Existing Conditions

This section provides a brief introduction to general conditions and common characteristics existing in Miami Township at the time of this Plan’s initiation. Existing Conditions analyses identifies physical characteristics, such as existing zoning and natural features such as steep slopes, that impact existing land use patterns and may be expected to impact future land use trends. This information was reviewed by the Steering Committee and used to guide the development of the Vision Statement and Goals and to evaluate land use planning recommendations.

Regional Location

Miami Township is located along the western border of Clermont County, adjacent to the East Fork Little Miami River. The Township is bordered by two municipalities, Milford and Loveland, and by Goshen and Stonelick townships in Clermont County. Union Township in Clermont County is located to the south of Miami Township across the Little Miami River; while nearby Hamilton County communities include the Village of Terrace Park, the City of the Village of Indian Hill and Symmes Township. Miami Township includes several commonly-recognized unincorporated communities, including the historic river communities of Miamiville and Branch Hill along its northern Border, the former summer retreat community of Epworth Heights, and the predominately residential communities of Mulberry, Day Heights, Mt. Repose and Perintown that developed along the roads that later became state routes 28 and 131 and U.S. 50.

Miami Township is served by three exits from Interstate 275: Wards Corners Road, State Route 28 and U.S 50. In addition, Loveland Madeira Road provides highway access for a substantial number of Miami Township residents. Primary east – west routes through the Township consist of State routes 28 and 131 and U.S. 50, which follows the Little Miami River along the Township’s south border. Additional County or Township roads that accommodate east-west movement, particularly in the northern portion of the Township, include Loveland-Miamiville and Wards Corners roads. Primary north-south routes consist primarily of county roads, including Branch Hill- Guinea, Buckwheat and Wolfpen-Pleasant Hill roads.

Existing Land Use (Figure 2)

Existing Land Use, as the term is used in planning, refers to the primary activities that are pursued on a given parcel of land. It is essential to note that existing land use is a categorization of current uses. Land use categories do not indicate either existing zoning or any planned future land use. Current zoning for any given property may be entirely different from the existing land use; zoning only comes into effect when a property changes its land use through redevelopment or adaptive reuse. Similarly, land uses that may be planned for the future do not necessarily reflect the existing land use.

The following land uses are currently designated within Miami Township:

Single Family Public Utility

Multi-Family Non-Profit

Condominium Churches

Mobile Home Park Agriculture

Industrial Golf Course

Retail / Commercial Parks & Open Space

Office Transportation/Roads

Schools Township Land

Hotel County Owned Land

Nursing Homes Cemetery

Lodges Vacant

Existing land use classifications are based on site surveys, aerial photography and rezoning records.

Table 1 shows the distribution of existing land uses within Miami Township. The largest existing land use category in the Township (approximately 49% of the total land) is Single Family Residential. Vacant Land and Agriculture are the second and third largest land uses respectively (16.8% and 10.6%).

Table 1

Zoning is the primary mechanism used by Townships to regulate the permissible types of land uses and the manner in which those land uses are distributed throughout the community. While zoning is a reactive tool (districts are typically put in place upon the request of an applicant), it can be proactively used to implement the policies of a land use or growth management plan. It is important for the community to enforce an up-to-date set of zoning regulations that permit the community to implement plans and studies that guide their future. Communities with outdated regulations often find that they are put in difficult position of denying a project that they desire, or accepting a project that they do not necessarily want.

The current Miami Township Zoning Resolution was last amended on April 15, 2005. The Zoning Resolution establishes minimum standards for application throughout the Township by means of Districts or Zones. The districts currently being applied in Miami Township are as follows:

"A" Agriculture "PUD" Planned Unit Development

"B-1" Neighborhood Business "R-1" Single Family Residence

"B-2" General Business "R-2" Single Family Residence

"H" Resort "R-3" Multi Family Residence

"I" Planned Industrial "R-4" Planned Multi Family

"MU" Mixed Use Institutional "R-PUD" Residential Planned Unit Development

"O-1" Professional Office "T" Mobile Home Park

"PBD" Planned Business Overlay

Table 2 below shows the distribution of existing land uses within Miami Township. The largest existing zoning classification in the Township (approximately 58% of the total area) consists of the two Single Family Residential districts. Agriculture and Planned Industrial districts represent the next largest zoning districts, with nine to 10 percent of total land respectively. Chart 1 presents the same information graphically.

Table 2

Chart 1

Existing Zoning (Figure 3)

Slope analysis is a method for analyzing and depicting the relative slope of the terrain in a specific location by calculating the amount of horizontal distance covered between changes in elevation. Extreme changes in elevation affect various aspects related to development, including the types of construction possible and factors that will impact the construction of infrastructure, particularly water, sewer, and road systems.

Figure 4 illustrates the relative slope of the Township’s land. Darker colors indicated steeper slopes, while the lightest colors indicate relatively flat terrain. The percentages indicated refer strictly to the degree of angle and do not indicate whether the topography is rising or falling in a specific location.

Table 3 summarizes the percentage of land within Miami Township that falls within various slope categories. The majority of the Township (approximately 60%) has 0–5 % slope. The second and third largest categories are 10-15% and 20-25% slope (12.92% and 10.02%) respectively. Approximately 9% of the Township land surface has 25% or greater slopes. Chart 2 presents the same information graphically.

Table 3

Chart 2

Slope Analysis (Figure 4)

Public water infrastructure is in place in the majority of the Township, although not every existing property may be tied into the system at this time. Areas that do not have existing water lines are generally those that have steeper slopes, which make water line construction more challenging. Lines indicated are main lines and do not generally include lateral lines that serve specific properties.

Existing Water Lines (Figure 5)

Sanitary sewer infrastructure is in place in the majority of the Township. Areas that do not have existing sewer lines are generally those that have steeper slopes, which make sewer line construction more challenging, or are in areas where existing wastewater treatment systems do not have adequate capacity to address more distant areas. Current initiatives to upgrade several wastewater treatment facilities in the area, including the facility at Miamiville, will make it likely that sanitary sewer capacity will be available to the entire Township within the time frame of this Plan. Lines indicated are main lines and do not generally include lateral lines that serve specific properties.

Existing Sanitary Sewer Lines (Figure 6)

Figure 7 indicates areas that may be subject to flooding pressures, as well as the watersheds that intersect the Township.

Figure 7 identifies Floodway and 100-Year Flood Plain areas, as established by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). A floodway is the area directly surrounding a river, lake or ocean that is likely to flood during heavy precipitation events. A flood plan is the area adjacent to an open waterway that is subject to flooding when there is a significant rain. Statistically, a 100-Year Flood Plain has a 1% chance of flooding in any given year. Actual experience over time, however, seldom exactly reflects this expectation, and development upstream from a given site may raise its likelihood of flooding by changing water flow patterns. Flood Plain designations, however, do provide the official basis for FEMA’s determination of a property owners’ eligibility for flood insurance. The largest area of FEMA-defined Floodway and 100-Year Flood Plain in Miami Township is located along the Little Miami River.

Figure 7 also identifies Miami Township’s watersheds. A watershed is defined by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as the area that drains to a common waterway, such as a stream, lake, estuary, or wetland. Miami Township has nine watersheds, all of which drain to tributaries of the Little Miami River.

Existing Hydrology (Figure 7)

Figure 8 identifies locations where existing soil conditions will play a significant role in determining the feasibility and characteristics of future development. Wetlands are defined as areas that are inundated or saturated by surface or ground water at a frequency and duration that supports specific types of vegetation and is adapted for various types of wildlife. Wetlands exist in scattered areas in Miami Township, primarily near existing open water.

Hydric soil is a category name for a wide variety of soils types that drain poorly and may be prone to flooding and/or ponding. Although hydric soils can generally tolerate some level of construction, they often require additional site and/or building engineering to ensure stability. In Miami Township, hydric soils are concentrated largely to the east of Wolfpen-Pleasant Hill and Branch Hill – Guinea roads, including the vicinity of several existing subdivisions.

Hydric Soils & Wetlands (Figure 8)

Demographic Characteristics

The following maps illustrate selected demographic trends that are likely to impact Miami Township’s future development. Data represented by the maps was derived from US Census Bureau Year 2000 Census Block Data, which is the most reliable and detailed, source available at this time for the analysis of population distributions and characteristics. Although some slight changes in Miami Township’s population are likely to have occurred since 2000, the data represented here is likely to closely reflect current and foreseeable future characteristics.

Population per Acre (Figure 9)

Within Miami Township, the majority of the population is concentrated in the center of the Township. The highest densities occur in the Oasis/Miami Trails, Wood Creek/Paxton, and Day Heights areas. Lower density areas include the Sugar Camp/Dry Run and the East Miami vicinity.

Population Median Age (Figure 10)

The Oasis/Miami Trails and Wood Creek/Paxton areas have the youngest median age and the Sugar Camp/Dry Run, Route 50, and Lower Price Road areas have the highest median ages.

Population Age 50 and Over (Figure 11)

A more detailed look at population age distributions indicates a higher percentage of residents 50 years of age and older within the southern portions of the Township. The Route 50, Sugar Camp/Dry Run and Day Heights vicinities have the highest percentages of residents 50 and older. The Oasis/Miami Trails, Wood Creek/Paxton area and the riverfront communities have the lowest percentage of residents 50 years of age and older.

Population Age 21 and Under (Figure 12)

The youngest residents of the Township are most commonly found in its northern areas. The Oasis/Miami Trails and Wood Creek/Paxton areas have the highest concentration of residents under the ages 21 and under. The lowest percentages of residents ages 21 and under are in the Route 50, Lower Price Road, Sugar Camp/Dry Run and Day Heights vicinities.