[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6310273,"mediaKeyId","2403688-b36711779b2db55ef7393826808003bc","parentId",2403688,"title","Planning commission urges council to adopt comprehensive plan, seek first chance on parish land and pause new development pending zoning rewrite","audioSeconds",3643,"startMs",353000,"endMs",3996000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2403688-b36711779b2db55ef7393826808003bc&start=353&end=3996","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2403688-b36711779b2db55ef7393826808003bc/thumbnail_353000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6310273/Ohio/Planning-commission-urges-council-to-adopt-comprehensive-plan-seek-first-chance-on-parish-land-and-pause-new-development-pending-zoning-rewrite","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6310273-079bfa847d63eed2bfe3ef4b98aaa5fd/orig.mp4?Expires=1770624801&Signature=Tlo2ekwHgbXh4d600r0JjKqhkqu589atwGSi7WG~9n9nwsKiAx-mP8keTnKdObUY~htdT6Pc2HNbSVzqsVDLlEogYAT7Celsb9nnHzJD-8qDU6jWD5wBsaFYImBGkDxLKUo2rM8iGH1smqXP2YjgFbp27tgkF4G~ZUjDp2SG-WYuV-TwOrnLjZv76UzcfC9OJixSvZEVVa2nbJapv8HtAMCRnQissUuPP~BrQ7rxQFMFCD0uGno86OHgujqNwmt~fqV8X1feHP8JvPXS1qu2FRpZgqLbhuHSjk7l3wJCAGG0izazXf7i~GpRx4eOG6wxKN3PlPktSuL6XXx-e3g7uA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City Council of North College Hills OH","date","2025-02-26T20:50:22.843Z","article","The North College Hill planning commission told city council at a special meeting that it wants the council to formally adopt the city'wide comprehensive master plan and to take immediate, discrete steps to protect the city'scale choices the plan is meant to guide.

The planning commission presented four prioritized recommendations, the group said: formal adoption of the comprehensive master plan; a request for a right of first refusal on several large parish-owned properties; a temporary moratorium on commencement of new construction or development while the zoning code is reviewed; and funding and legal review to rewrite the zoning code. The commission also described an outreach effort called Motion NCH to build neighborhood engagement and small local grants to spur citizen-led projects.

\"We recommend adoption of the North College Hill comprehensive plan,\" Andrea Brooks, a member of the planning commission, told council. Brooks and other commissioners said the plan is a high-level \"stick figure\" intended to set a long-range direction rather than to prescribe immediate, detailed projects.

Why it matters: commissioners and council members said the city has lost potential private investment because it lacks an adopted plan. The planning commission reported hearing from local investors who are reluctant to commit to multi-million-dollar projects if the city has not adopted a master plan that signals long-term direction. The commission said adopting the plan would allow the city to prioritize actions, defend zoning decisions and communicate a clear vision to property owners and developers.

The request for right of first refusal singled out St. Margaret Mary parish and three other parcels that the commission said could materially affect the city's future if sold. The commission asked council to notify the diocesan process that the city wants an opportunity to discuss acquisition before any sale.

Commissioners urged a temporary moratorium on all new commencements of construction or changes of use that would start after a moratorium'effective date. The moratorium, they said, would not apply to projects already \"in the pipeline\" (projects for which applicants have already made contact with the building, planning or zoning departments or where approvals are already pending). Council members pressed the commission for clarity on the word \"temporary\" and on potential harm to small businesses; commission members said the intent is a pause to ensure new development conforms to the updated code and community priorities, not to block projects already underway.

The commission recommended hiring planning and legal professionals to rewrite the zoning code. Commissioners described several code tools, including form-based overlays and planned-unit development (PUD) districts, that could be used to shape future development. They also said Hamilton County's new-model zoning program could help: the program offers a \"model zoning code\" and technical support for communities with outdated zoning.

Motion NCH, the commission said, is a community engagement push that has held three meetings so far and has secured a $3,500 seed grant to support convening and small citizen initiatives. The commission described an early pilot grant pool of up to $300 per citizen-led initiative to help residents launch neighborhood projects tied to the plan's goals.

Council response and next steps: council members said the plan is detailed and can feel overwhelming. Several asked whether council should create a subcommittee to review and recommend a path to adoption. \"Once that is approved overall, then we go back and say, okay, what about this piece?\" the planning commission said, urging a layered approach: adopt the high-level plan first, then sequence code and funding decisions.

The commission referenced a letter to council dated March 13, 2024, and told members the planning commission will meet again with council or with a council subcommittee as requested. Commissioners noted that the plan is a living document and referenced a July date on the material as an internal timeline marker.

Proposed actions recorded at the meeting included acceptance of tonight's meeting agenda (motion passed 7-0) and an adjournment later in the session (motion passed 7-0). The planning commission stated its recommendations for council consideration; the council did not adopt the comprehensive plan at this meeting but discussed forming a subcommittee and scheduling follow-up meetings to consider formal adoption, moratorium language, and the zoning rewrite process.

Ending: Council did not take final action on the plan at the special meeting; commissioners left the meeting urging council to approve the plan as a starting framework and to authorize the technical and legal work needed to implement its zoning recommendations.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","North College Hill Special Council Meeting & Budget & Finance Committee 2/24/25","oneSentenceSummary","The North College Hill planning commission told council it wants formal adoption of a citywide comprehensive master plan, a right-of-first-refusal on several parish parcels and a temporary pause on new development while the city rewrites its zoning code.","taxTitle","North College Hill City Council, North College Hill, Hamilton County, Ohio","taxId",72193,"location","Ohio","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6310263,"Council committee reviews urban forestry grant application and digitalization contract; raises questions about shared drive access and city devices",799,5370000,6169000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2403688-b36711779b2db55ef7393826808003bc&start=5370&end=6169","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2403688-b36711779b2db55ef7393826808003bc/thumbnail_5370000.jpg","/articles/6310263/Ohio/Council-committee-reviews-urban-forestry-grant-application-and-digitalization-contract-raises-questions-about-shared-drive-access-and-city-devices","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6310263-85e4efe547132bcf0999bf7336abefbb/orig.mp4?Expires=1770624801&Signature=O36on~Jd62h1WjMPsWIpcPYQyqSCBWx7PBbIjBokKUtVxDsZYlJEbFI~ijdseW9VDsEWAcFHr5lJ1KtaYlbgCrNGjbIgjN7QlnSx6LcyS9D8Rsnq1MlCCS7QeKYudjxjemz3epCykq6wxT91eMLE69fxdkbOq2piUP4gh7YLdmVKpqc4D98mKCNk23yV9hjsneM3LPwYjQoBJgSeAeq2y5xNpscBU7w2lQu7g78LFNGDTHwRGj1TAJWRH3LfKZ274azaUYt~NwFasdGFSGrj7q4h7CYBWbLCcJsWvFGnBXV56iT6jD-K1DionaSIzd4Hwyz0y3OMqNiQTq0cWphKGw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","City leaders reviewed two operational items that staff asked council to send to the floor: (1) authorization for the recreation director to apply for an urban forestry grant from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, and (2) moving forward with a contract to digitize city records and create a shared document repository.

Recreation director Miss Duchstein said the proposed Urban Forestry Grant application would focus on an \"edible landscape\" strategy: planting fruit-bearing trees and supporting community garden efforts. She said the parks and tree-board staff are identifying species suitable for the local climate and noted prior years' participation in the program. \"This year is focused on edible landscape,\" Duchstein said, adding that staff has discussed pawpaw and other fruit trees and would work with the tree board to select species.

Council members agreed to forward the resolution to the council floor for formal consideration. The resolution would give the recreation director authority to prepare and submit the grant application; the grant itself would be subject to competitive award by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources.

On records digitization and the Iron Mountain contract, Christian Hedger (city IT) and staff discussed a multi-thousand-dollar contract to digitize documents and establish a shared electronic repository. Council members experienced problems opening an encrypted draft contract during the meeting and discussed technical requirements for shared access. Staff said that remote access to a shared drive will require a virtual private network (VPN) and that the city could either issue council members city-managed devices or install VPN access on personal devices; both options carry administrative and (in the case of personal devices) public-record implications.

Staff said the Iron Mountain quote is comparable to a prior bid and that the cost (the most recent quote remained at roughly $11,000) had not increased since the earlier estimate. Council discussed the availability and condition of seven council-issued devices bought previously; staff said some devices were older and that IT would inventory existing machines and report back with a recommendation on issuing or replacing devices and on VPN options. \"You would have to provide the out of your council budget for the VPN to be able to access it,\" staff said, and suggested city-issued devices as the cleanest approach for secure, auditable access.

Council direction: members asked staff to provide the resolution and contract paperwork for formal introduction on the council floor; staff supplied printed copies for the public and said they would follow up with updated digital access information and a recommendation on device procurement and VPN costs.

Ending: Both items were moved toward formal council consideration; staff will return with the completed resolution, the Iron Mountain contract materials and an IT plan for access and device provisioning.","Council reviewed a proposed resolution authorizing the recreation director to apply for an Ohio Department of Natural Resources urban forestry grant focused on edible landscapes and discussed a planned contract with Iron Mountain to digitize records; IT access, VPN requirements and the condition of city-issued laptops were raised.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6310268,"Finance director: 2024 Hinkle report near completion; year-end reconciliation leaves $9.13 million carryover including ARPA funds",691,4128000,4819000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2403688-b36711779b2db55ef7393826808003bc&start=4128&end=4819","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2403688-b36711779b2db55ef7393826808003bc/thumbnail_4128000.jpg","/articles/6310268/Ohio/Finance-director-2024-Hinkle-report-near-completion-year-end-reconciliation-leaves-913-million-carryover-including-ARPA-funds","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6310268-2c1857e539f2a9ca027df2d982b735d8/orig.mp4?Expires=1770624801&Signature=XrXpKKOK~rCLSJ3Y7YOxJ0UNCIVpZa0Tn-5WwDo3Kojf88gKUIMi-1Ia4qFDmZ1YWkQQhObQsbO5ob~iTIxOguAQhzIXZoB0clc3RhwL~zx8w85jSYfNHlucjHVeNBU-dl7Qo-pK1xnL4tlTPuLFGQqOrDjWSu~wb8DfV0gT6mBTIZkcrVUakOeoJB3-X-Tn-gGQbSMrKxeAF1df4iIGNZDD2nmyLwT-Gllb2UUvP6tUNam2V0-dqE55GsxY1nzXo1F~x6Md2tsWslE52vaY42Nwah-8WxPZ1w8YGFk22C~vRv0mWb5n9-jy8hIUjPjFuK88sx0Tphrr21q02wQrsQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","City finance staff told the council that the 2024 Hinkle report is in its final stages and that bank and software reconciliations for December are complete.

\"The 2024 Hinkle report is in its final stages,\" the finance presenter said, and financial statements required for filing with the Ohio auditor were expected to be completed imminently. Staff said the department expects to submit the final financial files to the state auditor's website once the remaining financial reports are received.

On reconciliations, finance staff said both the bank balances and the city's finance software showed the same ending balances for December after accounting for outstanding checks. The payroll account has been configured to show a zero balance at the close of each day; staff said that is intentional and that payroll transactions sweep to the general fund.

Finance staff reported a year-end carryover balance of $9,129,387.35 and said that federal ARPA funds are included in that total. When council members asked whether ARPA funds were part of the balance, staff confirmed they were included and said that removing the ARPA encumbrances would reduce the unrestricted carryover to about $8 million (not a precise extraction provided during the meeting).

Staff explained a two-month reporting lag for monthly reconciliations was being used so the finance team could clear outstanding items and present reconciled statements. The department also said outstanding checks reflect checks written but not yet cashed by payees.

Council members asked for clarifications about ARPA usage in prior ordinances. Staff said some ARPA funds were used to cover retroactive salary and contract costs for certain departments so general fund cash would not be strained; the finance director described those ARPA expenditures as a way to meet ARPA spending deadlines while preserving internal general fund carryover.

Staff asked council members to review the monthly materials and to let staff know what supplemental detail they would like in future monthly packets; one council member requested additional time to review before offering a formal response.

Ending: Finance staff said they will finalize the Hinkle filing and that monthly reconciled reports going forward will include bank statements, the finance software itemization and notes explaining any adjustments.","City finance staff reported the 2024 Hinkle report is in final stages and presented reconciled December figures; year-to-date carryover reported at $9,129,387.35, with ARPA funds included. Staff explained payroll sweep practices, a two-month reconciliation lag, outstanding checks, and how ARPA encumbrances were used to cover personnel costs.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Planning commission urges council to adopt comprehensive plan, seek first chance on parish land and pause new development pending zoning rewrite

Council committee reviews urban forestry grant application and digitalization contract; raises questions about shared drive access and city devices

Finance director: 2024 Hinkle report near completion; year-end reconciliation leaves $9.13 million carryover including ARPA funds