Millersburg Council Approves Housing Study, Smart Traffic Lights Pilot

The Millersburg Village Council on Nov. 10 voted to move forward with two significant planning efforts, approving a county supported housing needs assessment covering western Holmes County and authorizing steps toward installation of smart traffic light technology in downtown Millersburg. The county commissioners agreed to provide ten thousand dollars toward the housing study and twenty thousand dollars toward the smart traffic lights, and council members approved moving ahead with both initiatives.

The housing needs assessment is intended to gather data on current and projected housing demand across western Holmes County, information that local officials say will inform future zoning, development incentives, and infrastructure priorities. County funding for the study signals intergovernmental collaboration, and residents may see its effects in long term housing availability and policy discussions about where new housing is encouraged.

The smart traffic light pilot aims to modernize downtown traffic control with technology designed to improve traffic flow and pedestrian safety at key intersections. The council did not set a start date at the Nov. 10 meeting but authorized preparations to pursue the pilot. The project follows recent infrastructure work downtown, including Melway paving at the Jones Street intersection, which village officials reported is progressing. Residents and business owners in the downtown core are likely to be most directly affected by changes to traffic timing and pedestrian signals.

Council members also addressed a number of routine but locally relevant items. The council approved façade applications for downtown properties, set upcoming planning and zoning meeting dates, and finalized a landscaping and hanging basket vendor selection for 2026. Leaf collection schedules were reviewed for the season, and a GovDeals online auction that includes village surplus items runs through Nov. 24. The council granted Cottonwood Shanty permission to park a coffee truck during the Merry Millersburg weekend, a move that supports local small business activity during a key community event.

These decisions reflect a coordinated approach to local planning and infrastructure, and they place Millersburg among communities that are leveraging county resources for targeted studies and pilots. Residents interested in the council discussion, itemized motions, and ordinances should consult the village clerk or the published meeting record linked at the source URL for full details. Reporting for this article is based on the Nov. 14, 2025 article in The Bargain Hunter and YourOhioNews.