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Milford Council approves FC Cincinnati Foundation mini pitch at Riverside 2 amid public objections
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Summary
Milford City Council authorized the city manager to enter an agreement with the FC Cincinnati Foundation to install a mini soccer pitch at Riverside 2 Park. Residents raised concerns about historic-park status, potential commercial signage and grant compliance; staff said construction costs are covered by the foundation and ongoing city exposure should be limited.
Milford City Council voted to authorize the city manager to enter into an agreement with the FC Cincinnati Foundation for construction of a mini soccer pitch at Riverside 2 Park. The order (25‑389) was read and adopted by roll call during the Sept. 2 meeting.
The decision followed more than an hour of public comment and council discussion. Multiple residents told the council the proposed location is part of a historic park and warned the project could limit the public use of the green space and violate terms of a Land and Water Conservation Fund grant. One resident said he had contacted the Ohio Department of Natural Resources and the conservation compliance manager to request a site inspection and expressed concern about permanent commercial signage and exclusive use by the foundation.
City Manager Gunderson told council the final agreement mirrors a previously approved memorandum of understanding and that initial construction costs would be borne by FC Cincinnati/Foundation. He said the foundation would have first priority for soccer camps but that use would be subject to reasonable advance notice to the city and that public access would remain available for most times. Gunderson also said staff do not expect substantial ongoing costs for routine maintenance; he described potential maintenance tasks such as leaf or debris removal and landscape care as the foundation’s responsibility.
Council members acknowledged residents’ concerns but said they had considered alternate sites and event scheduling. Council discussed Riverside 1 as a possible relocation option for some events and said event layouts (for Frontier Days, for example) could be adjusted. Council also noted the agreement includes language to prevent the foundation from using the site when the city has an event scheduled.
The law director read the order into the record and the city clerk recorded the roll-call vote. The ordinance authorizing the manager to enter the agreement was adopted on passage.
What happens next: the city manager is authorized to sign the final agreement and staff said they will coordinate scheduling and site logistics with the foundation and relevant event organizers.
Votes at a glance: Ordinance/order 25‑389 (mini pitch) — adopted by roll call; Ordinance 25‑386 (extend Little Miami Brewing Company property tax rebate to 2026) — adopted; Ordinance 25‑390 (electric aggregation with AEP for city property, 48 months at 0.06843) — adopted; Ordinance 25‑391 (natural gas aggregation with Symmetry/Synergy for 36 months at 0.529) — adopted.
