Because the village from its inception has acted to maintain its rural character, the suburban growth and sprawl in the Cincinnati metropolitan area has leapfrogged over the village. The rural enclave that the village has preserved now serves an important regional function by preserving in open space some of the rougher topographical areas of the region and enhancing the character of the more densely settled surrounding communities. By breaking up the relatively uniform pattern of suburban development in the metropolitan area, the village provides needed contrast in land use and open space, and thereby contributes to the rural quality of neighboring communities and the region. Thus, these developed areas that surround the village are able to "borrow" open space that has been preserved through the village's planning policies. Residents of the adjoining unincorporated residential areas to the northeast who choose to drive through the village on their way to and from work benefit from the perception that they live in a more rural environment. These benefits are obtained solely as the result of the village's land use policies.
('80 Code, § 155.07) (Res. 15-86, passed 6-16-86)