Developers say there’s a constant demand for new housing. Springboro and Clearcreek Twp. are attractive to many as suburbs of Dayton and Cincinnati, easily accessible from Interstate 75. The Springboro Community City School District is among the top-rated in the Miami Valley, and the area has restaurants, shopping and parks in addition to other recreation opportunities.
However, there is a cost to the growth with added strain on city services and resources.
“Challenges of residential growth always include ensuring adequate water/sewer infrastructure, road infrastructure, preserving enough park space for residents, and ensuring a high quality of life,” Pozzuto said.
For example, the city’s water system capacity can expand three times over current levels. The city averages about 2.4 million gallons of water supplied each day but the treatment plant can supply nearly 7 million gallons a day. The sewer treatment plant runs at about 50% capacity.
About three years ago, council members decided to double the annual road resurfacing budget, and the police department has added six officers over the past five years.
While housing does not bring in as much income tax as people may believe, Pozzuto said it does make a community more attractive from a market perspective.
”Many businesses solely look at rooftops when they are deciding where to locate a business or expand a business,” he said.
Not all area residents are welcoming to new development.
A grassroots effort called Keep It Rural has formed to push back against construction of new neighborhoods and has a goal to preserve zoning codes and only encourage development that maintains the area’s rural feel.
The group began in Clayton in Montgomery County and has grown to include Brookville, Union and surrounding areas.
“We love the nature of it; we have deer, hawks, ducks that come back every year, raccoons, possums, all of it,” said Tammy Blevins of Englewood.
She said with some developments there are concerns about traffic, overcrowding of schools and taxes.
Jeff Kelchner, owner of Clearcreek Custom Builders, urged the public to “keep perspective” when it comes to development.
“Some people may have a different opinion if they saw what would happen if all development stopped over the next 15 years; this would affect a community’s services, tax rates, infrastructure and amenities,” Kelchner said. “Everyone wants to have that pretty rural setting and a view of farmland around their homes, but it’s also important to look at the big picture.”
Following are new subdivisions approved since 2024 in Clearcreek Twp. and Springboro:
Bailey Farms
Construction is not expected to begin until late June on the second stage of Bailey Farms at 6821 Red Lion-Five Points Road, just east of Heatherwoode Golf Club in Springboro.
M/I Homes of Cincinnati is the builder with 130 single-family lots on about 80 acres. The home sizes will range from about 1,500 to nearly 4,000 square feet with costs from $350,000 to $650,000, according to documents submitted to the city.
The final development plan for the second stage was approved by the planning commission in June 2024.
Clearview Crossing
Development is underway for the 41 single-family homes by Maronda Homes at Clearview Crossing at the southwest corner of Ohio 73 and Red Lion Five Points Road in Springboro. The record plan, the last phase of the PUD process, was approved in January 2024.
The houses range from 1,498 to 3,789 square feet with starting prices around $400,000 to $450,000. Two model homes are listed on the builder’s website at $699,990 and $559,990.
Copper Mill
Ryan Homes is the builder for Copper Mill, which will have 220 single-family houses on larger estate-style lots off Lytle Five Points Road. Clearcreek Twp. trustees approved the final plan last year.
The houses will be in the $700,000 to $800,000 range with floorplans of up to 5,300 square feet and homesites up to one acre, according to the builder’s website.
Eastbrook Farms
Fischer Homes plans 45 single-family homes on 13 acres on the north side of the 83-acre Eastbrook Farm northeast of the corner of West Central Avenue (Ohio 73) and Clearcreek Franklin Road, southwest of Whispering Pines. The record plan was approved in March with council approval pending.
A Fischer Homes representative said the houses will from their Designer Collection of homes with a price range of $500,000 and up depending on options buyers choose. The largest plans are upward of 4,200 square feet.
Northampton
Development is underway for the M/I Homes subdivision of 75 single-family houses on 36 acres at 1525 S. Main St. (Ohio 741) in Springboro. The record plan was approved April 9 by the planning commission.
The development is just north of the Springboro High School/Junior High School campus and offers house plans ranging from around 1,500 to nearly 4,000 square feet, according to the builder’s website. No
M/I Homes is requesting approval of rezoning and the general plan for a 16.65-acre expansion to the Northampton subdivision.
Wadestone
Fischer Homes is building 94 single-family houses from its Designer Collection in the Wadestone subdivision off 465 and 2515 W. Factory Road in Springboro. Record plans for the overall site were approved through July 2024 by the planning commission.
The homes start at $479,000 and go up to $945,000 or more. The largest homes could be 4,200 square feet or more, according to the Fischer Homes website.
Staff Writer Aimee Hancock contributed to this report.
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