City of Cincinnati

Key discussions included an update on the Hotel Development, noting that the Development Agreement and long-term Lease are progressing through City Hall, with selective demolition anticipated in February or March. The Operations Report indicated a pace to achieve 115,000 total operations for Calendar Year 2025. The Financial Report showed an increase in revenues, attributed to Landing Fees and lease renewals based on appraisals, CPI, and industry standards, despite higher Fiscal Year 2026 expenses. Progress on the Customs Facility update noted the completion of the Feasibility Study design phase for repurposing Lease Area 32. A Strategic Business Plan contract with Woolpert was signed in November to examine commercial aspects and establish long-term business goals, which will involve community input via an Open House. Additionally, the Board ranked proposals for the development of the 6-acre parcel (Lease Area 58), and interviews were conducted for the Airport Manager position, narrowing the field to three finalists.

The board meeting began with procedural reminders regarding rules of procedure, testimony oath, and quasi-judicial hearing conduct. Key actions included the approval of a motion to move Item Number One from discussion to consent agenda, followed by the approval of a certificate of appropriateness for 1500 Gray Street. Item Number Five (1947 Auburn Avenue) was continued to June 5th due to the need for additional zoning analysis. The board then approved a certificate of appropriateness for 432 Walnut Street for the renovation of the Traction Building, including adding a rooftop deck with an enclosed room and extending the fire escape, noting that renderings showed minimal visibility from primary facades. Item Number Four concerned the renovation of 27 to 29 West 12th Street, which involved demolishing a later addition (circa 1923) to create individual apartment units, and constructing a new addition in the same footprint clad in fiber cement paneling, which was also approved. Item Number Six, concerning 213 Woodward Street, which was previously tabled, involved approvals for conditional use for an outdoor area exceeding 50% of the indoor size and for outdoor entertainment (ambient music only, no live music) within 500 feet of a residential district, alongside approval for painting a non-contributing structure. A Good Neighbor Agreement for 213 Woodward Street, which included provisions on trash, no live entertainment, decibel limits, and operating hours, was presented, noting support from the Pendleton Community Council.

The Historic Conservation Board hearing addressed multiple applications for Certificates of Appropriateness and zoning relief. Key agenda items included the reapplication for a rear addition at 3441 Observatory Place, involving conversion of a screened porch to an enclosed structure with windows and siding, and the addition of a fireplace. The board also reviewed a proposal for 213 Wade Street, which sought to create a 10-space surface parking lot in the Over-the-Rhine Historic District, requiring zoning relief due to narrow lot dimensions. Additionally, the board considered changes at 1886 Madison Road, involving the replacement of a deteriorated concrete terrace over a garage with a wood-framed system and modifications to the rear porch. Finally, an application for 2035 Dunlap Street involved creating a recessed roof deck on the front slope and a third-story addition, with a stipulation regarding the cladding material for a non-historic rear addition.

The meeting involved a check-in and introduction of attendees for a hearing regarding case number ZH20230130 concerning 1011 Grandin Ridge Drive. The primary discussion centered on an applicant's request for Hillside relief/zoning variance to construct a new ranch-style home in place of a demolished structure. Relief was sought concerning the front yard setback, left side yard setback, right side yard setback, rear yard setback, maximum retaining wall height, and cumulative excavation and fill requirements. The applicant argued that the depth of the three central lots necessitates these variances, as they are significantly deeper than other neighborhood lots, impacting setback calculations based on averaging neighbors. Furthermore, the design addresses water mitigation, stabilizes the hillside following the removal of improper prior fill material, and aims to preserve existing trees.

The meeting, chaired by Michael Moran, concerned Case Number Z-4061-201-202021. The primary discussion centered on an appeal filed by the Mount Lookout Community Council against R2 Partnerships LD Real Estate Holdings LD Real Estate Properties concerning the application of a use variance by the Zoning Hearing Examiner (ZHE) regarding a demolition permit within the Urban Design Overlay District. The appellant argued that the ZHE's application of the use variance was illegal because the code strictly prohibits demolition in the Urban Design Overlay District unless ordered by the Director of Buildings and Inspections, and a use variance is not the appropriate mechanism to bypass this prohibition. The appellee countered that the ZHE was following the direction provided by the Board on December 5th to pursue the use variance standards due to the highly prohibitive language in the code, arguing that the use variance procedure was necessary to preserve due process rights given the demolition prohibition, and that the matter should be viewed as seeking relief from existing procedures, potentially through a notwithstanding ordinance, rather than procedural error.