Today Sycamore Township accomodates roughly 20,400 people: 8,282 households and 1,376 businesses. Although the majority of the population identifies itself as European ancestry, 4.5 % are African American, 4 % are Asian, and 1.2 % Hispanic. According to Claritas, Inc. 39% of the residents hold a college degree, 61 % of households are married and per capita income level exceeds $29,367 with the median family income at $62,623. Those numbers represent a 16-18 % increase from the 1999 surveys. Sycamore Township remains a thriving and growing community with diversity and people. It is governed by a board of three trustees and a fiscal officer. Townships cannot levy taxes in an excess of 10 mils without taxpayer’s approval by ballot and townships cannot levy any earning or income taxes. The Township operates with the local real estate tax, which the township uses to provide for police, fire, life squad and general maintenance.
Sycamore Township attracts revenue from all over the Cincinnati Metropolitan area with its shopping, office/retail space availability and convience, restaurants, and park facilities. Situated between two major highways (I-71& I-75) Sycamore Township is only minutes away from downtown, museums, the arts, major sporting events, theme parks, airports and more.
Life in Sycamore Township just isn’t what it used to be. Two-hundred years ago, the 7-square miles of present day Township land were nothing but farms and wilderness. Today, Sycamore Township is a thriving community of 20,000 residents and hundreds of businesses with all the advantages of central suburban living and a few more besides.
One advantage is the Township structure itself, a form of government created when all of Ohio was divided into parcels at the states founding. While the term may have a rustic flavor, Township government is actually quite appropriate to the size and scope of community activities. An elected Board of three Trustees and one fiscal officer streamlines the decision making process, resulting in timely action and services to Township residents and responsible representation of the community’s interests in larger regional issues.
Police and Crime Prevention
Sycamore Township Protective services are among the best and highest rated in the region. An experienced, well equipped police force is contracted under the Hamilton County Sheriff to patrol Township neighborhoods in round-the-clock shifts, seven days a week. Sycamore Township is a safe place to live and work largely through the efforts of officers, township officials, businesses and residents all working together in several highly successful crime education and prevention programs.
Emergency and Fire Protection
The Sycamore Township EMS and Fire Department was formed in 1995 from two nearby private agencies. The department operates from two stations, one serving the northern Township and the other located at the main Sycamore Township complex, serving the southern portion of the Township. Both facilities are staffed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. All fire trucks and life squads are equipped with the transport pumpers and life squad providing advanced life support capability. In addition to basic fire suppression and EMS response, the Township Fire Department provides Hazardous Materials response, handles heavy rescue operations and offers public safety education in CPR, sports injury treatment and prevention, and home and property safety inspections. Several Sycamore Township firefighters are specially trained members of the Hamilton County Urban Search and Rescue team, Greater Cincinnati HAZ-MAT(Hazardous Materials) team and the SCAT (Special County Arson Task Force) team.
Maintenance Services
Over 50 miles of Township streets are maintained year round by the 10 person crew and half a million dollar road repair budget. During the fall leaf trucks collect and mulch leaves from the curbside and when the ice and snow finally do arrive, Sycamore Township operates six snow plows/salt trucks, spreading over 1,000 tons of salt over an average winter. Other amenities provided to its residents include: spring trash bash, roadside brush chipping, scheduled monthly brush chipping, Christmas tree chipping, bi-annual mulch give-a-way, tree/stump removal, road repair, sidewalk repairs, park maintenance, pothole repair, and catch basin inspections.
Earning, Learning and Living
Today, Sycamore Township is home to a desirable blend of affordable to upscale residential neighborhoods, light industry and commercial businesses, Jewish Hospital and surrounding medical professions, first rate office space and thriving retail districts encompassing Kenwood Towne Centre and Sycamore Plaza. Six different public school systems, as well as faith-based schools offer excellent education experiences across a wide range of environments. The Township also maintains several public parks, green space and recreational facilities with baseball and soccer fields, shelters, playgrounds, nature trails and more.
Local Planning and Zoning
It’s no surprise that more and more people want to live, work and shop in a place like Sycamore Township. These days managing growth and change in a major metropolitan area is a complex issue and often subject to political realities far beyond the neighborhoods they affect. In 1999, the majority of Sycamore Township residents decided it was a good idea to keep as much of this decision making at home and voted to adopt local zoning authority. This means that the Township is free to make its own Planning & Zoning decisions. The Board of Trustees has since hired a zoning administrator to oversee daily compliance and created a Zoning Commission and Board of Zoning Appeals to review zone changes and variances.
Plans for the Township
Providing high quality services to the community is the highest priority that the Township can pursue. Over the decades residents, employers and Township officials have sought a common vision for Sycamore Township. And that is to remain one of Greater Cincinnati’s most desirable places to live, work, shop and play. If you are new to Sycamore Township, we welcome you and encourage you and your active participation in our community. If you have lived here all your life you have probably helped in many ways, and we thank you. And if you are thinking about moving your family or business, why not join us?
For more information about Sycamore Township, please call the Township Administration office at (513) 791-8447.
