CINCINNATI — Nearly one year after Cincinnati City Council passed the controversial Connected Communities plan, three members who opposed the original legislation are working to identify possible changes and present new ideas this spring.
The plan is aimed at increasing housing supply near business districts and along major bus routes. The goal is to cut red tape so developers can build more "middle housing," units like duplexes, townhomes and small mixed-use apartment buildings.
A task force consisting of Vice Mayor Jan-Michele Kearney, President Pro Tem Victoria Parks and Scotty Johnson is looking at how the plan would impact accessibility, the environment, infrastructure and a neighborhood's look and feel.
"We don't want in communities now nine and 10-story buildings being built in character communities like North Avondale, like Hyde Park, like Mount Lookout," Johnson said. "We want to make sure that the character doesn't change, but we need to increase that density."
Learn more about their plans here:
While the plan was passed in June, "implantation hasn't taken place," Johnson said. As feedback continues to pour in from the community, he believes there's an opportunity to increase population density and spread out the mandatory housing required under the new zoning plan more equitably.
"I think we have an opportunity to hear from our citizens and implement some of those changes," he said. "The majority of the council has spoken that (passing it) doesn't mean we can't tweak some things. I think it's a huge mountain to climb, but I think we can tweak, as I said before, to implement the different strategies that come from the community."
Steve Goodin with Cincinnati's Charter Committee appreciates the effort of the vice mayor and the opposing members of council but told WCPO he feels it's too late.
"Trying to do civic engagement and tweaking it now is not going to fly," Goodin said.
Goodin noted the outspoken criticism from residents in the areas impacted and recalled other amendments rejected before the legislation was passed. Now, Goodin said the only way out is to repeal.
"Our position is that it needs to be repealed," Goodin said. "And if we're going to look at density, we need to look at all options on how to improve density, including annexing surrounding communities."
Cincinnati’s Charter Committee plans to make repealing the Connected Communities zoning plan the center of its campaign to win seats on the City Council in November's election. Goodin believes there are two paths — putting it on the ballot, which he admits is extremely expensive, or winning enough seats on the council to give them the votes to repeal themselves.
Members of Kearney's working group are expected to finalize a plan and present it to the City Council sometime in the spring.
Watch Live:
