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City Master Plan

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Vivian Moon View Drop Down
MUSA Council
MUSA Council


Joined: May 16 2008
Location: Middletown, Ohi
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    Posted: Mar 01 2016 at 10:57am

Middletown City Manager Douglas Adkins

www.cityofmiddletown.org

 

City Master Plan

MARCH 1, 2016

So, over the past few weeks I’ve talked about the revenues we need to return to providing needed public services year after year.  We’ve talked about how we might generate those revenues.  We need new business and new families and improving property values and a strong quality of life.

The plan I’ve laid out for you up to this point is intended to be the skeleton of the plan.  We know where we need to be with revenues and we know the types of things that could reach those revenue goals. We know that we need to pave, maintain water and sewer, and add quality of life back for our residents… about $4 million additional dollars per year.

Now how do we turn the model above into reality and how do we make sure we are moving in the direction that the residents want for their city?  A lot of 2016 will be spent trying to answer those questions.  The pieces generated this year will lead to a new City Master Plan in 2017.  Those pieces include:

Community Visioning

The Community Building Institute and Middletown Moving Forward have conducted almost 40 focus group discussions asking residents and business owners “What do you want Middletown to be?  What is missing?  What would you like to see change or added to the city?”   As they finish this process, it should give us a picture of what types of changes would benefit our residents, make them happier, and in turn, make this a better place to live, work and play, which in turn, makes Middletown a more attractive place to bring your family or business.  The Master Plan should address what we have to have in revenues, but it must reflect what our citizens expect from their government.  We look forward to those results.

Downtown Master Plan

Downtown Middletown, Inc., has been working with downtown property owners to select a consultant to prepare a new downtown Master Plan.  The last one was completed around 2008-2009 and contemplated a rail station that never materialized.  The recession created problems and opportunities and now the downtown has or will open about 20 businesses that weren’t there just five years ago.  The new downtown plan will be based on the Main Street concept and provide details on business support, branding, amenities, style, and housing to make downtown the most sustainable and vibrant it can be moving forward.  After it is completed, I expect to change out the street lights (which are at the end of their useful life) with some new style of light, and then add benches, trash cans,  and other amenities consistent with the new plan.  As we continue to gear up our public relations efforts, we will be marketing city-wide and downtown events to the region.  Downtown is one of many areas that will receive specific attention during the next few years.

Zoning Code

We have a new City Planner, a new Zoning Administrator and the City will be adopting in 2016 a new zoning code.  Our current code was written predominantly in the 1960’s and the style of zoning law in Ohio has changed since that time.  The old code does not contemplate things that didn’t exist in the 1960’s.  We have an ongoing discussion underway right now about food trucks and whether they can operate in the city.  The old code doesn’t define them and never contemplated their use or prohibition.  When enacted this  year, the City should have one of the most modern zoning codes in the State of Ohio.

Airport Layout Plan

I’ve discussed in previous posts the need to expand airport operations and to generate as much economic development out of the airport property as possible.  We have a preliminary plan that lays out additional tourism opportunities, industrial/manufacturing acreage and backfilling of the existing facility when completed.  The next step is to update the Airport Layout Plan with the Federal Aviation Administration, laying out the details of the plan.  Once that process is complete and approved by the FAA, we can start adding new business to the airport.

Housing Study

I have spent the last few months meeting with local real estate professionals including realtors, home builders and landlords (they own almost 50% of our housing stock) to understand their perspective and challenges in today’s real estate market.  Our property values have not rebounded as quickly as other communities.  Our effective tax rate is higher than some other communities.  We have an older and smaller housing stock than many other communities.  We have almost 400 vacant residential lots from demolition during the recession.   My goal is to create a housing strategy that over time raises values, aids in recruitment of families, and builds a housing stock that allows families to move up and move down in price and size while staying in Middletown.  What is the best balance in today’s market of rental vs. home ownership?  The best balance of multi-family vs. single family rentals?  The best balance of new vs. old vs. historical?  The best balance of two, three and four bedroom houses?  What is the best use of the vacant lots?  We hope to start answering those questions this year.

Connectivity Study

This is a fancy term for “how do we move people around town?”  How do we improve the way we use automobiles, transit buses, bicycles and pedestrian traffic?   How do we make it faster and easier to get from downtown to the highway and back again?  How do we improve the health of our community by providing better walking and bicycle options throughout the city?  How do we use transit not just to move people, but as an economic development tool to get people to and from work?  How do we utilize the latest in traffic signals, etc., to speed up auto traffic throughout the city?  We hope to develop viable alternatives through this process.

East End Plan

The City developed a comprehensive East End plan before the recession hit.  We will be looking at that plan closely to determine if it is still relevant or whether changes need to be made to reflect today’s market opportunities.  The development of Austin Landing, Union Center and now Liberty Center may show us better and more modern approaches to development around the highway than were originally contemplated before the recession.

So… as we complete these items, a vision starts to come together.  We know what we need… $4 million extra dollars each year to complete needed city services.  We know the types of things that can generate that additional money… new families, new jobs, improved property values, etc.  Now we use the information above to create the path to the goal.  Not an inspirational plan but a strategic plan designed to bring us back to sustainability using the city residents’ vision of what they would like their city to become.  In 2017, we put the whole package together.

Have a great day!

 

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VietVet View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote VietVet Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Mar 01 2016 at 11:57am
"We need new business and new families and improving property values and a strong quality of life"

This should have been the primary focus during the Olsen, Becker and Gilleland times. Why just now is this an important feature under your leadership? You worked for Gilleland. Why didn't you suggest this to her? Or did she just want to trash the city and watch it go down?

"Downtown is one of many areas that will receive specific attention during the next few years"

Nope. The downtown comes toward the end of the city makeover. However, we all know that you must include attention given this area because IF the downtown prospers (not likely after all the attempts, money wasted and time consumed), it will make the S. Main St property more valuable and protect your little buddies like the Mulligans. You know you must attend to their special agenda down there so as not to upset the power people. The rest of us people have always been expendable as to city focus.

Airport Layout Plan- Turn the airport over to a private developer who has connections to what you need there. The city, as the property owner, must stay out of it or it will be as messed up as anything else the city has touched and will become another downtown "slow drain to futility"lasting for decades with no progress.

Housing Study
"Our property values have not rebounded as quickly as other communities. Our effective tax rate is higher than some other communities"

Blame no one else but the city. You created a ghetto mentality here. Too much Section 8, low income, poverty, to lure anyone to this city. Taxes are too high also for the service residents get.


"We have almost 400 vacant residential lots from demolition during the recession. You got the money and started knocking down everything in sight. Didn't give it a thought as to what would happen to all those empty lots did you? Now, you have a problem on what to do with all the holes in the landscape of the city. Looks "bombed out" in certain sections of the city doesn't it. We realized this years ago and commented on it on this forum.

"How do we improve the health of our community by providing better walking and bicycle options throughout the city?"

Like the downtown, forget the "bike path/recreational/everyone in Middletown will get fit" concept for now. Comes well after the basics have been satisfied. In reality, it is an idea where only 1-2% of the people around here would participate in. Not exactly a real popular activity in this city.

East End-

The city needs to keep it's hands off the development there. Just be accommodating as the private sector plans the direction and interest there. Just provide enticing propositions for all businesses interested out by the freeway....and for God's sake, stay out of the way or you'll screw that up too.

In 2017, we'll all see just how much of this is lip service and how much will materialize. If we look at history, it ain't lookin' too good right now.
I'm so proud of my hometown and what it has become. Recall 'em all. Let's start over.
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Factguy View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Factguy Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Mar 01 2016 at 3:15pm
Help is on the way.

FACTS-

- Tax generated will be from street lamps moved out from General Fund.
- MMF doesn't need confirmation of vision. Chosen 15 years ago. They will round up friends of council nodding heads YES before reading a document or having a question submitted.
-  Downtown giveaways only used to create shine around Main Street.
- Connectivity study? Fill potholes Doug. The bikers with no cars downtown that can't pay insurance get around with the sidewalk just fine.
- Housing strategy, your tactics are ridiculous. Bring in businesses that are growing and pay well, and the housing takes care of itself. Knocking down homes does nothing when capacity is so high. 
- Zoning code, nuts. It isn't the codes destroying Middletown, its businesses and residents fleeing. And the 0 tax giveaways are creating expectation everyone expects zero base taxes. Just make Middletown one big TIF, just like declaring all of Middletown poverty, for NSP funds.
- Airport. Sell it. Waste of taxpayer money and non core functionality.

I like Doug but really getting off the rails. Smoke, mirrors, and pulleys only works for a short period of time, and really dumb people.   
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