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Resident urges council to tackle vacant storefronts; members consider a vacant-property registry
Summary
A Mariemont resident told council he counted at least five vacant businesses in the square and urged the village to act; councilors discussed renovation status, absentee landlords and the possibility of adopting an Ohio vacant-property registry ordinance and referred the issue to committee for further study.
A resident raised concerns at the Nov. 10 council meeting about multiple vacant commercial spaces in the village square, saying vacancies are an eyesore and reduce tax revenue and shopping options for residents.
Matt Tripepe, a 13-year resident (SEG 168), said he counted at least five empty businesses and asked what tools the mayor and council have to encourage occupancy, including reduced rents or enforcement. Mayor Bill Brown and building official Rod Holloway described several properties: an art gallery relocating due to renovation, renovation work underway at a property on Madisonville Road, and an absentee owner of a medical building who has been difficult for staff to contact.
Council members noted similar concerns raised in past years and discussed options. One councilor referenced a vacant-property registry authority available in the Ohio Revised Code that some municipalities use to enforce maintenance and reduce long-term vacancies; another said the village could adopt an existing state model rather than draft new local code. Members agreed the topic should be referred to a committee for assessment and potential ordinance language to balance business sensitivity and neighborhood appearance.
No enforcement action was taken at the meeting; councilors asked staff to gather information and the committee to meet with property owners and business partners. Mayor Brown and several councilors offered to meet privately with property stakeholders to explore solutions.
