MORE: Ross Twp. downtown plan unveiled
Ross Twp. Trustee Tom Willsey said the goal for the new UDF wasn’t to spur droves of people wanting to redevelop downtown. He said a community without growth will eventually “die,” but too much growth too fast also places a heavy burden on the township’s ability to provide services. He said township officials are walking a fine line, trying to make smart growth decisions.
“We’re kind of taking baby steps on this thing,” he said. “If you live in Ross you hear both sides of the story. A lot of people want conveniences and a lot of people want to stop every building that would ever be built again. You know — lock gate on (Ohio) 128 and keep everyone else out.”
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Willsey said the township modeled its downtown plan after Olde West Chester — a walkable place people can easily get to businesses. But, he said, the township does not want to become another big, bustling West Chester or Liberty Twp.
“We’re just trying to tether growth and keep it within the boundaries of what we think the people in the area moved out there for,” Willsey said. “For us to make Ross become a Liberty or a West Chester, not that there’s anything wrong with that, but for us to do that we would be defeating the wishes of the people we represent.”
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