Recommendations for Mount Adams plan up for review

On January 11 and 14 at the Holy Cross-Immaculata Church Parish Center, the Mount Adams Neighborhood Strategic Plan Steering Committee will give neighborhood residents and business owners the opportunity to voice their reactions to a draft master plan.

The Mount Adams Civic Association launched the initiative in September 2007 as a way address the growing pains the neighborhood has endured for years.

"The top issue and probably the most complicated is maintaining the great atmosphere in Mt. Adams and the character of the community," says David Brecount of the strategic planning team.  "The reason it's difficult is that it's very challenging to define Mt. Adams.  It's unique in Cincinnati and even the Midwest.  It's urban, and quaint, and a hodgepodge of people, businesses, and architecture."

Following the last community planning meeting in June, Brecount says that all of the issues, ideas and priorities have been sorted into seven groups: community life, development and preservation, views and hillsides, business district, parking, clean and safe, and infrastructure and utilities.

"Within each we have highlighted the community input, articulated a vision and objectives, and recommended strategies and tasks for accomplishing the vision and objectives," he says.

Input also has been solicited through direct mail, flyers, e-mail, surveys, the project website, and one-on-one communications.

Brecount credits the city planning team with helping to move the process along.

"The plan is intended to be the beginning of our efforts in Mt. Adams," he says.  "We hope the community to continue to add priorities to it over time and focus on accomplishing new goals.  Our community will continue to change and we will need to respond in an organized and thoughtful way."

The committee hopes to have a working document to present to the City Planning Commission in March.

Writer: Kevin LeMaster
Source: David Brecount, strategic planning team, Mount Adams Neighborhood Strategic Plan Steering Committee
Photography by Scott Beseler