CINCINNATI — A controversial Hyde Park development will appear on the November ballot after residents collected more than 18,000 signatures to overturn Cincinnati City Council's approval of the $150 million project.
The Hamilton County Board of Elections announced Monday that it had certified 13,434 signatures of the 18,415 collected. The group of residents needed to collect 9,251 signatures, which is 10% of the electors who voted in the November 2022 Gubernatorial Election.
READ MORE | Voters deciding zoning rules? Hyde Park residents collect 18,000+ signatures in fight to stop development
In April, city council greenlit a zoning change required for the controversial development that would reimagine Hyde Park's historic square. The Hyde Park Neighborhood Council and residents fought against the plan, which would include the construction of an 80-foot building in an area where regulations have traditionally restricted buildings to a height of 50 feet.
"The collection of 18,415 signatures in just 3 weeks, and with a 73% validity rate, is unprecedented in Cincinnati and a clear testament to the city's widespread opposition to this dramatic zoning overhaul," said Jeff Levine, partner at Strauss Troy and attorney for the neighborhood council. Levine helped instruct circulators on the proper collection and filing of referendum petitions.
Watch Hyde Park residents explain their signature efforts in the video below:
Levine also said while the preservation of Hyde Park Square is paramount, there's "a broader theme" with this development.
"The broader theme is whether deep-pocketed developers can snub community collaboration and impose their will against the wishes of the communities throughout the city," he said. "As a result of our vigilant efforts, voters will now have an opportunity to decide both issues this November."
Councilmember Meeka Owens issued a statement after the board of elections certified the petition, saying "We are leaving all options open."
"During tough decisions I have centered myself in my values. The Hyde Park Development required me to do it critically, centering values around accessible housing for all, support for small businesses, and more spaces for the people of our city to gather in community," she said in her statement. "This referendum is not about height, this is referendum on development as a whole."
Owens ended her statement by saying she will also "stand behind projects that share (her) values for collective and collaborative growth for the people of Cincinnati."
Hyde Park residents who opposed the development also received support from other community and neighborhood councils around Cincinnati. More than 14 other councils, including both the East and West Price Hill neighborhood councils, supported Hyde Park's efforts.
"When planned developments are pushed through with such great neighborhood opposition," said Amber Kassem, a Price Hill resident. "It really gives the impression that there's corruption and that the developers have privileges that the residents who live there and live amongst these developments don't have."
Residents tell WCPO they hope their movement reflects a growing sentiment among citizens who seek more direct influence on how their neighborhoods evolve, urging the city council to consider the wishes of the community before making future decisions.
