LOVELAND MAGAZINE

News and Events from the Loveland, Ohio Area

Without fear or favor
Since 2004

Tag: Sweetheart City

  • A proposal for directional signs to accessible parking in Historic Downtown Loveland

    A proposal for directional signs to accessible parking in Historic Downtown Loveland

    March is National Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month

    by David Miller

    Dear City Hall,

    I ask you to install directional signs in our Historic District that point to accessible parking spaces.

    To honor National Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month I decided to revisit the draft of a proposal I worked on from 2014 until 2016. Most of the proposal was eventually approved by Loveland City Council and the Loveland Planning and Zoning Commission and is now adopted law in the City. I started the project in 2014 when resident, Amy Clawson raised concerns to me. Amy said that unfortunately, a very common problem for people who have different needs is in finding good, appropriate parking that can accommodate their physical or health issues. She pointed me to several instances of inadequate and poorly marked parking spaces in the Historic District. After taking an inventory around town, I published this story: Accessible parking; out of sight, out of mind, neglected and abused.

    This nearly invisible accessible parking space was at McCoy Park in 2014. There should have been a pole-mounted sign and the paint on the pavement had all but disappeared.

    Because most spaces in Loveland in 2016, whether on public or private parking lots were not in compliance with either Ohio or Federal law, the proposal was to mark all accessible parking spaces in the City in a consistent manner and for City Hall to choose a deliberate pathway to bring them all into lawful compliance.

    This was the neglected condition of the accessible parking sign near the restroom at Nisbet Park in 2014.

    It’s intuition that leads you to rather easily locate the accessible parking spaces at Kroger or shopping centers, however, since most businesses in Historic Downtown do not provide their own parking, directional signs as well as signage at the parking spots themselves are needed.

    At the time I started my research, accessible parking was out of sight, out of mind, neglected, and abused. During special events, they are still mostly out of sight and mind.

    I received the full support and helpful suggestions from both City Manager Dave Kennedy and City Engineer Cindy Cindy Klopfenstein as I crafted and illustrated the plan. Kennedy from his end ensured that the planning commission and city council gave careful thought to the plan and secured their approvals.

    When built, the Trails at East Loveland was the first new development to fully comply with the new requirements for accessible parking spaces.

    The plan as adopted requires that all new parking spaces from new development must tell the Planning and Zoning Commission how they intend to comply with the new requirements. Any repaving, recoating, or new stripping of existing parking lots must now also use the guidelines.

    Also adopted at the time was a policy requirement that all applications, whether from private groups or City Hall who filled out an application for special events describe on the application how they will provide the number of accessible parking spaces based on their anticipated attendance.

    The Accessible Parking Sign used by the State of New York

    The original plan I proposed was to use a new universal design that at the time was being adopted around the country, but through research of Ohio Department of Transportation law, I discovered that although they were considering the new design they had not yet made it their design of choice. The newer “fluid movement” design is meant to accentuate a more positive image of accessible needs rather than an expression of one using the parking spot as being “handicapped”.

    Also, one idea I had in 2016 was to have directional signs placed throughout our Downtown Historic District pointing to where a person could find accessible parking, without driving around looking for them. 

    Thus, in light of it being National Disabilities Awareness Month I have revisited my earlier proposal and now suggest “wayfinding” directional signs in the Historic District so people can find the hidden gems closest to where they want to go.

    I propose permanently mounted signs as well as portable ones that would be brought out for special events such as Christmas in Loveland, parades, and the Independence Day event.

    The Direction Sign I propose for Historic Downtown Loveland would tell visitors and shoppers where to find an accessible parking space and that the Sweetheart City of Loveland, Ohio is a welcoming community.

    Thank you for considering my suggestion.

    Best regards,

    David Miller

    The Accessible Parking Space Guide Approved in 2016

  • [Coming Documentary] How our Simpson Farm was preserved in its pristine beauty

    [Coming Documentary] How our Simpson Farm was preserved in its pristine beauty

    Loveland, Ohio – Coming soon to the pages of Loveland Magazine is the love story of how the Simpson Farm in the West Loveland Historic District was preserved in its pristine beauty. Local residents banded together and fought hard to establish a 41-acre conservation covenant that was eventually placed on the Simpson Farm deed.

    You will learn how the Drees’ bulldozers and proposed condos eventually lost traction and were steered away from Loveland.

    It was a four-year “labor of love” to keep the acreage in the heart of our “Sweetheart City” untouched by human hands so all future generations of girls and boys could fall in love with it as well.

    “This is a love story. As often happens, love stories often mingle with their nightmares and the familiar sleepless nights. First, the love story though, and perhaps at a later time what the current heartache is.”

    In the meantime, you can watch the accompanying video that will be part of the documentary. Featured are the sights and sounds of the wildlife that resides on the “Farm”. The primary reason for the effort that began 25 years ago was to provide a sanctuary and a peaceful place for the animals you see in this video.

  • [Video Highlights] 2022 Loveland Oktoberfest Weiner Dog Races

    [Video Highlights] 2022 Loveland Oktoberfest Weiner Dog Races

    by David Miller

    Loveland, Ohio – The Second Annual Oktoberfest Weiner Dog Races are a wrap, and fun was had by all the hundreds of spectators who came to witness one of the highlights of the two-day festival in Historic Downtown Loveland. The event was put on by the Little Miami River Chamber Alliance.

    Jordan Dwyer with BF Reality was the MC for the races.

    This LOVELAND MAGAZINE TV video is highlights from the three heats with a runoff to determine the fastest Weiner dog in the Sweetheart City.

    Also watch: The highlight reel from Loveland’s 2022 Oktoberfest

  • Perfect storm hits Sweetheart City and “Resort Staycation” of Southwest Ohio

    Perfect storm hits Sweetheart City and “Resort Staycation” of Southwest Ohio

    Loveland, Ohio – These photos were taken mid-morning on February 9 after the Loveland Area was blanketed with a perfect, sled-riding, up to 9 inches of school canceling snow.

    © 2021 Photos by David Miller taken in the City of Loveland and at the Miami Meadows Riverview Park in Miami Township.

    You can click on any image to view it larger and enter a slide show to see ll the photos…