LAND USE PLANNING IN CONTEXT: THE CASE OF HAMILTON COUNTY, OHIO

Concepts and Issues in Planning

Prepared by Catalina Landivar-Simon, AICPcatalina.landivar@hamilton-co.org

For First Year MCP Class University of CincinnatiOctober 21, 2009

Geographic JurisdictionHamilton County Regional Planning Commission

A house dividedHamilton County

21 cities16 villages12 townships

Population: 845,303

Government: 3 county commissioners (elected) County engineer (elected) Auditor (elected) Recorder (elected) Sheriff (elected) Judges (elected) Mayors, council members, township

trustees, clerks (400 – 500 elected officials)

Others

City of Cincinnati52 neighborhoods

Population: 331,285 (39% of all the population in the county)

Government: Mayor (elected) 9 Council members (elected) City manager (appointed) Departments under control of the City:

budget, development, parks, recreation commission, health, engineering, design, etc.

Multi-tier government structure a result of Ohio “Home Rule” environment

Comprehensive plan unclear and an option not a requirement

Local vs. State vs. Federal government land use management strategies

Federal government unfunded mandates

Carrots and sticks: multi-jurisdiction cooperation to access to federal funds

Milestones Census 2000 Globalization Rapid economic

growth and economic disparity

Internet / technology

9/11 Ohio Metropatterns MetroMoves EPA-Brownfields

Redevelopment Clean Water Act:

NPDES Clean Air Act ISTEA Housing Boom/

Foreclosure

Local Trends / Events: Outmigration: population loss not limited to central city Funding for infrastructure goes outside the belt New employment centers goes outside the belt Poverty spreads out Developed urban county (landlocked) CAGIS Reestablished HCRPC creates Planning Partnership and

prepares COMPASS City of Cincinnati dissolves Planning Department Multi-jurisdiction planning and CIP: Eastern Corridor Land

Use Vision and TID Stormwater Management District OKI Strategic Regional Policy Plan Emergency dispatch center coordination Sustainable development/Smart growth movement Green building-energy conservation

HCRPC A Partnership of

Communities

Education Communication Networking Lobbying Data for decision

making Technical support

Education: Certified Planning Commissioners’ Program; Forum on Property Maintenance, Housing, Stormwater Management, Community Revitalization, Economic Development; Newly Elected Officials Workshop

Communication: Newsletters, Reports, Annual Report, Website, Listserv

Networking: Annual Meeting, Planning Commissioners’ Forum

Lobbying: First Suburbs Consortium, ICC

Data for decision making: Census, CAGIS, research and reports, specialized library, Hamilton County Climate Initiative, Bike Friendly Communities

Technical support: planning, zoning, housing, Project Impact, GCEP

Planning in the next decade

• Obsolete organizations and legal frameworks• Obsolete infrastructure• New economic model• Education / employment• Resource management: land, energy, water, air, food• Post ARRA• Aging population• Shrinking population• Federal vs. State vs. Local: Decision making and funding

Look for:• Ohio Commission of Local Government Reform and

Collaboration• 3C is Me: Expanded Passenger Rail in Ohio• Ohio Freight• Land Bank Legislation and reuse/disposition of urban lands• Mergers of political subdivisions

Harrison Township and City of Harrison

Two separate political subdivision conducted two separate comprehensive planning process that run concurrent.

They hired two different consultants.

HCRPC facilitated meeting of both steering teams to agree on uses of the land in the common boundaries.

Result: one land use plan for both communities

Acronyms

ISTEA : Intermodal Surface Transportation Enhancement Act

HCRPC: Hamilton County Regional Planning Commission

COMPASS: Community Master Plan and Strategies (Master Plan for Hamilton County)

OKI: Ohio Kentucky Indiana Council of Governments – Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO)

SRPP: Strategic Regional Policy Plan (OKI plan for the 8 county region)

CAGIS: Cincinnati Area Geographic Information System

GCEP: Government Cooperation and Efficiency Project

ICC: Intermodal Coordinating Committee at OKI

ARRA: American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009

NPDES: National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System

TID: Transportation Improvement District

JEDD: Joint Economic Development District

CIP: Capital Improvement Program

Recommended

Liquid Assets: The Story of Our Water Infrastructure90 minute documentary on infrastructure systems: water, wastewater, and stormwater. PBS

A Guide to Planning in Ohio. Ohio Planning Conference OPC, 2007

Stuart Meck:•Notes on Planning Statute Reform: Guideposts for the Road Ahead in Planning Reform in the New Century edited by Daniel R. Mandelker,2005•Ohio Planning and Zoning Law 2007