Violet Township Embarks on a Comprehensive Planning Process
The public is invited to help create “Vision for Violet” – a roadmap for the community’s future. In April 2021, Violet Township began creating a long-term plan for the future of the unincorporated parts of the township.
The township’s current comprehensive plan was adopted in 2005, and has limited relevance to address present and emerging opportunities, challenges and regional trends.
The comprehensive plan aims to proactively prepare for the future. It will explore various issues including land use, economic development, infrastructure, housing and more. The final document, slated for completion within the calendar year, will identify long-term goals and recommend action steps to implement those objectives.
The development of a Vision for Violet is a collaborative process led by township staff and guided by a citizen steering committee. Violet Township has engaged ms consultants, inc. (ms) to lead the community engagement portion of the plan.
Members of the general public invested in the future of Violet Township are encouraged to participate in the planning process. The ms planning team will attend community events throughout the summer to gather feedback on how the public envisions the future of Violet Township.
If you cannot catch the planning team at an event or are otherwise unable to engage with the process in person, you can still actively participate online. Visit www.VisionforViolet.com to take the community survey, participate in other activities and learn more about the comprehensive planning process.
Mark Your Calendars NOW!
The Violet Township Fire Department Annual Open House will be held at the Lockville Road location on Oct. 10, 2021, from 1-3 p.m. Our Open House will feature the Fire Safety House, which will allow us to actually put children into a NON-HAZARDOUS smoke-filled environment and teach them how to get out of their home in case of fire. Fun activities will be available for kids that help them learn about safety in all situations, and firefighters will be on hand as well for stories and age-appropriate learning experiences. Bring your kids in to get a picture of them in fire gear! Fun will be had by all who attend, including our staff!
We missed you all last year!
BBQ Safety Tips
There’s nothing like outdoor grilling. It’s one of the most popular ways to cook food. But, a grill placed too close to anything that can burn is a fire hazard. They can be very hot, causing burn injuries.
Follow these simple tips and you will be on the way to safe grilling.
- Before using a grill, check the connection between the propane tank for tightness and leaks.
- Do not wear loose clothing while cooking at a barbeque.
- Any grill should be placed well away from the home, deck railings and out from under eaves and overhanging branches.
- Keep children and pets away from the grilling area. Keep all matches and lighters away from children. Teach your children to report any loose matches or lighters to an adult immediately.
- Never leave a grill unattended.
- Never add charcoal fluid or any other flammable liquid to an already burning fire.
- Keep charcoal fluid out of the reach of children and away from heat sources.
- Dispose of hot coals properly – allow them to completely cool, stirring well to ensure that all heat is out. Douse with water and place in a designated metal container WELL away from any structure or object. NEVER place coals in plastic, paper or wooden containers for any reason.
- Call 9-1-1 or your local emergency number if a burn warrants medical attention. ALL burns to the face, hands, feet or groin area require medical attention.
Campfire Safety
Quinn Dombrowski
The year of quarantines and COVID-19 restrictions found many of us finding our way back to comfort items, foods and pastimes that were feel-good activities.
The outdoor campfire became a place where families could regroup and reclaim some of the normalcy we all craved. We are sure this time-honored activity will continue. Who doesn’t love s’mores and family time?
- Build campfires where they will not spread; away from dry grass, leaves and never under overhanging trees.
- Keep it small, and don’t let it get out of hand.
- Keep plenty of water and a shovel around to douse the fire when you’re done. Stir it and douse it again with water.
- Never leave campfires unattended.
- Never start a campfire without having the equipment and ability to extinguish it.
What’s that bird or bug? There’s an app for that!
By Tommy Springer – Wildlife and Education Specialist for Fairfield SWCD
As kids, and even adults, venture outside, they are bound to run across an interesting plant, tree, insect or other living creature that they don’t recognize.
Maybe you’ve been in this situation yourself with a pretty flower or a weird looking bug that you’d like to know the identity of either to enjoy it in the future or know whether you should steer clear of it. Regardless of the reasoning, most of us possess an innate curiosity to figure out what lives in the same area alongside us.
In the “old days,” your resources for learning the names and information about local plants and animals were generally limited to a family member who you could ask, carrying a collection of field identification guides around everywhere with you or having a good enough memory to remember enough information until you could get back home and look it up. Any of these methods came with its own hinderances as that knowledgeable family member might not really know what they’re talking about, carrying a stack of field guides is highly impractical and memories can be unreliable.
In today’s world, however, thanks to the prevalence of personal smart devices like smartphones and tablets, nearly all the information you need to make a field ID of a spider, centipede or squirrel is right there at your fingertips.
If you prefer the semi-traditional route, the Ohio Division of Wildlife has an assortment of guidebooks covering many different groups of Ohio plants and animals that are available as free PDF downloads on ohiodnr.gov that can then be browsed to manually locate the critter that looks closest to the one you’re trying to figure out.
For the younger generation, however, a relatively new app has been developed that provides real-time identifications of most local plants and animals using nothing more than your device’s camera to scan or photograph them. The app is called “Seek by iNaturalist” and is available for most smart devices and phones in the Apple app store and Google Play store for Android users. Best of all, it’s free to install and doesn’t require wireless service when using it in the field.
Kids may especially like Seek’s interactive observation challenges that award virtual badges and allows them to compete in monthly contests for getting out and identifying different plants and animals. If you’re wanting to find a way to encourage a family member to get out and explore nature while not totally eliminating their connection to technology, this might just be the ticket.
