About Us
The Lima-Allen County Regional Planning Commission
(LACRPC) was established in September 1964 and assumed the
powers and duties of the Allen County Planning Commission which was
created in 1954. The formation of the Regional Planning Commission
was accomplished in conformance with Section 713.21 of the Ohio
Revised Code and was charged with the responsibilities of
comprehensive planning and program implementation within Allen
County and its various communities.
Organizational Chart
Click on
chart to enlarge.
Who We Are
The LACRPC is a voluntary association of delegates
from different participating jurisdictions,
including representatives of state and local governments as
well as non-governmental organizations, interested in understanding
and addressing the needs of the region. The Commission serves
as a forum for discussion as well as sharing ideas
and information among communities regarding local and regional
issues. The LACRPC serves in an advisory capacity to
community decision makers who rely on the data, analyses, and
planning recommendations, which are provided by the Commission.
A 35 member board of directors assists the Commission by
reviewing and recommending plans and strategies to develop and
improve the region. The Commission employs professional staff
to provide assistance and advice in carrying out these
responsibilities. The powers and duties of the Commission are
explicitly detailed in Section 713.21 of the Ohio Revised Code.
The LACRPC provides a wide array of services to the region and
undertakes special studies at the request of member communities.
Typically services include:
- Preparing population and housing reports;
- Providing traffic and crash analyses;
- Facilitating the subdivision review process for those
unincorporated areas outside of municipal jurisdictions; and
- Providing zoning, land use, soil, and other development related
information.
The Commission also provides a host of
other community services, including administering the
Allen County Floodplain Management Regulations for the
unincorporated areas of Allen County as well as the Community
Development Block Grant for Allen County. In addition, the
LACRPC serves as a repository for, and has a wide array of,
historical data and archival maps such traffic flow, zoning, and
land use maps as well as aerial photos. Should other services
be of local interest, the LACRPC has the capability to provide a
wide variety of other services to the general
public.
The annual Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP) developed by the
LACRPC reflects the interests and concerns of the local membership
and contains information specific to the cooperative, continuing,
and comprehensive planning process undertaken by the LACRPC.
Through the participation of local member political subdivisions,
and with the assistance of state and federal agencies, the LACRPC
determines planning priorities and policies for the region and
directs the staff in its various planning activities. The
UPWP outlines the staff activities over the course of the fiscal
year as required under contract with various state and federal
agencies. In addition, the document provides a management
tool to assess LACRPC progress on specific projects, as well as its
commitment to local issues.
As the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) for the Lima
Urbanized Area, the LACRPC is the agency responsible for developing
and maintaining a comprehensive, coordinated, and continuing
transportation planning process. This "3C" process has been
adopted to ensure that the region's local transportation network
continues to be developed cognizant of various land use patterns,
and one in which the safe and efficient movement of goods and
people is paramount. The agency's transportation planning
activities are predicated on a predetermined committee structure,
which includes the Transportation Coordinating Committee (TCC) and
the Transportation Advisory Committee (TAC). The
TCC primarily includes local elected officials; while, the TAC
includes both private and public sector transportation
professionals and reports to TCC. Together these two
committees review and provide technical assistance as well as make
recommendations on transportation and transit-related projects and
programs planned for the region.
The MPO must also involve the general public in the
transportation planning process, not only documenting its
public participation efforts, but providing an
opportunity for public input into the policies and
decisions that affect local transportation issues. In order to
ensure input and community involvement, the agency utilizes the
services of its Citizens Advisory Committee and other ad-hoc
advising committees.
Metropolitan Planning Organization
Responsibilities:
- Develop an integrated transportation plan for the region;
- Guide informed decision making across a broad cross section of
community representatives;
- Review and approve the allocation of millions of dollars for
improvements to the infrastructure of roadways and bridges;
- Ensuring that local residents have the opportunity to utilize
alternative modes of commuting; and
- Reviews and prioritizes expenditures for walkways, bicycle
trails, transit, and paratransit operations.