Cincinnati: City Council Approves 'Connected Communities' Zoning Reform
On Tuesday, the Cincinnati City Council committee voted 6-3 to approve the "Connected Communities" plan, a significant zoning reform sponsored by Mayor Aftab Pureval and Council Members Reggie Harris and Jeff Cramerding. The proposal focuses on changes in neighborhood business districts and along major transit corridors, allowing housing with up to four units and reducing or eliminating density caps and parking minimums. The plan is all but guarantees the final passage on Wednesday.
Details:
The plan targets specific areas for comprehensive zoning reform, aiming for gradual change based on housing market forces.
Councilmembers Jeff Cramerding, Mark Jeffreys, Reggie Harris, Anna Albi, Seth Walsh, and Meeka Owens voted in favor, believing the reform will make Cincinnati a city where the next generation wants to live and encourage growth.
Vice Mayor Jan-Michele Lemon Kearney and Councilmembers Scotty Johnson and Victoria Parks voted against, citing concerns about the lack of mandatory affordable housing and potential displacement of residents.
Kearney and Johnson released a motion before the vote requesting a "short-term task force" to make policy recommendations on affordable housing, infrastructure needs, architectural design guidelines, and tree canopy and green space, which will be considered in a future committee meeting.
Parks proposed an amendment to separate the zoning part from the motion and address it later, but the request was not moved forward.
Reactions:
Supporters, like Ben Eilerman of Over-the-Rhine Community Housing, say the city needs to loosen zoning to increase population and make developing affordable housing easier, but also call for incentives and requirements for developers to create more affordable housing in exchange for city subsidies.
Opponents, such as the NIMBY organization "Coalition for a Better Cincinnati," criticize the community engagement process, reusing the same arguments used by other NIMBY groups, claiming it reached only a small, mostly white portion of the city's population. Some fear multifamily housing will destroy affected neighborhoods by removing single-family zoning protections or lowering property values.
What's next:
The ordinance passed as an emergency measure, meaning it will go into effect immediately and cannot be overturned by a referendum.
The city website provides several resources for understanding the plan, including FAQs, interactive maps, neighborhood-specific maps, and the full text of the ordinance.
Bottomline: While the Connected Communities plan aims to reform zoning and encourage growth in Cincinnati, it still faces the same threats of NIMBYism pretending to be concerned about affordable housing, community engagement, and the potential impact on neighborhoods. The City Council must prepare for a fight as the plan is implemented, and NIMBYs will pursue legal action or referendums to challenge the changes.