By Reid Forgrave
The Cincinnati Enquirer

COLERAIN TWP. - Trustees have moved toward approving a new development on the southern border of Ohio's largest township, although nearby residents worry that the new homes will create rainwater runoff and erosion problems.

As a result of neighbors' requests, trustees here placed several restrictions on the developer, Ameritek Custom Homes, to ensure homes downhill of the new development, Monte Vista Estates, aren't affected by storm-water problems.

By the end of the three-hour zoning meeting Tuesday night, developers and trustees came to a verbal compromise. Trustees will vote on a resolution to approve the development with several restrictions on March 23.

Residents along Mullen Road, many of whom border the third phase of the Green Township development that is spilling into Colerain, complained to trustees Tuesday night that they shouldn't be responsible for storm-water runoff that could flood their homes after the development of more than 300 estate-style homes, villa-style homes and upscale condominiums is completed.

Ameritek initially offered 10 acres of green space to serve as a buffer between the neighborhoods, saying the land without homes on it would soak up much of the potential runoff.

But residents contended the developer should take care of the entire problem - and that the developer shouldn't allow the runoff from some of the nearby homes to be pushed over the edge of the ridge onto the homes below.

Trustees agreed. The developer and trustees came to a compromise: The developer will contain the storm water in a larger retention basin so it wouldn't flow down the hill uncontrolled, and the developer will make smaller discharge pipes flowing from the retention basin into natural gullies to decrease the risk of flooding.

"When you're creating runoff, you need to be responsible for that runoff," Trustee Bernie Fiedeldey said.

Residents thanked trustees for not just rubber-stamping the developer's plan.

E-mail rforgrave@enquirer.com