Hamilton County Planning + Development

We want to hear from YOU! 👷🏽‍♀️🏗️

What type of content would you like to see more of on our page?

🔹 Building & zoning tips
🔹 Permit process information
🔹 Staff spotlights
🔹 Community project highlights

Vote below or drop additional ideas in the comments!

Communities Without Limits
Week 4: May 25– 31

Creating a truly safe community means ensuring every person, regardless of age, ability or circumstance, can move through and use the spaces around them. Communities without limits embrace built environments that are welcoming, intuitive and enjoyable by all. This begins with eliminating physical, sensory and cognitive barriers that prevent people from fully navigating homes, buildings and public spaces to their fullest extent.

What are some features in your community that improve accessibility in the built environment?

https://www.iccsafe.org/building-safety-journal/bsj-hits/icc-pulse-podcast-building-accessibility-standards-in-the-u-s-and-beyond/

Meet our multiples! Our office has an Amy for every occasion… and plenty of Mikes, Bobs, and Chris' to go around too.

Take a look at our P+D lineup:

Mike (Stehlin, Kueffner)
Bob (Mangold, Martin)
Chris (Osbourne, Porter, Schneider)
Amy (Mayer, Engstrom)
Roger (Wilcox, Hammoor)
Becky (Stratton, Witterstaetter)
Tim (Hershner, Williams)
Alex (Sherlock, Smille)
Will (Busch, Bose)
David (Hoover, Edenfield)
Jason (Pastoor, Toney)

Same names, different people - same great team!

To celebrate Memorial Day, Hamilton County Planning + Development offices will be closed on Monday, May 25, 2026, and will reopen on Tuesday, May 26, 2026.

But just because the doors are closed doesn't mean you can't submit your plans! You can now submit permits digitally from the comfort of your own home, office or phone. No more paperwork or downtown trips required!

Visit us online at: https://www.hamiltoncountyohio.gov/.../planning_and... to Learn More About ezTrak – ezTrak.cagis.org

Resilient buildings and disaster plans save lives! Week 3 of Building Safety Month focuses on how smart design, strong codes and community preparedness work together to reduce the impact of disasters. From tornados and floods to snow and ice and wildfires, the built environment plays a critical role in protecting people and property.

⚡Utilities & systems (hidden but critical protections)
These don’t get much attention—but they matter during disasters:

• Electrical systems designed to reduce fire risk
• Plumbing and drainage rules to prevent water damage
• Mechanical systems (HVAC) installed safely
In flood-prone areas:
• Utilities must often be elevated or protected
👉 Result: Less chance of secondary disasters (fires, contamination, system failure).

Resilient buildings and disaster plans save lives! Week 3 of Building Safety Month focuses on how smart design, strong codes and community preparedness work together to reduce the impact of disasters. From tornados and floods to snow and ice and wildfires, the built environment plays a critical role in protecting people and property.

🔥Fire protection (heavily enforced everywhere in Ohio)
Ohio codes require:
• Smoke alarms in key locations
• Fire separation between living spaces (walls, floors)
• Emergency escape routes (egress windows/doors)
• Fire-resistant materials in certain assemblies
All building codes are ultimately aimed at “protecting public health, safety, and welfare”
👉 Result: Fires spread slower, and people have a safer way out.

Resilient buildings and disaster plans save lives! Week 3 of Building Safety Month focuses on how smart design, strong codes and community preparedness work together to reduce the impact of disasters. From tornados and floods to snow and ice and wildfires, the built environment plays a critical role in protecting people and property.

🌊 Flood protection (very relevant in Hamilton County)
Flooding is one of the most tightly regulated hazards in Ohio codes.
Key requirements:
• Homes in flood zones must be built above base flood elevation (100-year flood level)
• Lowest floor must be elevated + at least 1 foot higher than flood level
• Structures must resist:
o flotation
o collapse
o lateral movement during flooding
• Use of flood-resistant materials below flood level

Local governments (like Hamilton County) can adopt even stricter floodplain rules to qualify for federal insurance programs
👉 Result: Homes are less likely to be destroyed or require full rebuild after floods.

Resilient buildings and disaster plans save lives! Week 3 of Building Safety Month focuses on how smart design, strong codes and community preparedness work together to reduce the impact of disasters. From tornados and floods to snow and ice and wildfires, the built environment plays a critical role in protecting people and property.

🌪️ Tornado & severe storm protection (Ohio-specific reality)

Ohio does NOT require tornado safe rooms in most homes, but:
• Codes require buildings to withstand baseline wind speeds (from national standards like the IBC/IRC)
• Critical facilities (schools, emergency buildings) may include hardened shelters
• The state even offers incentives like the Safe Room Rebate Program
What this means locally:
• Your house is built to survive typical storms—but not a direct hit from a major tornado
• Additional protection (safe rooms, reinforced areas) is optional but encouraged
👉 Reality check: Codes reduce damage—but tornado survival often depends on shelter location (basement/interior room).

Resilient buildings and disaster plans save lives! Week 3 of Building Safety Month focuses on how smart design, strong codes and community preparedness work together to reduce the impact of disasters. From tornados and floods to snow and ice and wildfires, the built environment plays a critical role in protecting people and property.

🏗️ Structural strength (wind, snow, and general loads)

Ohio requires buildings to be designed to handle multiple forces at once:
• Wind loads (from storms and tornado remnants)
• Snow loads (heavy Midwest winters)
• Dead + live loads (weight of the building + occupants)
👉 The key concept is a “continuous load path”—forces must transfer safely from roof → walls → foundation without failure.

What that means for you locally:
• Roofs are tied down to walls (reduces blow-offs in storms)
• Walls are anchored to foundations (prevents shifting/collapse)
• Structures are engineered to resist uplift and lateral forces
👉 Result: Homes are far less likely to fail during strong storms common in southwest Ohio.