Loveland Magazine

LOVELAND MAGAZINE

News and Events from the Loveland, Ohio Area

Without fear or favor

Since 2004

Tag: flooding

  • Watch as Zoning Commission moves forward with plan to build 12 homes on State and National Scenic Little Miami River

    Watch as Zoning Commission moves forward with plan to build 12 homes on State and National Scenic Little Miami River

    Aaron Rourke, the Assistant Regional Scenic Rivers Program Manager of the Division of Natural Areas & Preserve said, “The goose that laid the golden egg here, is the State and National Scenic Little Miami River.”

    This story was up-dated at 6:15 AM on December 6 to reflect that the vote the Commission took during the meeting was to move forward with the SPD process by holding a formal Public Meeting on the plan at an as yet to be determined future date.

    Loveland, Ohio – Richard Fisher spoke first and apparently had the wrong impression after hearing the Chairman of the Planning and Zoning Commission, Mark Redmond’s opening remarks. Fisher said, “I know you are not approving anything” tonight.

    During the Open Forum Fisher added that he hopes down the line, wherever this goes, that people keep in mind that we just went through a “pretty big game changing election” in which people said that we want elected officials to listen to us.

    However at the end of nearly one hour and 15 minutes of discussion and hearing from the public, the commission determined that the Schildmeyer proposal met all the conditions required to re-zone their property into a Special Planing District which would remove all current and existing zoning regulations by creating a new zoning map with its own set of regulations.

    Redmond, Andy Bateman, and David Parker voted that the proposal met the requirements of establishing a Special Planing District. Rob Weisgerber voted that it did not. Member Brian O’Neill was absent from the meeting.

    The vote was to move forward with the SPD process by holding a formal Public Meeting on the plan at a yet to be determined future date.

    No one from the public spoke in favor of the plan moving forward. Terry Schildmeyer, representing the family and Douglas Hinger with Traditions Building and Development Group testified in favor of their plan.

    Speaking about the importance of protecting the State and National Scenic Little Miami River, Aaron Rourke, the Assistant Regional Scenic Rivers Program Manager of the Division of Natural Areas & Preserve said, “The goose that laid the golden egg here, is the State and National Scenic Little Miami River.”

    The development shares 540 feet of frontage along the Little Miami River at 128 North Riverside Drive in the West Loveland Historic District. The site will be elevated by bringing in earth to bring it above flooding elevation.

    Loveland Magazine file photo of past flooding

    Rourke works for the Ohio Department of Natural Resources.

    Loveland Magazine file photo of past flooding

    The proposed Special Planning District would be located at 128 North Riverside Drive and includes twelve (12) single-family detached dwelling units (24’ x 56’ 3-Story Homes) with minimum lot size of 0.114 acres or 4,966 sq. ft. The owner is Schildmeyer Holdings. The 12 proposed homes would be across Riverside Drive from the Loveland Museum Center and the Tufts Schildmeyer Family Funeral Home.

    ____________

    In order to adopt an SPD, one or more of the following conditions exist, or will exist, within the proposed SPD:
       (a)   A concentration of retail and service oriented commercial establishments serving as a principal business activity center for the community.
       (b)   Land that is occupied by substantial natural characteristics worthy of preservation or which are historic aids to the identification of residential communities which help residents relate to their communities and to relate the social organization of communities to their physical environments.
       (c)   Lands which permit for ingenuity, imagination, and design efforts on the part of builders, architects, site planners, and developers that can produce residential developments which are in keeping with overall land use intensity and open space objectives of the Comprehensive Plan while departing from the strict application of use, setback, height, and minimum lot size requirements contained in the Zoning Code.

    ____________

    [pdf-embedder url=”https://lovelandmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/2024-11-07-Planning-Zoning-Commission-Full-Agenda-1876.pdf” title=”2024-11-07 Planning & Zoning Commission – Full Agenda-1876″]

     

  • Open letter to Loveland City Hall about proposed parking garage from Citizens for Rights of the Ohio River Watershed

    Open letter to Loveland City Hall about proposed parking garage from Citizens for Rights of the Ohio River Watershed

    Dear Loveland City Council Members,

     Citizens for Rights of the Ohio River Watershed (CROW) is an organization that advocates for rights of communities dwelling within the watershed to protect the health, biodiversity, and safety of the Ohio River Watershed ecosystem. Government permits that put the fragile balance of this ecosystem at risk not only affect the functioning of the watershed as a living system, they deprive local communities from exercising their democratic rights to protect their own health and safety.  

    CROW joins the Sierra Club Miami Group in urging Loveland City Council to hold a public hearing before Loveland City Council takes a vote on the proposed downtown parking garage. Addressing the parking situation in Loveland should rightfully include all stakeholders in the discussion. 

    Some questions to consider:

    1. The Little Miami State Park, located within the beautiful and historic Little Miami River valley, has been designated as a federal and state scenic river. It is protected because of its high water quality, panoramic setting, and the many historic sites that can be found along its banks. In accordance with the provisions of chapter 1547 of the Ohio Revised Code, the Miami Valley Scenic Park has an Advisory Council representing local interests. Has this Advisory Council been consulted about the ecological viability of this proposed structure? 

    2. The Little Miami River traverses an ecologically vulnerable flood plain. Trail volunteers report the never-ending battle of keeping the trail free of conditions that cause flooding on parts of the trail-clogged culverts, erosion caused by bridge embankments, and other obstacles that interrupt the flow of water away from the trail surface. Even a few inches of rainfall can cause permanent flood damage. With the ground’s inability to absorb or impede the flow of water, the consequences can be disastrous. We can further expect Increased microbursts and flooding due to climate change. If you have done a geotechnical survey to study the subsurface conditions of the soil, was this survey conducted before or after a rainfall? Has a thorough environmental impact study been done? How many trees will need to be cut down to make room for this structure? Trees increase the permeability of the forest soils, preventing erosion and flooding. Other potential environmental impacts: Contamination due to increased particulate matter, increased noise pollution in Loveland, the potential increase in stormwater runoff from asphalt surfaces and bulldozed ground, and the laying down of detention basins, new water and sewer lines.

    3. If we really need a parking lot for bikers, have alternative proposals for downtown parking been considered? Since the garage would be 100 feet from the Little Miami River bike trail, presenting a potential environmental risk, why not locate the parking garage 1000 feet away from the flood plain? Bikers are fit enough to drop their bikes at the trail head and park their cars 1000 feet away. 

    The Citizens for Rights of the Ohio River Watershed (CROW) appreciate your consideration of our concerns, our questions, and our request. 

    Signed: Jeanne Nightingale, Jessica Schultz, Jim Schenk, Bill Cahalan, Deborah Jordan, Mary Aguilera, Susan Vonderhaar, Nikki Orlemann, Lynn Hamamoto, Frank Collins, Sue Brungs

  • Rain closes Loveland roads

    Rain closes Loveland roads

    The Little Miami River at 9:15 PM at the Loveland Canoe and Kayak

    Loveland, Ohio (9:14 PM) – Heavy rain has caused the Little Miami River to overflow onto Karl Brown Way, East Broadway, East Kemper Road, and Cones Road.

    The National Weather Service is now reporting higher than the previously expected crest of the river, now at nearly 19′ in Milford, before the river level begins to fall tomorrow. The flood stage in Milford is 17′.

    The other nearest measuring station is at Kings Mills and there it is predicted to reach 18.5′, also higher than previously predicted only a few hours ago.

  • Little Miami expected to reach “Minor Flooding” stage

    Little Miami expected to reach “Minor Flooding” stage

    The graph above is from the National Weather Service depicting potential river levels around the Kings Mills area.

    The National Weather Service predicts that today’s rain will cause the Little Miami River to reach “Minor Flooding” levels tonight.

    At the Kings Mills monitoring location it is predicted there will be flooding of lowland areas occurring from South Lebanon to Foster. Portions of Mason-Morrow-Millgrove Road will also flood, as well as Stubbs Mills Road near the river, including Front Street in Morrow floods.

    Lowland flooding is possible along the Little Miami River in Clermont and Hamilton Counties, with flooding of Karl Brown Way near Loveland.

    The river is expected to crest near 17′ at Kings Mills and 16.5′ in Milford.

    FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL 1 AM EST FRIDAY...

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for East Central Indiana,
Southeast Indiana, Central Ohio, Southwest Ohio and West Central
Ohio.

.DAY ONE...Tonight.

Please listen to NOAA Weather Radio or go to weather.gov on the
Internet for more information about the following hazards.

   Flood Watch.

A rapid freeze-up is possible tonight as temperatures drop quickly
below freezing.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Friday through Wednesday.

Lingering high water may cause flooding to persist Friday and into
this weekend, even after the heavy rain ends.
    Weather Forecast
    This Afternoon
    Rain and possibly a thunderstorm. Some of the storms could produce heavy rainfall. High near 60. South wind around 13 mph, with gusts as high as 29 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.
    Tonight
    Rain and thunderstorms likely before 11pm, then a slight chance of rain between 11pm and midnight. Some of the storms could produce heavy rain. Cloudy, with a low around 23. West wind 10 to 18 mph becoming north in the evening. Winds could gust as high as 29 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New precipitation amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.
    Friday
    Mostly cloudy through mid morning, then gradual clearing, with a high near 35. Northwest wind 6 to 9 mph becoming southwest in the afternoon.
    Friday Night
    Mostly clear, with a low around 24. Southwest wind 6 to 11 mph.
  • [Photos] Higher-Ground needed today in Loveland

    [Photos] Higher-Ground needed today in Loveland

    Loveland, Ohio – These photos were taken between 10:30 and 11 AM from Ohio Avenue, Tufts Schildmeyer Funeral Home, Nisbet Park, Loveland Canoe and Kayak, and from Riverside/East Kemper looking towards Cindy’s Friendly Tavern.

    Loveland Canoe and Kayak

    Bishop’s Park on Riverside Drive

    Loveland Canoe and Kayak

    Loveland Canoe and Kayak

    Loveland Canoe and Kayak

    Loveland Canoe and Kayak

    Loveland Canoe and Kayak

    Loveland Canoe and Kayak

    Karl Brown Way/Broadway

    Tufts Schildmeyer Funeral Home

    Looking toward Cindy’s Friendly Travern

    Ohio Avenue

    Ohio Avenue

    Ohio Avenue

    Nisbet Park in Historic Downtown

    Riverside leading to E. Kemper Road

  • Drone video of Loveland flooding by Anthony Contini

    Drone video of Loveland flooding by Anthony Contini

    Loveland, Ohio – This drone video was taken this morning of the flooding of the Little Miami River by Anthony Contini around 9:45 AM.

    Video and Photo credits go to Campaign Hawks – Aerial Photography and Drone Inspections

     

     

  • [Photo Album] Minor flooding closes Cones Road, East Kemper Road, and Karl Brown/East Broadway

    [Photo Album] Minor flooding closes Cones Road, East Kemper Road, and Karl Brown/East Broadway

    One driver drove his Jeep into the flood waters in the 300 block of East Kemper Road and the occupants had to swim to safety. The automobile remained almost completely submerged overnight and the driver was cited by the Loveland Police because he ignored “Road Closed” signs.

    KASICH ISSUES EMERGENCY DECLARATION TO SUPPORT 17 COUNTIES IMPACTED BY FLOODING ALONG OHIO RIVER

    Loveland, Ohio – By 7:30 AM the Little Miami River had already crested overnight and begun falling by about 2 feet. Minor flooding was observed in low-lying areas. Cones Road, East Kemper Road, and Karl Brown/East Broadway roads remain closed to traffic.



    These photos were taken between 7:30 and 8:30 AM Sunday morning. 

    KASICH ISSUES EMERGENCY DECLARATION TO SUPPORT 17 COUNTIES IMPACTED BY FLOODING ALONG OHIO RIVER 

    Declaration Includes Activating National Guard; With Worsening Conditions Ahead, Additional Counties Will Be Added to Emergency Declaration as Needed 

    COLUMBUS – Today Gov. John R. Kasich issued an emergency declaration for 17 counties along the Ohio River and in southern Ohio due to dangerous conditions resulting from severe storms and heavy rain.  An emergency declaration allows the governor to use state resources, including activating the National Guard, to help local officials keep Ohioans safe.

    Impacted counties include Adams, Athens, Belmont, Brown, Clermont, Columbiana, Gallia, Hamilton, Hocking, Jackson, Jefferson, Lawrence, Monroe, Meigs, Muskingum, Scioto and Washington.

    “Ohioans do a good job of looking out for each other and we’re doing it again now also.  Teams at the local level are hard at work and state teams have been coordinating with them and supporting them over the past week.  As the weather and flooding is expected to get worse we’re staying ahead of things by taking our readiness up to the next level and declaring an emergency where we expect the worst conditions.  We’ll quickly add to those areas as it’s needed.  I urge people to stay safe by staying informed, not taking any chances and checking in on your neighbors, especially seniors and families with young kids.  Call your local city, county or Red Cross if there’s anyone who needs help. We’ll get through this as we always do, by working together,” said Kasich.

    A copy of Kasich’s declaration is available HERE.

    So far, Ohio storm and flood preparation efforts include deploying National Guard troops in response to local requests to help install floodgates along floodwalls. Other efforts include: 

    • Providing water pumps to Scioto and Lawrence counties
    • Holding coordination calls with National Weather Service and state and local response partners
    • Installing flood gates in the City of Portsmouth
    • Providing situation awareness reports to federal, state and local partners
    • Delivering sandbags to Athens County