Cincinnati Planning Commission passes 'Connected Communities' zoning overhaul

The biggest overhaul to Cincinnati’s zoning code in decades is now one step closer to becoming a reality.

The city planning commission approved the “Connected Communities” zoning plan in a 6-0-1 vote Friday afternoon, with Cincinnati Vice Mayor Jan-Michele Lemon Kearney abstaining.

The vote came after two years of public engagement, drafting and editing of the proposal. It also concluded a nearly five-hour public comment session.

The plan is aimed at increasing housing supply near business districts in neighborhoods and along major bus routes. The goal is to cut red tape developers so they can build more “middle housing,” units like duplexes, townhomes and small mixed-use apartment buildings.

The plan could change neighborhoods over time should developers choose to build.

Supporters of the plan believe it’s a necessary step to support the city’s overall economic growth. While the city’s population is increasing, housing supply is stagnant.

By making it easier to build housing near business districts, supporters believe it gives a boost to businesses.

“We need people, enough people, with money to make any business district work,” said council member Jeff Cramerding, a sponsor of the legislation. “That means mixed-income neighborhoods; people with discretionary income that can support a coffee shop or a bar or whatever the neighborhood wants.”

Sara Sheets of the Cincinnati Development Fund told the planning commission she’s “ecstatic” about the legislation, and it gives her hope for the future of the city.

“We have to make it easier for building to happen, Sheets said. “We have to open our arms to invite more people to be part of our communities.”

However, some residents who oppose the plan believe the changes are a one-size-fits-all approach to the city’s neighborhood. It would ultimately be up to developers to choose to build in certain areas.

In Westwood, longtime residents Kelly Hibbett and Ellen McGrath agree with the theory of the changes. But they’re concerned with whether it will be executed to the benefit of all residents.

“Most of our people are not choosing to live where they're living. They're living where they live because they can't afford to go anywhere else,” Hibbett said. She’s concerned that more housing will only be built in areas that already have concentrations of lower-income housing.

She told the planning commission that she feels the city’s engagement has been lopsided, leaning more toward presentations than conversations: “Quality engagement does not equal quantity, and you need to go back and have quality engagement with the citizens.”

Hibbett said while population growth is good for the community, she questions whether Westwood would be prepared for the influx.

We don't have the services that we need first to support this kind of population growth. We're already taxed in Westwood,” she said, mentioning emergency services, parking, transportation, and access to healthy food.

“We need to invest in people, more than we need to invest in property,” McGrath said, adding that she’d like to see more local ownership and fewer out-of-town developers.

The plan now moves to the city’s Equitable Growth and Housing Committee, where it’ll be up for a review and vote in June. Then, all of city council will vote on whether to make Connected Communities a law.