ANDERSON TOWNSHIP - The latest plan to make Beechmont Avenue more pleasing to motorists and residents involves adding a little beauty to it.

        Township trustees approved a resolution last week to select a beautification committee and have hired a consultant.

        Steve Sievers, assistant director of township development services, saidvolunteers on the committee will work with the consultant to develop a beautification plan on Beechmont Avenue from Salem to the Clermont County line, a distance of about 3.5 miles.

        Because Beechmont Avenue is one of many thoroughfares in Greater Cincinnati that cut through densely populated commercial areas, experts said it is difficult to develop such a plan.

        Consultant Eric Doepke, owner of Eric Doepke Associates in Hyde Park, can visualize a plan, but sees complications.

        “It is hard to reverse land not owned by the public,” he said. “Along Beechmont Avenue we have a variety of owners with large frontage. We have to convince them of a plan first and then try to bring in the others.”

        Andrew Pappas, owner of the $1.98 Cleaners, 8314 Beechmont Avenue, thinks before beauty, they need to start withsynchronizing the traffic lights to get an even flow of traffic.

        “This is causing a traffic backup,” he said. “I see an accident almost every day.”

        Nancy Turner, dining room manager at Cooker Bar & Grille, 8600 Beechmont Ave, said they could start with adding sidewalks.

        “At least it would make Beechmont Avenue pedestrian friendly,” Mrs. Turner said.

        But the area where sidewalks should go is privately owned, said Russ Jackson, a trustee. He said most new developers are putting in sidewalks as part of the development.

        David Brugler, kitchen manager at Cooker, thinks the vacant lots and the “for sale” signs could be replaced by landscaping and maybe flowers.

        Jan Sherbin, 1316 Tallberry Drive, said it is going to take more than a few flowers to spruce up the avenue.

        “Beechmont Avenue looks like a sample shop of signs,” she said. “Each business has a different design and a different height.”

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