In a move celebrated by area environmentalists, the city of Loveland Planning and Zoning Committee has rejected a request to build 209 homes on a 110-acre tract known since the 1940s as Grailville. A group of some 40, including Miami Group members, had attended the May 4 meeting at Loveland City Hall.
The committee’s action has the effect of forcing the Drees Co. to scale back its plan. Current zoning allows for just one home per acre. The Grail community describes the site, east of Loveland on O’Bannon Creek, as a rural oasis a short drive from Cincinnati. It has been a center for hiking, sustainable farming and special events. The Miami Group for many years held its annual retreat at Grailville.
The Miami Group Conservation Committee has expressed concerns over the planned development. The Drees Co. recently acquired development rights as the Grail community has sought to transition to better serve its mission to seek peace globally. Several area residents have formed the Grailville Land Preservation Group to find a way to preserve the natural integrity of the land for future generations.
