region?
• Communities are
competing for limited
resources
• Sustainable economic
investment must be
global
• Working together, we can
solve common problems
7. Planning is a continuum at MORPC…
Shaping our Future is
evolving from 40 years of
planning work
Most recently—
• Regional Connections (2004)
addressed growth in the 7
County central Ohio region
• CapitalWays – (2008) multi-
county transportation plan that
addressed infrastructure
investment strategies
9. Central Ohio Plans
"It's certainly a good idea to have goals, but
you have to do a solid cost-benefit analysis
and have a real plan, not just goals. When it
comes down to it, businesses wanting to
grow or relocate look for places that have
good INFRASTRUCTURE and a good,
EDUCATED WORK FORCE. Those things
aren't very sexy, but success really comes
down to basics.―
- Barry Keating
Professor of Business Economics at the University of Notre Dame
Columbus Dispatch, Sunday, March 28, 2010
10. Shaping our Future will work to:
• Create a culture of on-going regional
dialogue and collaboration
• Integrate regional activities
• Provide a planning reference for
public/private stakeholders
11. Shaping our Future started with talking and listening to people
• Focus Groups
• Public Opinion Survey
12. Top 10 Things We Heard
at the
Focus Groups
What do you love, hate, want to
change in central Ohio?
13. Focus Group Top 10
7. Become a hub of for renewable energy
and high tech industry
8. Embrace the diversity of the region
9. Increase governmental collaboration
10. Invest in ourselves
14. Focus Group Top 10
2. More Jobs
3. Have more transportation options
4. Have access to local food sources and
protect the farmland
5. Create sustainable neighborhoods
6. Preserve our natural resources
17. QUESTIONS ABOUT
1. WHO TOOK the SURVEY
2. ENERGY and the ENVIRONMENT
3. ECONOMICS
4. TRANSPORTATION
5. NEIGHBORHOODS
18. Who took the survey?
Over 6,600 people responded
19. Who took the survey?
• Average age of respondents - 46 years old
• More 60 year olds responded than 20 year olds
• Half of respondents have lived in central Ohio
for 25 years or more
• 52% of the respondents were women;
48% men
• 10% of respondents were minority
26% of respondents born here
14% came to central Ohio for work
27% came for college and stayed
20. QUESTIONS ABOUT
1. WHO TOOK the SURVEY
2. ENERGY and the ENVIRONMENT
3. ECONOMICS
4. TRANSPORTATION
5. NEIGHBORHOODS
21. Energy and the Environment
Do you believe central Common Comments
Ohio has a Problem with about Air Quality:
Smog?
• 30% think central Ohio has • Air Quality Alerts need to be
an air quality problem better publicized
• 19% aren’t sure • People do not change driving
habits on Air Quality Alert days
– because they do not have
• 51% think central Ohio does another way to get to where
not have an air quality they need to go
problem
• 75% aware of Air Quality
Alert days
22. Energy and Environment
Do you recycle?
Other
Union
YES – 85% Ross
Pickaway
Morrow
Marion
Madison
Licking
Knox
Franklin
Fayette
Fairfield
Delaware
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Percent of respondents who recycle
23. Energy and the Environment
Other
Union
Ross
Pickaway
Do you drink Morrow
Marion
unfiltered tap water?
Madison
60% of the respondents Licking
said YES
Knox
Franklin
Fayette
Fairfield
Delaware
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Percent of Respondents who drink unfiltered tap water
24. Energy and the Environment
Do you spend leisure time
Over half do!
in the region’s rivers,
streams and lakes?
25. Energy and the Environment
Not sure, Very
6% Unlikely,
How likely is it that climate 14%
Unlikely
change will hurt Central Ohio? 9%
Very Likely,
49% yes 26%
Neutral,
23% no 22%
Likely,
28% neutral or not sure 23%
Very
Likely
Neutral
Very
Unlikely
26. Energy and Environment
50%
How high will gas prices 45%
be in next 5 years? 40%
35%
Consistently among all 30%
25%
counties: $3 to $5 per gallon 20%
15%
10%
% of
Respondents 5%
0%
$2 $3 $4 $5 $6 $7 $8
Price of a gallon of gasoline
27. Energy and Environment
How high would the price of gasoline have to go for you to begin
using some method other than your car to get to work?
Regional Response
I'll drive no matter the cost
$10
$9
$4 seems to be $8
the tipping point $7
$6
$5
$4
Don't use a car to get to work
0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30%
Percent of Respondents
28. Energy and the Environment
Do you take steps to
conserve energy?
97% said YES
29. QUESTIONS ABOUT
1. WHO TOOK the SURVEY
2. ENERGY and the ENVIRONMENT
3. ECONOMICS
4. TRANSPORTATION
5. NEIGHBORHOODS
30. Economics
How competitive is central Ohio for attracting & retaining businesses?
Competitive
Neutral
Not
Competitive
What people said about attracting & retaining businesses:
• Small businesses are important
• Green businesses are important
• Taxes are too high
• Tax incentives for businesses don’t always help communities
• Communities need to collaborate to attract & retain businesses
31. Economics
Do you buy food from local farmers or Other
farm markets? Union
Ross
66% said YES! Pickaway
Morrow
Marion
Madison
Do you deliberately purchase Ohio
Licking
grown food from your grocery store? Knox
Franklin
49% said YES! Fayette
Fairfield
Delaware
0% 50% 100%
Percentage buying food from
farm markets or farms
32. What people said about buying local food
• Labeling/advertising helps identify Ohio grown food
• Food purchasing decisions based on cost,
convenience and quality
• People like to support the local economy
33. Economics
Have you lost your home due to default or
foreclosure on your mortgage?
2% (122) of the respondents have lost their home due
to a default or foreclosure
Has Foreclosure affected your Neighborhood?
Don't
Yes Know
26% 25%
No
49%
34. QUESTIONS ABOUT
1. WHO TOOK the SURVEY
2. ENERGY and the ENVIRONMENT
3. ECONOMICS
4. TRANSPORTATION
5. NEIGHBORHOODS
35. Transportation
How often do you use the following transportation options to
get to work?
Bike
Transit
Often
Carpool Sometimes
Never
Drive Alone
Work from Home
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
36. Transportation
Do you think congestion is a problem in central Ohio?
8%
Comments about congestion:
• Flexible work schedules would
help reduce traffic congestion
36%
56% • Central Ohio needs more
comprehensive public
transit system
• Central Ohio does not have
traffic congestion problems
Yes No Not sure compared to other regions
37. Transportation
Are central Ohio drivers safe drivers?
Comments about safe drivers:
• Distracted drivers are problem
• Generally safe drivers, but
48%
52% No
there are some bad apples
Yes
• Need more enforcement
• Problems driving in bad
weather
• Drivers not considerate of
cyclists
38. Transportation
Which of the following transportations options
would you like to have?
20%
Pct of Responses
15%
10%
5%
0%
39. Transportation
Rate the physical condition of the
transportation infrastructure
Excellent
Neutral
Poor
40. QUESTIONS ABOUT
1. WHO TOOK the SURVEY
2. ENERGY and the ENVIRONMENT
3. ECONOMICS
4. TRANSPORTATION
5. NEIGHBORHOODS
41. Neighborhoods
How important is it that your house is near
the following facilities?
Very
Important
Neutral
Not
Important
42. Neighborhoods
Are neighborhood services within walking or biking
distance from your home?
YES! 49 % NO! 51 %
How do you usually travel to them? If they were closer, would you walk/bike
to them?
2%
12%
33%
65%
88%
I walk/bike to them Yes No
I drive to them
I don't use them
43. TOP TEN LIST OF WHAT PEOPLE SAID ABOUT
CENTRAL OHIO
On the Survey
44. Top 10 Comments from the Survey
6. Appreciation for the rivers and bikeways
7. We have a lot of government and governments
8. A lot of cultural diversity
9. Smart Techno Town with lots of universities, high
tech companies and job opportunities
10.Central Ohio is ―clean‖
45. Top 10 Comments from the Survey
2. We have a big city with small town feel
because of the friendly people
3. Central location with easy access to
freeways – but there are bad drivers
and we need other modes
4. Don’t like the sprawl – and there’s a strong
appreciation for rural areas
5. Affordable cost of living
46. 1. It’s a football
town –
BUCKEYES,
BUCKEYES,
BUCKEYES!!
47. NEXT STEPS
Talk with people: What to change?
2010
Listen to experts: How to change?
2011
Test the potential for change in what-if scenarios
Talk with people: Consensus on what we can change
2012
IMPLEMENT by continuing to talk with people and
reporting on results
48. Check our website for updates and news!
regionalplan.morpc.org
Join us May 4th for the 2010
State of the Region Event
Battelle Grand Ballroom
Register Today at: MORPC.org
49. “We should refer to “walking” as the
primary mode of transportation, and to
all others as alternative modes of
transportation.”
Healthy Communities Active Transportation
Luncheon March 30, 2010
