The Cincinnati Planning Commission chose not to vote Friday on approving a local historic district in part of the North Avondale neighborhood. The commission asked the city's Department of Planning and Engagement to conduct at least one more public meeting for resident feedback.
The North Avondale Neighborhood Association initiated the effort a few years ago. Vice Mayor Jan-Michele Lemon Kearney, a North Avondale resident, is sponsoring the request, along with the North Avondale Neighborhood Association (NANA).
"It's a very historic, beautiful, diverse neighborhood, and a great place to raise a family. In terms of the historic designation, it's really a way to preserve the unique character, the look and feel of the neighborhood," Kearney said. "It's not ever to keep people out [or] to make something not affordable."
The designation would establish guidelines for new construction and exterior alterations to existing buildings, with required design review and approval by the Historic Conservation Office.
The district would not include the whole neighborhood. The rules would not apply to "non-contributing buildings" that do not contribute to the historic character of the district, usually because it was built after 1950. Twenty-nine of the 371 properties within the boundary are considered "non-contributing."
Most of the properties in the proposed boundary are zoned for large-lot single-family residential, but they are also in the area of a transit corridor (Reading Road) as established in the Connected Communities zoning reform of a few years ago. That means small multi-family housing of up to four units is allowed even in these single-family zones.
Kearney says the neighborhood council is working to mitigate the potential effects of that zoning reform.
"You don't care if there are two families living there, three families, four families — you just don't want something that stands out as some monstrous structure in the middle of all your beautiful architecture," she said. "So have the density, but just keep the look and feel of the neighborhood."
The North Avondale Business Association supports the move. The Department of Planning and Engagement collected feedback from some residents: 115 people representing 73 addresses support the designation, while 12 people representing seven addresses oppose it, citing concerns about the increased cost of using specific materials for exterior renovations.
"The cost of maintaining and repairing homes of this size and age can be substantial," wrote Mark and Suzanne Gosson in an email to city staff. "We believe that individual homeowners — who bear these costs — should have the final say in how their money is spent. If board requirements make repairs prohibitively expensive, necessary maintenance may be deferred, leading to neighborhood decline. We are also concerned that restrictive zoning could negatively affect our ability to sell our home, as potential buyers may be deterred by the added complexity and cost.
NANA President Dawn Johnson says the neighborhood association has established a $5,000 fund to help eligible homeowners who may struggle to pay for expensive repairs.
"We're in the process of forming a support committee for our historic designation, where we have volunteers that are fully dedicated to supporting people that may need help, that may need resources," Johnson said. "We're just going to rally around our neighbors. We want this to be inclusive. We don't want this to be exclusive or kick anybody out or make anybody feel like they are not supported in this process."
Executive Director of Cincinnati Preservation Beth Johnson, also a member of the applicant team, says the materials that would be required are more cost-effective over time.
"Higher quality materials like wood or fiberglass windows or architectural shingles, last significantly longer," she said. "That means fewer replacements, less maintenance and ultimately a lower cost per year over time."
Delay for more information, public input
Members of the Planning Commission say they want to see more public education and input before voting on the designation.
"If we decide to do this as a city, from a policy perspective, it really comes down to the devil is in the details," said Assistant City Manager Billy Weber. "The discussion today left me concerned about the guidelines as written for some specific areas and the scope of those, concerned about some of the economic impacts."
Weber says the guidelines for a North Avondale historic district include more specific landscaping guidelines than other historic districts. Commission members asked city staff to clarify regulations related to accessory dwelling units (or ADUs), what would constitute a minor versus major repair, and a few other details.
The Department of Planning and Engagement also is asked to conduct at least one more public staff conference where residents can weigh in.
"I would encourage ... NANA and the applicant team, and staff where feasible, continue that education with community members in the households in this district," said Commission member Daniela Beltran.
It's not yet clear when the additional staff conference will be scheduled, or when the measure will be back at Planning Commission for a vote.
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