The Cincinnati Planning Commission voted 3-1 Friday to recommend approval of a controversial zoning change for . The zone change now heads to City Council for final approval, although the development will face future approvals related to design and construction.
The proposed development at 2719 Erie Ave would include renovating the À L’aise building (keeping retail space and multi-family housing) and constructing two new buildings: a six-story boutique hotel with 90 rooms, ground floor retail space, banquet area, and rooftop terrace; and a seven-story, mixed-use building with about 120 market-rate housing units with residential amenities like a fitness center and outdoor pool, plus retail space. An underground, multi-level parking garage with about 350 spaces will connect the two new buildings; about 183 spaces will be reserved for public commercial use.
The development team includes PLK Communities, The Loring Group, and NorthPointe Group.
Opponents say the proposed development is too large, tall, and could exacerbate traffic and parking concerns. Developer representatives say they made several changes to the design to accommodate community feedback, including reducing the proposed height — although the Planning Commission ultimately approved the change with the original requested height.
The Planning Commission agreed with the recommendation of professional staff from the Department of Planning and Engagement to change the zoning from Commercial Neighborhood Pedestrian – Neighborhood Business District (CN-P-B) to Planned Development (PD).
The change would allow two key differences compared to the current zoning:
- Current zoning allows for multi-family, restaurant, retail, and office; changing to Planned Development would allow the inclusion of a hotel.
- Current zoning limits building height to 50 feet; changing to Planned Development would allow buildings to reach a maximum 85.5 feet.
Senior City Planner Andrew Halt says contrary to some opposition statements, the concept of a Planned Development is not a "loophole" in city zoning.
"The zoning code dictates form and use, while under Planed Developments, the community, the developer and the city come together to dictate form and use," Halt said. "[PDs] have been part of the zoning code since 2004 and anybody has the right to request a zone change to a PD. And it is up to the city to review the application, provide a recommendation, and then ultimately up to City Planning Commission and City Council to make the determination if it's appropriate."
The staff report includes 714 letters and emails related to the project; 16 were in support, with the remaining opposed. That includes official opposition from the Hyde Park Square Business Association and the Hyde Park Neighborhood Council.
"We must protect the integrity of Hyde Park Square and avoid permanent and destructive transformation," said HPNC President Tommy McEvoy in comments to the Planning Commission. "We argue that this proposed planned development poses important and irreversible consequences and warrants far more serious analysis than has been done to date."
HPNC has retained legal representation to oppose the project.
Attorney Sean Suder, representing the development team, says the zoning change will make the final project better.
"The conventional zoning promotes inferior, cookie-cutter urban design," Suder said. "That's the difference — that's why we're going with the PD, because we want this to be unique to Hyde Park Square."
Developers say although an 85.5-foot building is above the current zoning limit of 50 feet, it would be similar to existing buildings on or near the square that were built before that limit was put in place. The design also includes a "step-back" system, where the maximum height at the street will be 50 feet, with additional stories set back from the street.
The city's preliminary review of the plans determined the development would not negatively impact traffic, parking, pedestrian safety, or sewage system capacity. A more comprehensive review of these and other topics will be required when a final design is ready.
What Planning Commission decided
The Planning Commission voted 3-1 to recommend that City Council approve the zoning change, with a significant amendment to what city staff recommended.
- Voting in favor: Jacob Samad, Daniella Beltran, and Billy Weber.
- Voting against: Jan-Michele Kearney (also a member of City Council).
- Three of the seven commission members were absent: Anne Sesler, Darrick Dansby, and John Eby.
"While it's not well-supported by the community, I think the justification is there that PD is appropriate for what this project can be and what it's trying to achieve," Beltran said.
The developers had agreed to reduce the maximum height from 85.5 feet to 80 feet, based on community feedback that the plan was too tall. Developers said that reduction increased estimated construction costs, so they also eliminated about a hundred parking spaces from the plan.
The Planning Commission approved the original request, allowing up to 85.5 feet and returning to about 350 total parking spaces. Billy Weber suggested that change.
"Overall, I do think a height variance here justifies to get to a better project," Weber said.
Developers agreed to other design changes based on city and public feedback; the Planning Commission agreed with those adjustments:
- The new multi-family housing building will be designed to appear like two distinct structures to address scale and "look and feel" concerns.
- A planned private driveway will be constructed on the south side of the site instead of the middle, to address concerns about traffic flow and pedestrian safety.
Kearney voiced her frustration with the decision, supported by loud cheers and applause from opponents in the audience.
"I just think this is outrageous," Kearney said. "There's really no justification for ignoring the community. And I'm telling you, a planned development is supposed to be a partnership — this was not a partnership ... this was just siding with the developer, who needs to be working with the community."
What happens next
The earliest this zoning change could come to City Council is at the Equitable Growth & Housing Committee on Tuesday, March 24. It would need a majority vote in committee to move on to full City Council.
Even if the zoning change to Planned Development is approved, the project will face future approvals related to design and construction, including approval for design and planned demolition through the Urban Design Overlay District procedures.
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