Cincinnati's form-based code effort to take city leaders back to Nashville

Vice Mayor Roxanne Qualls has announced that city leaders will be returning to Nashville as Cincinnati continues to move forward with the development of a form-based code. 

The visit to North Nashville is one that builds upon a previous visit taken by city leaders in June 2008 to see how Nashville leaders successfully moved from a conventional zoning code to a form-based code.  The visit encouraged many city leaders about the potential that form-based codes can have in terms of transforming and revitalizing neighborhoods.  Following the trip, Cincinnati City Council approved $50,000 in February 2009 to advance the development of neighborhood form-based codes in Cincinnati.

Since that time the City has moved forward with Plan Cincinnati, a new comprehensive plan, and is now looking to organize four overnight trips back to Nashville between late January and late July 2010 so that community leaders can learn from Nashville's form-based code process.

On Tuesday, January 26 community leaders will be traveling to Nashville for a kick-off meeting that will include an overview of the form-based code process, and outline the process taken with a visioning session with related stakeholders there.

Cincinnati community leaders will return next on Thursday, May 6 to review the land use policies for open space, residential and conservation areas, and explain the potential impacts these policies would have in Cincinnati.  The third overnight trip to Nashville on Thursday, June 17 will continue to review land use policies as they relate to centers, corridors and districts, and again discuss the potential impacts of such policies.

The final overnight trip to Nashville will review implementation strategies with the North Nashville community and get their feedback regarding the process.  Cincinnati city leaders hope to then take this information and use it to effectively develop form-based codes for several Cincinnati neighborhoods.

"As Cincinnati’s form-based codes effort moves forward and neighborhoods get ready to organize community charrettes, we have a terrific learning opportunity in the coming months," said Vice Mayor Roxanne Qualls.

Writer: Randy A. Simes
Photography by Scott Beseler
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