HUGE Grant

[Dawn Longworth]

I have talked to Lockland in person and I did email the mayor before and again today.  There are numerous trucking companies Maxium, Landis, Alan Woods and many others.  I tried to call all the trucking companies but that doenst work too well.  Believe me, I try all avenues before erupting into frustration like I did this morning.  This morning I called the Cincy Police and they went out to make sure the trucks were covered and were not speeding. I dont know what else to do but I know I wont walk away no matter how many walls I walk into.
When I stop getting complaints, I wont have anything to complain about.  You know?

[Valley Cat]

Dawn,

I would direct my ire at the trucking company, not the village. If you want, I can supply the phone number of the person in charge of development and perhaps he can relay the concerns you and other residents have. There IS a mass of traffic, at least on the days I drive through up Wayne to get to the office. And for the record, Jim Brown is the mayor of Lockland and his number is in the phone book. But it isn't his fault or the village's - it is the trucking company.

[Dawn Longworth]

These trucks are really getting under my skin.  3 calls this weekend from residents about the rocks, dirt and loud trucks speeding.  What else can be done??  I live where I can hear the trucks downshifting as they come down Galbraith to turn onto Hartwell Ave....there is no way I would want to be closer than I am so I can really understand where these complaints are coming from.  So, I went out to check it out this morning and I couldnt believe the amount of trucks over there.  I heard them about 8am but I am sure they started earlier.  Hey, does any of them see the residential houses they are driving by.  Do any of these drivers give a crap that they are driving through a neighborhood? 

Like I said before, none of this is illegal (except the speeding, and dont tell me they are not speeding.  If I am behind someone doing the speedlimit and they are leaving me behind in a cloud of dust it doesnt take a rocket scientist to do the math) but is does make POOR Neighbohrood relations.  And then they think they are going to put an exit ramp at Millsdale on Wayne?  Well, I will do everything in my power to make sure they can only turn TOWARDS Lockland when coming off that exit. 

I cant even be nice about it anymore.  Lockland Officials, grab your tents and families.  I invite you for a full week stay on any of the greenspaces on Hartwell Avenue or the front yards of any of the homes on Wayne.  Let me know how the dirt and dust from those brownfields work for you,  the noise from the trucks rattling every time they drive by. and how safe you feel letting your children play or ride their bikes on the sidewalks.  (Especially the new side walk that was installed on the northwest corner of Wayne & Hartwell ave. this summer that the trucks drive over everytime they turn the corner...destroying a new curb.)  DO YOU KNOW how long it takes the City of Cincinnati to repair or replace a curb in this neighborhood?  It was new for about 24 hours...Thanks.
 Maybe if you lived here you would care more.

[stargazer]

I live in Lockland so I guess I should add my 2 cents on the subject of the trucks. 

I travel down to Hartwell via of Anthony Wayne Ave. several times a week. 

Not long ago, one of those big trucks cut a car off that was 2 cars ahead of me.  Then, another one of those trucks cut off the car directly in front of me.  He came out of that lot so fast that the driver of the car had to slam on his brakes to avoid hitting him.  Once out in traffic, the trucks slowed down to around 20MPH.  Their loads were not covered, stuff was blowing down on the road way.

Now I am not saying they don't speed, I'm not there all the time to see.  I am just saying that my experience with them has not been speeding, it is them crawling around way under the speed limit and cutting off other cars.

[Dawn Longworth]

No one needs permission to use the streets but if an area is being deveopled they need to work with surrounding areas to make sure that deveopement will not infring on their quality of life.  Sure Anthyony Wayne is not the best of areas but that does not mean those issues should be ignored.  Lockland is also in support of an exit ramp off 75 when the "proposed work" is to be done.  The ramp would directly exit onto anthony wayne at millsdale. 

As far as the police, it is my understanding each district has a patrol officer to monitor speeders.  I have been out there to witness what people have told me for themselves and I do agree trucks are speeding, there are over 70 trucks a day coming down Galbraith to Hartwell ave to Anthony Wayne.  As far as Millsdale...with children living on that street and Curzon, large semi trucks on a daily basis is a issue.  Making a truck enterance off a residential street does not sound like a very good business discission.

I dont get to pick and choose what issues residents complain to me about, but I do check them out to see if there is a problem and this is definately an issue Lockland needs to address in order to be a good neighbor. Lockland supplies the area with a lot of jobs but that does not mean they get to do what they want and everyone gets to deal with the consiquences.  And I am sure we can blame this on the CPD because that would be much easier than holding the developers responsible for this lack of communication with Hartwell or the CIty of CIncinnati.  The police have better things to do that make sure truck drivers are covering their trucks, spraying down their loads (which they are also supposed to be doing) and not speeding.  What about Lockland police?  Do they have any accountablity in this? Sure.  Do I have other issues that are more pressing, yep.  But this is still an issue that was brought up by residents and I have to look into it.  I have and I see the problems.

[Valley Cat]

The buildings have come down and the construction traffic is on its way.  The abundant amount of semi and dump trucks on Wayne speeding and loosing dirt and gravel.  People complaining their cars are loaded with dirt, they cant open their home windows and the dust prevents outside playing or sitting on the porch. The trucks drive too fast and tailgate people who do the speed limit.

Then where is CPD? It's their job to patrol the streets of Cincinnati. I've followed dozens and dozens of these trucks, driving to and from my office and they travel slower that most traffic.

And who approved the trucks to use Millsdale?  Half that street is the City of Cincinnati and the other side is Lockland.  So a decision is made to make the enterance off MIllsdale so Hartwell residents get to deal with more large trucks on their residential streets daily.

I don't think anyone needs to ask permission to legally drive down a street. It could become a real nightmare if I want to drive to Chicago and I have to stop in every jurisdiction and get permission. I don't think this is how the law works.

WHO approved all this and why is Lockland not working with HARTWELL to make sure this is all kosher with everyone?  This is a residenial area and I dont personally care how much Lockland needs this development, the homes in Hartwell have been here much longer than these businesses. 

Dawn, Hartwell is not a city nor a village. It is a neighborhood. And as stated above, no one needs to ask permission to legally operate a vehicle, regardless if they are driving through multiple juridictions. The traffic has to comply with state laws regarding weight, having loads covered, etc. If they are not, complain to CPD. To try to cast blame on Lockland for developing a brownfield so perhaps hundreds of people can have a job simply is not right. If Cincinnati had the same mentality and capability of luriing developers - that is providing jobs rather than upscale or Section 8 housing, it would be in far better shape.

Lockland has always been the industrial town in the area. Reading supplied the workers, the managers lived in Wyoming. Later on, people settled in Hartwell (which became a shopping center), as did Elmwood and Lockland. The trollies ran up to the Circle Churches in Harwell and to Stearns and Foster in Lockland. In fact, Stearns and Foster, which was founded years before Carey, had weird working hours - 8:20 until 4:20. That was because of when the trollies arrived.

So ends today's history lesson.

Oh, and BTW, I doubt many homes on Wayne or Millsdale were built 130 years or more. Philip Carey was founded in 1873.

[Dawn Longworth]

Okay..lets talk about this now....

The buildings have come down and the construction traffic is on its way.  The abundant amount of semi and dump trucks on Wayne speeding and loosing dirt and gravel.  People complaining their cars are loaded with dirt, they cant open their home windows and the dust prevents outside playing or sitting on the porch. The trucks drive too fast and tailgate people who do the speed limit.

And who approved the trucks to use Millsdale?  Half that street is the City of Cincinnati and the other side is Lockland.  So a decision is made to make the enterance off MIllsdale so Hartwell residents get to deal with more large trucks on their residential streets daily.

WHO approved all this and why is Lockland not working with HARTWELL to make sure this is all kosher with everyone?  This is a residenial area and I dont personally care how much Lockland needs this development, the homes in Hartwell have been here much longer than these businesses. 

[Valley Cat]

Lieutenant Governor Biuce Johnson today announced that the Hamilton County Development Company (HCDC) has been awarded $500,000 from the Industrial Site Improvement Fund (ISIF), which provides grants to improve qualified commercial and industrial areas. The funds will be used to revitalize and develop a large, vacant former manufacturing site in the Village of Lockland
"The ISIF is a valuable tool that is making it possible for Ohio communities and businesses to create new infrastructure, and to upgrade existing facilities for future job creation," said Johnson, who also serves as state development director. "Lockland has a number of older industrial facilities and this project will allow a vacant site to be reused for positive economic benefit to the community and the region."
The Hamilton County Development Company, Inc. will invest $4.1 million for the acquisition, demolition and remediation of a vacant 27-acre former manufacturing site (Celotex) in the Village of Lockland. The project will eliminate one of the largest brownfield sites in Hamilton County and create a new development-ready site conducive to mixed uses, including office, warehousing, distribution spaces and commercial operations.
This project represents Phase II of the 100-acre Hamilton County Regional Business Park, which is expected to bring new private investment and job creation to the community. The project will be completed in three phases; the final phase will be to acquire adjacent land for demolition and remediation. The Hamilton County Development Company will partner with the project developer to market the property to new end users.
The ISIF is a reimbursement grant program that provides up to $500,000 in assistance to eligible Ohio counties for the purpose of improving qualified commercial and industrial areas. The proposed project site must be used primarily for commercial or industrial activities, and funding can be used for commercial and/or industrial land and building acquisition; public and/or private infrastructure improvements; expansion and/or renovation of existing buildings; and environmental remediation.
ISIF applications are evaluated based on the county's distress level, the project's feasibility and implementation plan, local and private financial participation and the economic and community impact of the project.

The little village justs keeps on bringing in cash.