Let's Talk Clermont

<p><strong>Episode 49: Utopia, Floods, and Clermont’s Hidden History</strong> <br /><br />Snowpocalypse is here, but we’re still recording. In this episode, we run through a few timely local updates, including a tax update from the Clermont County Treasurer as second half tax bills get recalculated and a reminder that first half real estate taxes are due <strong>Friday, February 13, 2026</strong>. We also preview two Batavia Township public hearings on <strong>Tuesday, February 3 at 6 PM</strong> covering proposed State Route 125 overlay updates and a new process for administering previously approved planned developments. Plus, a quick look at New Richmond Schools’ fiscal caution plan and the next steps toward a May levy, and an invitation to weigh in on Pierce Township’s proposed improvements to the White Oak and SR 125 intersection. <br /><br />Then it’s time for history. We sit down with <strong>Cindy Johnson of the Clermont County Historical Society</strong> for a wild ride through the real story of <strong>Utopia, Ohio</strong>. You’ll hear about three different attempts at building a “perfect” community on the river, a Fourierist-style commune that fizzled fast, a spiritualist settlement with a tragic flood collapse, and the later Utopia experiment built on barter and big ideas. Cindy also shares what the Historical Society is working on now, including digitization efforts and a massive project to identify Revolutionary War veterans buried across Clermont County, with some of their pension stories still preserved in local records. <br /><br />We wrap with a packed events rundown, from library book sales and job fairs to maple syrup demos and a Don Quixote story time with live ballet. <br /><br /> Follow on Facebook &amp; Instagram, and signup for the Thursday newsletter.<br /><br /><a href="https://www.facebook.com/p/Lets-Talk-Clermont-Podcast-61575113991187/" target="_blank">Facebook</a><br /><a href="https://www.instagram.com/letstalkclermont/" target="_blank">Instagram</a><br /><a href="https://www.letstalkclermont.com/custompage/newsletter" target="_blank">Newsletter</a><br /><br />If the show brings you value, consider supporting us!<br /><br /><a href="https://www.letstalkclermont.com/custompage/donate" target="_blank">Donate</a>&nbsp;</p>

<strong>Episode 48: Snowpocalypse, local levy talk, and why biodiversity matters with Doug Gilbert</strong>&nbsp;<br /><br /><br />It’s snow storm watch in Southwest Ohio, so we kick things off with a little “snowpocalypse” news&nbsp; and how&nbsp; some places have <em>exploding tree</em> warnings.&nbsp;<br /><br /><br />Then we look at some local news.<br /><br /><br /><strong>News</strong>&nbsp;<br /><ul><li>A <strong>1.3 mil Senior Services levy</strong> is headed to the <strong>May 5 ballot</strong>. We listen to a clip from the County Commissioners presentation and why the levy matters as Clermont’s older adult population grows.</li><li><strong>Batavia Village</strong> has a newly sworn-in council, a search for a new council member, and a search for a new village administrator. The <strong>Taylor Road annexation</strong> is back up for a vote in February, plus talk of airport-area zoning and limiting pre-annexation authority.</li><li><strong>Milford City Council</strong> swears in new members and selects leadership for the year, including mayor and vice mayor appointments.</li></ul><strong>Interview: Doug Gilbert, wildlife ecologist and co-founder of Love Our Land<br /></strong><br />Doug talks about conservation, why biodiversity is tied to real-world issues like stormwater, and what threatened species work looks like in the field. We talk <strong>Indiana bats</strong>, the <strong>rusty patched bumblebee</strong>, invasive species removal, planting natives, and how citizen science tools like <strong>iNaturalist</strong> help fill the data gaps. Doug also shares the story of documenting the <strong>box tree moth</strong> locally, plus a “rare bee hunt” you can help with if you spot <strong>wild potato vine</strong>.<br /> <br />We wrap with upcoming Clermont County events, including library programs, a job fair, and multiple maple season happenings.<br /> <br /> Follow on Facebook &amp; Instagram, and signup for the Thursday newsletter.<br /><br /><a href="https://www.facebook.com/p/Lets-Talk-Clermont-Podcast-61575113991187/" target="_blank">Facebook</a><br /><a href="https://www.instagram.com/letstalkclermont/" target="_blank">Instagram</a><br /><a href="https://www.letstalkclermont.com/custompage/newsletter" target="_blank">Newsletter</a><br /><br />If the show brings you value, consider supporting us!<br /><br /><a href="https://www.letstalkclermont.com/custompage/donate" target="_blank">Donate</a> &nbsp;<br />&nbsp;

<p>&nbsp;<br /><strong>Ep. 47 — Inside Stonelick Ridge: A Developer’s Vision, PUD Politics and What “Responsible Growth” Looks Like</strong> <br /><br /><br />It’s a quiet January week in Clermont County, so we skip the news segment and jump straight into the main event. We also give a quick Value for Value update, thanks recent supporters, and put out the call for more <strong>boots-on-the-ground reports</strong> from around the county. <br /><br /><br /><strong>Interview — Dan Griffin and Rod Sabo (Stonelick Ridge)<br /></strong><br />&nbsp;Dan Griffin, the developer behind the proposed <strong>Stonelick Ridge</strong> project off Ross Road near Lexington Run, joins the show with architect <strong>Rod Sabo</strong> to explain how a project like this actually gets built. Dan walks through his path from real estate law into land development and lays out what he’s trying to build here: a long-term, village-style community designed for multiple life stages, not a cookie-cutter subdivision. <br /><br /><br />We talk about the real development process from land acquisition to zoning meetings, why projects can burn <strong>millions</strong> before breaking ground, and how recession risk can derail communities if the plan isn’t structured right. Rod breaks down the architectural vision, including distinct “neighborhoods” within the development, design guidelines that builders must follow, and features like front-porch streetscapes, alley-loaded garages, street trees, and preserved tree stands that aim to make the place feel cohesive and walkable. <br /><br /><br />The conversation also gets into the political friction around growth in Batavia Township, including <strong>planned unit developments (PUDs)</strong> and what it means after voters repealed <strong>Article 36</strong>, the threat and reality of development referendums, annexation pressure between the township and the village, tax abatements, and the hard logistics like <strong>traffic planning</strong>, access management, and why roundabouts keep showing up in Ohio. <br /><br /><br /><strong>Events (roundup at the end of the show)<br /></strong><br />&nbsp;Nature Storytime and Craft at the Hartman Log Cabin, a free CPR certification class for Union Township residents, Foraged Tea Time at Clingman Park, Maple Sugaring hikes at Cincinnati Nature Center, Promont House Museum tours, an essential oils workshop at the Batavia Branch Library, penguin family night, virtual bedtime stories, kids story times and sensory play, and a Euchre club meetup in New Richmond. <br /><br /><br />Follow on Facebook &amp; Instagram, and signup for the Thursday newsletter.<br /><br /><a href="https://www.facebook.com/p/Lets-Talk-Clermont-Podcast-61575113991187/" target="_blank">Facebook</a><br /><a href="https://www.instagram.com/letstalkclermont/" target="_blank">Instagram</a><br /><a href="https://www.letstalkclermont.com/custompage/newsletter" target="_blank">Newsletter</a><br /><br />If the show brings you value, consider supporting us!<br /><br /><a href="https://www.letstalkclermont.com/custompage/donate" target="_blank">Donate</a> &nbsp;<br /><br />&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;<strong>Ep. 46 — Clermont County Reorg and Everything 4-H<br /></strong>&nbsp;<br />It’s a light first-week-of-the-year news cycle, so we hit a few local updates, then spend most of the episode with <strong>Carlie Newman</strong>, Clermont County’s <strong>4-H Youth Development Educator</strong> with <strong>OSU Extension</strong>. <br /><br /><strong>Interview — Carlie Newman<br /></strong><br />&nbsp;Carlie talks about what 4-H actually looks like today. It’s the largest youth organization in the country, with around <strong>6 million</strong> youth involved nationwide, and a goal of reaching <strong>10 million</strong> by 2030. We talk Cloverbuds for the youngest kids, how clubs work, how enrollment works, and how 4-H builds confidence by letting kids chase real projects and real responsibility. <br /><br />We also get into the stuff most people never associate with 4-H. Rockets. Personal finance. Sewing. Genealogy. Dogs. Camp. Shooting sports. Plus how OSU Extension supports the community beyond 4-H, from pressure canner testing to soil sampling to parenting education and youth driver safety programs. <br /><br /><br /><strong>News<br /></strong><br />Clermont County Commissioners held their annual reorganization meeting on <strong>January 5</strong> and selected new leadership for the year.<br /><br /> Goshen Board of Education holds its organizational meeting on <strong>Wednesday, January 7 at 5:30 PM</strong> at Goshen High School. <br /> <br />Follow on Facebook &amp; Instagram, and signup for the Thursday newsletter.<br /><br /><a href="https://www.facebook.com/p/Lets-Talk-Clermont-Podcast-61575113991187/" target="_blank">Facebook</a><br /><a href="https://www.instagram.com/letstalkclermont/" target="_blank">Instagram</a><br /><a href="https://www.letstalkclermont.com/custompage/newsletter" target="_blank">Newsletter</a><br /><br />If the show brings you value, consider supporting us!<br /><br /><a href="https://www.letstalkclermont.com/custompage/donate" target="_blank">Donate</a> &nbsp;</p>

Ep. 45 — Batavia’s Fire District Move, Zoning Updates and A Literacy Wake-Up Call&nbsp;<br /><br /><br />We start with a quick set of local updates, including a Batavia Township resolution that signals the township is taking the idea of forming its own fire department seriously. We also preview two Batavia Township zoning commission hearings focused on how the township handles previously approved planned developments and proposed updates to the SR 125 special overlay district. After that, we head to Loveland for a positive one, with applications open for Loveland U, the city’s citizen leadership academy.&nbsp;<br /><br /><br />Interview — Cassie Carter of Letters 2 Literacy&nbsp;<br /><br /><br />Cassie Carter, founder and executive director of Letters to Literacy in Batavia, joins the show to talk about what she calls a looming literacy crisis and why so many kids need reading support outside of school. Cassie explains how Letters 2 Literacy grew from a single Facebook post into a center now serving more than 200 kids per week. We get into the “science of reading,” why explicit phonics instruction matters, how gaps in early reading skills can snowball into confidence and behavior issues, and why some students can make it to high school without a strong foundation. Cassie also walks through what sessions look like at the center, how tutoring works, and how families can get started.&nbsp;<br /><br /><br />News<br /><br />Batavia Township fire district: Trustees approve a resolution creating a township fire department funding district. This is a signal in the ongoing tension around the joint fire and EMS arrangement with the Village of Batavia.&nbsp;<br /><br /><br />Batavia Township zoning, Article 46: Zoning commission continues a public hearing on a proposed Article 46 focused on administration of previously approved planned developments. The goal is to preserve enforceability of PD approvals made before Article 36 was repealed by voters and clarify procedures for permits, amendments, and compliance.&nbsp;<br /><br /><br />Batavia Township zoning, SR 125 overlay: Another hearing continues work on updates to Article 34, with special attention on the SR 125 special overlay district. Draft changes aim to modernize and clarify development standards, design requirements, and review procedures for the corridor.&nbsp;<br />&nbsp;<br />Loveland U: The City of Loveland opens applications for Loveland U, a 10-session citizen leadership academy running February through May on Wednesday evenings. It includes behind-the-scenes stops with city departments and partner organizations. Cost is $99 and dinner is included.<br /><br /><br />Events <br /><br />Clermont County History &amp; Museum Day, America 250 Open House at Promont House, Sip &amp; Paint at Promont House, Holiday Cryptids &amp; Hot Chocolate, Jump (Van Halen tribute) at Little Miami Brewing, Clermont County Winter Bird Count, Maplefest at Cincinnati Nature Center, and a DIY artist charcoal workshop at Clingman Park. <br /><br />Follow on Facebook &amp; Instagram, and signup for the Thursday newsletter.<br /><br /><a href="https://www.facebook.com/p/Lets-Talk-Clermont-Podcast-61575113991187/" target="_blank">Facebook</a><br /><a href="https://www.instagram.com/letstalkclermont/" target="_blank">Instagram</a><br /><a href="https://www.letstalkclermont.com/custompage/newsletter" target="_blank">Newsletter</a><br /><br />If the show brings you value, consider supporting us!<br /><br /><a href="https://www.letstalkclermont.com/custompage/donate" target="_blank">Donate</a>&nbsp;