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CITY OF MORAINE

HOUSING

Moraine officials recognized the need for additional housing in the City and began working to attract developers to Moraine successfully. These efforts paid off, and, in 2019, the ground broke on a new residential development of single-dwelling detached home units. City leaders utilized municipal-owned land to attract Ryan homes and built the Pinnacle Ridge and Wright Landing subdivisions. The homes were sold almost immediately after they were started, demonstrating to the development community that a market for new residential units exists in Moraine. Before those developments, Moraine had seen limited housing unit growth since before 2000. 


This Plan’s Future Land Use Section and Future Land Use map indicated where various housing types may be located east and west of the Great Miami River. The Future Land Use Map shows significant areas west of the river already zoned for single dwelling detached units. According to representatives of the utilities that service the western portion of Moraine, capacity exists to handle new development. New housing units will likely be developed east of the river as part of mixed-use redevelopment as identified in the Focus Area Two alternative of the Future Land Use Map. 


Residents of Moraine expressed a desire for “moderate” and well-paced growth. However, representatives of the City’s businesses stated that workers of all positions, management and non-management, have trouble finding homes near work. When their employees live further away from work, it can lead to increased absenteeism and recruitment struggles. This plan recommends a measured approach to growth that creates a new mixture of units attainable to all Moraine employees and residents to make Moraine their home.

RELEVANT GOALS

  • Promote a balanced development pattern to meet the community’s needs. 

  • Revitalize and “right-size” parks and recreation facilities.

  • Maintain infrastructure and support job creation.

  • Engage and retain youth. 

  • Diversify housing options.

Objectives 

  • Accommodate all housing types and densities.

    • STRATEGY: Refine zoning and building regulations and incentive policies to encourage a wide range of “missing middle” housing types.

    • STRATEGY: Examine standards for accessory dwelling units and decrease the required minimum lot sizes to incorporate new use types, such as duplexes, triplexes, fourplexes, tiny homes, and micro-units.

    • STRATEGY: Work with the development community to implement the Focus Area Two recommendations and create a new mixed-use development should the development community and property owners desire to proceed with the recommended redevelopment.

    • STRATEGY: Utilize infill opportunities along Dixie Drive to develop mixed-use destination neighborhoods where necessary infrastructure, community services, and facilities exist.

    • STRATEGY: Ensure that the pace of new housing development is consistent with the desires of existing residents while accommodating the needs of area businesses.

  • Create opportunities for life-long residency (young professionals, young adults, families, and seniors).

    • STRATEGY: Continue to leverage the City’s assets to accommodate and, when necessary, incentivize the development of new housing units on properties owned by the City or underutilized by other governmental or quasi-governmental agencies.

  • Continue to work with partner agencies and Moraine businesses to monitor properties and provide rehabilitation and redevelopment sites for improved residential developments.

    • ​STRATEGY: Enhance existing partnerships with the Montgomery County Land Bank to locate and purchase available  properties through sheriff tax sales. If possible, find multiple properties within close proximity to one another.

    • STRATEGY: Reach out to existing employers about creating an Employer Assisted Housing (EAH) program that helps offset housing costs for employees who want to live closer to work.

  • Market Moraine’s benefits to residents.

    • STRATEGY: Develop marketing materials and a marketing campaign directly towards potential residents, highlighting the City’s abundant park space, free trash pick-up, and low property taxes that can be shared with local real estate agents, employers, and developers.

What Did We Hear?

  Key themes from stakeholder meetings, surveys, public events, and ad hoc committee meetings:

  • As shown below, the residents of Moraine would like to see a modest amount of growth and limited multi-unit style development. 

  • Employers desire more workforce attainable housing so the 13,340 workers who commute to work can live closer to their work.

  • A mix of new housing types at multiple price points is needed to accommodate a variety of existing residents, workers, and future residents. 

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