A Look Ahead to the Coming Year
Vol. III, No. 214 - Big issues are coming to the community in 2026
As 2026 begins, Troy has some big questions to answer. Some of these issues are not new; they have been talked about for months or even years. Others are now reaching a point where putting off a choice is really the same as making one. Together, the decisions made this year will shape how people in Troy use their streets, their parks, and their downtown for a long time.
One of the biggest and most debated questions is what happens next with the Experiment Farm/West Main Street roundabout. Last January, City Council voted to spend $120,000 on another study, something the Ohio Department of Development said was needed to see if a roundabout is really the best choice for that intersection. That vote came after months of worry about where this project was heading and how expensive it was becoming. When the idea first came up in 2023, the cost was said to be about $4.2 million. By January 2025, people were hearing numbers between $6 million and $7 million in public meetings. Now that we are in 2026, it is hard to believe the price has gone down.
People who support the project like to point out that federal money might help pay for some of the work. That kind of grant funding can be attractive, especially for a city that has a long list of needs. But there is no promise that more federal money will show up to cover higher costs, and the local share still looks large. The new study that the state required is expected to be finished soon. When it lands on their desks, members of Council will have to decide whether this is still a smart way to spend money when compared to other needs across the city.
While that drama plays out, the city is also working on something that is less visible but just as important: a new Unified Development Code. This code will bring together the rules for how land is divided, how property is zoned, and what kinds of signs are allowed, putting them all into one clearer set of rules. This work flows from the city’s most recent comprehensive plan, adopted in 2024, and the same consultant, American Structurepoint, has been asked to help write the new code. A code update may not pack a meeting room like a roundabout debate, but it quietly shapes what gets built, where it goes, and how it looks. The choices made in this document will either support the goals laid out in the comprehensive plan or slowly weaken them.
On top of that, the city is starting to carry out the Comprehensive Parks and Recreation Master Plan, which was introduced late last year. The plan outlines a big list of park and recreation projects, from fixing old facilities to adding new things that residents have been asking for. During 2026, City Council, the Board of Park Commissioners, and the Recreation Board will spend a lot of time deciding which projects are most important, which ones have to wait, and how all of it will be paid for. How well those three groups work together will say a lot about whether Troy can actually act on its plans, instead of just talking about them.
Another hard question waiting in the wings is how to pay for major downtown infrastructure work. In the second half of the year, the city expects to start construction on streetscape and utility upgrades in and around the Public Square. That work could last into 2027, and maybe even into 2028, changing how downtown looks and feels while also testing the patience of nearby businesses and residents. There have been drawings and ideas shown in public, but the money side of the project has not received the same attention. One issue has been left mostly untouched: will downtown property owners be asked to pay special assessments to help cover the cost?
That question is tougher when you remember what happened on West Main Street from Cherry Street to Interstate 75, where streetscape work moved forward without assessments on nearby property owners. Downtown is also dealing with a weaker market, including empty storefronts and the lingering effects of past road shutdowns. For some building owners, a new assessment could feel less like a shared investment in downtown and more like a punishment for staying open through hard times. For others, this moment is a test of whether the community sees downtown as everyone’s responsibility or as a cost that can be pushed onto a smaller group of taxpayers.
Looking at all of this together—the roundabout, the development code, the parks plan, and downtown financing—it is clear these are not just separate policy puzzles. They are tied together by a common question about values and priorities. In 2026, Troy will have to decide how to balance big ideas with practical limits, how to use outside funding without losing local control, and how to match long‑term hopes with short‑term realities. The choices made, and the way they are made, will send a clear message about whose voices matter, whose needs rise to the top, and how serious the city is about following through on its own plans.
A New Handbook to grow Civic Capacity!
Recently, we created a new digital handbook, “The Citizen’s Guide to Public Records”. This handbook is designed to help residents have a better understanding of public meetings and meeting records. It’s filled with templates, ideas and other information that will open a new world of public affairs.
Also, if you have ideas for future handbooks, please let us know at pinnaclestrategiesltd@gmail.com.
Want to Learn More About Troy’s Businesses?
Our publication has recently released our September 2025 Economic Abstract, the most comprehensive and up-to-date report on the businesses and industries in the City of Troy. For those that want to understand our community’s business and industries, this is a must-have report.
Thank you to our New Media Partners!
Recently, many of our stories has been showing up on the local news website, www.mymiamicounty.com. We are grateful for the good folks for sharing our work with their audience and we would encourage our readers to check them out at their website!
Our publication would also like to recognize the good work being done at www.piquanewsnow.com. Piqua News Now is a new web-based news and information site for the Miami County area, with a specific focus on Piqua!
In addition, the good folks at Piqua News Now have started a new, 24-hour streaming YouTube channel. This channel is awesome with continuous weather updates and more importanly, it provides a 24-hour audio feed from county wide dispatch. Check it out here!
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