Growth,Development,and Farming in an Ohio Exurban Region

Abstract

The mixing of newcomers, longtime nonfarm residents, and farm household residents in exurban areas has the potential to lead to conflicts over community change and farming. Data from a survey of residents of an Ohio exurban region are analyzed to identify attitudinal differences among three sets of exurban residents. Several attitudinal differences among farm households, newcomers, and long-time residents are identified with farm household residents reporting greater concern about the effects of growth on local rural character than both newcomers and longtime nonfarm residents did. Farm household respondents were also more tolerant and accepting of agricultural annoyances than were either newcomers or longtime residents. All sets of residents are supportive of efforts to preserve local farmland. A conclusion of this exurban case study is that conflicts about land use and community change may have more to do with farm versus nonfarm interest than with length of residence in the community.

Keywords

exurban population growth community change community conflict rural character agricultural change

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