October 26, 200519 yr This area kills me the articles show how much residents hate the sprawl and hate the growth. However, more and more people keep moving there. It makes no sense. These residents deal with worse traffic than city dwellers, less amenities, fewer services, and more responsibilities (landscaping, driving, etc.). Why would you ever want to live in the dreaded burbs. These residents who don't like the change can do one of two things: move further out and await more sprawl....or move back into the city for a lifestyle second to none!!!
October 26, 200519 yr This area kills me the articles show how much residents hate the sprawl and hate the growth. However, more and more people keep moving there. It makes no sense. These residents deal with worse traffic than city dwellers, less amenities, fewer services, and more responsibilities (landscaping, driving, etc.). Why would you ever want to live in the dreaded burbs. These residents who don't like the change can do one of two things: move further out and await more sprawl....or move back into the city for a lifestyle second to none!!! I agree
October 27, 200519 yr For any of you that don't know where Turtlecreek Twp it is. It's just east of of I-75 around the Middletown exit.
October 27, 200519 yr ^ Well part of Turtlecreek is out that way towards Middletown....but Turtlecreek Township is quite large. If this development is out by Oregonia, its a good 30-40 mintues from I-75 and closer to I-71.
October 27, 200519 yr ^One might be more confussed by the fact that Turtle Creek Fleemarket in Monroe is not far away.
October 28, 200519 yr This was in the 10/26/05 Enquirer: New plan to define future of township Hamilton Twp. addresses growth By Jessica Brown Enquirer staff writer HAMILTON TWP. - Residents who live in this community, the fastest-growing area in Greater Cincinnati, soon will have an answer to the question: What will our township look like in 10 years? Recommendations for a new comprehensive land-use plan - a tool that will guide the placement of retail, subdivisions and factories - were finalized Monday night. http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20051026/NEWS01/510260392/1056
October 28, 200519 yr Yeah it is. Right click on it and view as an image, that should make it smaller.
October 28, 200519 yr Jesus Christ. From the 10/27/05 Lebanon Western Star: Cluster development proposal meets Hamilton Twp. requirements Stotler land earlier hotly contested in court Thursday, October 27, 2005 A preliminary plan for a cluster development has been submitted to Hamilton Twp. officials on land hotly contested this year in the courts. Township officials notified Richard Evans — Henderson and Bodwell engineer for the developer of what is known as Stotler II — that a revised preliminary plan for a cluster development he submitted meets the requirements of the township’s cluster development zoning code and was formally approved by the planning and zoning department. http://www.western-star.com/news/content/news/stories/2005/10/27/ws1027hamstotler.html
November 4, 200519 yr Hamilton Township plan upsets some By Jessica Brown Enquirer staff writer HAMILTON TWP. - As trustees in this rapidly growing township move toward approving a land-use plan, a conflict is emerging. More people are complaining that their voices have not been heard and that the proposed plan really isn't what they wanted. http://news.cincinnati.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20051103/NEWS01/511030339/1056/CINCI
November 4, 200519 yr This is in the news, WHY???? Deerfield Twp. OKs Bob Evans Restaurant approval was delayed by earlier tie vote By Jessica Brown Enquirer staff writer DEERFIELD TWP. - By next summer, diners will be able to go to the Arbor Square development here to get their Harvest Feast Breakfast or Double Berry Deep Dish Cobbler. A new Bob Evans restaurant received approval Wednesday night after a lengthy battle with township trustees over the height of the building's barn-like front.
November 4, 200519 yr ^ There was a thread about that Bob Evans thing somewhere. It got tied up because the building design didn't meet the trustees' standards.
November 9, 200519 yr Ummm...okay. From the 11/7/05 Dayton Business Journal: Homearama to return to Clearcreek Township Some builders doubt original location good for $1M homes John Wilfong DBJ Staff Reporter Homearama organizers have pulled next year's event out of Beavercreek and will be moving it south of Dayton. The decision was in response to a lack of interest from luxury home builders, said Tim Franck, assistant executive director of the Home Builders Association of Dayton and the Miami Valley. http://dayton.bizjournals.com/dayton/stories/2005/11/07/story4.html
November 14, 200519 yr From the 11/11/05 Enquirer: Suits settled; homes planned Subdivision will be scaled back By Janice Morse Enquirer staff writer LEBANON - Warren County officials, a developer and a homebuilders group on Thursday settled a trio of lawsuits - paving the way for a scaled-back version of a large Hamilton Township subdivision, and providing nearly $400,000 in "voluntary contributions" from developers to the Little Miami School District, whose tax issue voters defeated Tuesday. "We resolved this amicably, and we achieved a substantial change in the designs of the subdivision. There originally were a lot more lots, a lot more homes that would have brought children into a school district that just lost its levy," said Bruce McGary, an assistant county prosecutor who represented county officials in the three suits involving the Stotler properties near Mounts and Zoar roads. http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20051111/NEWS01/511110402/1056/rss02
November 14, 200519 yr "I think it's a win-win for all parties to have settled this," county Commissioner Pat South said. "It's not Warren County's desire to stop all property development, but we do want to demand quality development and limit the density so we don't end up with a half-million population." Hmm so the would rather have a built out county at 350k, than a built out county at 500k. Something don't make since.
November 14, 200519 yr Homearama organizers have pulled next year's event out of Beavercreek and will be moving it south of Dayton. The decision was in response to a lack of interest from luxury home builders, said Tim Franck, assistant executive director of the Home Builders Association of Dayton and the Miami Valley. None of the six builders from this year's luxury home show, some of which have built for the show for two decades, will be returning in 2006. Some of those builders said they backed out of the Beavercreek location because they didn't think it could support million-dollar homes built primarily on the speculation of someone purchasing them. Very interesting. It looks like the upscale trend continues to be "south". I was wondering if Beavercreek would be developing as an upscale housing site as an alternative to the "south" trend that has long been the case here in Dayton.
November 15, 200519 yr From the 11/12/05 Enquirer: MAP: Greentree area developments Greentree Road no longer green acres Nonstop development in Warren Co. strains older streets By Janice Morse Enquirer staff writer TURTLECREEK TWP. - Greentree Road isn't sleepy anymore. Once a little-traveled, zigzag scenic country lane, Greentree is at the epicenter of about 3,700 lots mapped out for residential development that will bring more people and more cars. http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20051112/NEWS01/511120386/1056/rss02
November 19, 200519 yr From the 11/16/05 Enquirer: Warren Co. leaders call 'time out' on growth Commissioners ask for temporary restrictions By Janice Morse Enquirer staff writer LEBANON - Warren County leaders say they're not closing the door to development. But they are considering leaving the door only slightly ajar for a while. Officials say they want to cut back on new developments while they repair the county's flawed growth-management rules. http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20051116/NEWS01/511160404/1056/rss02
November 27, 200519 yr From the 11/23/05 Cox News Service/Dayton Daily News: Warren may buck trend Economist expects home building boom to continue By Chris Dumond Cox News Service KINGS MILLS | Although home building is expected to slow down nationally as mortgage rates increase over the next two years, some areas of the Greater Cincinnati market may be in position to go against that trend, a housing economist said Tuesday. Addressing a morning meeting of the Area Progress Council of Warren County and the Home Builders Association of Greater Cincinnati, Bernard Markstein, director of forecasting for the National Association of Home Builders, said the area's economic future could be tied to how it regulates housing growth. http://www.daytondailynews.com/business/content/business/daily/1123homeforecast.html
December 20, 200519 yr From the 12/15/05 Lebanon Western Star: Developers hope to establish tax district Districts have not yet been tried in Southwest Ohio Thursday, December 15, 2005 New development must pay for itself is a common refrain heard among growth opponents in Warren County. That’s what Hines-Griffin Land Development Co. co-owners Bill Hines and Dan Griffin say they hope San Mar Gale will be able to do through the use of a 30-year-old state law that allows for the creation of community authority tax districts. http://www.western-star.com/news/content/news/stories/2005/12/15/ws1215sanmargaletax.html?cxtype=rss&cxsvc=7&cxcat=7 From same: Hamilton Twp. wants sanitary sewers extended Would go to rezoned commercial properties Thursday, December 15, 2005 Warren County officials continue efforts to slow development by limiting expansion of sanitary sewers in the Lower Little Miami Sanitary Sewer District. But Hamilton Twp. trustees have put in a bid to extend lines to properties recently rezoned for commercial and industrial use. Known for its booming residential growth, Hamilton Twp. recently rezoned about 84 acres of residential property to business and industrial use. Land originally consisting of several R-1 residential properties, about 22 acres of land on U.S. 22 and Ohio 3 southwest of Zoar Road were rezoned for B-1 and B-2 business zoning and about 62 acres of land on U.S. 22 and Ohio 3 northwest of Zoar Road were rezoned for M-1 industrial use. http://www.western-star.com/news/content/news/stories/2005/12/15/ws1215hamtwpsewers.html?cxtype=rss&cxsvc=7&cxcat=7 From the 12/15/05 Pulse Journal: To build or not to build: Community center debates rage on Recreation centers see limited success throughout area Thursday, December 15, 2005 A judge could decide the fate of a YMCA that officials want to build in Deerfield Twp. In September, Trustee Lee Speidel, who opposes the project, asked Law Director Thomas Swope to review the legislation funding the construction of the recreation center. “It is a very raw deal for the township and its taxpayers,” Speidel said. “It doesn’t make financial sense.” http://www.pulsejournal.com/hp/content/news/stories/2005/12/15/pj1215communitycenterwc.html
December 28, 200519 yr From the 12/28/05 Enquirer: Managing residential growth tops trustees' 2006 to-do lists By Jessica Brown Enquirer staff writer HAMILTON TWP. - New trustee Michael Munoz and re-elected trustee Becky Ehling were just sworn in Tuesday night, but they already are looking toward the future. Their No. 1 priority for 2006 is managing the residential growth of this Warren County township where the population has nearly doubled since 2000. http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20051228/NEWS01/512280366/1056/rss02
January 3, 200619 yr From the 12/28/05 Enquirer's "Briefly" section: Commissioners OK zoning Warren County Commissioners on Tuesday paved the way for a 146-acre subdivision to be built on a former farm along Ohio 741 in Turtlecreek Township. Developer J-II Enterprises Inc. was seeking a zone change to build 75 homes on 1.6-acre lots on land just south of Ohio 741's intersection with Ohio 63. Commissioners approved the zone change after the developer made several concessions, including increasing a conservation easement behind each home to 50 feet as well as paying a voluntary impact fee to the Lebanon School District of $1,750 per lot. The subdivision was to be named Woodhaven, but developers said it would be renamed after a resident pointed out that there's already a Woodhaven subdivision in nearby Franklin Township. http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20051228/NEWS01/512280357/1056/rss02 This bickering between Deerfield Twp. and Mason is an endless source of comedy. I can't tell you how much I enjoy it. Also, check out the rendering. What is that--a 500-car parking lot? From the 12/27/05 Enquirer: RENDERING: The plan to build a $6 million YMCA in Deerfield Township on Montgomery Road is stalled over financing questions. Photo provided Deerfield Twp. YMCA plans stall as trustees allot land for ball fields By Jessica Brown Enquirer staff writer DEERFIELD TWP. - Residents here likely will not have a YMCA in 2006, but they might get some ball fields. The township's project to build a $6 million, 45,704-square-foot YMCA on Montgomery Road is stalled over legal questions surrounding the financing. The questions could take as long as eight months to resolve. In the meantime, trustees said they plan to grade the 27-acre piece of township-owned property between Meijer and Steeplechase apartments to provide ball fields by late summer or early fall. http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20051227/NEWS01/512270349/1056/rss02
January 28, 200619 yr RECENT STORIES OF NOTE: 1) Maineville crossing tops traffic count chart (1/12/06, Lebanon Western Star) Hamilton Twp. plans to use the data from a late-2005 traffic count to help plan new roads and roadway improvements. Wow, what a great idea. 2) Strip mall gains approval (1/19/06, Lebanon Western Star) Northstar Realty will be building a 6-7 tenant, 14,500 square foot strip center at US-42 and Bypass 48. From the 1/13/06 Enquirer: Warren: Let's stop talking, start acting BY JANICE MORSE | ENQUIRER STAFF WRITER LEBANON - Growth-management plans that have been years in the making promise to take shape during 2006, Warren County commissioners say. In a county where the population since 2000 has increased from 158,383 to nearly 200,000, managing growth dominates the commissioners' list of goals for this year. "We need to move quickly, swiftly in terms of revising our zoning code," said Mike Kilburn, commission president. "If we don't do some things on this density, we're not going to like what we see in 10 years. Right now, Warren County is where everyone wants to come. But it's like that piece of chocolate cake: If you let everyone eat it, pretty soon it's all gone." http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060113/NEWS01/601130420/1056/rss02 From the 1/19/06 Dayton Daily News: Nightclub begins development along I-71 By Lawrence Budd and Kristin McAllister Dayton Daily News WASHINGTON TWP., WARREN COUNTY | The opening of Warren County's newest teen club is also the first concrete sign of changes that could transform the land around the Interstate 71-Wilmington Road interchange. Club OV held its grand opening Jan. 12 at 6162 Wilmington Road — part of 15 acres in northeastern Warren County that the University of Cincinnati swapped with the club's developer for land with interstate frontage. UC carved the traded parcel from about 400 acres it owns on Wilmington Road. http://www.daytondailynews.com/community/content/localnews/neighbors/warren/0119teenclub.html From the 1/26/06 Enquirer: Deerfield plan raises traffic fear Chestnut Hill wary of one park proposal BY JESSICA BROWN | ENQUIRER STAFF WRITER DEERFIELD TWP. - Residents of the Chestnut Hill subdivision Wednesday voiced concern about the traffic congestion that the future 50-acre Fleckenstein Park could bring to their neighborhood. "This entire plan bottlenecks our development," said resident Brian Schwartz about one of three site plans proposed at a public hearing Wednesday. http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060126/NEWS01/601260388/1056/rss02
February 3, 200619 yr From the 2/1/06 Enquirer: Warren Co. proposes development slowdown BY JANICE MORSE | ENQUIRER STAFF WRITER LEBANON - Warren County leaders on Tuesday proposed a temporary restriction on development in five of the county's 11 townships: no more single-family homes will be approved unless they are built on minimum 2-acre lots. The proposal, which would be in effect for a year or so, is part of an attempt to slow growth while officials overhaul zoning rules affecting townships under county zoning authority: Turtlecreek, Franklin, Harlan, Union and Washington. http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060201/NEWS01/602010373/1056/rss02 From Cox, 2/2/06: Growth issues building Western Turtlecreek grapples with plans for Greentree Road By Daniel Wells Cox News Service TURTLECREEK TWP., WARREN COUNTY | Theresa Chaney is staying put. Despite the earthmovers behind her house and across the street, and despite the possibility that Greentree Road in front of her house may be widened to five lanes, she plans to stay in the 1910 farmhouse she purchased with her husband, Greg, two years ago and describes as her "dream home." http://www.daytondailynews.com/community/content/localnews/neighbors/warren/0202greentree.html TOWNSHIP BUYING 10 ACRES Deerfield Township will purchase 10 acres for $2.75 million to prevent the property being annexed into the city of Mason. The property will be developed as parkland. This Warren County township has had a history of annexation feuds with its neighbor, though both communities have recently pushed to bury the hatchet. However, when township trustees heard that Mason had made an offer on the land, the purchase became a priority, officials said. The property, owned by Mark and Nancy Altemeier, is on Socialville-Fosters Road north of the Kingswood Golf Center in Deerfield Township, just outside the Mason city limits. Trustees said Mason had planned to purchase the land as part of a larger plan to acquire additional property in Deerfield Township's business corridor. Deerfield expects to close on the property within 21 days. http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060126/NEWS01/601260387/1056/rss02 LAND-USE PLAN HEARING DELAYED The first public hearing on Hamilton Township's land use plan, originally scheduled for Feb. 1, has been postponed for a second time. The hearing is now scheduled for 12:30 p.m. Feb. 8 during the township trustees' regular meeting. A second public hearing is scheduled for 7 p.m. Feb. 15. Both will be at the township administration building, 7780 Ohio 48 (north of Maineville). The plan, once approved, will guide placement of green space, industrial areas and a business district during the next 10 years. For more information visit www.hamilton-township.org or call Gary Boeres (513) 653-8520. http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060126/NEWS01/601260379/1077/NEWS01
February 5, 200619 yr From the 2/5/06 Enquirer: Residents hope they can block road projects in Warren County BY JESSICA BROWN | ENQUIRER STAFF WRITER Citizens opposed to road expansion proposals in southern Warren County are trying again to stop a regional transportation group from including them in its 25-year transportation plan. The Ohio-Kentucky-Indiana Regional Council of Governments is scheduled to vote Thursday on adding several multi-million-dollar road projects to its 2030 Regional Transportation Plan. The vote will be the fourth of 14 steps all major road projects must go through before any dirt is turned. http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060205/NEWS01/602050343/1056/rss02
February 6, 200619 yr Do they know what happens when you stop growth? Look at Silverton Ohio. It's struggling. and they raise taxes, because they don't have the new revenue(taxes) that would come with growth.
February 8, 200619 yr Here's the story about Deerfield Twp. buying the land for a high price just to keep Mason from annexing it: Deerfield Twp. purchase to thwart Mason Township officials say deal halts annexation BY ERIC BRADLEY | COMMUNITY PRESS STAFF WRITER DEERFIELD TWP. -- Deerfield Township officials said they have thwarted an attempt by Mason to buy or annex land within its boundaries. Trustees last week approved the purchase of 10 acres of land north of Kingswood Golf Center on Socialville-Foster Road for $2.75 million. The township plans on using the property as part of its master plan to improve its park system and is in the process of soliciting bids for possible park designs on the land. http://news.communitypress.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060201/NEWS01/602010469/1075/Local From the 2/2/06 Dayton Daily News: Zoning board faces big choice Proposal would shrink Clearcreek Twp. lots By Anthony Gottschlich [email protected] Dayton Daily News February 2, 2006 CLEARCREEK TWP., Warren County - The Clearcreek Zoning Commission meets Tuesday on matters that could alter the township's efforts last year to slow residential growth and maintain the area's rural character. At issue is whether the township should decrease the minimum lot size from five acres to two acres for a residence in Clearcreek's outlying undeveloped areas. http://www.knowledgeplex.org/news/143857.html
February 9, 200619 yr From the 2/8/06 Enquirer: Hamilton Twp. plan for land use heard today BY JESSICA BROWN | ENQUIRER STAFF WRITER HAMILTON TWP. - Anyone wanting a say in a plan to guide future development in this rapidly growing community can have it today. Township trustees are holding a public hearing on the township's proposed land-use plan, a document that sets guidelines for the placement of homes, factories and businesses. http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060208/NEWS01/602080369/1056/rss02 From the 2/2/06 Dayton Daily News: Exemptions costly for Massie Twp. Caesar Creek Park pays no taxes for fire, other services By Lawrence Budd Dayton Daily News MASSIE TWP., WARREN COUNTY | The land and lake comprising Caesar Creek State Park cover 6,571 acres — almost half of Warren County's Massie Twp. The township must provide services, including ambulance and fire protection, while receiving no tax income from the park because public property is exempt from taxation. "Everything goes up. Still, the state park pays nothing," Fire Chief Stephen Gibson told Warren County commissioners in January. http://www.daytondailynews.com/community/content/localnews/neighbors/warren/0202massie.html From the 2/8/06 Enquirer: Fitness center approved To be built near site of planned YMCA in Deerfield Twp. BY JESSICA BROWN | ENQUIRER STAFF WRITER DEERFIELD TWP. - Trustees OK'd plans for a 24-hour, 128,000-square-foot health and fitness center, but it will not affect plans for a YMCA about three miles away, township officials said. The trustees cleared the way for Life Time Fitness to build its fitness center on 24 acres in the Arbor Square shopping center. The fitness center will include a rock climbing area, indoor and outdoor leisure and lap pools, water slides and a whirlpool. The facility will also have a salon, café and locker rooms, and will be open seven days a week. It will have 670 parking spaces and a 45,000-square-foot outdoor area. http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060208/NEWS01/602080367/-1/rss
February 9, 200619 yr Does anyone know what's going on with the shopping center on Fields Ertle road? I was thinking Krogers was remodeling, but it hasnt been back and it's been over a year.
February 10, 200619 yr ^ I have no idea on that one. From the 2/9/06 Enquirer: PHOTO: C. Michael Kilburn PHOTO: Peter Beck Impact fees divide Warren candidates Kilburn challenger Beck says he will work with developers BY JESSICA BROWN | ENQUIRER STAFF WRITER LEBANON - Former Mason mayor Peter Beck promised Wednesday to push for smart growth and economic development if he defeats Mike Kilburn in the May 2 Republican primary for Warren County commissioner and is elected to the seat next November. He also wants to update the county's comprehensive plan and work with developers to bring a balance of commercial, residential and agricultural areas to this second-fastest-growing county in Ohio. One thing he will not do: advocate for impact fees. http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060209/NEWS01/602090386/1056/rss02 From the 2/9/06 Enquirer: Hamilton Twp. plan draws crowd BY JESSICA BROWN | ENQUIRER STAFF WRITER HAMILTON TWP. - Trustees here Wednesday listened to suggestions and criticism from a standing-room-only crowd of 150 people for a proposed township land-use plan that would make Hopkinsville the township's downtown and restrict some southern residents from putting high-density subdivisions on their farms. It was the first of two township public hearings on the proposed plan, which would guide the placement of subdivisions, strip malls and industry for the next 10 years. http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060209/NEWS01/602090372/1056
February 11, 200619 yr From the 2/10/06 Enquirer: Road project to get new look Western Row work reviewed BY JESSICA BROWN | ENQUIRER STAFF WRITER Warren County residents fighting to block a major road project in their region won a battle Thursday, "but not the war," said Hamilton Township resident Sheila McCown. The Ohio-Kentucky-Indiana Regional Council of Governments, which manages regional road projects, on Thursday voted to drop the proposed Western Row Road extension from a list of projects it adopted into its master transportation plan. Instead, the Western Row project will go back to an OKI subcommittee for further review. http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060210/NEWS01/602100430/1056/rss02
February 17, 200619 yr From the 2/16/06 Enqurier: Township vote on land-use plan delayed BY JESSICA BROWN | ENQUIRER STAFF WRITER HAMILTON TWP. - The vote on a much-debated plan to guide development for the next 10 years in this fast-growing community was postponed Wednesday so township trustees can digest the comments they've received from residents. Trustees plan to vote on the proposed land-use plan March 1. They have the option of approving it as is, rejecting it or amending it. They will continue to take suggestions by mail for a few more days. http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060216/NEWS01/602160399/1056 From the 2/10/06 Enquirer: Warren County won't raise fee Unexpected '05 tax revenues will now pay for projects BY MICHELLE MITCHELL | ENQUIRER STAFF WRITER LEBANON - Warren County commissioners voted against increasing the property transfer tax Thursday based on updated county budget information and public opposition. Warren County Auditor Nick Nelson said tax revenue information amended in December showed the county had about $4 million more than was anticipated. "They did the right thing in not increasing this tax," Nelson said. http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060210/NEWS01/602100433/1056/rss02
March 9, 200619 yr From the 3/8/06 Enquirer: Panel OKs Western Row project Advisory committee approves extension, but as smaller road BY JESSICA BROWN | ENQUIRER STAFF WRITER A controversial road project in southern Warren County could be back on the books as early as Thursday - much to the dismay of many Deerfield and Hamilton Township residents who have tried for months to kill it. In the latest development in the Western Row Road saga, an advisory committee Tuesday recommended approving a project to extend the road through Deerfield Township and into Hamilton Township. But the committee did agree to propose a much smaller road. http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060308/NEWS01/603080359/1056/rss02
March 10, 200619 yr Road project hits dead end OKI removes expanded Western Row from consideration BY JESSICA BROWN | ENQUIRER STAFF WRITER A controversial proposal to extend Western Row Road in Warren County was killed Thursday. In an unprecedented move, the Ohio-Kentucky-Indiana Regional Council of Governments - which handles major road projects - went against the recommendation of one of its own committees and removed the project from consideration. "The public input says this should not be advanced," said Mark Policinski, OKI executive director. "This board is the final authority. I see $56 million tied up in a project that's probably never going to happen." http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060310/NEWS01/603100430/1056
April 9, 200619 yr If this indeed does come to fruition, it will probably be split off into a seperate thread. From the 4/7/06 Western Star (Lebanon): 865 acres could be future housing development Land for sale in both Turtlecreek, Clearcreek townships Friday, April 07, 2006 Another housing development might be on the horizon for Warren County. Spanning the Turtlecreek and Clearcreek township lines, 865 acres between Drake and Utica roads are for sale to developers. Just under 300 of the acres are in Turtlecreek Twp. http://www.western-star.com/news/content/news/stories/2006/04/07/ws0406herdmanproperty.html Also, this older story is of interest because this plan is going before the county in just a few days. From the 3/9/06 Enquirer: Hamilton Township plan OK'd Specific zones separate areas without sewers BY JESSICA BROWN | ENQUIRER STAFF WRITER HAMILTON TWP. - A plan that will define this township's growing downtown and guide the placement of subdivisions, shopping centers and industry for the next 20 years was approved Wednesday by trustees. The three-member board unanimously approved its land-use plan after making some controversial adjustments. The plan designates Hopkinsville as the township's future downtown. It promotes commercial development in the northwest section while calling for the south and southeast sections to remain rural. http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060309/NEWS01/603090349/1056/rss02 Archives: Three new parks on tonight's agenda Cincinnati Enquirer, 3/20/06 Designs and cost estimates for three proposed Mason parks will be presented to City Council this evening. Up for discussion are a sports park, memorial park and skate park. Mason sports park on track Cincinnati Enquirer, 3/21/06 Construction of a 54-acre sports park here could begin as early as August. During a work session Monday, City Council reviewed updated design plans for the $5.6 million project and agreed to move it on to the next step. The design must now be finalized and approved by the city Planning Commission. City Council is expected to vote in June on legislation approving the design and funding of the park. If all goes as scheduled, the park, which includes five baseball/softball fields, two football fields and a course for disc golf would open by April 2007. Warren sheriff: Cells needed Cincinnati Enquirer, 3/22/06 Don't come looking for a new jail. That was the message Warren County commissioners sent Sheriff Tom Ariss Tuesday in the ongoing debate on overcrowding at the jail. "Building a new jail just isn't going to happen," Commissioner David Young said. Instead, commissioners told Ariss to start looking for "big box" space that could be leased and modified into dormitory-style space for non-violent misdemeanor offenders, who are being turned away or released early from the Warren County Jail because there's no room. Sports, skate parks move forward The Pulse-Journal, 3/23/06 Mason residents are a step closer to getting two new places to play. City Council members on Monday night directed staff to move forward with plans for the Mason Sports Park and a skateboard and in-line skating park. Bruce Rankin, a planner with Woolpert, Inc., said final plans for the 54-acre sports park will be ready to put out to bid by early summer. Construction on the $5.6 million park near U.S. 42 and Mason-Morrow-Millgrove Road could start this year with the new park’s ball fields and disc golf course opening in spring 2008. No room at the jail Cincinnati Enquirer, 3/28/06 Almost 1,000 offenders have been released early or turned away from the Warren County Jail since 2001 because of overcrowding. But Sheriff Tom Ariss' pleas for a jail addition have fallen on deaf ears - even though inmates started to outgrow the current jail four years after it opened in 1996. Warren County Commissioners want to spend their money on other things - mainly a three-story courthouse and parking garage that could cost up to $45 million. Deerfield trustees 9-year-old land use plan updated The Pulse-Journal, 3/29/06 Deerfield Twp. officials want to plan for the future. Trustees discussed Tuesday creating a comprehensive plan for development of the township, including parks and other amenities. Officials last updated the township land use plan in 1997 and soon after took control of zoning. “It’s an overall guideline for setting goals of what we want the township to look like,” said Trustee Dan Corey. “It’s going to make us ask a lot of hard questions.” Public to get word on size of house lots Dayton Daily News, 3/30/06 Do residents want a quaint, rural community or more housing and development in this fast-growing township? That's the question before Clearcreek Twp. trustees at 6:30 p.m. April 13, when they will hold a public hearing to discuss and possibly act on minimum lot requirements in the township's outlying areas. Warren County’s boom equals seller’s market The Western Star, 3/30/06 For the person looking to live in Warren County, the residential boom during the last decade means less bang for the home buyer’s buck. “It’s really a seller’s market,” said Daryl Dunn, owner and broker of Dunn Real Estate Group in Lebanon and a former president of the Warren County Board of Realtors. “For what you could get for $120,000 to $130,000, five to ten years ago, you can’t even get close to that now,” he said. Commissioners: Rural residential zoning rules on front burner The Pulse-Journal, 3/30/06 The Warren County commissioners are putting an overhaul of the county’s rural residential zoning rules on the front burner. The commissioners agreed Tuesday to move ahead out of fears that another developer might in their view circumvent the county’s authority over development by pursuing a private sanitary sewer system similar to the one planned by San Mar Gale developer Hines-Griffin Land Development Co. The commissioners could vote to begin the process to change the code next Tuesday. Care center opens soon Cincinnati Enquirer, 4/4/06 A $31 million outpatient medical center, built to meet the needs of Warren County's growing population, will open April 24. The Bethesda Medical Center at Arrow Springs is a three-story, 90,000-square-foot building on the new Arrow Springs Boulevard in Lebanon. It will replace the 20,000-square-foot Bethesda Warren County medical center about a mile away on Deerfield Road. The new center will be more than four times as large and serve two to three times as many patients, officials say. It will offer 24-hour emergency service, an array of diagnostic services and several full-time specialty physicians. County moves to overhaul zoning The Western Star, 4/5/06 The Warren County commissioners took the first step in overhauling the county’s rural residential zoning rules Tuesday. The commissioners’ 3-0 vote sets in motion changes that would prevent developers from putting in their own sewer systems so they can build at a higher density. The changes would lower density in sewered areas from two homes per acre to one home per acre, and only developments within sewer improvement areas approved by the commissioner would receive the density bonus. Fujitec to reduce jobs, sell land at Lebanon site Cincinnati Enquirer, 4/5/06 Fujitec America, the elevator and escalator maker, plans to consolidate its operations here into a smaller manufacturing facility and sell about two-thirds of the 124 acres it has occupied for 23 years. The moves, which will take up to a year to complete, also will mean the elimination of about 12 or 13 jobs from the 125 the Japanese company employs at its campus at Interstate 71 and Ohio 48.
May 3, 200619 yr Growth brings conflict in Warren Dayton Daily News, 4/9/06 In a state that's all but stopped growing, Warren County is an anomaly. For the last five years, an average of 21 people have been moving to the county every day. That's about 145 every week, 626 every month, 7,500 every year. And the new residents are expected to keep coming, bringing with them their kids, cars, dogs and lawnmowers, their needs for streets and highways, water and sewer, energy and schools, police and fire and protection. City, township and county leaders admit they're scrambling to keep up. Warren County on projected course to double population, officials say Dayton Daily News, 4/9/06 When Terry Banker and her husband, Tim, moved onto their 110-acre farm in western Turtlecreek Twp. 14 years ago, they thought they had found a green slice of heaven. The farm was built in the 1830s and it had been farmed continuously for close to 175 years. The rolling hills command beautiful views of other historic farm buildings from the same era. "These farms around the Lebanon area are probably some of the most historic in Ohio," Terry Banker said. "They really are treasures." Long Cove touted as 'new urbanism' Cincinnati Enquirer, 4/9/06 In some ways, the area of Warren County around the Mason-Montgomery Road exit of Interstate 71 exemplifies urban sprawl. At peak hours, cars line up off the expressway on their way to the nearby outposts of virtually every major retail store in existence. But just down the road, one of the highest-end residential developments in Greater Cincinnati has been taking shape over the past year and a half. The builders of Long Cove tout the 200-home subdivision, with homes selling for an average of $1.5 million, as a model of smart growth and "new urbanism." Lot sizes are a modest half-acre on average and are clustered around a mile of navigable man-made waterways. Mason tax breaks criticized Cincinnati Enquirer, 4/12/06 Tax abatements granted by this city to attract new businesses have hurt the Mason and Kings school districts, a Mason resident alleges. In a presentation to City Council on Monday, Rick Inskeep said the schools have missed out on tens of thousands of dollars per year in taxes they would have received had no tax breaks been awarded. "There are serious flaws with what's going on," Inskeep said. Medical center to open April 24 Dayton Daily News, 4/13/06 With more than 8,000 new residents streaming into Warren County each year, area health care providers are expanding services. TriHealth's Bethesda Medical Center at Arrow Springs in Lebanon will be the first of three new facilities in the county when it opens its doors April 24. Also in the works are a $200 million Middletown Regional Hospital campus on Union Road slated to open in 2007 and a $22 million Health Alliance mental health center near Western Row Road in Mason. RPC OKs Hamilton Township land use plan The Western Star (Lebanon), 4/13/06 Over a year’s worth of work came to fruition Tuesday night when the Warren County Regional Planning Commission (RPC) voted 11-5 to adopt a new land use plan for Hamilton Twp. The commission made one alteration to the plan, voting to remove a transitional zone inserted into the map by Hamilton Twp. trustees, last month. The transitional zones included land surrounding the map’s Maineville/Hopkinsville, Loveland and Morrow urban service areas, and reflected the trustees’ desire to create a buffer zone between the higher density homes in the urban areas of the township and the higher density homes in the rural areas. Schools say new buildings needed Cincinnati Enquirer, 4/14/06 After a bond issue lost by 63 votes in November, neither Little Miami school officials nor opponents of the district's $62.5 million bond issue say they can predict how voters will lean come May 2. "I wish I had a crystal ball, because I just don't know," said Kym Dunbar, who has four children in Little Miami schools. "But if the bond issue doesn't pass, I don't know what they are going to do down the road because they are totally running out of space." HAMILTON TOWNSHIP SECOND PHASE BEGINS FOR HOPEWELL VALLEY Cincinnati Enquirer, 4/16/06 Fischer Group's Maple Street Homes has begun the second phase of its Hopewell Valley subdivision along U.S. 22/Ohio 3, six miles east of Paramount's Kings Island. Maple Street plans up to 175 homes starting in the $140,000s price range. Fischer, one of the area's largest builders, last June announced plans for the nearly 300-home subdivision including up to 117 homes starting around $210,000. Farmers' cash crop sometimes their land Dayton Daily News, 4/17/06 The possibility of a Kroger supermarket supplanting Windmill Farms shows even public-oriented agriculture — sometimes called agritainment — isn't immune to development pressures. Rural newcomers may present opportunities for public-oriented agriculture to grow, but their demand for land also can increase the pressure for landowners to sell. Farmland's value on rise in Warren Dayton Daily News, 4/17/06 Around the Miami Valley these days, farm acreage is worth a mint. Of the four most populous counties in the Dayton region, Warren County's farm real estate prices are the highest, according to the two most recent U.S. agriculture censuses. Farmland in Warren was worth $4,851 an acre in 2002, up 26 percent from $3,858 an acre five years earlier. But the county's rapid growth doesn't necessarily spell the demise of agriculture. Windmill market could stay open Dayton Daily News, 4/18/06 Windmill Farm Market would stay in business and move two miles to the east if a Kroger superstore is built at the northwest corner of Ohio 48 and Ohio 73, one of the farm market's owners said Monday. "If it were to happen, we would probably still be at this location for another two years," said Mary "Mollie" Wentworth, who owns the market at 1454 E. Ohio 73 with Teresa Moore. If the farm market moves, its new location would be 3451 E. Ohio 73, she said. Developer seeks restraining order against South Lebanon pig farmer The Western Star, 4/20/06 South Lebanon developers are hoping a restraining order will keep a farmer from raising pigs and other livestock on an adjoining property so close to their upscale subdivision. The farmer, Paul Baker, and his wife received a letter from Rivers Bend Land Co. attorney William H. Kaufman April 14 advising the Bakers that he filed a request for a hearing in Warren County Common Pleas Court seeking a restraining order against the Bakers in connection with an alleged 2002 violation of their agreement with the developers. The Bakers also were notified April 14 by the court that a hearing on the temporary restraining order was scheduled to be heard April 20. Loveland, township in truce of sorts Cincinnati Enquirer, 4/20/06 This township and its neighbor, the city of Loveland, extended hands but stopped short of a handshake Wednesday evening as they met for the first time to figure out how to get over past animosities over annexation. Officials from both communities left a work session agreeing to keep an open dialogue about how they can work together to serve their residents. Springboro businesses are booming Springboro Sun, 4/21/06 The recent economic development update from the City of Springboro shows the city is bursting with new businesses and jobs. The end of year statistics for 2005 show 25 new businesses including Alien Technology, Children's Medical Center's testing facility at Ledgestone, Klosterman Bakery, and Miami-Jacobs College. This influx created over 200 jobs at new or existing businesses, or jobs that relocated to Springboro. Hamilton Twp. trustees request transition zoning amendment The Western Star, 4/27/06 Hamilton Twp.’s land-use plan was adopted by the Warren County Regional Planning Commission earlier this month, with one exclusion. Commissioners voted to remove a transition zone from the plan’s map. Trustees here want a transition zone, though, and are initiating a zoning amendment to the local code. Transition zoning, they say, will create a buffer between higher density, sewered property and lower density, unsewered land in the township’s more rural areas. Land development stirs debate Dayton Daily News, 4/27/06 In 2025, Oberer Land Development plans to have completed construction of a 47-acre commercial strip and an 863-home community south of Ohio 73 and most of the existing village of Waynesville. Some see the proposal, the largest of several in the early planning stages in the village, as an excellent economic-development opportunity. But others warn it will forever change this historic town. "Waynesville has already got a strong sense of place. We're trying to enhance that," said Pete Schwiegeraht, senior project manager for Oberer Land Developers, during a public hearing April 18 at the Waynesville Government Center. Housing proposal raises questions Dayton Daily News, 4/27/06 The Oberer development is raising questions about a number of other developments in the planning stages around Waynesville and also about how the school system will handle the new children. At the April 18 meeting, a representative of the Great Rivers Girl Scouts asked about the implications for Camp Stoneybrook, a Girl Scout camp just west of the Oberer development. A group of area professionals plans to move into an enlarged office building, part of a development also including a day-care center and another office building on 13 acres along Ohio 73, fronting the Girl Scout camp land. Hamilton Twp., Loveland meeting opens some doors The Western Star, 4/27/06 The work session between Hamilton Twp. trustees and city of Loveland officials April 19 was heavy on propriety and gift exchanges, but short on substantive commitments when it comes to annexation and sanitary sewers. However, the hour-long meeting was enough to open doors to dialogue that had been closed for years. Trustees and Loveland’s mayor, vice mayor and city manager discussed ways they could work together for the betterment of both communities.
June 6, 200619 yr 4 ROADS FACE OVERLOAD BY 2030, FIRM REPORTS Cincinnati Enquirer, 4/20/06 At least four major roads in fast-growing Hamilton Township will be over capacity by 2030, according to a consulting firm hired to develop the township's thoroughfare plan. Preliminary work by the firm, Wilbur Smith Associates, highlights Ohio 48 north of Fosters-Maineville Road, U.S. 22/Ohio 3, Fosters-Maineville Road and Cozaddale-Murdoch Road as the major problem routes in 2030 if they are not improved. The population here has more than doubled since 2000. It is expected to reach 20,646 this year and nearly 35,000 by 2015. The thoroughfare plan is one of several studies the township has sought to justify its desire to impose impact fees on new subdivisions to offset the cost of growth. Studies of township parks and emergency services also are under way. The thoroughfare plan will be completed next month and presented at the June 7 township trustee meeting. Little Miami has big building plans Cincinnati Enquirer, 5/4/06 Little Miami school officials are fast replacing campaign strategy with construction strategy after voters approved spending $62.5 million for new schools Tuesday. Though the district won't collect the new tax money until January, officials will meet May 18 with construction managers and architects to develop a project timeline for the 3,600-student district. Some repairs could begin this summer. Most of the big projects will be done by August 2008. It's a happy chore for Little Miami Superintendent Dan Bennett, whose district houses hundreds of students in portable classrooms, makeshift learning spaces and the rented basement of a church. County zoning code changes clear another hurdle The Western Star (Lebanon), 5/4/06 Warren County is continuing to move forward with changes to the zoning code — despite opposition from developers. The Warren County Regional Planning Commission Executive Committee voted 11-2 April 27 in favor of changes that would lower density in sewered areas from two homes per acre to one home per acre, and only developments within sewer improvement areas approved by commissioners would receive the density bonus. The changes would also: * Allow “cluster” developments with homes on smaller lots and more open space in unsewered and sewered areas. * Raise open space requirements in “cluster” developments from 20 to 40 percent. * Prohibit “panhandle” lots. If enacted, the changes will affect 157 square miles in the five townships — Turtlecreek, Washington, Franklin, Union and Harlan — over which the county has zoning authority. The county’s six other townships and its villages and cities oversee their own zoning. Commission to set transition zone hearing The Pulse-Journal (Mason/Deerfield, Liberty, West Chester townships), 5/11/06 A controversial “transition” zoning amendment was debated this week among Hamilton Twp. Zoning Commission members. The controversy arose when trustees suggested a transition zone be shown on the township’s updated land-use map before recommending approval of the update. But the transition zone was later excluded from the map during a Warren County Regional Planning Commission public hearing for its adoption. Afterward, trustees initiated a zoning amendment to the local code for a transition zone, but when it went before the township zoning commission, the issue was postponed. A transition zone, trustees said, would create a buffer between higher density, sewered property and lower density, unsewered land in the township’s more rural areas. Hamilton Twp. may approve impact fees Cincinnati Enquirer, 5/17/06 This fast-growing Warren County community will be closely watched in the coming months as it moves toward becoming the first township in Ohio to impose mandatory impact fees on new development. Township trustees have spent more than a year researching the issue. They will discuss their next step tonight. "Hamilton Township will be a test case," said trustee President Becky Ehling. "That's why we're doing all these studies. We want to make sure we're soundproof." Impact fees are charges levied on new subdivisions to help offset the strain those new residents place on roads, parks and emergency services. The fees are usually paid by developers and are passed down to the home buyer. Forum to address Loveland’s growth The Pulse-Journal, 5/18/06 Annexation and sanitary sewers have traditionally been the main stumbling blocks in ongoing discussions between Hamilton Twp. trustees and city of Loveland officials. Loveland is looking at a projected “growth area” of about 2,000 acres in Hamilton Twp.’s southwestern quadrant. Township officials are looking to gain sanitary sewer access to that same area to help prevent annexation. But what do the residents there want? Trustees believe a public forum for residents who live in the affected area might help guide officials on both sides to a satisfactory conclusion. Suggested by trustee O.T. Bishop, township officials have scheduled a the public forum for June 21 from 6 to 7:30 p.m. to hear what those property owners have to say. Hamilton Twp. police study another step toward impact fees The Western Star, 5/18/06 Hamilton Twp. trustees were expected to hire CDS Associates Inc. this week to conduct a township police department capital improvements plan. The study will complete the township’s more than two-year, long-range studies of parks, roads and emergency services departments to be used in part as a major step in the implementation of impact fees. CDS also was hired last year to conduct the township’s parks and green space study. “They can use some of the same demographics because population and growth will be the same in the capital improvements plan for the police department as it was in the parks study, and that could cut the costs of our study,” said police chief Frank Richardson. Following completion and approval of all of the township’s studies, trustees are expected to have a final “methodology” conducted whereby impact fees can be implemented. Report: Warren homeless on rise Cincinnati Enquirer, 5/18/06 Warren County's overall population has been growing about 4 percent per year - and so has its homeless population - a report released Wednesday says. The Warren County Housing Coalition, at its annual meeting at Der Dutchman restaurant, revealed that while the homeless population is still relatively small in this largely affluent county, the number of homeless has continued inching upward since the coalition began homeless counts in 2003. A tally conducted Jan. 26 found 378 homeless people - up from September's count of 352. The first count, in 2003, found 338 people without homes. The county's total population is around 200,000. "There is not a tremendous number (of homeless), but there certainly is a significant number," said Madelyn Coons of Warren County Community Services. Developer wants zoning change for upscale South Lebanon condos The Western Star, 5/18/06 Several village of South Lebanon officials are excited about a developer’s request and proposal presented last week. It’s not only because it would bring another upscale residential community to South Lebanon, but it could bring an end to a feud between a local property owner who raises pigs and the developer of a neighboring upscale subdivision. Representatives of the Miller Valentine Group met with South Lebanon’s planning commission May 11 for “discussion purposes only” a zone change request from R-1 residential to R-2 residential with a planned unit development (PUD) and to view a preliminary plat for 66 single-family detached condominium units and a community center. To be located on a combination of two parcels, known as the Baker/Hopkins property at 174 Snook Road and 146 Sunny Lane, the mostly single-story condominium development would be situated on about 19 acres of land and designed for 3.6 units per acre with about 31 percent open space. Timothy Bender, McKenna Associates Inc. village planner, pointed out some specific details of the Cincinnati-based developer’s preliminary plan proposing interior private streets and access only via Sunny Lane. He noted there are no lot lines proposed as the common areas would be owned by all property owners residing there. In addition, the average 12,098 square-foot lot size of the proposed development is slightly larger than the village’s R-2 minimum requirement. The developer, however, requested reductions permitted under the village’s PUD guidelines of front, side and rear setback requirements allowing units to be built closer together. Hamilton Twp. researches cost of new resident Cincinnati Enquirer, 5/19/06 What is the financial impact when one person moves into a community? That's the difficult question officials here hope to answer in the next few months to decide whether to impose impact fees on new developments, and how much those fees should be. Township trustees Wednesday night authorized Planning and Zoning Administrator Gary Boeres to begin searching for a consulting firm to answer that question. By August the township will have spent about $79,500 on studies to determine growth needs. That data would be analyzed by the consulting firm to determine the fee. If the township implements the fee, it would be the first in the state to do so. That makes some residents uncomfortable. Remodeling Mason Middle: $4.5 million project begins this summer The Pulse-Journal, 5/25/06 Mason school officials gave the OK for bids to remodel a school building and also considered rehiring three teachers after they retire at Tuesday night’s board meeting. The board approved bids totaling $4.5 million to remodel the Mason Middle School this summer. “In order to handle the enrollment coming into the building, it requires us to make more space,” said Mike Brannon, assistant superintendent of transportation and operations. The construction project calls for most of the work to be completed before next school year, Brannon said, and doesn’t include building any additional square footage. Warren Co. tackles $11M in road work Cincinnati Enquirer, 5/30/06 Orange barrels are blossoming all over Warren County this spring, as crews dig in to more than $11 million in major road projects - the biggest amount the county engineer has overseen in about a decade. "It's going to be tough getting around here for a while because normal traffic patterns are being disrupted," County Engineer Neil Tunison said. This year's list of road improvements is the most expensive since he became engineer in 1997, Tunison said, noting that the projects are using a combination of state, county and local money. But the current road work is a fraction of what needs to be done in Ohio's second-fastest-growing county, Tunison said. "If I had money to build everything, $350 million would be a good start," Tunison said. "But we know we don't have $350 million to do these projects, and we're trying to prioritize." $29M Childhood Center to open in September The Pulse-Journal, 6/1/06 The building blocks of education begin in the early years of a child’s life. That’s what Mason school officials had in mind during the design phase of the new $29 million Mason Early Childhood Center (MECC). The results are taking shape on Mason Road, where construction on a 172,000-square-foot school building is nearing an end and will open on the first day of the new school year, Sept. 6. The facility, situated on a sprawling 47 acres, will have a capacity for 1,868 students in pre-kindergarten, kindergarten and first grade. Sparing no detail, school spokeswoman Tracey Carson said the building is structured with a focus on encouraging literacy and has colors that research has shown calms behavior disruptions and encourages learning. Warren zoning change debate heats up The Western Star, 6/1/06 The Warren County commissioners want to change the zoning rules for more than one-third of the county’s 408 square miles. But before becoming official, the new rules must pass the county’s rural zoning commission. The commission voted to continue a public hearing — in which the changes are being scrutinized line by line — for a second time Tuesday night. They will continue the hearing June 13. Little Miami: New busing and school construction plans The Western Star, 6/1/06 Little Miami school officials announced on Thursday night their preliminary plans for busing and construction. ... Little Miami has representatives from the construction management company and the architectural firms handling the design and construction of the junior high, intermediate school and addition to the high school provided for by the $62.5 million bond issue passed in May. Pat Dubbs, director of administrative services, announced the building schedule for the schools: * The design for the high schools addition and intermediate school is scheduled for April 2007 and construction completed for the high school in August 2008 and the intermediate school in May 2008 * The design for the junior high school is scheduled for June 2007 and construction completed December 2008
June 9, 200619 yr Long Cove touted as 'new urbanism' Cincinnati Enquirer, 4/9/06 In some ways, the area of Warren County around the Mason-Montgomery Road exit of Interstate 71 exemplifies urban sprawl. At peak hours, cars line up off the expressway on their way to the nearby outposts of virtually every major retail store in existence. But just down the road, one of the highest-end residential developments in Greater Cincinnati has been taking shape over the past year and a half. The builders of Long Cove tout the 200-home subdivision, with homes selling for an average of $1.5 million, as a model of smart growth and "new urbanism." Lot sizes are a modest half-acre on average and are clustered around a mile of navigable man-made waterways. Long Cove will be the site of this year's Homearama for the second year in a row. "We see Long Cove as a community within a community," said Alex Tarasenko, senior vice president of builder Robert C. Rhein Interests. "New urbanism and smart growth are really the buzzwords in the development community nationwide today. It's about walkability, connectivity and access." I just stumbled across this tonight. Look at the site plan. Now I've seen the terminology used inappropriately by quite a few developers, but this one takes the cake. Unbelievable.
June 9, 200619 yr Averaging 1.5 million? Just wow. Are they expecting the Gillette executives to buy them?
June 16, 200618 yr From the 6/15/06 (Lebanon) Western Star: Study shows need to cross local river for I-71 access Thursday, June 15, 200 By Linda Scott Contributing Writer From 1990 to 2000 the Hamilton Twp. population increased by 60 percent, and is currently estimated at about 21,000 residents. At full build-out in what is expected to be in less than 10 years, the population is expected to soar to 35,000. Its roadways already feeling the crunch of additional traffic; by 2014, major road improvements will be needed in order to prevent gridlock. http://www.western-star.com/news/content/news/stories/2006/06/15/ws0615hamtwpplan.html From same: Hamilton Twp. man says his plan can ease local traffic congestion Thursday, June 15, 2006 By Linda Scott Contributing Writer Hamilton Twp. resident Martin Plumb calls himself a citizen-at-large. But this computer software programmer and author may have a simple bridge plan that could untangle bureaucratic red tape, ease concerns of environmentalists and wary property owners as well as provide an answer to escalating traffic congestion in the area. He’s piqued the interest of trustees as well as the county engineer. Now he wants to present his idea to residents, the city of Mason and Warren County commissioners and perhaps, gain more support. Plumb has done considerable research for his “Grandin Road Extension West” plan. http://www.western-star.com/news/content/news/stories/2006/06/15/ws0615hamplumbplan.html
June 29, 200618 yr From the 6/28/06 Enquirer: New look at old problem Resident proposes traffic fix over Little Miami River BY JANICE MORSE | ENQUIRER STAFF WRITER LEBANON - Warren County resident Martin Plumb grew weary of avoiding steep, hairpin turns on the Grandin Road bridge over the Little Miami River. So the software engineer has proposed a solution: an 800-foot bridge and road over the river, linking Great Wolf Lodge with Hamilton Township. http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060628/NEWS01/606280381/1056
June 29, 200618 yr Zoning vote raises bump for Warren growth plan BY JANICE MORSE | ENQUIRER STAFF WRITER LEBANON - Warren County commissioners' plan to control growth by changing residential zoning rules has hit a snag. The county's Rural Zoning Commission has voted against a proposal to allow only one home per acre in areas with sewers. Rules now allow two. "We will be going back to the drawing board," County Commissioner Pat South said Wednesday. http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060629/NEWS01/606290376/1056
July 9, 200618 yr Friends create subdivision BY MIKE BOYER | ENQUIRER STAFF WRITER WAYNESVILLE - Two long-time friends, both engineers, are the developers behind a new subdivision of 20 nearly two-acre lots for million-dollar custom homes in nearby Wayne Township. Called Trillium Run, in homage to the trillium flowers on the rolling terrain, the project is an outgrowth of the 20-year friendship of Fred Gossman, chairman of CDS Associates, a Blue Ash engineering firm, and Les Spence, a retired GE Aviation marketing executive. http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060709/BIZ01/607090315/1002
July 14, 200618 yr The Homearama allure Cincinnati Enquirer, 6/10/06 Homearama is one chance for many of us to see how the other half lives. Instead of a street-peek through the windows from afar, we get to march right in and troop through the mega-mansions - 10 this year, with an average of 6,946 square feet - packed with professional-grade appliances, custom window treatments, premium furniture and landscaping. And, with a $10 ticket, the gawking costs only about $1 per house. All the Long Cove Homearama homes in Deerfield Township, for the first time, are priced more than $1 million, averaging $1.5 million. They are outfitted with moving glass walls, entertainment rooms that put the neighborhood Cineplex to shame and spa-worthy bathrooms. Communities fuel Deerfield Cincinnati Enquirer, 6/11/06 When Hamid and Zahra Madani of Loveland went looking for a larger home last year, they looked at many. At least 20. "We looked in Loveland, Symmes Township, Mason and West Chester," said Zahra Madani, office manager in her husband's Mason dental office. They settled last August on a seven-bedroom, five-bath home here in the Northridge subdivision off Bethany Road. "We both have extended families who visit a lot, and we were looking for a larger home with more bedrooms than the four we had in Loveland," she said. Mason to pay $4.5 million for vacant land The Pulse-Journal, 6/15/06 Mason City Council members agreed Monday to spend $4.5 million to expand the city’s industrial property and settle a lawsuit with the land owners. Council members voted 5-1 at their regular meeting to buy the 142-acre White Oak Farm property, also known as the Mason Enterprise Park, north of the intersection of Ohio 741 and Bethany Road. The land is expected to be used for future industrial development, said Scot Lahrmer, city manager. Work on sports park could begin soon Community Press Mason-Deerfield Twp., 6/21/06 Through two years of planning, public meetings and City Council work sessions, construction on the new Mason Sports Park could start as early as this fall. The $5.6 million project, in its current form, will feature five baseball fields, two football fields, a flying disc golf course, picnic areas and concession stands. Bruce Rankin, one of the architects with Woolpert Inc. on the project, said the baseball fields will be the appropriate size for tournament play as well as for youth games, and the football fields will have portable field goal posts so the fields can be used for soccer and lacrosse games. Suburbs growing bigger faster Cincinnati Enquirer, 6/21/06 The recipe for rapid suburban growth: Start with a dash of country ambience. Add easy highway access, perceptions of lower taxes and better schools. Pour in tracts of undeveloped land with available sanitary sewers. Then stir. These factors help explain why Warren County continues to reign as Southwest Ohio's most potent people magnets. According to new U.S. Census figures, Warren County, crossed by Interstates 71 and 75, attracted 35,300 new residents from 2000-2005; its population rose 22 percent, from 161,322 to 196,622. Kings to ask bond approval Cincinnati Enquirer, 6/22/06 Kings school residents could vote on a $27.1 million property tax increase this fall to improve and expand Kings High School - the district's oldest building. The bond issue would increase school taxes between 2.5 and 2.8 mills, depending on the Kings Board of Education's final determination next month. The money would pay primarily for a two-story addition to the high school off of Columbia Road, including eight new classrooms, three science labs and four technology labs. Community Press Mason-Deerfield Twp.: Kings renovation plan nearly ready (6/14/06) The Western Star: Kings mulls high school remodeling (6/8/06) Little Miami seeks input Cincinnati Enquirer, 6/23/06 Citizens interested in how the Little Miami Schools will use a $62.5 million bond issue to build new schools have a chance to get involved in the planning. The most ambitious construction project in district history calls for a new junior high school, an intermediate school and an addition to the 6-year-old high school and converting the Welch Road complex into a fourth elementary school. "We believe that this project can only be successful if we have participation from our board, administration, staff, parents and community members," said Superintendent Dan Bennett. Cashing in on growth Cincinnati Enquirer, 6/25/06 Hoping to capitalize on the population boom in southern Warren County, Cincinnati businessman Jack Muller and Cleveland funeral homes operator Rick Parker are building Muller Parker Funeral Home on Tylersville Road at Fireside Drive. The $2.5 million project, being handled by Cincinnati-based Hifive Development, is about 60 percent complete, according to Hifive principal Mark Davis. Muller, whose family is in the building materials business in Lockland, says he and Parker thought the time was right to establish themselves in Mason. In the next 5 to 10 years, the pair plans to build or acquire other funeral homes in the area. Hamilton Twp residents to city of Loveland: Keep out The Western Star, 6/29/06 The speakers voiced their opinions loud and clear. More than 150 Hamilton Twp. property owners attended a June 21 township meeting on possible future annexation to Loveland. Jockeying for the microphone, they advised township officials they want no part of living in Loveland. Jail overcrowding lowers arrests The Western Star, 7/1/06 Overcrowding at the Warren County Jail prevents police departments in the county from making more than 1,000 arrests per year, says Sheriff Tom Ariss. Although those offenders were accused of non-violent crimes, their release contributed to a lower quality of life for county residents, Ariss said told the Warren County Commission this week. "In my world, that's just not acceptable," said Commissioner Dave Young. "The No. 1 job of government is public safety." Cincinnati Enquirer: Warren County looks to add jail beds (6/28/06) Rural Zoning Commission reaches impasse on lots The Western Star, 7/6/06 Warren County’s attempt to slow growth by overhauling its rural zoning rules may be dead. The Rural Zoning Commission voted 2-1 to kill the new rules June 27 after reaching an impasse on lot sizes. Only a unanimous vote by the county commissioners, who initiated the changes in March, can now revive the rules. Cincinnati Enquirer: Zoning vote raises bump for Warren growth plan (6/29/06) The Western Star: Farmers, developers voice zoning opposition (6/15/06) Developer, village given go-ahead to gather information The Western Star, 7/6/06 Last month, the village of Waynesville planning commission approved the concept plan for a development that could double the local population after advice from the community’s lawyer hired to oversee the process. On June 28, lawyer Phillip Callahan told the commission it needed to vote on the proposal by Dayton-based Oberer because of time limits in local ordinances. Callahan also told the commission it needed to wait until development and site plan review stages to require the developer to provide specifics on proposals for a pedestrian walkway over or under Ohio 73, utility improvements including a water tower, a proposed wildlife refuge and other conditions sought by some village leaders. Dayton Daily News: Commission OKs development of 810 houses in Waynesville (6/29/06) Dayton Daily News: Walkway poised to take step forward (6/22/06)
July 25, 200618 yr From the Western Star, 7/20/06: Proposed Lebanon road would connect Ohio 123 and Ohio 63 First of long-range, three-phase plan for western bypass around city. Thursday, July 20, 2006 By Daniel Wells Staff Writer Lebanon is moving ahead with plans to create a new connecting road between Ohio 123 and Ohio 63. City council will vote next week on $240,000 in funding for an environmental study and construction plan for the new street, which would extend Hart Road south to Glosser Road and connect to Harmon Avenue. Construction is slated to begin next year on the $2.4 million project that city officials hope will redirect through traffic out of the central business district and improve safety downtown. http://www.western-star.com/news/content/news/stories/2006/07/20/ws0720lebcouncil.html
July 25, 200618 yr Construction is slated to begin next year on the $2.4 million project that city officials hope will redirect through traffic out of the central business district and improve safety downtown. Poor decision! You always want traffic in a retail dependant business district.
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