1. Putting the Action into General Plans:
Cincinnati’s Comprehensive Plan
APA Annual Conference
April 15, 2012

2. Cincinnati’s Planning History
2
• In 1925, Cincinnati was the first city in the United
States to have a comprehensive plan approved by
City Council
• Only two Plans since – 1948 and in 1980

3. 3
The Planning Process
• Involve our residents,
businesses and stakeholders
in an open dialogue
• Develop a vision, goals, and
concrete short, medium, and
long-range strategies
• Set out a plan of action to
implement the plan, define our
partners
• Review and measure our
progress on a regular basis

4. 4
Progress to Date
• 20+ meetings of Steering
Committee
• Initial visits to all Community
Councils
• 4 public kickoff meetings
• 2 Neighborhood Summits (2010
and 2011) fully dedicated to
development of Plan Cincinnati
• 24 Working Group meetings to
develop goals and action steps
• Two public Open Houses
• Youth Activity - “Planting the
Future”

5. 5
The Plan Cincinnati Vision
Thriving Re-Urbanization
• The vision for the future of Cincinnati is
focused on an unapologetic drive to
create and sustain a thriving inclusive
urban community, where engaged people
and memorable places are paramount,
where creativity and innovation thrive, and
where local pride and confidence is
contagious.

6. Five Initiative Areas
6
Compete: Be the pivotal economic force of the region
Live: Strengthen our magnetic City with energized people
Connect: Bring people and places together
Sustain: Steward resources and ensure long-term viability
Collaborate: Partner to reach our common goals

7. 7
The Guiding Geographic
Principles

8. 8
The Guiding Geographic
Principles
• Focus revitalization on existing centers of
activity.
• Link centers with effective transportation for
maximum accessibility.
• Create new centers of activity where
appropriate.
• Maximize industrial reinvestment in existing
industrial areas.

9. 9

10. 10
Focus revitalization on
existing centers of activity.
• Centers of activity are more than just
commercial areas – civic infrastructure as well.
• Invest in our existing infrastructure.
• Put additional resources into existing centers of
activity.
• Leveraging existing assets to create quality
urban places

11. 11

12. Link centers with 12
transportation for maximum
accessibility
• 22% of our housing units have no vehicle
available – no choice but to walk, bike, ride
transit.
• Allow people to access centers on foot, by
bike, or on public transportation.

13. 13
Create new centers of activity
where appropriate.
• Do this sparingly – where there is a residential
population with needs that are not met.
• Consider the locations where centers of activity
are few or scattered.
• Do not put resources into creating centers of
activity in places that are already served.

14. 14
Determining new centers of
activity
• Define any residential populations that are not
being adequately served by existing centers.
• Identify areas where some services are
clustered and determine if that is an area that
could be expanded. Consider access to
transportation.
• Currently, there are large under-served areas
on the west side of the City.

15. 15
Industrial reinvestment in
existing industrial areas.
• Focus on the Mill Creek.
• In order for our economic base to
grow, industrial uses are needed.
• We need to designate where future industrial
uses belong.
• Not all industrial development needs to be
heavy industry (can be clean technology).

16. 16

17. 17
Partnerships
• Some things in the Plan are pivotal to the City
but we can’t do it alone – need partners
• Each Action Step will list partners necessary for
implementation
- City may not always be the lead agency but will
always have a role

18. 18
Next Steps for Plan Cincinnati
• Draft plan currently available at
www.plancincinnati.org
• April 20, 2012 – accepting public
feedback on draft plan
• Summer, 2012– City Planning
Commission review
• Fall, 2012 – City Council review

19. 19
Implementation
• Action Steps divided
into Short, Mid, Long
range steps.
• Review annually in
conjunction with the
Budget.
- Newly restructured Priority-
Based Budgeting Process.

20. 20
Implementation
• Revisit Plan annually and update every 5 years
to assess progress and adjust strategies if
necessary.
• Planning consistency policy to ensure that the
Plan is implemented uniformly regardless of
change in leadership or administrative staff.
• Immediate implementation of Planning’s
primary responsibility – the Land Development
Code.

21. City of Cincinnati Community 21
Challenge Grant Award
• Cincinnati awarded $2.4 million (over 3 years)
for development of Land Development Code
(LDC)
• $68 million total awarded by HUD and DOT
through the Office of Sustainable Communities
• Cincinnati received the 4th Largest award
overall

22. 22
LDC Objectives
• Meet Livability Principles and Plan Cincinnati
goals
• Expand tool box:
- Consolidate existing zoning and subdivision regulations and
building and environmental codes
- Create new community oriented regulations that allow for
development that promotes social, economic, and environmental
benefits
- Streamline processes and procedures for review and approval of
development and improvement projects – without excluding the
public review process

23. 23
Project Tools
• Consolidate Development Regulations
• Form-Based Codes
• Inclusionary Zoning
• Incentive Zoning
• Transit-Oriented Development
• Complete Streets
• Transfer of Development Rights
• CPTED
• Site Plan review/Streamlined permitting process

24. 24
Next Steps
• Existing Zoning Code diagnostic review
• Assess existing regulations and plan policies
• Strategic Framework for LDC
• White Papers for New Tools
• Stakeholder Interviews and workshops
• Form Based Code Charrette (April 28 – May 2)

25. 25
PLANBUILDLIVE