To: <ClerkofCouncil@cincinnati-oh.gov>, <Jan-michele.kearney@cincinnati-oh.gov>, <Victoria.parks@cincinnati-oh.gov>, <Anna.albi@cincinnati-oh.gov>, <Jeff.cramerding@cincinnati-oh.gov>, <Reggie.harris@cincinnati-oh.gov>, <Mark.jeffreys@cincinnati-oh.gov>, <Scotty.johnson@cincinnati-oh.gov>, <Seth.walsh@cincinnati-oh.gov>, <Meeka.owens@cincinnati-oh.gov>, <planning@cincinnati-oh.gov>, Allen V Kroth <avjkroth@gmail.com>, <Mayor.Aftab@cincinnati-oh.gov>, <coalition@cbcincy.org>
The Connected Communities ordinance is like trying to drive a thumb tack with a sledge hammer. It’s overkill and will destroy neighborhoods in its path and I oppose Connected Communities as proposed.
Worldpopulationreview.com indicates Cincinnati has grown 14,000 people from 2010 to 2024 or 1000 a year; that’s 4% growth and that same study projects population growth of 4,000 to 2029 and that’s 1% growth while insights.cincinnati-oh.gov indicates over 1100 units were built in 2023. The Planning Commission and Messrs. Pureval, Harris and Cramerding’s claims that Cincinnati housing isn’t keeping up with growth is grossly overstated and self-serving.
Seems like there is plenty of building going on to handle current and projected growth without taking a sledgehammer to current zoning rules. You choose not to make decisions according to hard data because it doesn’t fit your agenda. While once size does not fit all neighborhoods and part of the uniqueness of Cincinnati is its neighborhoods and their distinct character, you are choosing to destroy that by massive virtually unlimited zoning changes across our city.
These sledgehammer changes cater to developers, the real estate industry, big business and the hospital industry who, by the way, have destroyed many homes in Clifton, Avondale and Walnut Hills as they spread their campuses. Of course they support Connected Communities. More chances for developers to build and take advantage of lax city building and maintenance enforcement while the hospitals can ease their guilt about tearing down neighborhoods and now being proponents of increasing housing.
Connected Communities’ report indicates a majority of single-family home owners don’t support this. It does not and will not improve affordable housing and only overloads systems like sewers and parking that can’t handle capacity now.
Slow the process. Engage ALL neighborhood associations. Reduce the swath of destruction and adjust before permanent damage is done. While your intentions of increasing housing stock may be commendable, this is not the way to do it and want to restate opposition to theses ordinance changes.
Consider more aggressive building code enforcement, inventory vacant land and condemned buildings making it easier to develop there before these radical and unfounded changes are approved.
Allen Kroth
Dakota Avenue