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WHAT IS COMMUNITY COMPASS?

Community COMPASS is a plan built on a process of collaborative decision-making and consensus-building on issues vital to continued economic and social development in Hamilton County. Community COMPASS is a groundbreaking alliance of government, planning, civic, and private organization and individuals focused on planning our future. Through an exhaustive analysis of all aspects of the County over the last three years, the Community COMPASS process produced a bold new comprehensive plan—the first comprehensive plan for Hamilton County since 1964. This plan was achieved through collaboration and consensus-building that guides the Hamilton County Planning Partnership.

Achieving acceptance and implementation of Community COMPASS in Hamilton County—with 49 separate political jurisdictions and a myriad of other special districts—is a challenging and complex process. It required a collaborative forum for government officials, civic organizations, business groups, and private individuals to all have equal standing and equal voice in charting the future growth, economic development, and social advancement in Hamilton County. The consensus that has been created through Community COMPASS is in itself an achievement as important, far-reaching, and historic as the new comprehensive plan.

In developing a broad vision with broad support, Community COMPASS ensures that community trends are anticipated, challenges are addressed, priorities are focused, and that our collaborative future is planned strategically, with full consideration given to all the potential impacts on project can have on another aspect of community life.

Early in the process, Community COMPASS gathered input and ideas from throughout Hamilton County. In October 2001, the Partnership collected 2,800 ideas from the citizens of Hamilton County. Out of these ideas, the COMPASS Steering Team developed 12 broad goals for the County and four interconnected core issues related to Hamilton County’s vision.

Then, on January 12, 2002, more than 1,300 people came together at the first Countywide Town Meeting to set the course for Hamilton County’s future. The four Core Goals that emerged were assuring economic prosperity, embracing diversity and equity, balancing development and the environment, and building collaborative decision making. The Planning Partnership has incorporated the ideas from the Countywide Town Meeting into a vision for Hamilton County. This vision depicts a bold, bright future for Hamilton County. The citizens of Hamilton County challenged us to carry their recommendations forward through concrete, measurable action steps. It will take all of us — the 12 townships, 17 villages, 20 cities, hundreds of civic, public and private sector organizations and the citizens of Hamilton County — to develop and implement strategies that will make our vision a reality.

In Hamilton County, local political jurisdictions play a critical role in creating and implementing Countywide comprehensive plans. Most people assume that the Board of County Commissioners can adopt a plan for Hamilton County and proceed with implementation. This is not the case in Ohio, where state law does not provide this kind of power to County Commissioners or the Regional Planning Commission (RPC). County Commissioners may only adopt a comprehensive plan on behalf of unincorporated areas of the County.

For wide acceptance of Community COMPASS, the RPC must act as a catalyst for cooperative planning and inter-government coordination. Implementation is largely dependent on endorsement by local governments. From the start, Community COMPASS has strived to build a collaborative planning environment and endorsement of various goals, strategies, and initiatives.

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Community COMPASS Participants

Awards

Glossary of Terms

Community COMPASS Process

Other Plans (local, countywide, state)

Alignment with OKI

Indicators

Smart Growth Principles

Hamilton County Treasures

Community COMPASS Publications

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