By John Kiesewetter
Enquirer staff writer

LIBERTY TWP. - Butler County's fastest-growing township soon will have its first planning and zoning director.

Trustees have expanded the job description for the new zoning supervisor to including planning, said Dina Minneci, the township's new administrator.

"We're dealing with issues we don't have a precedent for," said Minneci, former Wyoming city finance director.

When trustees interviewed administrator candidates in May, they told them the first priority would be to hire the township's first full-time zoning supervisor.

Previous administrators have overseen zoning and economic development. The township has a senior zoning coordinator; one full-time zoning code enforcement officer and two part-time zoning inspectors. Planning has been provided by the Butler County Department of Development.

The township led all townships in Southwest Ohio with 867 single-family housing starts last year. The township is on pace to match the home-building record this year.

While most of the growth has been residential - with population tripling to 28,000 since 1990 - Minneci anticipates a commercial boom around the Interstate 75 Liberty interchange project. Plans call for connecting I-75 and Ohio 129 to Hamilton-Mason Road, and extending Cox Road north along I-75 to Monroe.

"With all the development opportunities - the Liberty interchange, Princeton Road, Ohio 747 - we would like to see someone with a background in planning," Minneci says.

Newspaper advertisements will be placed this weekend for the position with a salary range of $44,000 to $61,000.

The new department head will continue "to coordinate with the county on a lot of things," says Christine Matacic, trustees president. "But obviously, that person will have the perspective of Liberty Township."

E-mail jkiesewetter@enquirer.com