SPARE America's Wildlands

Western Hamilton County, Ohio

Western Hamilton County is the last major, relatively undeveloped area in Greater Cincinnati. The county sits atop the Buried Valley aquifer system, one of the most extensive aquifer systems in North America and one of the most vulnerable to pollution and contamination. The county is divided into three distinct areas: To the east, flat plateaus crease into steep valleys as they move toward the Great Miami River; between the Great Miami and Whitewater rivers, large stretches of land are relatively flat and have the best farming soils in the area; to the west of the Whitewater River the landscape is characterized by steep slopes.

But sprawl is threatening this semi-rural community. The Hamilton County commissioners, township politicians and a coalition of developers are pushing for sweeping long-range development that includes widening roads and building a new bridge across the Ohio River. This threatens the unique rural character of the community and endangers farmland, fragile hillsides and precious green space. Sprawling development will increase traffic congestion, worsen air and water quality, raise taxes for new infrastructure and result in a glut of undesired retail and commercial development.

The Sierra Club and the Concerned Citizens of Western Hamilton County are working to fight out-of-control development and promote smart-growth alternatives. We must halt the spread of suburban sprawl by encouraging and rewarding development in established neighborhoods, preserving farmland and open space, and protecting natural areas.

Photo courtesy Concerned Citizens of Western Hamilton County

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