The Cincinnati Planning Commission Friday unanimously approved a new historic district in North Avondale.
The effort by the North Avondale Neighborhood Association (NANA) to designate a portion of the neighborhood historic originated in 2023. Vice Mayor Jan-Michele Lemon Kearney, who lives in North Avondale, sponsored it.
In advocating for the district, Kearney noted new development that could happen in the neighborhood because of the city's Connected Communities zoning changes and Metro's Bus Rapid Transit corridor coming up Reading Road through the district.
"How do we maintain the look and feel of our beautiful neighborhood while all of this growth and development is coming to us?," Kearney asked during the hearing Friday. "The city is giving us this tool of historic preservation."
Critics worry it could make property repairs more expensive.
Karen Montgomery showed up to the hearing with her mother, Marilyn McQueen, who says she has lived in North Avondale for six decades. Montgomery asked the commission why her mother couldn't opt out of the historic designation, since other buildings near her weren't included.
"You pay for your house, your taxes are already high," Montgomery said. "I just want to know how this is supposed to help?"
NANA says the neighborhood association has established a $5,000 fund to help eligible homeowners who may struggle to pay for expensive repairs. Opponents pointed out many of the requirements under the designation could cost quite a bit more than that.
North Avondale resident Ian Rexroad also opposes the designation. He pointed out about 17% of those who responded to the designation idea had reservations.
"The applicants simply don't want to draw the boundaries to allow people to opt out," Rexroad said. "I would like an opt-out."
The planning commission received feedback from 155 individuals, representing 96 addresses in support of the historic designation, and 29 individuals representing 20 addresses opposed to it.
Commission first considered the application in April but delayed a vote to make time for more public engagement and some adjustments to the application.
NANA made some revisions, including removing reference to landscaping requirements, clarifying requirements for accessory structures and adjusting the district's boundaries. That included some buildings that weren't in the original plan and removed two buildings from the district's boundaries. One of those is The Belvedere, a historic 1926 condominium building.
"If The Belvedere gets to opt out, why can't individual homeowners?" Planning Commission Chair Jacob Samad asked the applicants.
Beth Sulleberger wrote NANA's historic district application. She told the commission The Belvedere is too different architecturally from the rest of the contributing buildings and that the owners of the building are in the midst of replacing windows in a way that likely wouldn't comply with the district's guidelines. She defended changes made to the application.
"I have never seen a neighborhood more deserving of designation than North Avondale," Sulleberger said. "I believe the changes have strengthened the application."
The designation sets guidelines for new construction and changes to existing building exteriors. The Historic Conservation Office provides required design review and approval for those.
Changes made to a property in violation of the guidelines would cause the city's Buildings and Inspections Department to reach out to property owners and issue orders to fix the problem. Failure to correct the issue could lead to fines. The city says police are not involved in enforcement of the district's standards.
"This isn't a proactive step where people would come to you and say, 'you must do these things,' beyond what is already required in municipal code," Samad said.
North Avondale developed between the 1890s and the 1940s as an upper middle class enclave. It became home to notable Cincinnatians like grocer Barney H. Kroger and brewer Albert Lackman. Significant buildings in the district represent Queen Anne, Shingle, Richardsonian Romanesque, Prairie, Craftsman and a number of other historic architectural styles.
About 91% of the 370 buildings in the district contribute to the historic character of the neighborhood, according to the application. The others, mostly those built after 1950, would not be subject to the historic guidelines.
Cincinnati City Council must also approve the historic district. Because the planning commission approved it, council will only need a simple majority to pass the designation. It would be Cincinnati's 28th historic district.
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