LEBANON, Ohio — At our "Let's Talk" event in Lebanon Wednesday, residents shared their concerns over the area's growth with us.
"I like the country effect, you know?" Darlene Behne said.
And Behne wasn't the only one who felt that way.
"I think it's a lot too soon," Kathy Stine said.
WATCH: How Lebanon residents feel about growth in their neighborhoods
Those were just a couple of the comments about development and growth we heard. We went back up to Lebanon to take a look at the ongoing changes Thursday.
We asked Janis Baker, the executive director of the Lebanon Chamber of Commerce, about the area's growth.
"It might mean that we have more families that come in and enjoy our events, more people in our stores. We have more folks that are here and that become part of our community," Baker said.
She said that with change and expansion, the heart of Lebanon will stay the same.
"You don't move to Lebanon not knowing that it's a historical area, you know it's historical, you know you have that value," Baker said.
We spoke on the phone with Lebanon City Manager Scott Brunka to learn more about the city's expansion.
"Over the last five years, Lebanon has averaged a little under 1% population growth per year," Brunka said.
Brunka said he tells residents that he'd rather be in a community that's growing than declining, but understands their concerns.
"You don't want to get overwhelmed by the growth and not be able to keep up with the required infrastructure," Brunka said.
Do you have stories or concerns following our "Let's Talk" event? Sam wants to hear from you. You can contact him here:
Brunka said that the city has worked to properly prepare for growth.
"We have done a good job, I think, of master planning, doing a five-year capital improvement program," Brunka said.
