City of Springboro, Ohio, U.S.A.

320 West Central Avenue
Springboro, Ohio 45066
P: 937.748.4343
F: 937.748.0815

Strategic Master Plan

Challenges and Opportunities for the Future

As the City of Springboro seeks ways to maintain and improve its quality of life, strengthen its economy, preserve its natural beauty, and discipline its growth, careful planning is taking a more significant role. This is bringing many new challenges and opportunities to the City.

The new challenges facing the City are complex. They require building upon a strong community history; preparing the way for the onset of exciting growth challenges; encouraging innovations in municipal services; forging new relationships with our partners in local government (Township and County); and focusing and stimulating the development of our economic development opportunities. These are but a few of the challenges facing Springboro in the coming years.

Springboro is recognized as a very desirable place to live. Significant growth and the expansion of services to support that growth provide the opportunity to achieve many, sometimes overlooked, benefits. The remainder of this section is derived from the reports of the four working subcommittees. They were: Community Image, Culture, and Values; Organizational Structure and Communications; Revenues and Economic Development; and City Services.

  • Maintain community image, culture and values. Despite significant growth during the last two decades, our community still retains its characteristic small town atmosphere. Longevity and historical significance notwithstanding, old Springboro is a fragile environment subject to insensitive alterations and additions, traffic congestion, and commercial and residential development. While changes in economics, transportation, and communications have made the City an attractive place to live, the resulting growth and urban sprawl threaten the very qualities which originally made the community attractive.
  • Improve organizational structure and communications. The City operates as a Council-Manager form of government under a Charter adopted by voters in 1978. Both the Charter and Council-Manager form of government are functioning smoothly. One of our most challenging issues is the need to improve the City-Township relationship. There is a strong need for more and better cooperation between the jurisdictions on annexation issues, services, and fees. Other questions focus on more efficient city services through privatization, expansion of various city facilities, and the use of modern technology to improve the City's communications.
  • Cultivate revenues and economic development. Citizens have come to expect a certain level of government services, sometimes without fully realizing the true costs of providing these services. Cities like Springboro have been forced to adopt innovative approaches to economic development in light of shrinking tax reserves. Additional taxes, while often justifiable, are no longer politically viable so additional revenue streams, such as impact and user fees, have been explored by city administrators to maintain or enhance current service levels. The City of Springboro is no different from the average American city in these respects.
  • City Services Subcommittee Survey Results. Approximately 6,000 surveys were mailed to Springboro residents in July 1995. The survey contained forty questions about city services and the citizens' evaluations and expectations of these services.

The City Services Subcommittee of the Strategic Planning Group prepared the survey to better ascertain where Springboro is now, and where citizens would like the City to be in the future.

By survey completion deadline, 1,023 completed surveys had been returned. Many respondents used the survey to voice their opinions on a myriad of subjects ... from annoying ice cream vendor trucks to recent City Council actions. The following brief summary reflects the subcommittee's observations from the survey data.

  • Parks and Recreation Approximately 30% of respondents are aware of individual recreation programs. Few (2-14%) have participated, and cited a "lack of communication" as the reason. Residents showed a variety of interests, mostly centered around adult and family sports/events. A majority (58%) of respondents agreed that non-residents should pay extra to participate in soccer at Springboro parks. A recreational/community center and/or pool were frequent write-in suggestions.
  • Streets The vast majority of respondents (78%) are reasonably happy with the streets, and 48% were willing to pay higher taxes for preventative maintenance. It appears that residents would support the development of a street maintenance plan by the Street Department. However, the current snow removal policy should be evaluated. Only 29% of respondents agree with the current policy; 79% of respondents want cul-de-sacs treated. A definition of "limited treatment" should be considered in the evaluation process
  • Heatherwoode Golf Course The survey was not intended to rate the course or its facilities, but was interested in Heatherwoode's contribution to overall city services. Springboro residents who golf at Heatherwoode play frequently (1-2 times per week). However, there seems to be great potential in attracting more local golfers. Overall, respondents agreed that the Nike Tournament, course rating, restaurant, and banquet facility benefit Springboro.
  • Library A significant percentage of respondents (79%) use the library and rate it highly. Almost all of those who utilize the library facilities want it expanded (76%). Recommended options are either to convert the meeting room (46%) or expand the building (30%). Because such a high percentage favor expansion in some way, further study of the options is indicated.
  • Utilities The majority of respondents are satisfied with sewers (83%), water pressure (70%), odd/even watering (63%), and the quality of water (56%). Most (86%) are not willing to pay more for unlimited watering of yards. Yard waste removal is important to a vast majority of respondents (72%). The benefits of the recycling program should be publicized more to increase participation.
  • Inspections An overwhelming percentage (86%) of respondents believe that the City should enact a regulation that requires builders to register with the City and give the City the right to revoke registrations if builders do not meet certain minimum standards.
  • New Resident Information Of the new residents who responded, approximately 40% indicated that they have not received the new resident packet or are not aware that they have received it. Perhaps the distribution method should be examined.
  • Image, Culture and Values A "Taste of History" festival received strong support. A significant percentage (80%) of respondents indicated that they would attend such a festival. In addition, 80% of the respondents preferred that the population of Springboro in the next ten years be between 10,000 to 15,000 people. The Springboro community, defined as the City, including the contiguous township area, already exceeds 10,000 people, and will most likely exceed 30,000 over the next 10 to 20 years. This will happen regardless of any additional Springboro annexations. To maintain the existing small town feel, city services need to be provided in a personal, responsive manner that will contribute to the impression of a smaller city. In addition, the successful accomplishment of many other aspects of this strategic plan will generate a sense of community and cohesiveness which are the marks of a less populous environment.
  • Police Citizen input reveals that the community is very satisfied with the current level of service provided by the Police Department. There is no apparent consensus for specific additional services.
  • Revenues and Taxes (The Hard Question) Percentages indicate that the majority of respondents are satisfied with the level of services for sewers (84%), streets (70%), city beautification (64%), disaster warning system (59%), parks/recreation (58%), water (57%), and the library (54%). However, a significant percentage (though not a majority) are willing to pay more for better services in certain areas, such as a new recreation/community center (40%), better parks/recreation (25%), or a better library (24%).
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