Cincinnati City Council will vote Tuesday on a controversial ordinance that would significantly change city zoning code.
The "Connected Communities" plan is sponsored by Mayor Aftab Pureval, and Council Members Reggie Harris and Jeff Cramerding.
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The proposal focuses most changes in neighborhood business districts and along major transit corridors. It would allow housing with up to four units, even in areas that currently only allow single family homes. It would also reduce or eliminate density caps and parking minimums for both residential and commercial developments.
The Cincinnati Planning Commission voted 6-0 two weeks ago to recommend passage, after listening to about six hours of public comment.
Cramerding is chair of the Equitable Growth and Housing Committee, which will get the first Council vote on the measure.
"I expect there will be robust debate as there has been throughout the last couple months," Cramerding told WVXU. "There seems to be a pretty clear generational split on the issue, which I've never seen in my experience at City Hall, with older and middle-aged residents expressing some concerns, and young residents really coming out and organizing and supporting."
Some critics of the plan say it should mandate that developers include income-restricted affordable housing units in exchange for density and parking waivers. Cramerding says he's happy with the ordinance as-is, and would not support any changes.
"I do not know whether any of my colleagues will introduce an amendment or not," Cramerding said. "It's my understanding that such an amendment would have to go back to the Planning Department because it's such a structural change."
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The measure is on Tuesday's agenda as an emergency ordinance, which means if it passes, it will go into effect immediately instead of after 30 days, like with non-emergency ordinances.
The emergency clause also means Cincinnati residents could not organize a referendum to overturn the changes. Cramerding says that fact was not part of the decision to vote on Connected Communities as an emergency.
"It should not [factor in]," Cramerding said. "We often use emergency ordinances when there is an urgency to get things passed. There's been a long, long process and we collectively decided to go with the emergency ordinance."
Cramerding says he thinks the measure will pass, and he sees it as one step in long journey.
All nine Council members are on the Equitable Growth and Housing Committee.
If it passes, it will go to a final vote of full Council on Wednesday, June 5; that vote is likely to be identical to the committee vote.
Timeline and how to give input
A public hearing to consider the ordinance is scheduled for 1 p.m. Tuesday, June 4, at City Council's Equitable Growth and Housing Committee.
The committee meets in Council chambers at City Hall.
You can register to give public comment virtually by 9 a.m. on June 4. You can sign up for in-person public comment when you arrive at the meeting.
If the ordinance passes out of committee, City Council will consider it Wednesday, June 5, in Council chambers at City Hall.
You can register to give public comment virtually by 2 p.m. on June 4. You can sign up for in-person public comment when you arrive at the meeting.
You can also contact Council members directly: cincinnati-oh.gov/cityofcincinnati/contact-us/
Both meetings will be streamed live on CitiCable.
