Adams County Economic Development/Tourism Plan
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July 2015 Adams County Economic Development/Tourism Plan History and Nature A Patchwork of ADAMS COUNTY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT/TOURISM PLAN Table of Contents Acknowledgements ......................................................................... 1 Maps 2.1 Transportation Executive Summary ...................................................................... 1–8 2.2 Land Use/Land Cover Chapter 1. Background ................................................................ 1–4 2.3 Natural Areas 2.4 Flood Plains Chapter 2. Current Conditions .................................................. 1–22 2.5 Prime Farmland Chapter 3. Economy of Adams County ..................................... 1–12 2.6 Hillsides 2.7 Ohio Appalachian Counties Chapter 4. Economic Development Strategies .......................... 1–10 2.8 US Appalachian Counties Chapter 5. Downtown Revitalization ......................................... 1–22 3.1 OVRDC Service Area 5.1 Proposed Bike Plan and Rails to Trails Chapter 6. Implementation .......................................................... 1–8 5.2 Ohio River waterfront Redevelopment From Broadway to Cemetery Avenue 5.3 Waterfront Plan from Broadway to Melody A. SWOT Analysis 5.4 Waterfront Plan from Melody to Stark Appendix B. Key Informant Interviews 5.5 Waterfront Plan from Stark to Cemetery Avenue C. Community Forums 5.6 Peebles Trail Connections D. Adams County Market Analysis 5.7 Seaman Trail Connections E. Adams Co. Full and Part-time Employment 5.8 West Union Trail Connections by Major Industries for the period 2003-2013 5.9 Winchester Trail Connections 6.1 Proposed Development Areas A Patchwork of History and Nature 1 ADAMS COUNTY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT/TOURISM PLAN Tables Graphics 2.1 National Register Properties and Sites 2.1 Demographic Projections by Age Group 2.2 Adams County Population Figures for 1990-2010 5.1 American Discovery Trail 2.3 Adams County and Adjacent Counties Population Projections 5.2 North Country Trail 2.4 Age of Population 5.3 Buckeye Trail 2.5 Household Data 5.4 Appalachian Discovery Birding and Heritage Trail 2.6 Poverty Levels 5.5 John Hunt Morgan Heritage Trail 2.7 Housing Occupancy 6.1 Proposed Adams County Wayfinding Signage 2.8 Housing Units 6.2 Economic Development Strategies 2.9 Age of Housing 3.1 Adams Co Workforce 3.2 Unemployment Rates 2001-2014 3.3 Educational Attainment 3.4 Commuting Patterns 3.5 Class of Workers 3.6 Occupations 3.7 Number of business 1999, 2002 and 2012 3.8 Number of Employees by Industry Type 3.9 Top Ten Employers 2 POGGEMEYER DESIGN GROUP • THE EDGE GROUP • BOULEVARD STRATEGIES Adams County Economic Development/Tourism Plan Executive Summary A Patchwork of History and Nature Executive Summary Executive Executive Summary Adams County Economic Development/ Tourism Plan With funding from a State of Ohio Local Government Innovative Fund (LGIF) Grant, Adams County commissioned an economic development/ tourism plan. The consultants retained were Poggemeyer Design Group, the EDGE Group, and Boulevard Strategies. The county commissioners appointed a twenty-four member planning steering committee to work with the consultants and to provide input. The eighteen month planning process included three community engagement activities: 1. SWOT analysis among the planning steering committee president of the United States, the county boasts a rich prehistoric beginning dating 2. Interviews with fifteen key individuals representing the various back over 11,000 years. It is believed that that the sectors of the county Fort Ancient inhabitants built the world famous earthwork 3. five village forums known as the Serpent Mound which still exists and located in the northeast part of the county. This archaeological Numerous plans, reports and studies were reviewed for wonder was designated as a National Historic Landmark background information and for the preparation of an in October 1966 and in 2008 nominated and placed existing conditions analysis of the county. Goals, on the United States World Heritage tentative objectives and strategies were developed list. The county also played important roles in conjunction with the planning steering during the Civil War, including various activities committee. A draft of the plan was presented in with the Underground Rail Road. March 2015 and the final draft in June 2015. Adams County is the tenth largest county having 584 Adams County is part of Appalachia and located in square miles of land of which 63% is forested and only southern Ohio along the Ohio River. It is a rural, somewhat .81% developed for urban uses. The thirty mile length of the isolated, and sparsely populated county with 28,500 people as of Ohio River, which makes up its southern border, adds to the 2010. Founded in 1797 and named after John Adams, the second 1 A Patchwork of History and Nature ADAMS COUNTY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT/TOURISM PLAN Executive Summary Executive floodplain areas which constitute about 10% of county land. Additionally, with about 368 square miles of forested lands and hillsides that are mostly located in the eastern part of the county, development is limited to the western and central parts of the county. closest commercial airports are in Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky County Population and Columbus. This lack of transportation access limits the type of development that the county can pursue. ∙ Increased by 12.5% between 1990 (25,371) and 2010 (28,550). ∙ State of Ohio projections has the county population at 27,520 in County Utilities 2040, a drop of 3.61%. ∙ The County has ample water and electric service. ∙ In following the national trend, the county is getting older with increases in the population 45 years and older and a decrease in the 25- ∙ Availability of natural gas is currently limited to the southern part of 34 year old age group. the county. ∙ The number of people at or below the federal poverty level has ∙ Sanitary sewer system is limited and at capacity. However, the county is increased by 24% between 2000 and 2013 as well as the number of currently exploring the possibility of expanding it regional water district people receiving public assistance (by 34%). to include sanitary sewer services. ∙ The county has some access to broadband services and is looking to Access To The County Has Some Limitations increase its availability throughout the county. ∙ Two east/west routes traverse the county, one on the north, SR 32 (the Appalachian Highway) and one on the south, U.S. Route 52. Access County Taxes Include: to the interstate takes about 45 minutes (to I-275/I-71). ∙ 7.25% sales tax ∙ There is no rail service through the county. Its east/west Norfolk ∙ 3% lodging tax Southern Rail line was scaled back a few years ago and recently part of the line was leased to a smaller carrier serving Clermont and Brown ∙ Conveyance fee of $4 per thousand Counties. ∙ 1% income tax assessed in Manchester and West Union 2 ∙ The county airport is very small and has no commercial flights. The POGGEMEYER DESIGN GROUP • THE EDGE GROUP • BOULEVARD STRATEGIES Executive Summary Executive County Work Force ∙ About 12,000 people in its civilian work force with about 8,200 employed. ∙ The 2014 unemployment rate in Adams County was 9.1%, Ohio’s was 5.7% and the US’s was 6.2%. ∙ In 2010, the county’s rate was 14.1%, Ohio’s 10.1% and the US’s 9.7%. ∙ Educational attainment in Adams County was below its neighboring counties and the state. ∙ From 2009-2013 American Community Survey figures, 23% of Adams County adults did not have a high school diploma compared to 13% for its neighboring counties ∙ Only 11% of adults had a college degree compared to 24% in the adjoining counties. County Occupations ∙ The county had increases in the management/professional and related services and in the services industry. ∙ It experienced decreases in sales and office, farming/fishing/forestry/ construction/extraction/maintenance, and production/transportation/ and material moving. A key component of the economy in the county is tourism. Investing in this sector would greatly benefit the county. In The top industry clusters in the county are: 2014, the Adams County Travel & Visitors Bureau reported $31.8 million in ∙ Healthcare ∙ Utilities sales, representing $12.3 million in wages, $4.5 million in local taxes and ∙ Retail ∙ Accommodations employment of 579 persons. This represents a 9% increase in sales from 2011. ∙ Manufacturing The most prevalent industries in the county are: The top five employers in the county are: ∙ Utilities ∙ Arts & entertainment/ accommodations (tourism) ∙ Dayton Power & Light ∙ Adams County Regional Medical ∙ Retail Center ∙ Construction ∙ Ohio Valley Schools ∙ Healthcare ∙ Wal-Mart ∙ General Electric ∙ Finance & Insurance 3 A Patchwork of History and Nature ADAMS COUNTY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT/TOURISM PLAN Executive Summary Executive As of 2013, Adams County was designated as a “Distressed” community by OVRDC using ARC’s economic conditions criteria of unemployment (three year average), poverty level and per capita market income. Adams County is within the twelve county service area of the Ohio Valley Regional Development Commission (OVRDC) which is one of three regional districts in Ohio of the Federal Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC). It is also the regional economic development district under the auspices of the Federal Economic Development Administration (EDA). OVRDC provides economic development planning, grantwriting and technical assistance to the twelve counties and is the conduit for funding community and economic development