Centerville Forward: City's new long-term plan starts with resident survey - Dayton Daily News

“Why we want (local residents) to participate is because they have the lived experience and that citizen expertise that we are counting on to help inform this plan,” said City Planner Ian Vanness.

The hope is that community input will help create a plan to shape the city’s future.

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The planning process is being facilitated by Columbus-based planning consultant Planning Next. That firm, plus city staff and a steering committee comprised of local residents, business owners and community organization leaders, will work to incorporate gathered data into the plan’s vision, goals and specific recommendations.

The city is contracted with Planning Next for $163,000, Vanness said.

Since adoption of Centerville’s last comprehensive plan in 2004, both the city and region have experienced change, city officials said. That ranges from Yankee Trace and the Ohio 48 business corridor in the south, the Uptown makeover in Centerville’s “downtown” and the Cornerstone development in the northeast.

“The city also has new opportunities to further improve the quality of life that community members enjoy,” the city said on the Centerville Forward site. “Now is the time to update the plan to sustain positive momentum and set a course of action for the future.”

Credit: Jim Noelker

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Some of the topics that are anticipated to be addressed through the planning process include maintaining a high quality of life for existing and potential future residents, providing a variety of housing options and improving places where people spend time.

“An updated plan will reflect current conditions and trends, help the city to take stock of what is going well, and assist in proactively addressing challenges,” the city said.

There will be multiple opportunities to get involved in the planning process, including pop-up events at various community offerings before the planning process wraps up in early 2025. Residents also will be asked to weigh in via social media, websites and email.

The backbone of a comprehensive plan is being a land-use document, Vanness said.

“We’re a landlocked city with only so much available vacant land, so it is a chance for us to look at ... where should development and redevelopment efforts be focused in the city, and that helps its residents just because it provides ... them some clarification on what the city’s goals are as it really revolves around land use,” he said.

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In recent years, comprehensive plans have evolved from solely being focused on land use, Vanness said.

“We’re very committed to different projects and initiatives around increasing the quality of life here, kind of being the destination city for the surrounding area, so this plan will also be a chance for us to figure out what residents and people who frequent Centerville for different reasons want to see here,” he said.

Credit: JIM NOELKER

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