COLUMBUS — A Nov. 17 event at The Ohio State University will look at making the Columbus area more livable and walkable down the road.

Hosted by the Ohio State-based Environmental Professionals Network, the program will feature a new central Ohio planning effort called insight2050.

Insight2050 aims to help communities plan for development and population growth over the next 30-plus years “that is expected to be dramatically different from the past,” according to its website.

Central Ohio may add 500,000 more people over the next four decades, said the network’s coordinator, David Hanselmann, a lecturer in Ohio State’s College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences.

“At the same time, demographics are changing along with consumer preferences for walkability, connected trails and a range of activities for all ages,” said Hanselmann, who works in the college’s School of Environment and Natural Resources. The network is a service of the school.

Path to a stronger community

“Urban planning that helps meet those preferences, like insight2050, may result in stronger communities and may also provide greater environmental benefits, including our ability to meet lower carbon emission goals,” he said.

Experts say carbon emissions are contributing to possibly irreversible changes in Earth’s climate.

The event, called “insight2050: Environmental Benefits Stand Out as We Shape a Strong, Sustainable, Healthy and Beautiful Greater Columbus Community,” is from 7:15 to 9:30 a.m. in Ohio State’s Nationwide and Ohio Farm Bureau 4-H Center, 2201 Fred Taylor Drive in Columbus.

Central Ohio experts to speak

The program will feature Kerstin Carr, planning and environment director for the Columbus-based Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission. Carr will moderate the event and give an overview of insight2050.

James Schimmer, director of Franklin County’s Economic Development and Planning Department, and Glenn Marzluf, general manager-CEO of Del-Co Water in Delaware County, will speak in a panel discussion about the project.

Carr’s organization, MORPC, is a partner on insight2050. The Urban Land Institute Columbus and Columbus 2020, a regional economic development organization, also are partners.

Registration for the program is open to both members of the network and the public. Registration costs $10 and includes a full breakfast. Details and a link to online registration are at go.osu.edu/Nov2015EPN. The deadline to register is noon Nov. 13.

MORPC is sponsoring the event.

For more information, contact Hanselmann at [email protected] or 614-247-1908 or go to go.osu.edu/Nov2015EPN.

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Staff report