HUBBARD TOWNSHIP — Trustees are hosting a public hearing at 6 p.m. Tuesday at the township administration building to discuss the military overlay district and vote on changes proposed by the township’s zoning commission — the continuation of a process that has spanned the past decade.

According to Trumbull County Planning Commission Director Julie Green, the announcement may have confused some people, but it addresses the sustainability of the Youngstown Air Reserve Station.

“In 2016, I started working on the Joint Land Use Study with YARS, and when I was still with the commissioner’s office, we had Matrix Design Group, who is an expert at military installation and planning,” Green said. “We completed the Joint Land Use Study in 2019; we applied for a second grant, called the Military Installation and Sustainability Grant.”

Green said they used the grant to contract with Matrix Design Group again, who procured zoning overlay district documents, maps and comprehensive plan document updates for what’s known as the Military Compatibility Area Overlay District.

“Our job at the planning commission over the last several years, since that was finalized, is to go to the various communities — there’s 26 in all,” Green said. “Each one is asked to adopt different things, depending on how far away they are from YARS. They are then asked to adopt that as part of their zoning resolution, or their comprehensive plan update.”

Green said that adoption varies by the township’s status, noting that some townships do not have zoning departments.

“For example, Brookfield Township does not have zoning, but they did pass a resolution of support,” Green said. “They can also include it as part of a comprehensive plan update because they have a comprehensive plan.”

Green said communities were given template documents to adopt, with some adopting “at least” one or more. She said the commission is still working with communities to educate them because it’s not a simple process.

Green said their goal upon starting the process in 2016 was to ensure the long-term sustainability of YARS.

“It demonstrates our commitment to being good community partners with our Youngstown Air Reserve Station,” Green said. “And the purpose is to ensure that our land uses are compatible with YARS, and also to ensure that YARS’s mission is compatible with the communities that are within its military compatibility area.”

“We definitely support our military here in Trumbull County, and even throughout the region, really — it’s definitely a great partnership, and we’re committed to continuing on until we get full adoption rates. But that takes time — there’s a lot of questions, a lot of meetings.”

Informational documents, such as a project overview and brochures for things such as how airfield safety zones or aircraft noises affect properties, can be found on the planning commission’s website.