By Kristin Rover
Sun staff

Clermont County will host two open houses next week to gather feedback on a five-year plan required to be designated an urban county.

The county was able to begin working toward urban county status when they reached a population of 200,000, according to Clermont County Commissioner Ed Humphrey.

Urban county status benefits the county by enabling officials to go directly through the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development rather than the program for small cities through the state when applying for Community Development Block Grant funding, Humphrey said.

“The biggest advantage is it brings more federal funds into Clermont County than we received as not urban,” Humphrey said.

The county could receive up to $899,000 in grants as an urban county, which is almost double what the county is currently receiving, Andy Kuchta, director of the Clermont County Department of Community and Economic Development, said.

In addition to more funding, Kuchta said the county will also have more flexibility in how they can spend the funds.

Right now projects have revolved around infrastructure, Kuchta said.

“Park improvements, street lighting, small cities are restricted,” he said. “Now we have a little more flexibility.”

The county can even use funds on projects that have the capability of creating new jobs, Kuchta said.

The Department of Community and Economic Development has been working on the urban county transition process for several months, Kuchta said, and right now they are working on the five-year comprehensive plan.

The plan addresses affordable housing in the county, senior living, health facilities, parks and recreation facilities, public transportation, resources for substance abusers, and more.

Two open houses will be held to give residents a chance to provide feedback on the plan and officials will use that feedback in the process.

The open houses will be held from 6-7:30 p.m. Feb. 4 at Union Township Civic Center, 4350 Aicholtz Road, and 1-2:30 p.m. Feb. 5 at the Union Township branch of the Clermont County Library, 4450 Glen Este-Withamsville Road.

Individuals who cannot attend the open houses can take an online survey at www.clermontcountyohio.biz/consolidatedplan.aspx.

For more information about the open houses, visit www.clermontcountyohio.gov.