Many new residents with cars, more commercial activity, and increased interest in programs and events are leading to a parking crunch in Cincinnati's Over-the-Rhine neighborhood especially at nights and on weekends.
City officials are working on a plan to implement a residential parking permit program for the area.
Chad Munitz with 3CDC, which has done a lot of OTR development, said his group talked with a number of stakeholders. He said there was consensus around two points.
“The first is that there should be a residential parking program in Over-the-Rhine, and I really believe that every group that we talked to there was consensus yes there should be,” Munitz said. “The second is in the area where we’re focusing that every space should be something. So it’s either a residential parking space, a metered space, or no parking for some reason.”
The Over-the-Rhine permit area would be bounded by Central Parkway to the South, Central Avenue to the west, Liberty Street to the north and Sycamore Street to the east.
Council Member Kevin Flynn suggested his biggest concern would be enforcement.
“If I’ve purchased my neighborhood permit, I want to be able to park where it says neighborhood permitting,” Flynn said. “I’m worried that if we don’t have adequate enforcement, people that are visiting the entertainment establishments in Over-the-Rhine, when all of the meters are filled are going to take the neighborhood spots.”
A city official told a Council committee Monday it should take another two months for a plan to be prepared and presented.
