Lookslike there is a lot of agreement about the Ryan homes NOT being up toour standards and therefore, NOT what the planning commission wouldwant. So, why is the planning commission wasting time on a long tripto look at and consider something they (should) already know is wrongfor Sawyers Mill? Unless they intend to lower the standards (again),in which case why have standards at all?

Toredirect the focus of this topic toward how the city wastes our money. . . take note that Middletown’s major and continued expenditureof time and money has contributed to the improvement, prestige andmonetary gain (in school tax revenue) of THE SURROUNDING AREAS ofFranklin and Lebanon, much, much more than to Middletown !!!!!!!

Aren’tRenaissance and Sawyers Mill both in Warren County? A sign near theentrance to The Renaissance touts that they are in Lebanon / Franklinschool districts. Students living there would not have to attend thepoorly rated Middletown schools, and of course Middletown gets noschool levy tax dollars (about 80% of real estate taxes) from them.

Couldthis be a perfect example of why we should observe mistakes of thepast in order to avoid repeating or continuing them?

MrKohler, a former city planner, revealed in an earlier planningcommission meeting:

“TheMaster Plan called for the area east of I-75 to be a medical campus,office complexes, future conference centers, office buildings,retail. He said this area was going to be the new area, the“Renaissance” of Middletown.”

Onthe opposite side of St Rte 122 from The Renaissance development,there are acres of empty fields adjacent to Middletown RegionalHospital which remain undeveloped partly because the Renaissanceresidents (rightfully) object to the too close proximity ofcommercial or retail development which might lower the value of theirupscale properties.

Morethoughtful planning bythe city concerningappropriate placement of residential properties adjacent tocommercial properties, wouldhave avoided this conflict. Better, more advantageous use of theavailable and valuable space along the I-75 corridor, might haveincluded more of the original Master Plan . . . office complexes etc. We could have had booming economic growth like our neighbor, WestChester has along I-75. Think of the much needed tax revenues thatwould havegeneratedFORMIDDLETOWN.

Furthermore, whyaren’t we now rehabbing homes that are affordable for the averageMiddletonian . . . the resident who for years has paid for all thefolly, poor planning and frivolous spending (on downtown) thatresulted in higher and higher taxes for fewer and fewer services andamenities. 

Supporting the rebuilding and improvement of ourestablished neighborhoods all over Middletown should broaden our taxbase, and raise our residents’ hopes for a recovery that shouldhave taken place long ago. IF, at the same time, we improve ourschools’ academic performance (instead of wasting tax dollars onthe unnecessary replacement of school buildings) and improve ourinfrastructure we will exponentially boost our ability to attract newhome buyers. It would be more timely THEN to begin building newlarger homes actually located IN MIDDLETOWN (so that OUR schools gainthe tax dollar benefits). Our time and money should benefitMiddletown, not Franklin or Lebanon. No field trips or highly paidadvisers doing unnecessary studies, are needed. 

 Just use SOME COMMONSENSE! Encourage and consider public input when examining the possibleconsequences of proposed programs and plans. It won’t hurt ! Andit might just avoid some pitfalls and mistakes that a narrow orsingle view point might not notice . . . Mr Adkins.

P.S.: The higher standards for new housing which were adopted for upscaleRenaissance properties need not be applied to older neighborhoodswhere it PREVENTS rebuilding on the empty lots where homes have beenrazed (leaving gaping holes). The city is actually punishing, nothelping, our older (but still vital) neighborhoods.