LEBANON — Warren County planners got the go-ahead Tuesday to find a consultant to create an unprecedented, five-year strategic plan for the county.

        County commissioners approved a bid proposal outlining requirements for candidates. The outside consultant will have to bring together public and private interests as well as municipal and township interests.

        “We are hopeful that it will be a useful exercise,” Planning Director Bob Craig said. “This is a policy plan.”

        The areas to be explored: agriculture, business and economic development, education, infrastructure, marketing/tourism and social issues.

        The bid proposal also calls for oversight by a committee that will include the county, the Regional Planning Commission, home-builders associations, the Area Progress Council and other interest groups.

        The county doesn't know how much the strategic plan will cost, said Commissioner Pat South, who organized the planning summits that led to the proposal.

        Once bids are received, Mrs. South said, participants will buy into the effort — literally.

        “We think it's going to be very critical for all the partners to chip in a pro-rata share,” she said.

        Also Tuesday, commissioners:

        • Rejected a request to let 71 acres be annexed from Hamilton Township into Loveland, saying the township can offer comparable services to the site.

        Bill Duning, the attorney representing developers Robert Conners and George Stephen Crane, said he must confer with his clients before deciding whether they will appeal the decision in Warren County Common Pleas Court.

        The developers want to build 120 single-family homes, valued up to $250,000, along Butterworth Road, north of Brandywine Lane, but township officials were concerned they'd lose revenue.

        • Canceled roadwork in Deerfield Township after residents and leaders there opposed it. The engineer's office already had done the design work to add left-turn lanes from Columbia Road onto Socialville-Fosters in both directions.

       Susan Vela contributed.
       

Covington loses historic landmark
Odd Fellows fire a profound loss
Traffic, businesses affected
Fire reveals illegal meth lab
Local leader had 'Red Scare'
Pilots resist firearm ruling
Anderson says no to loan program
Front plans to protest at council
Obituary: 'Ben' Henke, gun expert for sheriff
Residents unite against development
Testimony begins in cemetery trial
Transfer cites 'dishonesty'
Tristate A.M. Report
William J. Keating gets Metropolitan Award
Women urged to help one another
BRONSON: Help wanted
HOWARD: Some Good News
KORTE: City Hall
SAMPLES: Connections
SMITH AMOS: Education
$2M cuts for schools to fall hard on staff
Building name honors manager
Butler opens new terminal with ceremony
Governor honors schools
Makeover planned for Miami Township
Man convicted of assaulting officer
Plan consultant sought
Stay out of landfill, trustee told
Taft's message a hit with firefighters
Youth on side of new GOP star
Police say woman is decades-long fugitive
Senate coaxes House on budget
Audit: Most abuse of disabled not reported
Callery votes against center
CovCath fund raisers not worried
Holmes educator disciplined
Lexington bishop accused of abuse
Louisville must release audit
Mailed DNA leads to man's indictment
Paper ordered not to use its name
UK rethinks privately run projects