Monday, May 31, 1999
West-side plan riddled with doubt
Citizens group presses its challenge
BY RACHEL MELCER
The Cincinnati Enquirer
Western Hamilton County residents and county commissioners are realizing they won't get everything they want out of a plan on the future of the area.
Opponents of the plan, which outlines land-use and infrastructure improvements for the region through 2020, say they don't expect to accomplish much at a June 16 public hearing. But they will try.
And county commissioners, who proposed, supported and paid for the three-year, $300,000 plan, say they expect some parts of it to fall by the wayside when it comes up for fine-tuning and possible approval at the local level.
That process is likely to begin this summer.
“I would be disappointed” if the plan unravels, Commissioner John Dowlin said. “But what we're trying to do is bring planning for the next 20 years to the front burner — and I think we've been successful in doing that.”
The collaborative plan would guide development in Colerain, Green, Crosby, Whitewater, Miami and Harrison townships; the city of Harrison; and the villages of Addyston, North Bend and Cleves.
Concerned Citizens of Western Hamilton County (CCWHC) say the plan would bring rapid development to overtake their pastoral farms, rural estates and affordable mobile homes.
They don't want the costly public sewer and water service that would raise their property taxes.
And they are disappointed the county Regional Planning Commission already approved the plan's maps and general concepts, in spite of heavy opposition.
CCWHC members expect the county commission to fol low suit, once they have gotten a 10 a.m. June 16 public hearing out of the way.
“We still have hope that with the way our system works, we can make a point for citizen input. But we're not that naive,” said Clare Johnson, of Green Township, a CCWHC member. “There's not too much precedent for our elected officials in this county listening to what we want.”
If commissioners approve the plan, its maps and concepts will be used to guide zoning and land-use appeals decisions. And it will lead them in deciding how to spend countywide taxpayer dollars over the next two decades.
The proposed plan calls for vast expansions of public sew er and water service, road improvements and a study on the feasibility of building an Ohio River bridge between western Hamilton County and Boone County.
“Nothing will change overnight. It just gives direction and guidance as to what's going to happen to all that vacant land,” Mr. Dowlin said. Those outlines would apply at the county level, regardless of what individual municipalities and townships decide to do.
But the local jurisdictions must approve the plan and incorporate its specifics into their own zoning and land-use documents if it is to have any real teeth.
Commissioners don't expect each of the diverse jurisdictions to approve its wide array of planning measures.
So that's where CCWHC will strike.
“The citizens across western Hamilton County are working together to make sure that we can communicate (our message) at each local level,” said Marilyn Hyland, an unsuccessful candidate for county commissioner last year and leading CCWHC member who lives in Indian Hill.
“Whether you're in Crosby Township or Green Township or Cleves or Colerain Township, citizens across the whole of western Hamilton County are understanding their common goals in terms of planning the future — and will work together to accomplish those goals.”
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