Residents propose pattern books, stricter design standards and stronger neighborhood plans under Connected Communities

Beth Johnson and Dawn Johnson, co‑chairs of the Making Connected Communities Better neighborhood look‑and‑feel working group, presented recommendations to protect neighborhood character as the city permits higher density under the Connected Communities legislation.

The committee proposed design‑standard changes, improved developer and public notice through the city permitting portal, neighborhood “pattern books” of pre‑approved infill housing, reintroduction of a Neighborhood Character Conservation District tool and a requirement that the Cincinnati Planning Commission and City Council use a supermajority vote to override an adopted neighborhood plan.

Why it matters: Presenters said the Connected Communities design standards, as written, favor an Italianate commercial building form common in Over‑the‑Rhine and can produce buildings that appear out of scale or out of character in other neighborhoods. The recommendations aim to preserve architectural continuity while allowing more housing production.

Recommendations and details presented

- Design standards and height averaging: The committee recommended updating Connected Communities design standards to allow contextual height by averaging neighboring building heights and to limit the expansion to the current 47‑foot allowance in single‑family/residential mixed zones unless averaging supports it. They also recommended separate standards for residential and commercial zones and applying design standards to all buildings — not only 2–4 unit structures.

- Pattern books and permitting: The group proposed creating neighborhood or typology‑based pattern books (presenters showed the South Bend example) that provide pre‑approved designs and construction drawings to fast‑track permitting for compatible infill. They also recommended adding automated notification features to the EZTrack permitting system so community councils receive permit submissions and issuance notices earlier in the process.

- Neighborhood Character Conservation Districts and incentives: Presenters asked council to reintroduce the previously drafted Neighborhood Character Conservation District code (zoning code section 14.36 in prior work) as a “preservation‑light” tool allowing neighborhoods to define review standards, and to create incentives — including façade grants, tax abatements or historic tax credits — to help owners in historic or conservation areas meet higher material and design costs.

- Supermajority to override neighborhood plans: To protect community‑driven plans, the presenters recommended that the Cincinnati Planning Commission and City Council require a supermajority vote (an additional affirmative vote above the current threshold) to approve projects or zoning actions that conflict with an adopted neighborhood plan.

Council response and implementation notes

Council members, including President Pro Tem Victoria Parks and Council Member Scottie Johnson, praised the depth of the volunteer work and asked staff to identify “low‑hanging fruit” for near‑term action. Presenters and council members discussed that pattern books would not preclude other design approaches but would speed permitting for designs already vetted by neighborhoods and could reduce neighbor pushback.

Formal action recorded

As with the related housing presentation, the chair placed the neighborhood look‑and‑feel presentation and supplemental materials on file (items 1–7) and they were filed for the record without objection; no roll‑call vote was recorded in the transcript.

Ending: Presenters asked council to “put our voice back into this legislation,” and council members agreed to meet with co‑chairs, legal staff and planning staff to prioritize specific ordinance language and pilot projects.