ENGAGE KETTERING
Activity Introduction
Throughout 2025, the City of Kettering is working with the community to shape its future through the creation of a new Comprehensive Plan—our blueprint for growth, reinvestment, and sustainability over the next 20 years. Your voice plays a critical role in helping us understand community priorities and opportunities.
This online engagement includes four interactive activity tabs, each centered on a key topic:
- Land Use & Development – What's Missing Kettering
- Housing – Home in Kettering
- Jobs – Jobs in Kettering
- Parks & Trails, Transportation, and more – Finding & Fix
Take a few minutes to explore each activity tab —then complete the activity topics that interest you—whether it’s housing, economic development, land use, or community services. Before you go, be sure to complete the brief exit questionnaire to share any final thoughts and tell us a bit about yourself.
Our Purpose for this Online Engagement
+ Build momentum – The What's Next Kettering public engagement builds on past conversations from the Strategic Plan, Spark Kettering, and other related plans and studies, continuing the vision for Kettering’s future.
+ Generate – Explore the four online interactive stations, learn about current conditions, emerging trends, and key issues, and share your insights to help guide the plan.
+ Inspire – Leave motivated to stay involved in the Kettering Comprehensive Plan and help share the City’s future!
Explore, Share, and Stay Connected!
This Online Engagement Platform is designed to be an interactive, self-paced experience where you can explore key topics, share your ideas, and help guide the City’s Comprehensive Plan.
+ Go at Your Own Pace – Move through the tabs in any order and take your time exploring.
+ Engage & Share – Use the digital tools provided to tell us what you think. Your feedback will help shape Kettering’s long-term vision for housing, transportation, economic development, and more.
+ Talk with the Team – Have a question? Drop it in the comment box on the homepage, and someone from the team will get back to you!
+ Stay Involved – Want to follow along? Keep checking the project website for updates, events, and ways to stay engaged throughout the process.
+ Need more Info? – For additional details and answers to common questions, please visit the FAQ page on the project website
Your input is essential in creating a plan that reflects the community’s needs and aspirations. Thanks for being part of What’s Next Kettering!
Key Findings
Land Use and Development Key Findings

Housing Key Findings

Economic Key Findings

1. What's Missing Kettering
Welcome to What's Missing Kettering. The next two activities focus on Land Use & Development in Kettering. You'll explore opportunities across the city—places that could be reimagined, revitalized, or redeveloped to better serve the community.
Work your way through both activities and tell us what possibilities you see for Kettering’s future!
What does a Town Center mean to you?
30 June, 2025
LoveKettering says:
A gathering spot for the community to live, shop and play.
4 June, 2025
Chanman727 says:
The main commercial and/or public area of a town. Where you can walk and bike to businesses, shops, restaurants, and other services.
22 May, 2025
Rebecca C. says:
A place that speaks the values and heart of a community.
16 May, 2025
OldResident says:
Fraze was originally going to be a TC, but that did not happen; now there is no room. Town & Country is the next logical choice.
Explore Kettering's Focus Areas
In a comprehensive plan, focus areas are specific parts of a city or region, like neighborhoods, corridors, or districts, that are provided with specific analysis and resources within a plan because they have unique needs, opportunities, or pressures for change. In Kettering, the selected focus areas are facing a plethora of challenges and opportunities for revitalization, like significant growth, aging infrastructure or underused land.
By identifying focus areas and allowing the community to comment on the desired outcome for these areas, the Planning Team can develop customized strategies that go beyond the general citywide recommendations. This approach helps ensure that investment, policy, and design decisions are more responsive to local conditions.
The six focus areas are shown on the map below. Click on each circle to learn more about that area’s opportunities and key statistics.
Then, use the comment box to tell us:
+ Which focus area you think has the most potential
+ What kind of opportunity you see there

2. Home in Kettering
A Place to Call Home
Look at the images below and identify the housing types you’d like to see in Kettering. Consider what kinds of homes would meet the needs of current and future residents.
Using the number shown on each image, tell us:
+ Why this type?
+ Where does it fit?
+ Who is it for?
Your input will help shape future housing opportunities in the city!


Tell us which numbered home(s) you’d like to see in Kettering. Then share your thoughts, why this type, where does it fit, who is it for (young professionals, families, seniors, or others)
Home in Kettering
2 July, 2025
Chanman727 says:
Permit accessory dwelling units and backyard cottages everywhere. Reforming those rules could open up small-scale rentals.
2 July, 2025
Chanman727 says:
A 24-hour permit for low-impact, code-compliant additions is not only feasible—it’s essential for empowering local builders and families.
2 July, 2025
Chanman727 says:
Eliminate large-lot minimums that prevent gentle densification and blocks housing that could otherwise fit seamlessly into the neighborhood.
30 June, 2025
LoveKettering says:
New housing in every category: 31, 36, 41, 45, 47, and 28 to compete with the surrounding communities. Renovation incentives also needed.
10 June, 2025
KRCVolunteer says:
Absolutely no more rental units. Perhaps some upscale attached or row type housing (owner-occupied) for those who like that type.
4 June, 2025
Chanman727 says:
Repeal parking mandates for housing. Streamline the approval process for housing.
4 June, 2025
Chanman727 says:
Legalize starter homes in all residential zones. Eliminate minimum lot size requirements in existing neighborhoods.
4 June, 2025
Chanman727 says:
Allow single-family home conversion to duplex or triplex by right, Permit backyard cottages in all residential zones.
24 May, 2025
Rachel M says:
Townhome style like 19 & 23 would hopefully provide owner occupied housing on a smaller footprint that could attract young families.
22 May, 2025
Rebecca C. says:
Multi-family homes with character that leverage energy efficiency and provide opportunities to connect with nature.
17 May, 2025
mcdanik says:
multi-family units, energy efficient, solar panels, walkable locations. Hard to tell from the pictures, but maybe #11
16 May, 2025
OldResident says:
Kettering has always been a bedroom community, and new housing should be market rate owner-occupied, preferably single family.
14 May, 2025
LoveKettering says:
Units are needed to attract higher income groups
45. Single family homes on smaller lots
32. Townhouses
46. Apartment
3 May, 2025
David Schmidt says:
Add duplexes, and other owner occupied mixed housing types close to the can be added as infill in a neighborhood. similar to type 29 above
3. Jobs in Kettering
Building Careers in Kettering
As Kettering plans for the future, it’s important to consider the kinds of jobs and industries that will support a strong, resilient economy.
In this activity, you’ll see a range of industry sectors and sizes. Think about what types of jobs and businesses you would like to see grow in Kettering, what's missing today? Think both the sector and the size — whether its a large employers, a mid-size company, or small homegrown startup.

Don’t see what you had in mind? You can also consider these additional sectors:
- Agriculture
- Construction
- Finance & Insurance
- Education
- Real Estate
- Public Services
Use the comment box below to share your priorities for Kettering’s future industry growth. Let us know:
+ Which sectors should Kettering target to provide strong, stable, and meaningful employment for future generations?
+ Where should Kettering make “big bets” to position itself competitively?
+ How can Kettering foster small business growth, innovation, entrepreneurship, and emerging industries?
10 June, 2025
KRCVolunteer says:
The future is professional, tech, and support. We need some 'mini' office parks near connectors. All along Wilmington Pike would be viable
8 June, 2025
LoveKettering says:
Kettering reinvents themselves into an upscale retail area at Far Hiils and Stroop serving Kettering, Oakwood & Centerville, like Rookwood.
24 May, 2025
Rachel M says:
Tech work isn't going anywhere and most tech offices are in bordering communities- lots of potential for companies with base contracts.
16 May, 2025
OldResident says:
#3 - Finance/Insurance
Those small/medium businesses are clean, quiet, don't need a ton of parking, and tend to pay well.
4. Finding & Fix
Kettering is always evolving, and we want your input on where to focus next! This activity will help identify key improvements across a variety of topics. Please look at the five different topics, then drag and drop the three that matter most to you.
Once you’ve ranked your top priorities, Use the comment box below to tell us:
+ Which three priorities you selected
+ Why you chose those three
+ How you think these improvements would benefit Kettering
Exit Questionnaire
Thank you for your participation!
Before you leave the site, please take a moment to fill out a brief survey reflecting on your experience and some limited information about your background and demographic information. Your information is anonymous and helps the planning team understand who has engaged in the process. Thank you for sharing your time and ideas!