Scenic Ohio has sent a letter to Governor Ted Strickland requesting that a committee be created to view the impact of the Ohio Department of Transportation’s new Vegetative Maintenance Policy.

We find the title, Vegetative Maintenance misleading. It should be titled “Vegetative Clearing or Removal” and is a “give away” of the public rightof- way to the billboard industry. It allows the taking of public land for private benefit. The public right-of-way belongs to the citizens of Ohio and not the billboard industry. The compensatory vegetative plan in the policy might mitigate the loss of trees and shrubs by relocating them, but it will not compensate for the loss of habitat and biodiversity and the destruction of hundreds of acres of Ohio native landscape.

Ohio’s scenic vistas are an important attraction for tourism and economic development and should be protected. It is time for the State to assert its right to control its right of ways in a manner that is in the best interest of all its citizens, not just a select few.

Gary has been on the board of Scenic Ohio since it was the Ohio Roadside Council. He replaced Ernie Dewald, FASLA in 1980 - one of his many landscape architect mentors. His extensive experience in a broad range of urban design, land planning, landscape architecture and land use vision planning, has made his commitment to our organization invaluable.

A graduate of Michigan State University's School of Landscape Architecture and Urban Planning, Gary began his career working for the City of Akron where he was City Design Administrator from 1972-79. Since then Cincinnati has been his home. His landscape architectural projects have won many awards and can be found throughout Ohio and surrounding states: Taylor Park Historic Riverwalk, Newport, KY; The Dayton National Cemetery; Kentucky Gateway and Riverside Drive in Covington, KY, Newport Riverwalk, Newport, KY; Lawrenceburg LeveeWalk, Lawrenceburg, IN; are a few examples. He has also work on numerous award winning town plans and land use studies.

His award winning Eastern Corridor Land Use Vision Plan is presented in this newsletter. It is a unique regional and national model for context-sensitive design; integrating land use planning and multi-modal transportation design. Scenic Ohio is promoting context sensitive design and planning for the entire state.

Active with the American Society of Landscape Architects, he received the Ohio Medal in 1988 and was elected National Fellow by his peers in 1989. He is also a member of The American Association of Botanical Gardens and Arboreta, Urban Land Institute, the Greater Cincinnati Hillside Trust and the Greater Cincinnati Civic Garden Center where he was elected Honorary Life Member.

Stephen Ambrose who died of lung cancer at age 66 on Sunday, wrote splendidly of veterans of World War II he watched come home from war when he was a child. But there were other soldier and explorer heroes in his life.

“With his epic “Undaunted Courage,” no single individual has done more to create interest in the story of the Lewis and Clark Expedition than Steve Ambrose,” said Larry Epstein, president of the national Lewis and Clark Trail Heritage Foundation, Inc.

Author and historian Dayton Duncan was a close friend of Ambrose’s. He said, “What defined Steve Ambrose was his unbridled passion for American history. It was apparent to everyone who knew him - and infectious to anyone who read his books or heard him speak. What was also clear was that, while World War II was his specialty, the story of Lewis and Clark held a special place in his heart. He inspired millions of Americans to follow in the explorers' footsteps on their own. I can't think of any historian who's had a greater impact on this nation."

Ambrose contributed money from the sale of “Undaunted Courage” to assist the Lewis and Clark Trail Heritage Foundation with stewardship projects and the pursuit of scholarship in its quarterly magazine, “We Proceeded On.” He also contributed to local Lewis and Clark projects in many places along the 3,700-mile trail and he gave generously to the National Council of the Lewis and Clark Bicentennial in preparation for the 2003-06 commemoration of the Lewis and Clark Expedition.

As the most visible figure in preparations for the Lewis and Clark Bicentennial, Ambrose will be sorely missed at the first “Signature Event” during the week of Jan. 18 at Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello. “What a damn shame that he won't be present for the Bicentennial,” Epstein said. “Actually, his daughter Stephanie is right, he will be watching from the front row, seated with a group of his heroes, buckskin shirt, drink, and all.”

Submit (1) 8”x 10” or 5”x 7” black and white or color photo of one of Ohio’s historic or ecological scenic resources or byways. Please include complete photo credits with image. Great photos will be posted on our website. A release form will be forwarded to those selected. All photos posted on www.scenicohio.org during the year will be entered into the annual photo contest. Please send photos now, if you would like them to be considered for posting on the scenic Ohio website. Three winners will be selected for recognition and special award at the 2011 Scenic Ohio Awards ceremony.

From Scenic America:

America has lost a national treasure. Lady Bird Johnson, of course, was a special hero to Scenic America and the entire scenic conservation movement. She was our spiritual godmother and the inspiration for our work. We serve proudly as the guardian of her legacy.

Lady Bird taught us that beauty is not a luxury, and that the landscape has an intrinsic value that cannot and should not be ignored or debased. She wanted America the Beautiful to be more than just a song title; it should be a description of our way of life and an expression of our most cherished values.

Her true legacy is not just the landmark Highway Beautification Act, the Wildflower Center, or the countless acts of conservation undertaken in her name. It is the movement she inspired. She leaves behind not just millions of acres of natural beauty, but millions of people, spurred to action by her example and courage, who share her commitment and passion for protecting our precious scenic heritage.

Lady Bird’s passing is an opportunity to reflect on her astonishing achievements and to rededicate ourselves to ensuring that her work continues. We must redouble efforts to complete the job she began over four decades ago.

Every time we see a field of wildflowers bloom or a billboard fall, we will think of her and remember the debt our nation owes to this remarkable woman, one of the most beautiful spirits America has ever known.

Scenic America extends its sincere condolences to the Johnson family and to her friends and promises to continue to do the vital work she said we all must do to save the American land.

Sincerely,

Kevin E. Fry

President

Mr. McGregor, a graduate of the University of Cincinnati and former serviceman of the Ohio Army National Guard, began his career with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) as Administrator of Field Operations in the Division of Natural Areas and Preserves. He then moved on to become Division Chief of Civilian Conservation at ODNR.

Following his work at ODNR, McGregor was elected Mayor of the City of Gahanna. As Mayor he took the city from default status to a Double A-3 bond rating. As a result of a disciplined budget the city was able to invest one-third of its budget into capital improvements.

From 2001-2008, he served as State Representative for the 20th Ohio House District and was Chairman of the Alternative Energy Standing Committee and three other Standing Committees: Agricultural and Natural Resources, Local, Municipal Government & Urban Revitalization, and Economic Development and Environment. He was also a primary sponsor of House Bill 487 which establishes alternative energy benchmarks and efficiency standards for electric distribution utilities; creates the Ohio Renewable Energy Authority to provide loans and grants to renewable energy businesses.

Now Executive Director of a Non-Profit, Bi-partisan group called the Ohio League of Conservation Voters, Mr. McGregor is working on energy and conservation issues.

Welcome to the battle of the billboards v. the public’s trees, an ongoing struggle being played out in states all across the country, with frequently sad and often frustrating results. Conservationists, local governments and even tradition-steeped garden clubs find themselves up against an industry with deep pockets, skilled lobbyists and a relentless drive to secure public property rights for its own profit.

All across America, billboard companies are suing local and state governments, petitioning transportation departments (which oversee tree-cutting along the highways and sometimes local thoroughfares), and lobbying state legislators for the right to cut down or drastically trim trees that grow anywhere near their signs.

Never mind that more than 70,000 of the roughly 450,000 billboards punctuating our federal highway system no longer conform to state and federal laws, and that tens of thousands of trees are cut down each year so we can all get a better look at them. Never mind that these trees were planted at public expense, often as part of local beautification projects designed to add color and beauty to the harsh look of concrete and asphalt.

“The billboard industry thumbs their nose at the law,” said Bill Brinton, an attorney specializing in billboard law and a member of the Scenic America Board of Directors. “These are the modern-day robber barons.”

Every year, the billboard industry gains new ground in its efforts to establish the right to “view zones” surrounding its signs, often taking rights away from taxpayers in the process. This year alone, the industry succeeded in launching legislation in at least half a dozen states. While some bills stalled in committee, others, such as one in Wisconsin that codifies the industry’s right to cut trees at no charge for up to 600 feet, sailed through with overwhelming support.

Billboard operators contribute heavily to lawmakers’ campaigns and offer free advertising space to legislators or to the lawmakers’ favorite charities, giving them a powerful edge when legislation hits the floor.

“The billboard companies will suck up all of your resources,” said Molly Diggins, state director of the Sierra Club in North Carolina, where a tree-cutting bill battle took place earlier this year. “Most of the time, environmental groups aren’t able to take up billboards because they don’t rise to the level of issues that affect public health.”

Meanwhile, the industry continues to profit at public expense, taking advantage of the lack of well-funded opposition. It’s a war they’ve successfully waged for many years. Part of the failure stems from a policy enacted in March of 1977, when the Federal Highway Administration gave states the right to enter into so-called “maintenance agreements” with outdoor advertising companies that would allow them to trim or remove trees that had grown in front of their signs.

In 1984, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Office of the Inspector General issued a report on the Highway Beautification Act, criticizing the policy on the grounds that allowing companies to cut down trees only prolonged the life of nonconforming billboards that didn’t belong there in the first place. The following year, a report from the General Accounting Office likewise criticized the tree-cutting policy, but the FHA refused to rescind it.

Finally, in 1990, the agency did rescind its policy and asked states to put an end to their tree-cutting programs. However, the outdoor advertising industry put so much pressure on Congress that federal lawmakers ultimately told the states they could ignore this change and keep their tree-cutting programs in place.

Starting in early 1800 in Maryland, the National Road, originating in Baltimore and eventually crossing Maryland, West Virginia, Ohio, Indiana and Illinois, opened up the "west" for settlers.

Surviving many transformations, straightenings and widenings, the National Road, also known as Rt. 40, now seeks State and National Scenic Byway status.

Over 700 historic sites and resources were identified on the longest portion of the road which is the portion that stretches through Ohio. These include inns located in Old Pike Towns (this was indeed a turnpike at the turn of the century), S Bridges winding around streams and historic mile markers, which were placed on the north side of the road every mile, indicating the distance from Baltimore, Maryland. Eighty-three of these remain.

When the route was widened to accommodate automobile traffic in 1972, many of the Pike Towns were bypassed completely and some historic landmarks were torn down. After realizing the cultural and educational treasure of this "road museum", the National Road Alliance was formed to bring interested travel enthusiasts together to preserve the remaining roadway and educate current and future history enthusiasts to the events that happened on this road. These include moving troops through 3 wars, escapes and captures of notorious criminals and the never-ending stories of the individuals and families deeply affected by living near this transportation icon.

Armed with grants from the old ISTEA and now T-21 funding, the National Road Advisory Committee in Ohio is submitting an application to the Ohio Department of Transportation for Scenic Byway status and eventually National status. When received, the six states involved will collectively become the longest scenic byway in the nation.

For more information about traveling Rt. 40 or the old National Road, contact the Ohio Historic Preservation Office (614) 297-2470 or visit the web site at www.ohiohistory.org/resource/histpres.

Marian Vance is past Executive Director of Scenic Ohio and now serves the Board as an Advisor. She is a member of the National Road Advisory Committee.

Karen brings many talents to Scenic Ohio. A graduate of Harvard Law School, she served in the Ohio House of Representative 120 and 121 General Assembly, representing the 45th District. She currently serves as director, Department of Law for Summit County Executive James McCarthy.

Her community activities are extensive and include: trustee, Akron General Hospital, Akron Law Library Association, Ardmore, Inc. and Leadership Akron; Akron Bar Association; Akron Health Commission; Children Services Board; Mayor’s Task Force On Juvenile Violence; Women’s Network; Chairman of Akron 1990 Charter Review Commission. Honors include 1994 Woman of the Year, Akron Business and Professional Women and Ascending Achiever Award, National Association of Social Workers.

Currently, in addition to serving as vice chairman of Scenic Ohio, Karen is a trustee of the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad and Akron Community Foundation’s Women’s Endowment Fund. Scenic Ohio is fortunate to have Karen’s commitment and professional

The American Society of Landscape Architects has awarded Scenic Ohio the chapter's non- landscape architect's award for making a significant contribution to the natural and built environment of Ohio. Scenic Ohio was recognized for its efforts over the past 50 years in improving the function and appearance of Ohio's highway rest stops, restricting and eliminating billboards and advocating the use of wildflowers along the interstate.

Craig Cawrse, FASLA, CLARB, APA, founded Cawrse & Associates, Inc. in 1981 as a landscape architecture and land planning rm in Chagrin Falls, Ohio. For the past 28 years, Craig has worked on a variety of analysis, planning, and design assignments. He has recently focused on sustainable designs within the context of the site planning, site infrastructure, and landscape design, including porous paving, rain gardens in parking lots, bio-swales to lter storm water runo, and bio-detention to allow storm water inltration.

Craig earned his Bachelor of Landscape Architecture degree from The Ohio State University, received Council of Landscape Architectural Registration Board (CLARB) certication, and was elected Fellow, American Society of Landscape Architects.

In 2010, Craig will be the President of the Chagrin Valley Chamber of Commerce. He is also past national Trustee for Ohio Chapter of ASLA and served as Chairman on the Solon Architectural Board of Review for ten years.

“I am sure we have all been driving down a highway, and, at some point, have admired a scenic view, a parkway drive, a stand of trees, or a visually interesting town. These all add to the quality and aesthetics of our visual environment. They help to relax us, stimulate us, and improve the quality of our lives. But the visual environment is something that needs protection, just like a historic building, a national park, or a scenic waterfall. These great views are Ohio treasures, and we must protect them, cherish them, and respect them. They are our heritage for generations to come, and we need to pass them on.

We, as part of Scenic Ohio, must strive to keep these views intact and be watchful of potential changes to them. Part of our responsibility is to make people aware of our visual environment and make them appreciate what a treasure these views are, so they are not blocked, obstructed, or destroyed, and that they are protected forever.”

Scenic Ohio has a number of publications available to anyone interested in scenic issues. They can be borrowed or purchased from us or ordered from Scenic America at 801 Pennsylvania Avenue SE, Suite 300 Washington, DC 20003 Phone: (202) 543-6200, Fax: (202) 543-9130, www.scenic.org.

¨ Taming Wireless Telecommunication Towers ($8.00 Scenic America) This Action Guide provides citizens, policymakers and planners with background and advice on dealing with wireless communications facilities through the planning and legislative process.

¨ From Sprawl to Smart Growth: How to Achieve Beautiful Results ($3.00 Scenic America) Part of an Action series on strategies for smart growth and scenic stewardship.

¨ Aesthetic, Community Character and the Law: $34.00 C. Duerksen, R. M. Goebel, (cosponsored by Scenic America and the American Planning Association) This publication helps land-use planners and citizens understand the law of aesthetics and the legal tools available to help their communities maintain their special features and sense of place. It covers design review, view protection, tree protection, sign controls, telecommunication facilities and major updates based on recent developments in the law and in planning practices.

¨ Getting It Right In The Right-of-Way: Citizen Participation in Context-Sensitive Highway Design ($8.00 Scenic America) Information on community involvement in transportation planning with strategies, basic vocabulary and helpful case studies.

¨ Fighting Billboard Blight: An Action Guide for Citizens and Public Officials ($20.00 Scenic America) An important tool for anyone concerned about the proliferation of billboards. It is a step by step guide to help you develop a campaign in your state and community.

¨ Scenic America Action Guides are available ($5.00 each or a set of 8 for $25.00) Aesthetics and Commercial Districts; Trees Make Sense; Economics and community Benefits of Scenic Byways; Wetlands NOT Wastelands; Evaluating Scenic Resources; Does Preservation Pay?; The Value of Nature and Scenery; On the Value of Open Space..

¨ Also: The Highway Beautification Act: A Broken Law ($10.00) Flexibility in Highway Design ($5.00) O, Say Can You See; A Visual Awareness Tool Kit for Communities ($20.00) Tree Conservation Ordinances: Land Use Regulations Go Green ($32.00)

A list of additional publications and videos is available. You may also contact Christine Freitag to order any of these publications. Christine may be contacted at (330)865-9715 or in care of Scenic Ohio, P.O.Box 5835, Akron, Ohio 44372

"ORSANCO (Ohio River Valley Water Sanitation Commission) has created a unique program that protects the health, safety and welfare of Ohioans and all who live in the Ohio River Valley. River Sweep cleans our shorelines, improves water quality, educates people of the importance of the river, keeps our Ohio River Scenic Byways beautiful, enhances tourism in the valley, promotes community involvement and spirit, preserves the unique scenic resource that we all are stewards, the Ohio River. River Sweep is truly a Great American Story,” said Gary Meisner, Chairman Scenic Ohio.

ORSANCO began this program in 1989 as a pilot project working with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources and the Kentucky Environmental Protection Cabinet – Division of Water. Initially this consisted of a 150-mile shoreline clean up from Cincinnati to Ashland Kentucky with 1,000 volunteers. Today the River Sweep is one of the largest environmental clean-ups of its kind in the United States. In 2008 more than 22,000 volunteers participated in cleaning up more that 3,000 miles of the Ohio River and its major tributaries. “This project is such a great event,” said Jeanne Ison, project director. “It brings together members of the environmental community, industries and government. We have been very fortunate to have so many people volunteer their time and we have had such great support from corporate sponsors.”

ORSANCO grew out of river clean up eorts in Cincinnati in 1934. Congress authorized the formation of the Ohio River Valley Water Sanitation Compact in 1936. In 1948 the compact became law and ORSANCO was born with Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia signing the Compact. River Sweep is a six state program of ORSANCO.

The Federal Telecom Act requires 5 basic conditions an ordinance must meet:

1. Must not unreasonably discriminate among competing providers.
2. Must not prohibit or have the effect of prohibiting wireless service.
3. Must act on the permit application within a reasonable time.
4. Permit denials must be in writing and based on substantial evidence.
5. No permit denials based on emissions (as long as they meet FCC standards).

Some things you can do:

Moratorium: Generally a period of 60 – 180 days to include public hearings, analysis, meetings with providers and a bona fide attempt to craft a permanent ordinance.

Intent of Ordinance: State the purpose of your ordinance. This is usually to balance the growth of and demand for wireless service with the need to protect the natural beauty and community appearance. You might encourage the use of existing structures, joint use of new towers and design with minimum adverse visual impacts

Land-use: Your ordinance should distinguish clearly in which districts wireless facilities are permitted “by right” versus districts requiring a special use permit such as a residential areas, historic and downtown districts. No tower should be permitted in areas of identified environmental or scenic sensitivity.

Tower height: This is critical. Your ordinance should specify maximum height across the jurisdiction or by zoning district. Height limits should be proportional to the predominant building heights and scale of topography. If the tree line is 40 – 50 foot, adopt a limit of 60 – 70 feet.

Future removal: Your ordinance should require the tower come down when no longer in use. The State of Ohio requires a $10,000 bond for removal when the tower is no longer in use.

We hope this information is helpful. Please call if we can provide you with more information. 330-865-9715, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it Christine Freitag, Director, Scenic Ohio. Scenic America has an excellent publication, “Taming Wireless Telecommunication Towers”. $8:00, www.scenic.org

Bucolic Parkman Township, in Geauga County has been faced with two recent issues concerning the scenic heritage of the community. One is the controversial plan to widen a 1.6-mile section of Route 422. The other is their effort to get a massive, double billboard torn down.

Regarding Route 422, ODOT officials said the plan was to improve safety and meet new standards. The locals rejected it, arguing that it would ruin the rural character of the township. Specifically, the plan calls for tearing out the grass median, widening each of the four lanes from 9 to 12 feet, and adding a 10-foot berm. The objective is also to relieve traffic congestion and, by adding the berms, to create lanes for Amish buggies. Trustee Kevin O’Reilly argues that it is not necessary to create lanes for Amish buggies since that the Amish in the area rarely use Rt. 422, instead preferring to use roads with less traffic.

Finally, widening Rt. 422 would allow better access to Cleveland and would encourage development in Geauga’s eastern townships. In fact, when Rt. 422 was expanded in townships in western Geauga, a boom in housing developments followed.

Construction on the project, which will cost 6 to 8 million dollars, will not start until 2005. However, there have already been efforts to try to stop the ‘monster’ from being constructed. One meeting was held in June. Another, at Parkman Community House, will take place on January 8 to discuss the matter further. Parkman residents and officials will be able to participate. The objective is to come up with alternative plans that will later be presented to the public at a meeting in late spring. Residents would like to have the existing lanes repaved and widened, but not turned into a highway. They also object to the fact that residents’ yards would be affected and one woman’s house torn down.

The second issue that Parkman has had to contend with involves the regulation of billboards. Early this year, Parkman Township contested a double billboard that was erected. The township took the billboard company, Genesis, to court to get it torn down because it violated the township’s ban on billboards. Unfortunately, the court ruled in favor of Genesis because it found Parkman’s ban on billboards to be unconstitutional. That is, it conflicted with a section in the Ohio Revised Code that allows outdoor advertising in districts zoned for industry, business, and trade, as well as agricultural areas.

Parkman appealed the decision, arguing that they can still get that billboard torn down under the township’s sign ordinance, which limits the maximum size of signs to 32 square feet. According to Trustee Dave Fuhry, this double billboard violates that regulation. The case is scheduled for trial on January 7, 2003.

“I think that I shall never see A billboard lovely as a tree. Perhaps, unless the billboards fall, I’ll never see a tree at all.”

Ogden Nash wrote this in 1933, and it is certainly no less true now than it was nearly 70 years ago. Though Nash’s poem was probably not their direct inspiration, a grassroots organization in Millersburg (Holmes County) led by activist Sue Banbury is planning a “Patriot Garden” that will commemorate both September 11 and Ohio’s Bicentennial in 2003.

Banbury and others of this informal group will plant 40 hardwood trees this spring in a strip of land that was created when part of State Route 39/62 was straightened just inside the eastern city limits of Millersburg. The trees, while honoring patriots, will also vastly improve the viewshed along the highway. The money for this project came from community donations given at Rohde’s IGA SuperCenter in Millersburg for “trees and remembering 9- 11.” A matching grant was provided by IGA as part of the corporate “Hometown Green” program that encourages and supports community involvement with beautification efforts.

The area for the tree plantings is along the Amish Country Byway, one of Ohio’s four National Scenic Byways. Sharon Strouse, OSU Extension Agent for Holmes County and president of the Ohio Byway Links organization said, “Grassroots groups are the key to having such projects appear along Ohio’s byways. Monies for such projects are readily available, and we need to encourage more groups to seek that kind of help.”

In a recent presentation to the Akron Area Arts Alliance, Ed Morrison, Director of REI (Center for Regional Economic Issues) pointed out that globalization has made economic development more complicated. Consequently we need to change our thinking from a command/control business structure to a collaborative structure. For this presentation Morrison discussed how the arts play a direct role in building community resulting in economic growth. We need to capitalize on our creative assets. Creativity, collaboration, and networking can transform our economy. This “new” paradigm could also apply to our natural assets. We need to make our natural environment as well as our cultural environment work for our economic development.

Ohio is a beautiful state with a wealth of natural assets waiting to be fully utilized to stimulate economic growth by attracting the new “creative class”. The term “creative class” is attributed to Richard Florida whose book The Rise of the Creative Class is a best seller. Florida points out that one of the primary ingredients for attracting the “creative class” is “quality of place”. Quality of place has three dimensions: what’s there, who’s there, and what’s going on. Florida defines what’s there as a “combination of the built environment and the natural environment; a proper setting for pursuit of creative lives” (p.231). In comments following a recent lecture in Akron he confirmed that how a place looked—neighborhood, community, area, state—plays a vital role in future economic development.

Ohio is blessed with a rich and varied landscape: flatlands, uplands, rolling hills, prairie remnants, lake fronts, forests; a national park, many exceptional state and metro parks, heritage rivers and a national heritage corridor. Through collaboration and cooperation this fabric of natural assets can be utilized to build community resulting in economic growth.

Scenic Ohio is one agency deeply concerned about quality of place. It is dedicated to protecting and enhancing the visual quality and scenic character of Ohio’s towns and countryside by supporting highway beautification, promoting scenic byways, and protecting open space. It meets quarterly with ODOT to emphasize the need for context sensitive highway design and is represented on a new statewide committee, Greater Ohio, which advocates updating the state’s land use planning laws for the 21st century. Through the cooperation and collaboration of agencies such as these, Ohio has the potential of becoming a state that attracts the creative class. Certainly other factors come into play, but quality of place is a prime ingredient. The time to act is now. Join us in our efforts to position Ohio as THE PLACE to come and stay. Then we can sing the same tune with new words.

“Why o why Ohio, why should I ever leave Ohio….”

Scenic Ohio is dedicated to protecting and enhancing the visual quality and scenic character of Ohio’s towns and countryside. Our new awards program will draw attention to those who are protecting our distinctive landscapes and, we hope, encourage others to become involved and keep “Beautiful Ohio” beautiful. A beautiful Ohio is good for business and its citizens.

This newsletter is focused on Greater Ohio. We are proud to be a part of the GO Campaign Steering Committee. “The purpose of the Campaign is to promote – through research, public education and grassroots advocacy – public policy in Ohio to grow our economy and improve our quality of life through intelligent land use. To this end, Greater Ohio works to support the redevelopment of existing communities, strengthen regional cooperation and protect the countryside and Ohio’s natural resources”. The committee is working toward a commitment from all candidates running for office in Novembers, to support our mission.

In response to the oversized billboards recently approved by the Columbus Downtown Commission I sent the following letter to the Columbus Dispatch:

To the Editor:

The over sized billboards that have been erected in downtown Columbus are examples of visual blight. Vinyl wrapped buildings and over-sized billboards are forms of visual garbage. They are disruptive barriers between us and the natural beauty of the American landscape.

Scenic Ohio is not against businesses directing customers to their establishments. We are not against signs. We want prosperity and progress, healthy communities and thriving businesses. We believe we can have all of that without sacrificing the beauty and character of our communities. Change is inevitable. Ugliness is not. When did blight become a selling point for community growth and development?

There is no evidence that removing billboards harms local businesses and there is no evidence that using billboards instead of other kinds of signage helps them. In fact, jurisdictions that have taken action to remove visual clutter have seen improvement in sales. States that have banned billboards entirely have seen an increase in tourism. People want to feel comfortable, find their way quickly and directly to shops and restaurants without picking their way through clutter.

Too bad America cannot ban visual spam like they can on phones and computers. Citizens can, however, remind public officials the cost of ugliness and visual blight far exceeds any benefits; that the visual quality of their community is a priority. Columbus should have a strong sign ordinance and take the important step of banning any new billboards.

Christine Freitag, Chairman

Scenic Ohio

In response to this letter, Harrison Smith, Chairman of the Downtown Commission called me to explain the super-sized billboards add visual excitement to an otherwise dismal and drab downtown.

For outstanding contributions to the visual and livable quality of the State of Ohio, Scenic Ohio presents its 2007 scenic awards to:

1. The City of Reynoldsburg, Mayor Robert McPherson, for the revitalization of their Commercial Corridors prepared by E.G.& G., Inc. of Akron, OH. Part of the National All- American Historic Road, the project updated infrastructure, signage and landscaping, creating a visual impact aimed at creating a positive image for its residents and new business investment.

2. The City of Akron, Mayor Don Plusquellic, for the design and building of Ohio’s first vegetative sound wall, proving that a vegetative approach to noise attenuation is a viable alternative to structural sound barriers. The City and Scenic Ohiohave requested that the Ohio Department of Transportation [ODOT] officially change its designation as a landscape demonstration project to a sound wall abatement, allowing Akron and other cities in Ohio to receive sound barrier funds for vegetative sound walls.

3. Ohio Historical Society and Ohio National Road Association for the Ohio Historic National Road Design Handbook for the Ohio Historic National Road Design Handbook, a handbook providing guidelines, tools and techniques for the communities along the historic National Road/U.S. 40 to “protect, preserve, enhance, develop this All- American Road.” By creating a jurisdictional database, a project website to gather input from the public and through workshops, the project team produced the Design Handbook providing “guidelines and recommendations” for rural, urban and suburban settings along the 227 miles of National Scenic Byway and All- American Road.

4. City of Cincinnati and the Hillside Trust of Greater Cincinnati for the Cincinnati Scenic View Study providing an inventory of all public viewing locations of the downtown/ Ohio River area, with a strategy to preserve and protect these view sheds. The Study provides a rational input on scenic issues of view encroachment and preservation with both public and private development projects in the Metro Area.

Dear Members and Friends: As you can see, our newsletter takes on a new look this issue. Many thanks to Janice Radlove our new graphic designer; a short article on her is included. This expanded format will allow for several new additions like an ODOT feature and quotes from Ohioans on our scenic resources. We will still continue to highlight key issues related to Ohio’s historic and ecological scenic resources. Upcoming issues will bring new perspectives and ideas on for Ohio’s scenic areas.

Last year’s Scenic Ohio Awards program was very successful. We were pleased to recognize the Circleville Ohio Pumpkin Show Mural and ORSANCO’s River Sweep as winners. It was held at the Governor’s Residence with First Lady Francis Strickland assisting. This year‘s program will also be held at the Governors’ Residence. Inside this issue is information on the 2009 awards program announcement. Please look around your communities for exemplary work that makes Ohio’s scenic resources shine and submit a project. Thanks to Ruth Gless, AIA and Craig Cawrse, FASLA for helping with awards.

A new program we are excited to launch invites you, the members, to submit photos capturing Ohio’s natural beauty. We will feature the most captivating images in upcoming issues of this newsletter and honor each selected photographer at our awards program. Our next newsletter will feature a panoramic photo of an Ohio scenic resource by acclaimed Cincinnati photographer Tom Schiff.

There are many key initiatives going on right now with Scenic Ohio. Two priority programs include:

• Working with the ODOT to improve our roadways by exploring the use of living sound walls. We hope to have a demonstration project constructed soon to advance research and illustrate the aesthetic and functional aspects of vegetative sound walls. See Rick Record’s article in this issue for more information.
• Working with the Ohio Historical Society, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, ODOT, and The Ohio Department of Development / Division of Tourism to advance a unied Ohio Scenic Resource map identifying key resources and scenic byways. This is an eort to expand Ohio’s tourism and economic development eorts and conserve important resources.

Lastly, enclosed is our annual fundraising envelope. We hope that you will become active in Scenic Ohio, support our programs and work diligently to preserve and conserve our unique scenic resources. Please lend your support.

Let us know if you would like to receive future issues of this newsletter electronically and please let us know any thoughts and recommendations you have for Ohio’s Scenic Resources.

Greater Ohio is pleased to announce its partnership with the Brookings Institution, a Washington, D.C. policy institute, on a statewide initiative to revitalize Ohio cities and towns struggling with weak economies. This initiative is informed by recommendations contained in Brookings' new report, Restoring Prosperity: The State Role in Revitalizing America's Older Industrial Cities," which calls for state action to address these challenged areas. To view the full report, you may visit www3.brookings.edu/metro/ pubs/20070520_oic.pdf.

The report, which specifically identifies nine challenged Ohio older industrial cities— Canton, Cleveland, Cincinnati, Dayton, Lima, Mansfield, Springfield, Warren, and Youngstown—provides a framework for recovery and emphasizes that these cities are ripe for revitalization, due to new promising trends and attitudes that revalue these cities' qualities. Also, the report states these cities possess the right assets to overcome their challenges. Ohio's mix of educational and medical institutions, historic neighborhoods, and natural amenities provide a strong basis for recovery, as long as the right state policies are in place. Greater Ohio will work in partnership with local leaders and state policymakers to forge an agenda for change that helps cities capitalize on their assets and catapult these cities into a new economic era.

As part of a multi-year process, Greater Ohio has conducted initial listening sessions around the state with city leaders to gather input on city strengths and challenges and to hear about local revitalization efforts. Many cities are already hard at work rebuilding neighborhoods, reforming their business base, and tying cities to their regions to overcome these challenges. Effective state policies and decisions will play a pivotal role in supporting these efforts. Greater Ohio will identify state policy directives that help these cities get back on track.

Scenic Ohio supports Greater Ohio’s efforts to develop smart growth and scenic stewardship.

Tom has been a member of Scenic Ohio since 1983, when the organization was known as the Ohio Roadside Council. He serves as liaison between Scenic Ohio and the International Society of Arboriculture.

Tom began working for Forest City Tree Protection Co. located in South Euclid, in 1968, learning the basics of weed control, plant care, fertilizing, climbing and pruning. After graduating with a B.S. in Psychology from John Carroll University in 1982, he move through the ranks of Forest City Tree Protection and was named General Manager in 1989.

Tom is a past President of the Ohio Chapter of the ISA (International Society of Arboriculture). Tom is an ISA Certified Arborist, and a Registered Consulting Arborist in ASCA (American Society of Consulting Arborists). He serves on a number of industry committees, including chair of the ISA’s Membership Committee, and vice-chair of TCIA’s (Tree Care Industry Association) Tree Care Standards Review Committee.

Tom has served on the board of directors of the SCA (Society of Commercial Arboriculture) since 2000, and was elected president- elect of SCA in 2006. His term of Presidency will be 2008- 2010. Since 2001, Tom has been ASCA’s representative to the ANSI (American National Standards Institute) A300 Committee since 2001. This is the committee that creates the performance standards for the arboriculture industry. He was elected president- elect of ASCA in 2006 and will serve as president through 2007-2008.

Tom has been an active Rotarian in the Rotary Club of Hillcrest (Cleveland) since 1985. He has maintained perfect attendance since joining the club, and has served the club as Sergeant-atarms, Club Service Director, Program Director, Secretary, and President. Tom was awarded a Paul Harris Fellowship in 1995 in recognition of his service to the club and Rotary.

Tom and his wife, Pat, reside in Cleveland Height in the home they bought in 1980. When not actively engaged in all of his professional or Rotary activities, Tom is an avid volleyball player and bicyclist, riding over 2,000 miles annually. He also enjoys music, particularly classical, with Mozart and Beethoven being among his favorites.

The Great Lakes are one of the natural wonders of the world and an invaluable resource for us to use and protect – providing drinking water, recreation, economic sustainability, and critical habitat. The Great Lakes, however, are vulnerable to depletion and degradation. Each year rainfall and snowmelt replenish only about one percent of the water in the basin. That fact coupled with a growing demand for water by domestic users and proposals to export water to other parts of the U.S. and to foreign countries, concerns the Ohio Environmental Council (OEC) and other conservation groups about the Great Lakes’ future. Current laws simply are not strong enough to protect the Great Lakes.

The OEC is working with other environmental organizations throughout Ohio and the Great Lakes Region as well as Great Lakes leaders and a diverse group of stakeholders to establish binding policies that promote efficient water use, create clear standards for all water withdrawals, and improve the ecosystem’s health. Proper water management is necessary to protect the Great Lakes for the people who rely on them for their way of life, the ecosystems that rely on them for their continued existence, and the industries that rely on them for their economic sustainability.

The Great Lakes need your help! Right now, the Council of Great Lakes Governors (CGLG) is working on a Great Lakes Compact that would put into place legally enforceable standards for managing out-of-basin diversions of Great Lakes water as well as in-basin water withdrawals. They plan to sign the compact later this year. As citizens who care about the future of the Great Lakes, we must continue to put pressure on the CGLG to sign a Compact that is as protective as possible of the Great Lakes.

Once the Governors sign the Compact, it will go to the Ohio Legislature for ratification. Assuming that the compact increases protections for the Great Lakes, citizens from all over Ohio will need to pressure their legislators to ratify the Compact. This promises to be one of the most important environmental protection opportunities since the federal Clean Water Act. It is imperative that your voice be heard. Call your state legislators today and ask them to support strong protections for Lake Erie’s water. This is your chance to make history and to protect Lake Erie for all Ohioans. or more information, please contact Molly Flanagan ( This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ) at (614) 487-7506 or visit www.theOEC.org.

Congratulations to Governor Taft for initiating the Ohio Bicentennial Tree Initiative. The Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Division of Forestry and the Ohio Department of Transportation, along with the Environmental Protection Agency, are working in harmony to add significantly to the tree canopy in Ohio by the Year 2003.

One of the Bicentennial's most talked about programs is the Barn Painting Program. Barn painter Scott Hagan is painting the celebration's distinct red, white and blue logo on the side of barns around the state, the goal being to paint the logo on at least one barn in each of Ohio's 88 counties. In collaboration with this plan, Scenic Ohio suggests the Bicentennial Commission provide the native trees used to build these barns to each county for reforestation providing a supply of lumber to maintain and restore these barns in the future.

Since trees provide a substantial reduction in air pollution, Scenic Ohio proposes that a tree be planted for every citizen in the State of Ohio. This doable proposal would impact the scenic beauty and set the wheels in motion for perpetuating a planting program as a lasting legacy for generations to come. We offer our thanks and appreciation to Senator Priscilla Mead from Columbus for her valuable confidence in efforts toward succeeding with this goal. Contact Scenic Ohio if you can organize your community efforts in a tree planting program.

Cherie Lucks, Chairman, Scenic Ohio

Janice Radlove recently partnered with Meisner + Associates / Land Vision to create the new look for Scenic Ohio News.

Janice is an award-winning Graphic Designer with over twenty years experience specializing in Environmental Graphic Design– developing signage, wayfinding, interpretive graphics and exhibits for parks, cities, retail, corporations and institutions. She especially enjoys the process of collaborating with architects, landscape architects, interior designers, and industrial designers to create context-sensitive solutions that convey information, shape experiences and create an integrated and memorable “sense of place”.

Janice’s design work has been published in SEGD Design, American Corporate Identity, and Hot Graphics USA.