N E W   R I C H M O N D   C O M P R E H E N S I V E   P L A N

I. INTRODUCTION

Proper planning is a very important element to the future growth of a community. The goal of any plan, specifically a community such as New Richmond, is to assure quality growth rather than simply growth. A plan is a tool for the leaders of a community to be used as a guide book for the future, by examining all of the elements which make a community operate and outlining how these elements should be modified for the future.

A. Acknowledgements:

Special acknowledgments for the completion of this plan go out to the New Richmond Planning Commission members:
Richard Hilt, Chairman
Jack Gooding, Mayor
Dr. Lee Vesper, Council Member
Janet Stricker, Member
Art Kareth, Member

B. Plan Format:

In an effort to plan for the future, the New Richmond Village Council called on the Planning Commission to prepare a Comprehensive Plan. The process of preparing the Village Comprehensive Plan involved the following:

1. An analysis of the existing conditions by looking at the various departments and elements of the Village.
2. An analysis of the Village makeup for demographics and socioeconomic characteristics.
3. An analysis of the Village existing land use and potential future development.
4. The development of recommendations for goals and objectives for the Village.
5. The preparation of a future land use/development map for the Village.

In preparation of this plan, the New Richmond Planning Commission, attempted to design a plan which offers the flexibility necessary for a community such as New Richmond, with appropriate concern for the special needs presented by the prospect of future flooding. The proper use of this plan as a guide to the future is integral to assure that the Village is properly prepared for the inevitable growth on the horizon.
During the review of this document, you will notice that only a limited amount of time will be spent on the downtown or C.B.D. area of the Village. The reason for this is due to the fact that in July of 1992, Village Council adopted a Downtown Plan which addresses many of the issues. A plan of a limited area such as the Downtown Plan is placed on a shorter time frame. Detailed modifications to the recommendations of that plan should be reconsidered in light of this Comprehensive Plan.
Excerpts from studies previously prepared for the Village consisting of technical information, which remains consistent with current conditions, were utilized and are properly noted. Dave Kennedy, Village Administrator, at the direction of the Planning Commission, originally undertook the starting point of this Comprehensive Plan. After the flooding in the Spring of 1997, a grant was obtained from the State of Ohio for additional funding for this Plan, and Dellinger Architects has been working with Dave since then on updating and expanding the Comprehensive Plan.
The severity of the flood of ‘97 has caused many people to rethink how New Richmond should be developed, or for that matter if it should be developed. We believe there are many highly desirable characteristics existing in the Village which should be preserved and enhanced, and that with responsible planning and attention to the inevitability of future flooding, planning of the Village is essential.
The mitigation process has been going on for some time now, and the Village has purchased substantial areas of property, which will need to be used for parks or open space without permanent structures. While the flood was very traumatic for many people involved, it has also become apparent that it has been a great influx of funding sources for redevelopment of the Village, and furthermore that additional future funds will likely be obtainable. The Comprehensive Plan will help make funding sources more obtainable, in part, by showing how an individual project is part of a larger community development strategy. During the course of the document, various actions are proposed, which should be noted and may not be specifically detailed in the final development objectives of the plan. These actions are noted in the following manner; The Village should begin to…..

B. Mission Statement

The mission of this plan is to create a vision of how the Village of New Richmond can be developed in the future, in ways that will preserve and enhance the historic character of the Olde Village, capitalize more effectively on the Ohio River setting, and responsibly guide the development of the Hillside areas.   back to top

II. BACKGROUND INFORMATION:   back to top

A. History

New Richmond was laid out on Sept 22, 1814 by Jacob Light comprising of a total of 85 acres. In February of 1816 Thomas Ashburn laid out the town of Susanna directly adjacent to New Richmond. The two towns merged in 1828 at what is now called Union Street. With this merger also came the largest period of growth New Richmond has ever witnessed. During the 1820's to the 1880's New Richmond flourished with the birth of the steamboats. Business was plentiful and the Village was heading towards the goal of its founders in becoming a future rival to the nearby Cincinnati. Much of the charm and character of the Village is found in the remaining structures that were built in this time period. As the 1880's came so did the rise of the roads system and railroads, and the decline of the Ohio River as a major shipping route. The previous positive effects of the River on community growth were diminished. Coupled with the constant flooding, New Richmond steadily declined, and the 1937 flood was seen as the final blow.
Thanks to the construction of the Beckjord Plant and the construction of U.S. 52 the Village has seen a steady but slow resurgence. The construction of the Beckjord Plant has been seen by some as something of a mixed blessing. The need for housing of construction workers helped spur the development of mobile home housing in low-lying areas of the Village where older structures had been destroyed by previous flooding. The mobile homes were inconsistent with the character of the original village. Recent flooding has made it quite apparent that mobile homes in the flood plain are not a desirable development pattern to see continued.
New Richmond now enters a new era. The future of New Richmond is still to be determined.

B. Location and Transportation

The Village of New Richmond is located on the Ohio River in Southwestern Clermont County, Ohio, approximately 20 miles upriver from Cincinnati. The principal transportation artery is U.S. 52, which provides efficient traffic flow connecting the community with the commercial and industrial centers in Cincinnati. As shown on the “Village of New Richmond Regional Transportation Network” map the access to interstate routes 275 and 471 make all of Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky much more easily accessible than in was only a few years ago and since travel to work is better measured in time than distance New Richmond has become increasingly attractive to those who work in the city center, only twenty (22) minutes away.

C. Geology, Topography and Drainage

New Richmond lies within the Clermont County "peneplain" that is 800 to 900 feet above mean sea level and dips to less than 500 feet above sea level at the mouth of Twelve Mile Creek. The Ohio River valley floor consists of level bottomland ranging from one-half to one mile in width. The upland area is characterized by deep narrow valleys and by level interstream areas that are remnants of the old peneplain. The surface is very broken and hilly. The drainage waters generally flow directly into the Ohio River with numerous seasonal springs out letting through the valley wall.

D. Hydrologic Cycle

Large ranges of temperature and precipitation characterize the climate of Clermont County annually, daily, and day to day. Winters are generally cloudy and cold, but sub-zero temperatures rarely occur. Summers are moderately warm and humid and have several days when temperatures exceed 89 degrees Fahrenheit. Precipitation is normally abundant and well distributed throughout the year. Fall is the driest season. Showers and thunderstorms account for most for the rainfall during the growing season.
The amount of soil moisture going through a seasonal cycle each year is almost independent of the amount of precipitation that is received. It reaches its lowest point in October and is replenished during the winter and early spring when the amount of precipitation exceeds the amount of water lost by evaporation. A progressive drying of all soils occurs since the water needs reach a maximum in July and August when rainfall is insufficient to meet evaporation transpiration losses. During the months of March, April, May , and June, rainfall approaches 4 inches per month resulting in saturated soil conditions and high rate of runoff.

E. Flood History

Flood damage has been the result of unusual rainfall events and constricted waterways. Due to this devastating combination several residents have suffered repetitive losses in a short time frame. There was a Presidential Disaster Declaration due to flooding in 1996 for Clermont County. In 1997, the Village once again sustained severe flood damage both to private and public property. While the worst flooding occurred in the Village of New Richmond in January 1937, the recent floods have alarmed the residents and the New Richmond Village Council. Detailed flood data is shown within the appendix portion of this document. This gives a history of all the flooding within the Village back to the early 1800’s. All flooding within the Village occurs from the Ohio River and 12 Mile Creek which enters the Village at the down river point of Front Street. It is estimated that the flood that occurred on March of 1997 caused approximately $300,000 in infrastructure damages alone. The majority of the floods have occurred during the spring and are usually the result of heavy rainfall.

F. Socioeconomic Characteristics

Through the utilization of graphs, a demographic and socioeconomic picture of the Village and its residents has been made. Although many of the graphs are self explanatory, some graphs require additional information for better interpretation. The source of the majority of this data is through the 1990 Census or Village records. The next scheduled census of 2000 should represent a large change and it will be interesting to compare these figures to the 1990 Census.

1. Population Trends

As seen from the following graph, the Village has seen a decline in the population over the past forty years. The Flood of 97 caused a further loss of population, especially in the older areas of the Village, which is not represented by the graph, as accurate statistics are not available. Approximately 53 mobile homes and 10 residential homes were lost due to damage from the flood. This trend is expected to reverse with the completion of the Waste Water Treatment Plant and the ability to construct affordable housing anchored with a solid school district and relatively easy access to the Cincinnati Area.

Currently two large plots of land are in the preliminary stages of residential development. If each is developed fully, they would bring over three hundred single-family residences into the Village. Although construction within the Flood plain can be difficult, substantial areas of prime residential developable land is located above the 100 year Base Flood Elevation. Substantial opportunities exist within the flood plain area of the Village for new housing developments, with living areas elevated above the Base Flood Elevation. A handful of new projects have recently been built in the Old Village along these lines, including several homes built by Habitat for Humanity as well as a few private developments.

2. New housing units

In accordance with the following chart, the Village has seen a steady increase in New Single Family Residence construction over the past six years. As this trend is expected to increase, the construction of new multi family units is expected to increase also. Although a decrease was witnessed during 1997 and 1998, ten (10) new single family permits were issued as of June 1, 1999.
The New Richmond Community Improvement Corporation (CIC) is currently planning construction of 40 rental units designed to serve low to moderate-income families. This project is being funded in part by a special loan provided by the USDA, which was requested shortly after the flood of 97.
Clermont county Senior Services is also planning a development of approximately 39 units designed to serve the elderly, also initiated by the CIC. The project is located on Bethel New Richmond Road across from the School Campus and is scheduled to begin late in 1999.
Multi family units are practical in the Flood Plain due to the fact that they can be elevated with parking below, allowing for more units on a typical lot. Also, the elevation of large units is more aesthetically pleasing than the elevation of small units.

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3. Commuting to work

Obviously, the large percentage of residents of New Richmond drive alone or car-pool to their employment. With many residents traveling to Cincinnati for employment, the mean travel time of 22 minutes appears very accurate. This following chart is substantial in reiterating the fact that the Village is a very attractive location for expanding housing due to its proximity to the City of Cincinnati. Recent efforts to establish a public bus service to the downtown area of Cincinnati were unfortunately not successful due to scheduling and the inability for multiple routes. Hopefully in the future, continued efforts will lead to express bus service to downtown Cincinnati.

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4. Comparison of property tax rates

Clearly, in comparison to other municipalities within the county, New Richmond's property tax rate is lower. When compared to adjacent Townships, the Village tax rate is higher. Residents often consider this factor when annexation issues are discussed.

5. Sewage disposal

Although large portions of the Village residents are on Public Sewage, the three primary subdivisions within the Village (Robin Hill, Grays Lane, & Indian Ridge) do not have public sewage service. Although the new plant was constructed in a manner, which will allow for expansion of the sewage line to these residents, cost and time are large factors in expanding a distribution system. A notable fact, referring back to new housing units chart, of the forty-two (42) new single family homes constructed since the 1990 census, thirty-seven (37) have been constructed with public sewage and five utilizing septic systems. Of the area widely anticipated for future residential growth, both single and multi family, sewage lines are currently at the property boundaries.

6. Owner Vs rental occupancy

A large percentage of the residents of the Village utilize rental type occupancy as shown below. As future growth within the Village would appear to be both through multi family apartments and condominiums, along with single family residential housing, these figures should not change drastically. Many resident within the Olde Village area utilize rental housing through apartments, single family homes and mobile homes. These residents were among the most severely impacted by the flood of 97, and many rental units, especially mobile homes, are no longer available for occupancy.

7. Household income source

As of the 1990 Census, ten percent (10%) of the residents of the Village receive income from Public Assistance. The Village has a median household income of $24,390 with 54% of the Village residents being classified as Low or Moderate Income (LMI). This figure is considerably higher within the Olde Village area alone.
This statistic may have already changed significantly although, as this population group was the most severely impacted by the flood of 97, and many have left the community. Higher income residents living in homes on higher ground were not impacted. Most of the new construction of single family homes is obviously being marketed to households with a higher income than the current Village median household income.

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8. Population age breakdown

As compared to other communities the Village is not drastically different in terms of it's population distribution. The vast majority of the Village residents fall within the age bracket of 25 to 44. The large number of residents which fall within the age group of 5 to 17 illustrate clearly the number of young people with in the Village. Clearly the Village’s elderly population is low. Due to an obvious lack of desired housing, many elderly residents move from the Village to multi-family style units, which are available in the areas near to the Village. Although the Senior Housing Project (described later in this document) will not alter these numbers, it will offer the opportunity for elderly residents to return to the Village or existing residents to remain.

9. Year structure built

This graph is important in that it gives a historical look at the various development phases of the Village. The figures were amended to correctly show the current homes (1989 to 1998) which were not part of the 1990 census. The Village contains many homes of historic value, some of which have been rehabbed. Older homes, which are listed on the State Historic Inventory or the National Register, are not permitted to participate in the Village’s Mitigation Program, thus enhancing the likelihood that they will contribute to the charm and character of the Village.

10. Households lost due to flood of 1997

As of April 1, 1999, sixty-three (63) structures were permanently removed from the Village due to the March of 1997 Flood, either through direct damage from the flood or through mitigation efforts to date. With a per household average of 2.96 this represents a population decrease of 186 residents. This figures does not include the many vacant residences, which have not yet been addressed or are awaiting acquisition through the mitigation program.

Additional Demographic Information:

Additional demographic information is shown as an attachment to this document. These figures are relevant due to the fact that they illustrate the housing trends and information of the adjacent townships to the Village. This information plays into annexation and other features related to the Village’s future residential growth.back to top

III. UTILITY SYSTEM ANALYSIS   back to top

Introduction:

The Village of New Richmond has proudly maintained their own utilities for many years, offering water and sewage service to its residents. Supplying these services has always given the Village a certain amount of independence. The control of these utilities although giving the Village independence is also very expensive and requires continual upgrade to stay in compliance with EPA requirements. The following is an analysis of the current conditions and proposed recommendations of these two services in regards to their important role in the Village’s future growth. Some of the technical information in the following sections was completed by engineering firms, which conducted services for the Village and volunteered to submit the information for the plan. This information remains in its original format due to the fact that it offers a valuable insight into the future of these utilities.

A. Water treatment plant

1. Findings:

The Village of New Richmond Water Treatment Plant was constructed in 1983. The plant was originally designed to be a lime feed plant. Due to continued difficulties, the lime feed operation was discontinued. As a result, the Village has had problems with large amounts of iron and manganese. In 1992, the Village installed and aeration tower which improved the quality of the water and reduced the large amount of iron and manganese levels in the testing.
In 1991, based on a recommendation of the Ohio EPA, the Village installed an automatic switchover valve for the chlorine controls. The installation of this valve reduces human error and cuts down on constant overseeing of the chlorine equipment.
In 1991 through 1993 the Village rehabbed all three of the wells and pumps, increasing the capacity levels of the plant. Pumping capacity has remained good at the plant, and excepting for rare occasions, the plant is running approximately ten hours a day.
The Grays Lane Pumping Station which feeds the Grays Lane/Robin Hill area is a direct feed station in that the station does not pump to a storage tank but directly to the consumers. Unfortunately this type of design causes immediate outages to the residents during electrical or pump failures.
Prior to 1998 the New Richmond Water Treatment Plant was a completely self-contained system, with no tie-ins to other systems. While the Village has no need for tie-ins to increase production, these tie-ins are important for fire coverage and outages due to potential pumping station breakdowns. In 1998 a tie-in with the Clermont County Water System was completed. This tie-in allows the Village to utilize the water on an emergency basis to the entire system. The location of the tie-in is shown on the attached Existing Water Lines Map.
As shown on the Existing Water Lines Map, the Village Water Distribution system is available to all residents within the Village and also serves a limited amount of residents outside of the corporation limits. The residents are served through a storage system, which includes the elevated tower near the School Campus, and the reservoir located on Bethel New Richmond Road. Each of these are shown on the Existing Water Lines Map. The total capacity of the Village’s storage system is one million (1,000,000) Gallons.
The Water Plant at this time is pumping and supplying the needs of the citizens adequately. When the need does arise due to an increase in population or commercial activity for an additional well, the Village will not have the adequate amount of land to install the well. Residential uses, the Ohio River and a large vacant piece of privately owned land directly adjacent to the well field bound the plant.

2. Recommendations:

a. New Well Location: Although from surface investigation it would appear that the property which abuts the existing well field would be a good location for siting a new well, the characteristics of the soils beneath the surface must be evaluated.
Vertical rock faces and impermeable horizontal soil layers which do not occur in the existing well field could be present which would limit the flow of ground water in the area. Even the granular material could be significantly different, effecting the yield of the aquifer.
The conditions, which cause one of the existing wells to no longer produce, must be understood. If the conditions are unrelated to the physical well itself, these must be determined, otherwise a new well may not produce as desired. For example, has their ground water table dropped over the years reducing the capacity as well? Have conditions up stream of the well field changed over the years, which now limit the flow of ground water to the well field? Have the recharge boundaries become silted?

The approach to siting a new well should be as follows:

1. Determine the cause of the reduction in capacity of the existing well in order to be certain that a new well will not have the same problems.
2. Perform a general evaluation of the proposed area by the collection of U.S. Geological Survey and Soil Conservation maps to determine that the new site has generally overall good geologic characteristics.
3. If the general evaluation is acceptable, several boring samples in the proposed area will be needed in order to gather specific information. Based on evaluation of these samples, determine the most suitable location for the well.
4. Perform pumping tests to determine safe yield of the well.

It must be recognized that siting a new well is not an exact science and that judgement and experience plays a large part. Many times, a location 100 feet away from a good well will have conditions, which are unsuitable for siting a new well. Any new location must be considered in the Well Head Protection Plan.

b. Need for a standpipe: A standpipe can benefit a distribution system in two ways; one, provide additional on-line storage for fire protections and emergency use, and two, increase pressure in a low pressure area. If the need is simply additional storage, a calculation can easily provide the required capacity: AWWA recommends having one day’s average demand in storage as a minimum.
If the need exists to increase pressure, a distribution system model needs to be created in order to analyze the system for best location, elevation, and pipe sizes. The model, when created, must first be calibrated against actual field conditions to verify its correctness.

c. Water Quality Improvements: Further investigation should be made with respect to using caustic soda (sodium hydroxide) in lieu of lime for the softening process. Sodium hydroxide is listed, and rightly so, as a hazardous chemical. For this reason alone, the Ohio EPA has been very reluctant in recent years to approve its use for softening. All the precautions needed for safe storage and handling will increase the cost of installation of the system. In addition, caustic soda, in dilutions normally delivered commercially, crystallizes at 54 degrees F., thus requiring storage in heated areas. Finally, softening by either lime or caustic soda results in sludge, which must be disposed.
Because of the above drawbacks, the analysis should consider the use of ion exchange softening. Salt storage would be required, however this is neither hazardous nor requires inside storage. No sludge is produced, and the backwash water is disposed to the sanitary sewer.
With regards to fluoride, the pros and cons have been debated for years and are well documented. There is no additional engineering analysis required for this except to determine the cost of construction and operation.

d. Tie-ins to other systems: There are two aspects to this topic. One, a tie-in for emergency uses only; two, a permanent tie-in with abandonment of water treatment by the Village.
As noted in the earlier portion of this document, the county recently completed a tie-in to the Village’s system. This tie-in should be analyzed as part of the distribution system model to insure that all areas would be adequately protected. The same would be true if a permanent tie-in is desirable.
Due to contractual requirements of the County Tie-in the Village utilizes 50,000 gallons of water weekly from the County System. With the current poor condition of the Grays Lane Pump Station, these flows could be diverted to this area to meet their water needs without requiring a pump station. For this to be completed the distribution system from the connection to the pump station must be replaced. An estimated cost of $100,000 has been received and the project would be eligible for State Issue Two Funding.
An additional tie-in with the Tate Monroe System on the Bethel New Richmond Road is desired by the Village to assure proper emergency flows to the School Campus during a fire. A proposal from Tate Monroe has been received and is being evaluated by the Village.
To determine the financial feasibility of a permanent tie-in would require the analysis of the water quality issues stated above. The study should include costs for various levels of treatment and compare these to costs for a third party supplier.
Other issues to consider regarding a permanent tie-in would be the Village purchasing the water and billing the customers versus direct billing by a third party supplier. Also to be considered would be the sale of the water plant and wells to the supplier and also consideration for selling the distribution system versus the Village ownership of the distribution system. If the Village eventually decides to get out of the water business and rely on Clermont County Water Works, the site of the existing water plant could be developed for some other use. The potential uses could be many-either as village owned facilities, or sold to a private developer. The highly desirable location on the river offers much potential.
Considering a continued operation of the Village Water System, certain improvements, some of which are outlined in this document, will be necessary. Due to limited resources, a list of State and Federal sources are included as an appendix to this document.

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B. Waste water plant

1. Findings:

The Village Wastewater Treatment Plant was completed in November of 1996 through the funding of an OWDA low interest loan and a grant from the State Issue II program. Following the flooding of March of 1997, many structures were removed from the system decreasing the number of users and adversely affecting the Village's ability to maintain the debt service required for repayment of the Village OWDA loan.
The Wastewater Plant was designed with a maximum capacity of 1 million gallons per day and is currently operating at approximately 1/4th of that capacity. Although the plant still suffers from a large amount of infiltration of storm water through the sewer lines, the plant has operated in full compliance since its completion.
Although the Village’s collection system reaches the majority of the residents, as shown on Existing Sewer Lines Map, a large portion of the hillside area of the Village is un-sewered. This includes the Villages three (3) established subdivisions noted on the map. Although the majority of the future developable land within the corporation boundaries has access to the Village’s collection system, all land outside of the Village which is potentially housing sites does not have access, thus will be unlikely for annexation without the extension of the sewage collection system.
Prior to completing the Wastewater Treatment Plant, the New Richmond Village Council unanimously passed an ordinance requiring all connections to the Village’s sewage system to be within the corporation boundaries of the Village. The passing of this ordinance therefore requires all new developments which desire the Village’s sewage service to annex into the Village corporation limits.

2. Recommendations:

T:he Village must begin to look at the expansion of their sewer lines. The expansion of these distribution lines should be done in a manner, which connects the largest number of existing unserved Village residents and also in areas where it will trigger the most new housing development and outside growth through annexation. The primary expansion areas are noted on the Existing Sewer Lines Map.
As stated earlier Village regulations require all new developments with access to sewers to tie into the sewers. The main advantage to providing sewers to new developments, in addition to providing sewer service superior to septic system, is that property can be developed to a greater intensity. Much of the likely future development will be in the R-2 zone, on _ acres lots, which will be of a much greater intensity than if septic systems requiring larger lots are developed. Future sewer construction should be planned with the intention of stimulating new development in areas currently in the Village as well as adjoining areas, which could be annexed into the Village.
There are three primary areas where an extension of the sanitary sewer collection system is most desirable.

1. Robin Hill
2. Country Place
3. Indian Ridge

Planning for these areas should include a broader look at the entire drainage system in order to eliminate a patch work system of construction which would be detrimental to the Village in the future.
Planning around natural drainage basins is desirable and will eliminate the need for costly pumping stations, however, it may not be economically feasible to install all the necessary transmission systems now and pumping may be required. The idea is to plan the sewer system so the pump stations can be eliminated in the future when the sewers are ready to be constructed.
The area east of New Richmond is extremely hilly, which usually means that sewers can be constructed at the required grades without becoming extremely deep. As usual, construction has not occurred in a manner, which progresses naturally up the drainage paths, thus, crossovers to other drainage basins become necessary to make use of existing sewers and keep initial sewers from becoming too deep.
The Robin Hill Subdivision should not be a problem. It is at the downstream end of the drainage route and in a fairly small drainage basin. Minimal transmission sewer is required and it can easily be sized for the drainage basin that it can serve.
The Country Place development and the strip developments that have occurred along Bethel-New Richmond Road provide the opportunity to serve the greatest number of new customers. In addition, it is reported that adjacent land is ready to be developed. This area, however, will be difficult to sewer without pump stations.
The route along Bethel-New Richmond Road is essentially along a ridge, which divides two drainage basins. The north side should flow toward Twelve-Mile Creek and the south toward Little Indian Creek. The area west of the high school should drain straight down Bethel-New Richmond Road. The area east of the high school should drain east to the low point in front of St. Peter's Church. The area east of St. Peter's Church should also drain to this point and then flow by gravity down a tributary of Little Indian Creek, to Little Indian Creek and down to the existing sewer system. This would require additional transmission sewer over that which is needed simply for collection. The transmission sewer would open a larger area for possible development.

The alternate is to collect the waste at the low point and pump it to the sewer, which flows by gravity down Bethel-New Richmond Road. The relative cost of the pump station over its life span, including operation and maintenance should be compared to the cost of constructing the sewers along Little Indian Creek. If it is determined that the most economical means is to provide a pump station now, it should be located so that it can be eliminated at the time when the sewer to Little Indian Creek can be justified.
It appears that the area just north and east of St. Peter's Church (The land ready for development, known as the Wahl farm property) can probably be drained to the low point in front of the church. Only the first several hundred feet of Country Place can be served by gravity out to Bethel-New Richmond Road. The remaining portion must flow away from Bethel-New Richmond Road and be pumped back. In the future, the pump station can be eliminated when the sewer is extended down along a tributary of Twelve-Mile Creek, and then along Twelve-Mile Creek to New Richmond.
The Indian Ridge development is also on a ridge, however, it is all on one side of the ridge, which drains toward Little Indian Creek. The drainage basin is small and the amount of transmission sewer to reach existing sewers is not too great. One potential problem is that the houses on the West Side of the street are much lower than the houses on the East Side, which will cause extremely deep, and therefore, costly construction. Grinder pumps for these homes should be considered in order to keep the sewer at reasonable depth.
The area around Country Place and Bethel-New Richmond Road appears to have the greatest number of residents to be served. The sewer design should consider future development possibilities. The cost of a pump station versus gravity transmission sewers should be investigated. A transmission sewer along a tributary of Little Indian Creek could open a larger area for development.
If pump stations are determined to be cost effective, they should be located so that they can be eliminated when future gravity sewers are installed. Only the remaining gravity sewers will require a pump station if they are to be served now can serve the first few hundred feet of Country Place. An option would be to wait until sewers can be justified along Twelve-Mile Creek, then a gravity sewer can be constructed along Country Place to Twelve-Mile Creek. Both Robin Hill and Indian Ridge can be served without much difficulty and with minimal future service area to be considered.
With the completion of the new Wastewater Treatment Plant Expansion, the Village should conduct smoke testing of the distribution system every five years. Smoke testing reveals areas of infiltration or faults within the system. As the Village is well aware, infiltration can be very detrimental to the overall operation of the wastewater plant. All infiltration, which is removed from the system, will lighten the load on the plant and will allow for continued compliance of the Village's EPA permit. A total evaluation of the distribution system, along with a plan for relining of the most infiltrated areas should be completed and application submitted to the State Issue Two Program for possible funding.
Sewer tap-in fees for new construction is presently $2,000. The fees should be examined every year during the life of this plan to be consistent with other county systems. The fees can be very beneficial in curbing additional cost the Village will be facing with the operation of the new plant and also sewer plant expansions. Current fees throughout the County and State can be received from the Ohio EPA or by conducting a survey of the area towns. Tap-in fee waivers can also be helpful incentives to encourage developers to build new flood resistant structures in the flood plain, especially where existing sewers are in place and the costs to install the sewers is not as great. Additional user fees will result from this, and this method will help the Village expand housing opportunities within the Olde Village.
Many municipalities would expect new developments to bear the cost of extensions of sewer lines. This practice makes development of new sites more expensive, and if the Village is able to bear some or all of the cost of extending sewers, new housing developments will most likely occur at a quicker rate. As we are able to extend lines to the current Village Limits, we will be able to encourage adjoining properties to annex into the Village to have access to the sewer system. The overall benefits to the Village will make the investment in sewer line extensions pay off. Funding sources for this work may include grant money from state and federal sources. Due to the importance of sewer line expansion, all available funding resources should be properly examined to assure that the implementation of a sewer line expansion program could be properly implemented. Available State and Federal funding sources are included as an appendix to this document.    back to top

IV SAFETY AND JUSTICE ANALYSIS   back to top

Introduction: Although not related directly to the development of the Village, the Emergency Services plays a role in terms of offering a key service in a quality manner. Similar to a school system, the quality of emergency services is integral in the selection of a community for housing and raising a family. The following are descriptions and some recommendations of the Village’s three (3) emergency services and how they are planning for the future.

A. Emergency Medical Services

1. Findings:

The New Richmond Emergency Medical Services is a nonprofit, tax-supported organization established September 14, 1959 to provide emergency medical care to the residents of New Richmond and Ohio Township. The Village also offers mutual aid coverage to several surrounding municipalities.
Under directions of the New Richmond Village Council, five (5) volunteer, four (4) full time and twelve (12) part time employees staff two ambulances on a twenty four-hour basis. Annual operation budget of the department is approximately $248,000.
The EMS is dispatched to assist the New Richmond Fire Department on all of its calls. Conversely, the fire department assists the EMS on all auto accidents. An excellent working relationship exists between the agencies.

2. Recommendations:

An immediate concern for the department is personnel. Over the past year more volunteers have been added to the department but in the event this number declines, the department would be hard pressed to continue the level of service provided without adding more paid personnel.
In order for more paid personnel to be added it would be necessary to place an additional levy on the ballot. If the levy fails it will be necessary to find alternatives for funding.
With an increase in population and the possibility of neighboring departments going to a paramedic program, the Village should look at the possibility of becoming a paramedic squad in order to provide the highest level of care to its residents.
With funding being a concern in the future, the Village should look at the possibility of combining the fire department and the life squad into one department. Members of both departments could become cross-trained and some duplication of equipment, services etc. could be eliminated saving money for the departments and the Village.

C. Police Department

1. Findings

The New Richmond Police Department has a total of nine (9) employees. This includes six full time officers, one clerical and two part-time officers. The Village also utilizes auxiliary officers, though their powers are somewhat limited. The Department travels an average of 90,000 miles a year, handling many and a wide range of complaints. In May of 1993, the Police Department successfully had an operation levy passed, which will put the finances of the department in their own separate fund. The estimated funding from this continuing levy will be approximately $251,000 in its first year.
In 1995 the Village successfully received a grant from the Washington D.C. COPS program to add one full time police officer for a period of three years. The COPS officer was placed in the New Richmond School District as a resource office with notable success.

2. Recommendations:

As with the other Emergency Services, the New Richmond Police Department is concerned with the issue of supplying the needs of a growing population.

C. Fire department

1. Findings:

The New Richmond Volunteer Fire Department consists of approximately 35 members. The department serves the entire Village along with a portion of Ohio Township through a cooperative contractual agreement. The department serves approximately 3800 residents and a coverage area of over 4 1/2 square miles. The department averages 180 runs per year and works cooperatively with the New Richmond EMS department. Operating on a $100,000 budget, the department recently purchased a new aerial truck with a total cost of $390,000. Two (2) additional pumpers are also available, each carrying one thousand (1000) gallons of water.
The department headquarters is located on Market Street and received severe damage during the March of 1997 flooding. Following the flood, a CDBG grant application was submitted to renovate the firehouse through the construction of a second floor allowing the existing first floor to be flood resistance. The grant, which consisted of a total cost of $460,000, was not approved for funding. Although not approved, the department stays committed to maintaining its location within the Olde Village of the Village albeit in a structure consistent with good flood proofing practices.
The department remains a prominent factor in planning for future flooding and purchased a rescue boat following the 1997 flooding. The boat is capable of floating in water as low as four inches (4”).

2. Recommendations:

The department is planning into the future and the inevitable growth of the Village. Planning includes examining the future need and potential for full-time personnel and a merging of the Fire and the EMS departments. This issue should continue to be examined through the initiation of an action team consisting of members from each department.   back to top

V. REGULATIONS   back to top

Introduction:

The Village of New Richmond has three (3) primary regulations affecting land use and development within the Village. These regulations and how they are enforced plays a key role in the type of development the Village will receive in the future. Each regulation used as a tool for development can assist in guaranteeing that the Village receives the development that they desire.

A. Zoning Regulations

1. Findings:

The Village’s Planning Commission completed a total rewrite of the zoning ordinance, which was officially adopted by Council in May 1992. The changes made in the text of the Ordinance were done with an eye on development and the elimination of outdated, redundant and counter productive text. It should be noted, that no map changes were made at that time.
In the early part of 1991, the Village received a request to have a large lot changed from "R-2" half acre to smaller lot sizes permitted in “R-3” to allow an increased amount of homes. The existing "R-2" zoning requires one half-acre minimum lot sizes. The zone change was granted and the development, Riverview Bluffs Subdivision began in late 1997. This request is very notable not only due to the large number of homes it will bring into the Village, but also because it was challenged by many residents who felt the Village should hold onto the larger lot size requirements.
Other notable challenges during the last ten years regarding the Ordinance included a request to allow multi family residential within the "B-1", Front Street, portion of the Village, and a request for a larger pole sign with the construction of the McDonald's Restaurant along Old U.S. 52. In terms of the Front Street multi family request, the Planning Commission held out that they wanted to continue to keep the Front Street Business District primarily commercial, and attempt to enhance residential development in the adjacent area. In regards to the McDonald's sign request, the Board of Zoning Appeals reached an unpopular decision which was to deny the request for the sign which would have allowed a sign close to three times the height permitted for this district. This case set a tone for the future, which makes it clear that while the Village clearly encourages development, aesthetics and precedence are also important.
As shown on the Zoning Districts Map, the Village contains a variety of classifications, including some spot zoning resulting from various zone change requests which were not in conformance with the existing classification. The hillside areas are predominately single family zoned while the Olde Village area consists of a wide range of uses including business, multiple family, single family and mobile home type classifications. When the Zoning Districts Map is compared to the Existing Land Uses Map the large number of non-conforming uses becomes very apparent. The largest portions of these are located along the Front Street Corridor due to the Business Zoning and largely residential uses due in part to the decrease in businesses following the construction U.S. 52. One concern which has become clear is the fear that the “B-2” Business classification allows many uses which would not be desirable along Front Street or within the Old 52 Business Corridor. A schedule of district regulations is also included to give further detail on the type of uses permitted in each district.

2. Recommendations:

The Village Zoning Ordinance should be reviewed and amended on an annual basis. The Village Zoning map needs as complete an overhaul as the Ordinance received. Just as the ordinance had sections, which were outdated, there are also sections of the Village zoned for uses, which are not appropriate to be developed as the map indicates. A good example of a poorly zoned area is Susanna Way from Union Street to George Street. This stretch, which was recently changed to "R-5C" multi family from it's previously zoned "B-1" Business, contains all residentially used structures along the Historic and scenic areas of the riverfront. Any small business use which would likely be desired due to it's proximity to the Village's CBD could be permitted through the home occupation regulations permitted in all single family districts. Areas, such as the Susanna Way area are prevalent throughout the Village, causing an additional layer of bureaucracy, which must be accomplished before a development can begin. A review of the zoning classifications within the Olde Village of the Village would allow areas to be changed to the desirable use which meets it's surroundings and the overall desire of the Village, which will encourage and expedite development.
Recent interest has been expressed in the concept of “tiered zoning” The use of this term can be somewhat misleading. What people are generally looking for when they discuss this concept is more integration of different uses, such as permitting residences in a business district, or some types of businesses in a residential district. We recommend this policy be encouraged, with discretion. Traditional communities, such as New Richmond, developed prior to modern zoning codes, and usually resulted in much richer variety and mix of complimentary uses than we are accustomed to seeing in more recent developments.
This original variety is in part why the Olde Village of the Village of New Richmond is as appealing to visitors as it is to us.
The Planning Commission and Zoning Appeals Board should adopt policies that will encourage these varied complimentary uses.

The hillsides of New Richmond are one of the Village's prime benefits for single family development. These hillsides should be further examined and evaluated to determine the directions for the Planning Commission on future zone change requests, which will inevitably present themselves as residential development continues in the not too distant future.
Although not directly related to the Zoning, the Village should consider developing an architectural review overlay for a portion of the Village. This overlay could put in place standards for repair and new elevated construction. Sample standards can be received from neighboring communities and modified to meet the specifics of the Village.

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B. Subdivision Regulation

1. Findings:

The Village Planning Commission wrote and adopted the first subdivision regulation in 1992. The Planning Commission felt that with the hope of future subdivisions entering the Village, no coverage from the County, and very evident problems from previous subdivisions that these regulations were a priority. The structure of the regulation follows that of the County's and other models, which were used. The regulations propose to give the Village proper regulatory ability without discouraging development. As of this date, the Riverview Bluffs Subdivision is the first subdivision to test the regulations.
The main facets of the regulations include the procedures to follow for approval, and the requirements for sidewalks and storm drainage. These items were the highest priority of the Planning Commission and the outcome will not be seen until the requirements are tested.

2. Recommendations:

The recommendations for the subdivision regulations are fairly simple. During the next five years the Village should keep a close eye on the outcome of each subdivision, which goes through the procedures, and make necessary amendment as they occur. Amendments should be simple due to the fact that they will be needed primarily along the lines of procedures, sidewalks, and storm drainage.
The Village needs to make every effort to get top quality subdivisions in the future. Nothing is more exasperating than to be left with a subdivision street or sidewalk, which was not properly, installed at the outset and thus saddle the town with the responsibility of the repairs earlier that predicted. Specifically the Village should design a procedure so that percent of road grades in excess of those permitted by the regulations can be increased in conjunction with a requirement for increased storm drainage and or road crowning so as to allow the ideal construction techniques. These techniques can be designed by allowing the regulations to be examined by a civil engineer. Although the majority of the Village’s new subdivisions will be located out of the Floodplain, many of their roadways have access from streets, which are occasionally flooded. When ever feasible an alternate access offering temporary ingress and egress for the residents of the subdivision during any flooding event.

C. Flood plain regulations

1. Findings:

The Village participates in the National Flood Insurance Program. This participation includes the adoption and enforcement of a local floodplain Ordinance, adopted in 1987. The Village is also a member of the Community Rating System (CRS) which requires additional activities to be conducted by which the Village residents receive a discount on their flood insurance. Although the proper enforcement of the Flood plain Regulations has deterred development within the Olde Village of the Village, it is necessary to limit the risk of flooding, which will inevitably occur. The Village has been recognized as a pro-active community in terms of their compliance and enforcement of their floodplain regulations.
As shown on the Existing Topography and Flood Plain Map a large portion of the Village area, and over 500 total structures lies within a designated floodplain. The majority of the properties are in non-compliance with the Village’s Floodplain Regulations. Due to only a few non-elevated variance requests being granted by the Board of Appeals most new structures within the Village are elevated. Since 1990 twenty-four (24) residential units have been constructed through elevation in compliance with the Floodplain Regulations. The Rivertown Marketplace, which began construction in 1989, has been constructed in full compliance with the Floodplain regulations and is seen as a model to commercial floodproofing techniques.

2. Recommendations:

Following the March of 1997 flooding it became very apparent that the Village must continue to strictly enforce their floodplain Regulations. The ramifications of not properly enforcing the regulations can be devastating. Variances, which are allowed by the Village, should be based upon sound and proper understanding of all the elements involved. The Federal Emergency Management Association has prepared a checklist, which should be used when considering a variance. All members of the Board of Appeals should review this checklist and Flood Plain Appeals. Copies of the checklist can be obtained from Village Hall.
The misconceptions regarding the elevation of single and multiple family structures to meet the flood plain requirements can scare many builders. In an effort to eliminate this problem, the Village must continue to stay educated and informed regarding various flood-proofing procedures to assist potential builders. The elevation of buildings with parking on the ground level is actually a very logical alternative for many of the small lot sizes within the Olde Village.
While the floodplain regulations may often seem intrusive, they are perhaps the single most significant and important part of the regulations impacting the Olde Village portion. It is also important to bear in mind, that by complying strictly with these regulations, the Village continues to have opportunities for grants to improve the Village that are not available to many communities.

CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS:   back to top

The Village of New Richmond has been very successful in receiving a wide range of grants for repairs to the Village infrastructure. These grants, which include utility improvements and street improvements, have been funded through a variety of sources. A five-year capital improvement plan is prepared annually by the Village to gauge and prepare for the upcoming needs of the Village’s infrastructure. This plan which includes estimates of funding needs is also required by the State Issue Two Program which has funded many projects within the Village. For more detail of the plan please review the Capital Improvements Map located within the document.
By continuing to improve, repair and replace their aging infrastructure, the Village will be able to fund other improvements such as parks and riverfront development through grants, as concerns such as roads and bridges are not requiring attention. The Village should consider adopting a detailed maintenance plan of their entire infrastructure system, possibly retaining engineering inspection services to make annual inspections. By completing an annual maintenance program the Village may be able to avoid large-scale replacement projects or at a minimum better foresee and plan for their repairs.

ADDITIONAL VILLAGE LAND USE ISSUES   back to top

D Mitigation process

Following the Ohio River flooding in January of 1996 and March of 1997, the Village of New Richmond submitted Hazard Mitigation Grant Applications to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to conduct mitigation activities within the repetitively flooding low lying areas of the Village. Mitigation of flood areas includes the elevation of structures, retrofitting structures and the acquisition and demolition of structures. In July of 1997, the Village began mitigation within the Village, with the receipt of a $1.2 million dollar grant from the January of 1996 flood. The primary activity of the program includes the acquisition and demolition of those structures with the lowest living areas. Once the Village acquires a property, the property must remain a green open space with no insurable structures to be constructed. Although the majority of these structures are located within a specific portion of the village, it was determined that the application submitted following the March of 1997 flooding would concentrate on a set project area. By mitigating a defined area within the Village, adjacent properties would be acquired thereby allowing more potential for the creation of parks or other recreation type uses. This application, called 1164, has been approved and the Village anticipates the program beginning during the summer of 1999. The 1164 program will offer acquisitions only.
The Village anticipates conducting mitigation activities for many years into the future. Funding is becoming available during flood times through a program called FMA. FMA funding is available to communities who are in good standing with their Flood Regulations and also involved with the Community Rating System Program (CRS). The FMA monies are based upon Flood Insurance Policies surcharges. The Village's long involvement with the CRS Program and its standing with its compliance of Flood Plain Regulations will allow the Village to possibly receive this funding. With funding from actual flooding being utilized for purely acquisition activities, the hope is that the FMA funding could be utilized for other mitigation activities such as elevation of structures in less repetitively flooded areas and relocation of utilities. If FMA funding is to be received by the Village an FMA plan approved by State and Federal Emergency Management Agencies must be completed.

E. Landmarks Commission

The Village of New Richmond until just recently had no formal Historical Preservation Regulations, surprising for a town which so much history. Consisting of over 50 State Historical Inventory structures and 2 nationally recognized structures, the Village has a rich history, which is preserved by the New Richmond Historical Society housed in the Gowdy House. The locations of these sites are shown on the Historic Sites Map. It should be noted that historic structures are exempt from the substantial improvement clause of the floodplain regulations. This allows these structures to be improved beyond 50% of the value of the structure.
When the Village began preparing Historical Preservation regulations, the goal was to ease the regulations in slowly. The Landmark Regulations, which were adopted in April of 1998, were designed to initiate Historical Preservation within the Village through the designation of households and other properties such as parks as "Landmarks". Once officially designated and properly recorded the Landmark properties would then fall under the specific restrictions of the Landmark Ordinance.
The Landmark Ordinance has the potential to be a very effective tool in preserving and encouraging the preservation of the Village's History. It is integral that the detail guidelines for membership on the Landmark Council be followed strictly to assure a quality Council with members of the proper background. Also, the initial progress of the inventorying process of the Ordinance should be closely gauged and the ordinance should be amended as needed to assure a long-term effective historical preservation program within the Village.   back to top

VI PARKS AND RECREATION   back to top


Introduction:

The parks and recreations issues within the Village are of integral importance due to the large amount of land which the Village is acquiring and the Village location along the Ohio River. These areas are of immediate concern to the Village and will be key element to the development of the Olde Village area. The following is an address of these areas including the future construction of the Ohio River Trails Bikeway.

A. Riverfront development

The Village simply does not utilize its location on the Ohio River effectively. Improvements to Hauserman Park and the installation of the Veterans Monument have all been excellent projects in helping to enhance the view of the scenery. The missing element is access. Although the steps from the Riverbank to Front Street were recently replaced, they witnessed little activity from private boaters. Though seasonal, the effect of a sound, ever expanding passage way from the banks of the Ohio River to the Front Street business district would be beneficial to the many existing businesses along with likely attracting new businesses.
The preliminary report on Riverfront Development, prepared in 1996 by Vivian Llambi and Associates makes many recommendations for improvements to the Riverfront area. See appendix #______

B. Parks and Recreation

In an effort to address the needs of the Village's existing Parks and the new open space being created from the Village's Mitigation Program, the Village created a Parks and Recreation Board in early 1999. The board composed of Village residents with an interest in the Village's Parks and Youth will serve as an arm of the Council and Planning Commission to improve the existing parks and continue and expand the recreational needs of the village's youth. This process cannot effectively be performed by the Village Administration.
Although newly created, the board will begin by surveying each village park in terms of equipment, usage, potential expansion and the possibility of a park to be utilized as a residential site, in lieu of newer parks being created in low lying areas of the Village that cannot support new residential development.
The Village is fortunate to have a large number of parks located throughout its corporation limits. During the year of 1998 the New Richmond Historical Society began the process of naming each park based upon an historical review. This allowed an improved identity to be given to each park within the Village.
The Tennis Court Park located on Caroline Street required an exceptionally large amount of funds to make repairs in 1990 and is unfortunately rarely used by Village residents.
The Mitigation Process, currently underway, will make a substantial contiguous area in the low lying northern part of the Old Village available for additional park and open space development.

C. Bikeway

Currently steps are being taken by State, County and local officials to have a bikeway installed along U.S. 52 with a final terminus located within the Village limits. Though final completion of the bikeway is anticipated sometime in the next century, the Village is extremely fortunate to be included in the plans for the bikeway.
The Ohio River Trail Bikeway is a proposed multi purpose trail from Lunken Airport in Cincinnati to Village's Bandstand Park. The Planning Committee was successful in raising over $40,000 in funding to be used for a feasibility study to examine the proposed trail with a primary concentration in determining the most feasible alignment. Scheduled to be completed in March of 2000 the feasibility study is the first step in securing what will be multiple funding sources for the construction of the 14-mile bikeway.
In terms of the Village of New Richmond, the Ohio River Trail is proposed to run along Front Street with a terminus at the Bandstand Park and is generally agreed that it will have a very positive affect on the Olde Village. Capitalizing on the popularity of biking, the trail will offer an added mode of transportation into the Village's Business District allowing the Village to showcase its history and scenic riverfront.
Although many questions regarding the alignment, funding, construction, maintenance and operation still remain, the Village clearly would be very proactive to plan independently for the impact of the future bikeway. Proper planning and preparation will allow for the Village to capitalize to its fullest on the bikeway as an economic and cultural development tool for the future growth.

VII HOUSING   back to top


The Village of New Richmond is divided both physically and characteristically by U.S. 52. Housing conditions and economic makeup of the residents also differ greatly. Presently, the housing within the Olde Village is improving slowly, though consistently. Much of the recent improvement is due to the Village's Housing Rehabilitation Program, which offers funding to assist with the renovation of housing for lower income residents, specifically in the Olde Village. The funding for this program was completely expended in early 1994.
It is important that single and multiple family structures within the non-mitigation portion of the Olde Village be renovated rather than demolished. Much of the desirable character of the Village comes from the older structures still remaining, even though they have suffered flooding on many occasions. Village Flood Plain Regulations place restrictions on the construction of new buildings within the Village due to the need for elevating and or flood proofing. Once a building is demolished it is difficult to construct a new building due to the fact that it would be necessary to elevate the structure above the 100-year flood level. The process of elevating residential structures or flood proofing commercial structures, often times scares off prospective builders.
One of the greatest community needs that were identified by the 811 Committee formed shortly after the flooding of 97 involved housing needs. The community needs a greater variety of available housing options, which simply have not existed in adequate ways in the past. Very few apartments are available for young people starting out or for older families seeking that type of housing. The Village needs to find ways to satisfy housing requirements for a more diverse population. The recently reinvigorated Community Improvement Corporation (CIC) a 501-C-3 organization is attempting to address some of those needs.
New housing developments are also currently underway which will provide middle to upper income homes available for sale, and perhaps some condominiums as well.

VIII. BUSINESS COMMUNITY   back to top


The Village of New Richmond's original Business District has seen many transitions through the past ten (10) years. Following the construction of the new U.S. 52 the business district has witnessed a steady decline. Although some of the mainstays have remained, thanks largely to committed property and business owners, numerous businesses have moved through the Front Street district with limited success. The clear factor identified is the lack of traffic and a true drawing point to bring customers from outside of the Village into the area.
The desire expressed by residents and the New Richmond Business Association is to redevelop the Front Street Business District through many factors including but not limited to:
1. Development of alternate transportation modes (i.e. Ohio River Boat Traffic, Bike Trail) into the Front Street Business District.
2. Alternative/flexible zoning which allows a wider range of uses in the areas adjacent to the business district and throughout the Olde Village.
3. The development and preservation of existing businesses and structures through a Downtown Revitalization Program which would include facade repairs and streetscaping.
4. Completion and implementation of a Riverfront Development Comprehensive Plan.
5. Removal of dilapidated structures and the enforcement of housing codes
Other factors unrelated directly to the Front Street Business District, which will have positive affects of the Front Street District. These factors include, Historic Preservation, cleanup efforts, and street/curb and gutter repairs of the area especially the main access ways into the Front Street Business District.
The Village is fortunate to have a very active organization, The New Richmond Business Association. The members of this organization are concerned local business people who regularly meet to offer each other support and encouragement. One very exciting project currently in the works is the new web site-WWW.NRNOW.Com. The Web site allows for the notification of Village activities and programs to be received by residents who are not normally otherwise informed. The continued efforts of this organization will be a very positive influence in community development.

IX. DEVELOPMENT OBJECTIVES   back to top


Based upon the information compiled and examined throughout the document, site specific development objectives can begin to be formed. These specific sites which are designated on the ???? Map has been specifically selected based upon their individualism and distinct needs in terms of the Village’s future growth. The following is a summary of the needs/action items for each specific site.

A. SPECIFIC SITE/ AREA OBJECTIVES

1. Olde Village

•  The Village should continue to purchase low-lying properties through the mitigation process. These areas should be developed as community open spaces and parks.
•   A detailed plan and design of the future use of the mitigation project area should be developed indicating parks potential waterway inlets into the area and the future of the adjacent housing.
•   An expanded and enhanced community center, including a swimming pool, as proposed by some, should be considered for a location in the Olde Village, adjoining the open space areas, to take greatest advantage of opportunities for parks and playground areas, as well as parking lots.
•   Encourage retention of as many historic structures as possible, even those that are not, and can not be reasonably made flood proof. Utilizing the recently formed Landmark Commission, the Village should pursue whatever opportunities are available for special grant assistance to encourage people to retain and rehabilitate the older structures which give the Village much of it’s character.
•   Encourage the removal of all mobile homes and structures dilapidated beyond reasonable repair, which do not contribute to the historic character of the Village through the enforcement of existing codes.
•   Encourage the construction of new buildings in the Olde Village, which contribute stylistically to the historic structures, when they are done as elevated or flood proofed structures. Consider methods of constructing flood proofed residences which do not need to be elevated, to serve the needs of some residents who are unable or unwilling to reasonably negotiate stairs to elevated structures.
•    Develop and enhance all potential incentives including the Community Rating System (CRA) tax abatement program, which is in place although outdated. These incentives could include reduced utility taps, which offset the increased cost required to meet the floodproofing standards.
•   Encourage consolidation of business activities along Front Street. Pursue grant funding of infrastructure improvements such as streetscaping and landscaping, as well as funding sources that will encourage existing building owners to improve their properties and new business owners to relocate here. Consider additional development of small parking facilities behind the structures fronting on Front Street, to be commonly owned and maintained by the Village or the Business Association.
•   The Village should continue to encourage and retain large destination type businesses within the Olde portion of the Village. The Post Office, Banks and title office bring residents into the Village who otherwise would not enter.
•   The accessways into the Village need to be improved. Similar to the Front Street projects, the installation of curbs and gutters along with improved sidewalks increase the appearance and parking along these highly traveled routes. With Front Street being repaired, Sycamore, Walnut and Augusta Streets need to be completed. The State Issue Two program is the most feasible funding source for completion of these projects. Applications have been completed for Sycamore Street, although no funding has been received. This application should be reviewed to increase its competitiveness. If funding continues to fail the Village could look into other alternatives such as bonds or possible a levy which would allow the Village to conduct numerous such projects.

2. River front areas

•  Continue effort started with previous River Front Development Planning effort.
•  Improve access for boaters to river, and provide convenient parking areas.
•  Encourage the development of marina facilities on the River, including fuel dock.
•  Improve access from the River to the Front Street Business District.
•   Make New Richmond a boater’s destination.
•    Improve pedestrian access to river, and consider incorporating bike paths and trails along the waters-edge.
•   Consider incorporating a water park and playground area.
•   Develop more river-related structures and attractions- like a lighthouse type beacon/ monument, walkways, gateway structures, and bike paths.

3. Festival Park Area

•  Work directly with property owners to maximize the utilization of this property, and the further development of properties the owner recently purchased, to encourage uses which will contribute more to the vitality of the Village.
•  Some of these uses could include more frequent concerts, and perhaps a “Riverbend” like facility.
•   Investigate the possibility of developing part of the property and other properties adjoining the 12 Mile Creek inlet into an inlet marina facility for permanent boat mooring on the water in a protected cove area.
•   Consider relationship of proposed bike trail, and incorporating some tent camping facilities.
•  This site would make an ideal site for a Gaming Facility if gambling is eventually legalized in Ohio. The City of Cincinnati has already recognized this site as one of the most desirable for this use.

4. U.S. 52 frontage areas

•  Encourage additional commercial development on properties fronting on U.S. 52 through the improvement of traffic flows into and out of the area.
•  The Village should consider selling the ball fields adjacent to Rivertown Market to be used for additional commercial uses. The ball fields should be relocated on some other low-lying areas within the flood plain, and possibly developed more extensively. Opportunities might exist in the Olde Village, on properties being mitigated, or possibly on the North edge of the Village on property owned by Cinergy.
•  Complete the proposed installation of the Old U.S. 52 turn lane. With an estimated cost of $250,000 this project is earmarked for completion in the year 2000. The turn lane will ease the flow of traffic in this growing area while encouraging additional commercial development. The proposed turn lane would begin at the U.S. 52/Old U.S. 52 intersection and continue past the limits of the Riverview Bluffs Subdivision. A drawing of the proposed plan is shown on the following page.

5. Hillside and Plateau areas

•  The Village should continue to expand the sewer system and enforce the subdivision regulations, in a manner, which will encourage appropriate development of additional residences. Expanding availability of sewer service will result in higher density development than permitted by septic service, as well as more desirable sanitary conditions. Providing extended sewer lines will also facilitate growth of the Village through annexation of additional properties.
•  The Village should carefully evaluate new developments, especially those affecting hillside areas, and perhaps consider special hillside development standards similar to those used by the City of Cincinnati and other areas.

D. IMAGE FOR THE FUTURE:

These sections detail common concerns which surfaced throughout all public hearings, held within the Village, that being the image of the Village. This image has long reaching affects on the Village and its potential for future growth. Many feel that the poor image of the Village is the foundation and root of a somewhat stymied growth and a stumbling block for the Village to reach it’s full potential.
If the Village is to truly grow and meet the long awaited expectations of many it must create a positive image while capitalizing on its strengths. These strengths which were identified through the Renaissance New Richmond Surveys in conjunction with the OSU Extension have been identified as the following:

1) Location in relation to the City of Cincinnati
2) Affordability and availability of land
3) Natural beauty of River and Hillsides
4) Rich history
5) Small town atmosphere

The poor image is directly related to the numerous dilapidated properties throughout the Village and the lack of success in enforcing existing regulation. One clear issue, which has surfaced, is the lack of a clear plan for the Village’s future and a lack of vision.
Although the Village obviously needs to accentuate the positive and concentrate on the repair of its image the following are steps, which have been identified to complete this task:
•  Work with the recently formed and popular Renaissance New Richmond to develop a mission statement for the Village specifically, including a slogan, which can be associated to our future growth and added to all Village documents.
•  The enforcement of existing ordinance to properties through existing ordinances and the continuation of the Village’s mitigation program.
•  Improved maintenance of Village owned properties including all mitigated properties, Riverbank and parks.
B. Although poor planning is being addressed through this plan the Village needs to be proactive in achieving a vision for the future. A controlled and consistent growth will pay dividends for the Village for years to come.

C IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES   back to top

1. Public Awareness Policy

Interested members of the community need to be made aware of the planning process, in order for them to get involved. Many people are already obviously aware and involved, but others should also have the opportunity to offer their input.
In the initial stages of working on the plan, the planning commission members will be making the most direct input and hopefully carrying the information to other people. When we have developed the preliminary plan, Planning Commission members will need to recommend timing and places for public meetings and discuss the format they should take. Advertisements should be placed in the Chatterbox, and other appropriates publications, so that people are aware and participate to the level they choose to. Directly contacting individual property owners, especially owners of properties that are specifically discussed is highly recommended, and in fact it would be appropriate to involve them individually in discussions prior to public meetings.
After the plan is developed, with community involvement, the Planning Commission, council and Village Administration will hopefully continue to promote future development in the village in accordance with the direction given in the plan. Copies of the plan should be made readily available to interested parties and especially new business owners or developers who are not already involved with the village. Ongoing public support and awareness that this process has taken place and is indeed a continuous ongoing process should result in actually achieving many of the goals that are set out in this plan.

2. Village involvement in development process

As stated many times so far, this plan has grown from a perception of community needs and desires, and will be revised with further and specific response to the statements made so far.

a. Mitigated property areas

Properties acquired by the Village through the mitigation process offer an excellent opportunity for the Village to incorporate additional open space, recreation areas, and perhaps other yet to be identified uses within the Village. Additional funding through additional grants will need to be pursued in order to use this opportunity to the fullest advantage.

b. Zoning and approval policies

As stated in the Zoning Code, this document should be reviewed routinely for updating and revision, as well as the Zoning Map. At the completion of the Comprehensive Planning process, the Planning Commission should review the zoning code and map to identify areas which are not consistent with the recommendations of the comprehensive plan and make changes to the code and map in order to eliminate confusion and extensive need for appeals and variances. Some clear guidelines for appeals and variance processes may also be derived from reference to the Comprehensive Plan.

c. Historical properties

Preservation and improvement of historical properties should be given a greater priority. Greater public awareness of the Landmarks Commission, a more proactive involvement on the part or the Landmarks Commission in terms of preserving historic structures, and perhaps some grant or tax incentive programs to assist people interested in preserving and improving historic structures will hopefully result in a greater interest in preservation, and also in the Village of New Richmond in its’ entirety.

3. CIC involvement

The New Richmond Community Improvement Corporation had been inactive for a period of years, until the 811 committee formed after the flood of 1997 and started discussing housing needs for low to moderate income families. When a potential funding source was obtained for this type of project, and it became apparent that a non-profit group was the most desirable entity from the lenders point of view, some members of the 811 Committee revitalized the Community Improvement Corporation (CIC) to do this project, and has expressed interest in several other community development projects as well as an ongoing role in the community. This type of community based non profit development group can have tremendous impact in a community, especially in terms of being able to borrow money at favorable rates, to do the types of projects that private for profit developers are often simply not able to do. The Village Administration will hopefully continue to nurture the efforts of the CIC for the general good of the community, and hopefully the CIC will see this Comprehensive Plan as a tool to help them realize their goals as well.

4. Private development awareness programs    back to top


a. Single family subdivision’s-Murphy’s Subdivision:

Most of the likely future growth in the village will come from the efforts of private developers. Some projects currently underway include a major single family subdivision by Murphy Homes.

b. Clermont County Home Show :

Some homebuilders are hoping a Clermont county home show will be featured as part of the Murphy subdivision sometime soon.

c. Other potential development:

Other potential development areas are being actively considered by other homebuilders.
The Olde Village presents many sites with development potential for a variety of housing types, ranging from luxury town homes with river views, to more affordable single family attached or detached homes.

d. Village development potential:

Many desirable sites are available for new residential development of elevated houses. As more sites are developed, and the mitigated properties are cleared, it can be expected that higher income level people will be attracted to developing housing with river views and access in the village.

e. Village Rama home show:

Perhaps in conjunction with a traditional home show, a special show could feature some construction of elevated houses in the Village. Perhaps a "Village Rama home show"?
Similar to the Homearama home show, an affordable housing project featuring elevated houses in the Olde Village might be organized with the support of the Village, by the Homebuilders Association. This might be especially effective in drawing new residents to the community and showing off the Olde Village. The Village Administration might help encourage this effort by assembling properties together and offering to assist purchasers with delayed payments of tap fees or for property purchase if the Village could co ordinate that with the property owners.

f. Multi family development:

One of the major pressing needs of the community identified by the 811 Committee was to provide rental housing opportunities for low to moderate-income families. One major project is currently being pursued, by the CIC.

The Village might encourage additional multi-family developments by looking at the zoning ordinances to allow more multi family uses in existing residential zones, and by considering identifying properties that could be rezoned for multi family uses.

g. Business development incentives:

As the residential population increases, the need for businesses of all types will increase. The two business districts currently in the Village have distinctly different characteristics; the CBD along Front Street, and the more modern style shopping center development along U.S. 52. Creating an appropriate balance may present a challenge, and the Business Association may have valuable input in regards to how this Comprehensive Plan addresses business concerns.

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