Amberley Green

At the Candidate's Forum hosted by the Amberley Women's Forum, council candidates were asked the question "do you support multi-family housing?"  My answer then, and now, is that, with the proper zoning, developer and plan, multi-family housing on Amberley Green would be a good amenity to our current and future residents. We are a community with an aging population who have made it known that they would be very interested in luxury condos or lifestyle homes on Amberley Green. Also, the same kind of housing would appeal to young professionals. Built in the context of the mixed-use development recommended by the Amberley Long Range Planning Committee  and as part of a larger development that is safe and walkable, we would be adding value to our community by providing more choices for living.

This evening I attended a meeting of the First Suburbs Consortium, which I wrote about in an earlier post. The topic of housing happened to be addressed. One thing that the majority of older, built suburbs, such as Amberley, have in common, is a lack of available housing for our aging population. The advantage that Amberley has, over Blue Ash (where this is the MAIN issue of concern), is that we have available land for rectifying this situation. Luxury condos, lifestyle homes, or apartments featuring universal design features might be just what Amberley needs in order to attract new residents and keep empty-nesters in our community. At the request of the attendees, this issue will continue to be addressed and meetings are open to everyone. If you would like to be notified of the next meeting of First Suburbs, please let me know and I'll be happy to get you the information.

Keeping Tabs on Me

This upcoming election, I am fortunate that I am running without an opponent. Hopefully that means that residents are satisfied, or, at least, not dissatisfied, with my job performance over the last two years. I have tried to communicate with as many of you as I can about things in Amberley that I am working on or that I think residents should be made aware of. I could probably update this blog more often, but then I might run the risk of becoming more spam in your inbox.

The question was raised recently about why I am putting up campaign signs and communicating with voters during election season when I am running unopposed. The answer is simple: I cannot expect voters to vote for me simply because I don't have an opponent. In my opinion, I still have to earn your vote, and to earn your vote, I need to prove that I am still working hard for Amberley. In fact, I have to work harder than ever because given the current makeup of council, and probably into the near future, I will still be a "lone wolf" when it comes to pressing for improvements that would positively impact the quality of life for residents.

My priorities haven't changed in the two years I've served on council. For example, even though the Village has paid off Amberley Green, economic development is as important today as it was when I first took office. Fortunately, our ownership of this beautiful piece of property gives us the luxury of dictating what can be built there. Safe streets for pedestrians is also of high importance. Nothing happens overnight, but it is silly not to plan for future possibilities. I will continue to search for grants to pay for future planning, like the grant opportunity I brought to committee last week from Interact for Health. There was no support for applying for the grant, but part of being on council is to continue to bring forth issues that are of importance to residents whether there is support for them at this time or not. Trends change, opinions change. It's important to stay educated to trends and make sure Amberley does not become a dinosaur because it's much easier and less risky to ignore them.

I've always believed that the way a candidate runs their campaign tells voters a lot about the way they will serve. A candidate who works hard for your vote, communicates a well-thought out platform, engages their constituents, and takes advantage of public outreach opportunities like the League of Women Voters Smart Voter, The Cincinnati Enquirer, or ICRC, is a candidate who has researched the issues and wants the voters to know their positions.

The Amberley Village Women's Forum is conducting a candidate's forum at the home of Stacy Lefton this Wednesday, October 16th, from 7-9 PM. Please look for more information on Nextdoor where you can also find Stacy's contact information to RSVP.

Paid for by Wolf for Council, 600 Vine St. Cincinnati, OH 45202

Panhandle Lots

A panhandle lot is a lot that is set back from the street, behind other houses, and only accessable via a long narrow drive. Imagine the main lot with a house, is the pan, and the long drive is the panhandle. In an predominantly built area, like Amberley, where some homeowners own large lots, panhandle lots may be the only area in which to build a new house. Typically, they are created when an existing homeowner sells a large lot and the new owner decides to subdivide the lot into two or more lots. Panhandle lots allow a developer to put an additional lot onto an exisiting property without building a new road. Panhandle lots can consist of one single lot with a single home or a series of new lots and homes, essentially creating a new street or drive behind the original street. Each new house would share one long driveway and the address, typically, is on the main street.

Earlier this year, The Board of Zoning Appeals heard applications from two developers over the course of nearly as many months who each wanted permission to create panhandle lots on property they had just purchased. Each property was in excess of two acres, thus meeting the minimum requirement for one acre housing lots in property zoned Residence "A." Both properties were located in deadend or cul-de-sac streets, and both were heavily wooded in the rear. Neither property owner presented a detailed plan to the BZA for the yet-to-be-built homes. Both applications were contested by existing neighbors and homeowners who stated that they did not desire the extra traffic from construction vehicles, additional curb cuts to create a drive, and a new house to be built in their backyards. Yet, each case was decided differently, primarily due to Amberley's current Zoning Code which does not provide any guidance for deciding on these type of lots. 

The trend for older communities is to restrict panhandle lots, allowing them only when detailed plans are presented to the BZA. This protects existing homeowners who were not expecting to have to share their backyard with a new homeowner's front yard. It also protects the integrity of older neighborhoods and the rural ambiance that comes from living in an area with larger lots and mature trees. Additionally, it puts potential buyers on notice that they may not be able to subdivide their property if it will result in a panhandle lot without first having their detailed plans scrutinized by the BZA. 

Amberley's Planning Commission has been examing new legislation that addresses this issue and will be presenting it to Council in the coming months. Please subscribe to our Village webpage at AmberleyVillage.org if you want to be notified of the public hearing for this ordinance.

Amberley is not an Island

One thing I like to keep in mind when I think about Amberley and my responsiblitity to the village as a council member, is how Amberley can remain a vibrant community, given the challenges that all local municipalities are facing, including elimination of estate tax, local government funds, and tangible personal property tax,  since most of our state revenue has been cut or eliminated. Where does Amberley Village fit within the structure of Hamilton County and who is looking out for us, besides our Amberley officials? Fortunately, we are not alone, but as a small community, it is important for us to shout a little louder and be a little more visible, so as not to be neglected.

One of the organizations that Amberley participates in is the First Suburbs Consortium of Southwest Ohio. First Suburbs are those suburbs that are generally located near core cities and were established prior to 1960. First suburbs share many common concerns -- older housing stock, shrinking tax base, and competition from the newer, outer exurbs for economic development. As the name suggests, the First Suburbs Consortium can generate the power of collaborative interests to influence policy -- as it is doing right now regarding HB5 and changes to how Ohio collects municipal tax.

Representatives to the First Suburbs Consortium are appointed by council. I was appointed in 2011 as an "alternate" representative. In February of this year, I learned that our appointed representative was not attending meetings, thereby leaving Amberley unrepresented and without a voice. In March, I attended my first First Suburbs general membership meeting where the Mill Creek Watershed was discussed, as well as updates regarding HB5 and other state legislative news. I have subsequently been appointed to serve on the executive committee of the Consortium.

Amberley is facing many challenges ahead, as we are forced to contend with a shrinking budget yet residents expect the same level of service they are used to. It is important for us to realize that we, as a community, share many of the same issues with our neighboring communities and that we are stronger when we harness our collective resources and ideas. The First Suburbs Consortium is just one way Amberley can have a louder voice at the state level.

French Park

Have you been to French Park recently? This 275 acre Cincinnati park in the heart of Amberley Village is one of our most beautiful amenities, if not the most beautiful feature of Amberley. The park is the second largest park run by the Cincinnati Park Board, and we are very fortunate to live within such close proximity to its ever-changing scenery.

The trails in French Park can't be beat. With the addition of the new Amberley Trail built by the Israel Scouts and Mayor Mallory's Teen Summer Greanleaf Program, it's possible to run or walk five miles without every seeing the same scenery. It's impossible to get lost, because all trails lead down to the creek, which leads to the parking lot.

The Amberley Creek, a tributary of the Mill Creek, is a great place for fossil hunters or hikers who just want to escape the summer heat. There are plenty of surprises in the park too. Have you seen Mr. French's pet cemetary? I ran the trails this morning, and I was surprised by a new park improvement -- new stalls in the bathroom!

If it's been a while since you've visited the park, I suggest a visit this week. The wildflowers are in full bloom and are simply stunning!

Water Management

My nephew, Tyler, an environmental engineering major at OSU, has become increasingly interested in water conservation since visiting a kibbutz in Israel last winter where significant inroads on water management and conservation are being made by evironmental engineers. This week, he installed a couple of rain barrels for me. I can't tell you how happy I am to have them, just from a financial perspective, since our summer water bills tend to lean toward the side of high to outrageously high. I like plants and plants need water. But from a practical and environmental perspective, many of us in Amberley have been dealing with the question of what to do with too much water for years. While the Amberley Creek and its subsidiaries provide us with a lovely ambiance, when it rains that beautiful babbling brook can become a raging menace -- overflowing its banks and flooding our yards. Yes, the water comes from the rain falling directly from the clouds, but it also comes fast and furiously from the gutters and downspouts on our homes.

Amberley: Before Rain Garden Installed

Installing rain barrels to collect the water from our downspouts have many benefits. First, it prevents the runoff from our gutters from entering our already overloaded storm sewers. Second, rain barrels help to prevent ponding and flooding of water in our yards; third, it prevents flooding of stormwater into our streets; fourth, rain barrels provide free water for our gardens.

 Rain gardens are another practical measure homeowners can take to harvest and control some of the excess water flooding their property. In fact, Amberley Village has examples of both a rain barrel and a rain garden at Village Hall.  Before installing the Village Hall rain garden, the south end of the field was prone to flooding. By installing a rain garden, not only has the flooding been curbed, but the area is now more beautiful with the addition of deep-rooted native plants and grasses, and is a habitat for butterflies and birds.

Rain Garden in 2008

Amberley's website has plenty of information about rain barrels and rain gardens. More information can also be found at Rain Garden Network, as well as guides for installation.

Rain Garden in 2013

Amberley Rain Garden in 2013

The Hamilton County Storm Water and Conservation District has published a manual for use in properly constructing a rain garden. It can be downloaded here:http://www.hcswcd.org/uploads/1/5/4/8/15484824/raingardenmanual.pdf

Electric Aggregation

Are you getting your electricity from Dayton Power & Light (DP&L), Amberley's electric aggregator? If you are not, is it because you are currently under contract with another energy supplier (not Duke Energy) and don't want to pay an early cancellation fee? Without boring you with the details of my own experience of trying to join with other Amberley residents and get the much lower aggregated rate (.045/kwh), I will simply clear up some misconceptions and provide some information that is not currently on our website:

1. DP&L will pay any other provider's early termination fee of up to $150. If you are staying with another electric provider because you don't want to be charged a cancellation fee, call DP&L and explain this to them. They are difficult to get a hold of, but they will call you back. If you send them an email, you will hear back within 24 hours. Their email address is DPLEnergyCare@DPLinc.com.

2. Amberley's contracted rate until May, 2014 is 0.0445 cents per kilowat hour. (My current rate with First Energy is 0.063 cents per kwh and changes with each reading. I would have saved much more money by switching last year, had I known DP&L would pay the early termination charge).

3. If you never contracted with another supplier, you are already benefitting from Amberley's contract with DP&L, even though your bills still come from Duke Energy.

4. You must fill out the form on the website and email or fax it to DP&L to get the Amberley Village rate. The rate for regular customers is currently 0.053 kwh, which is not as good a deal as Amberley's negotiated rate.

Start saving money on your electric bill!