Problems generally associated with the inner city—loss of population, declining commercial activity, increasing poverty, deindustrialization, declining property values, blight, and increased crime—are manifesting with increasing frequency and severity in America’s first suburbs. Findings of research in Hamilton County, Ohio, show that a decade after the end of the 2008 Recession, the recovery among Hamilton County’s first suburbs has been incredibly uneven. This report introduces the challenges faced by first suburbs, provides tools to assess the state of a community, and offers strategies for local government managers to address these challenges in their own community.
In this Leading Edge Research report, ICMA Research Fellow Tom Carroll builds a compelling case on the condition of America's first suburbs by examining the Cincinnati, Ohio, region and urges first suburban leaders to take actions to reverse—or at the very least arrest—the spreading decline of first suburbs.
Expert Insight
Tom Carroll, CM
Village Manager, Silverton, Ohio
“Most city managers have the foundational tools and training to address the challenges of today’s first suburbs. What is needed is a new sense of urgency, good government guided by benchmarking, a focus on interventionist actions to correct market failures, a vision and plan to rebuild aging housing, and a commitment to inclusion. These are formidable tasks, yet we have no choice but to try to reverse this trend.”
ICMA Local Government Research Fellowship
This report was supported through ICMA’s Local Government Research Fellowship program. ICMA Research Fellows are practitioners and academics that conduct action-oriented research addressing important trends, drivers, and issues facing local governments. Their work advances ICMA’s strategic priority to provide thought leadership and resources that support members and other local government stakeholders in creating and sustaining thriving communities throughout the world. Learn more about ICMA's Local Government Research Fellowship.
Looking for more resources from Tom Carroll? Explore these selected publications:
- The Contours of Evictions in a Midwestern First Suburb by Tom Carroll and Deirdre Carroll, PM magazine, 2020. >> Read article
- Evictions Outside the Central City by Tom Carroll and Elaina Johns-Wolfe, PM magazine, 2020. >> Read article
- Crisis Intervention: First Suburb City Managers Are our First Responders in a Declining Growth Environment by Tom Carroll and Dr. Brandi Blessett, PM magazine, 2019. >> Read article
- Tom shared his prediction on small communities for 2019 for ICMA’s Predictions on Local Government from 19 Experts. >> Read article
- A First Suburb Revitalized: How Silverton, Ohio, Reversed Course by Tom Carroll and Chloe Coleman, PM magazine, 2018. >> Read article
Key Project Information
Funder
Period of Performance
Location
United StatesICMA's Role
Project Details
In the last two decades, technological developments have dramatically reduced the cost of installing solar photovoltaic systems in the United States, and large-scale solar projects have experienced a new surge in market share. According to the American Clean Power Annual Market Report, the United States added a total of 33.8 gigawatts (GW) of new utility-scale clean energy projects in 2023, a 12.5% increase from the previous annual installation record set in 2021. Utility-scale solar saw an increase of 14.2 GW, accounting for 55% of the overall development pipeline. Because of this increase, many local governments are now experiencing the development of large-scale solar projects in their communities.
Funded by the U.S. Department of Energy, Solar@Scale is a partnership between ICMA and the American Planning Association (APA) that aims to help cities, towns, counties, and special districts understand and realize the potential benefits of large-scale solar development.
How Solar@Scale Helps Your Community
ICMA and APA convened a steering committee of stakeholders representing the private and public sector with expertise in public administration, planning, economic development and solar development to identify strategies for overcoming common local barriers to the development of large-scale solar in communities of all sizes across the United States. Additionally, the Solar@Scale team developed a comprehensive guidebook and has translated these strategies into easily digestible trainings, webinars, and workshops that outline scalable tools for planners and local officials. As of March 2024, the Solar@Scale team has trained over 2,600 local government officials to help improve local planning and development processes, and to align large-scale solar projects with community goals.
Solar@Scale Guidebook
The purpose of this guidebook is to help local government practitioners—including planners, economic development professionals, local government managers, and elected and appointed officials—make decisions that improve large-scale solar development outcomes.The Third Edition of the Solar@Scale guidebook was published on the ICMA website on January 30, 2024.
Solar@Scale Topic Webinars
In 2025, the Solar@Scale team developed topic webinars addressing frequent questions and requests for guidance, including best practices in planning for large-scale solar. These webinars include first-hand examples from local jurisdictions and property owners, as well as experts in the planning and solar fields.
Solar@Scale Webinar Series
This 9-part webinar series was released following the publication of the Solar@Scale Guidebook and begins with a Guidebook overview webinar. The following eight parts mirror the eight Guidebook modules, from understanding the market for large-scale solar development, to improving land-use decision-making, to zoning and community planning for large-scale solar. Each webinar includes real-world, community examples and takeaways from speakers who work in local government and the solar industry alike.
Free Hands-on Workshops
To help local officials further their understanding of large-scale solar, ICMA is conducting a series of half-day hands-on workshops based on the Solar@Scale guidebook:
- Free training customized to your interests, issues, and specific situation.
- Educators leading the workshop are experienced in both the science and how solar projects fit in with such local government concerns as permitting.
- All materials included.
- Option for remote access.
No-cost in-person workshops only require meeting space, outreach to your staff and others interested in attending, and light coordination on logistics.
Sign Up for Updates and Events
For more information about Solar@Scale, contact ICMA program director, Debra Perry, at dperry@icma.org.
