Episode 82 - Terry Cole - Colemine Records

We're going to start off with some news from Claremont as a whole.

And this is from the September 9th commissioner meeting.

Claremont County updates its housing and growth strategy.

Claremont County officials gave a one-year update on the county's housing strategy, saying the county continues to grow at a much faster pace than Ohio overall.

Community and Economic Development Director Chris McClinnick said Claremont County grew by roughly 6% during a period when statewide growth was about 2%.

Much of that growth is concentrated in the western and central parts of the county, including areas around State Route 32, Interstate 275, and other major transportation corridors.

The county's housing strategy focuses on five areas, diversifying housing options and directing development towards areas with existing infrastructure, preserving older homes, expanding senior housing options, and reducing barriers for first-time home buyers.

County officials said approximately 3,800 new housing units were reviewed or approved by the Planning Commission just last year.

McClinick also said Claremont County accounts for roughly one-quarter of building permits issued across the Cincinnati metropolitan region, including northern Kentucky.

The county is working with townships on long-term land use planning.

Goshen Township adopted a new land use plan in April, and Williamsburg Township is going through a similar process.

Those plans are intended to help communities decide where they want development concentrated while preserving agricultural or rural areas elsewhere.

The county has also changed parts of its permitting process, including digital signatures and phased approvals.

Officials said some subdivision approvals that previously took 12 to 13 business days can now be completed in about two days.

County officials emphasized that Claremont County does not control township zoning.

Townships ultimately decide what kinds of development are permitted and where that development can

occur.

So also from this meeting and kind

of in the same vein as, you know, we're growing fast here in Claremont, sewer capacity is emerging as a growth constraint.

And I think we did report a while back on a large wastewater project that they were considering around the, I think it's the lower East Fork wastewater treatment, something or other.

But Claremont County's rapid housing growth is beginning to create pressure on parts of the county's sewer system.

During the housing presentations, Officials said the Water Resources Department is conducting a water and sewer capacity study to determine where actual development can be supported.

McClinnick specifically identified parts of Goshen Township and Miami Township as areas where the county is beginning to encounter sewer capacity limitations.

He said the problem is not necessarily treatment capacity itself.

But in some areas, the county lacks large enough sewer trunk lines to carry additional wastewater away from growing developments.