Land Use - Hamilton County, Ohio

COMMUNITY COMPASS / HAMILTON COUNTY 2030 PLAN AND IMPLEMENTATION FRAMEWORK
Land Use Concept Plan
Purpose
The Land Use Concept Plan illustrates planned land uses and
future development patterns desired by local governments
in Hamilton County. It presents a consolidated view of the
collective vision of our 49 local governments as well as the
vision portrayed in other plans for corridors and subregions
within the County. The concept plan enables local jurisdictions
to have greater awareness of development patterns proposed by
neighboring communities. Such awareness should be helpful
in making compatible land use decisions for adjacent parcels
of lands. This conceptual picture of future development in
our County also helps local and multi-jurisdictional planning
efforts to be prepared in the context of the whole interconnected
county rather than as 49 unrelated parts.
Importance
Land uses describe activities taking place on a piece of land,
and hence determine in large part commuting patterns in
the region. It is highly related to transportation and studies
have uncovered linkages to the environment, particularly
brownfields, air, and water quality. Recently, local practices,
such as Not in My Backyard (NIMBY) and Locally Unwanted
Land Uses (LULUs) have emerged as significant land use
issues in environmental and social justice movements across
the country.
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Zoning regulations determine the types of land use, character
of development, density, set back, etc. In many ways, it shows
the built-out scenario for the land parcels or the maximum
achievable development on the land. Coupled with the land use
plans, zoning affects the development patterns in the region. By
considering all land use and zoning plans in Hamilton County,
the Land Use Concept Plan presents a consolidated snapshot of
the collective land use vision of our 49 governments.
Formation
The Concept Plan reflects future land use recommendations
identified in the Western Hamilton County Collaborative Plan,
the Eastern Corridor Land Use Vision Plan, local community
plans, and local zoning plans. In the absence of local land use
plans, existing land uses as recorded by the Hamilton County
Auditor were used. The following specific plans and maps are
incorporated into the Concept Plan:
• Crosby Township Land Use Plan
• Colerain Township Land Use Plan
• Columbia Township Wooster Pike Land Use Plan
• Miami Township Land Use Plan
• Springfield Township Land Use Plan
• Sycamore Township Land Use Plan
• Symmes Township Land Use Plan
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Source:
Hamilton County 2030 Plan and
Implementation Framework
Community COMPASS Report No. 17 - Version 1
A Community Workbook for Implementation Partners.
November 2004.
Note: By considering all land use and zoning plans in
Hamilton County, the Land Use Concept Plan presents
a consolidated snapshot of the collective land use vision
of the County’s 49 governments.
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• Anderson Township Ohio Riverfront Comprehensive
Land Use Plan
• Anderson Township Draft Comprehensive Plan
• Eastern Corridor Land Use Plan
• Western Hamilton County Collaborative Plan
Concept
• Hamilton County Auditor’s Land Use Database
A common set of land uses identified from these plans are
represented by using a matrix of dots and colors. The system
of dots presents, in abstract, the intensity and patterns of
land development and types of land use. The color of the
dots shows the land use, while size and spacing provide a
general indication of the development patterns and community
characteristics. Smaller dots with closer spacing reflect urban
development patterns of higher population densities, small lots,
and dense street patterns. Whereas, larger dots spaced farther
apart, reflect suburban and rural character of low density and
large lot residential developments. The largest non-residential
dots, either stand alone or clustered in groups, show regional
land uses and large employment centers.
Components
The main components of the concept plan are a set of standard
land uses synthesized from the aforementioned plans. The
residential developments in the County were inspected
more closely to come up with different residential densities.
Particularly, the Single Family land uses are broke up into
different densities. The residential development in Hamilton
County varies from urban-level high densities, such as ten
dwelling units or more per acre to sparse rural developments
of one dwelling unit on more than one acre, permissible on
agricultural lands. In addition, commercial land use shows
retail and large commercial center developments; industrial
land use includes light and heavy industries; and public and
institutional land use includes university and public facilities.
The Concept Plan also shows the major road network in the
county, and local and international airports.
The following land uses are included in the concept plan:
• Residential Very Low Density/ Agriculture-- 1
dwelling unit per 1+ acres
• Residential Low Density-- 1-3 dwelling units per acre
• Residential Medium Density-- 3-7 dwelling units per
acre
• Residential High Density-- 7-10 dwelling units per
acre
• Residential Urban Density-- 10 plus dwelling units
per acre
• Commercial (office and retail)
• Industrial
• Public/Semi Public
• Open Space/Recreation
• Landfill
• Airports
As the earliest developed county in the Cincinnati metropolitan
area, Hamilton County hosts residential stock of every era
varying from the earliest urban core developments to old
streetcar suburbs to the latest single-family developments.
Coupled with the topography, the varying development
patterns provide uniqueness in Hamilton County’s skyline and
built environment as well as its natural environment.
The completed map indicates that large areas of central and
eastern Hamilton County are already developed and have
little remaining vacant land. Sweeping changes in land use
patterns in these developed areas are unlikely, although there
are opportunities for smaller-scale infill and redevelopment
projects. Most large parcels of land available for development
are in western Hamilton County, generally outside the I-275
loop. Some smaller areas of undeveloped land also remain
in Anderson Township, Symmes Township, and Sycamore
Township. Existing land uses in undeveloped areas are
generally low density agricultural and rural residential uses
with some scattered commercial and industrial development.
Also notable on the concept plan is how the interstate
highways have affected development across the county.
The largest regional land uses and employment centers are
clustered along highway corridors and around interchanges
with arterial roads.
The density of dots on the map illustrates that the most compact
and varied development is in the urban core of Cincinnati
and its inner-ring suburbs. Progressing outward along road
corridors, land uses become less intense and more suburban
oriented, transitioning into very low density rural uses in
western Hamilton County.
Consistency With Related Plans
Refinement, amendment, and implementation of the land use
concept plan should be consistent with:
• Community COMPASS Vision for land use and
development framework
• Community COMPASS core goals (with emphasis on
Goal 4 – Balancing Development and the Environment)
• Hamilton County Policy Plan for land use (adapted from
the OKI Land Use Commission’s Strategic Regional
Policy Plan)
Next Steps
• Convene public forums and key partner meetings
to discuss the State of the County Report on land
use and development framework, key indicators of
progress, policy plan recommendations
• Refine implementation campaign and priorities
• Establish partner commitments
• Identify priorities and specific action plans for
Community COMPASS strategies pertaining to:
• Initiative 25 (Countywide Growth Plan)
• Initiative 26 (Pedestrian and Bike Friendly
Communities)
• Initiative 27 (Revitalization Including First
Suburbs)
• Initiative 30 (Coordinated Planning and
Infrastructure)
• Update the State of the County Report on land use and
development framework and related key indicators of
progress every five years.
Potential Key Partners
Potential partners for refining and implementing the plan
and initiatives include:
• The AMOS Project
• American Farmland Trust (Cost of Community Services
study)
• Citizens for Civic Renewal, Transportation Task Force
• Community Revitalization Initiative (Planning
Partnership)
• City of Cincinnati (Strategic Program for Urban
Redevelopment)
• Greater Ohio
• Hamilton County Engineer
• Hamilton County Caucus of OKI Representatives
(Planning partnership)
• Hamilton County Development Company (Urban Land
Assembly Program)
• Hamilton County Commissioner’s Office (Home
Improvement Program)
• Housing Opportunities Made Equal
• Housing and Urban Development
• OKI Regional Council of Governments
• Ohio Environmental Protection Agency
• Port of Greater Cincinnati Development Authority
(Brownfields Redevelopment Program)
• Mill Creek Watershed Council
Implementation Resources
Potential Federal funds or grants:
• Housing and Urban Development
• Environmental Protection Agency
• Federal Highway Administration
Potential Local funds or grants:
• Murray and Agnes Seasongood Foundation
• Greater Cincinnati Foundation
The Planning Partnership
is a collaborative initiative
of the Hamilton County
Regional Planning
Commission. The
Partnership – open to all
political jurisdictions in
the County and to affiliate
members in the public,
private, and civic sectors
– is an advisory board
that works to harness the
collective energy and
vision of its members to
effectively plan for the
future of our County.
Rather than engaging in
the Planning Commission’s
short-range functions
such as zoning reviews,
the Planning Partnership
takes a long-range,
comprehensive approach to
planning, working to build
a community that works
for families, for businesses
and for the region. The
Partnership firmly believes
that collaboration is the key
to a positive, competitive,
and successful future for
Hamilton County.
Community COMPASS
(Hamilton County’s
Comprehensive Master
Plan and Strategies) is
a long-range plan that
seeks to address mutual
goals related to physical,
economic, and social issues
among the 49 communities
within Hamilton County.
Through a collective shared
vision for the future based
on the wishes and dreams
of thousands of citizens,
Hamilton County now has
direction to chart its course
into the 21 st century.
In developing a broad
vision with broad support,
Community COMPASS
will help ensure that trends
are anticipated, challenges
are addressed, priorities
are focused, and our
collective future is planned
and achieved strategically
over the next 20 to 30
years. Through an in-depth
analysis of all aspects of
the County, the multi-year
process will result in a
comprehensive plan.
Visit planningpartnership.org and
communitycompass.org for more information.
Hamilton County Regional Planning Commission
138 East Court Street, Room 807
Cincinnati, OH 45202
513-946-4500 | www.hamilton-co.org/hcrpc
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