Cincinnati City Planning Commissioners OK new building at Findlay Market despite opposition from residents

Notes

• The meeting began at 9:02 a.m. with a call to order led by the chair, Jacob Samad, and the Pledge of Allegiance.
• CPC members present were:
  • Jacob Samad, chair
  • Daniella Beltran, vice chair
  • Darrick Dansby, commissioner
  • Jan-Michele Lemon Kearney, vice mayor and commissioner
  • Billy Weber, assistant city manager and commissioner
    • Commissioner Dansby was running behind and entered about two minutes late. Commissioner Anne Sesler attended via Zoom. Not present was Commissioner John Eby, who was excused.
• Staff present from the Department of City Planning & Engagement were:
  • Katherine Keough-Jurs, director
  • Stacey Hoffman, City Planning division manager
  • Carly Evans, administrative specialist
  • Sophia Ferries-Rowe, city planner
  • Andrew Halt, senior city planner
  • Lauralee Thach
  • Dariah Williams, community engagement specialist
• Staff present from the Law Department were:
  • Kevin Tidd, legal counsel
• CitiCable staff present were:
  • Steve Sobel, general manager
  • Tom Potter, production manager
  • Darius Jones, programming manager

Agenda items

View full agenda here.

There were about 10 residents present at the start of the meeting, and about five more trickled in as the meeting progressed. Samad started by explaining the format of the meeting and the process for participating via Zoom.

• The first item on the agenda was the approval of the minutes for April 18, May 2, May 16, June 6 and June 20, 2025. Hoffman was lauded for efforts in bringing these minutes to fruition. They were all approved.
• The next item, Item 1, was on the consent agenda. It was approved in an administrative capacity, being reviewed only for consistency with a prior approval. Samad presented the motion to approve the Item, and it was unanimously approved.
• Item 2 was a report and recommendation on a proposed zone change for 1813 Race Street in Over-the-Rhine, “Park and Recreation” (“PR”) to “Commercial Community-Pedestrian-Transportation Corridor” (“CC-P-T”).
• Ferries-Rowe gave the staff presentation, explaining that the property, which is a parking lot as of now, is currently zoned as PR. The purpose of PR zoning is “to preserve, protect, and enhance a system of public parks, parkways, greenspace and recreation areas,” as well as “to preserve natural and scenic areas and protect sensitive natural resource areas.” Arcx Studio is applying for a zone change on behalf of the Corporation for Findlay Market (CFFM) to CC-P-T, the purpose of which is “to identify, create, maintain, and enhance areas suitable for a wide variety of commercial and institutional uses along major transportation corridors and in shopping districts or centers.” This change is required for the future development of a proposed mixed-use building, featuring four levels housing office space, an event room, a maintenance garage, a storefront for the market’s shopping app, and waste management.
• Ferries-Rowe made sure to clarify that, though the proposed development was also being expounded upon, only the zone change was being considered for this meeting. They also referenced a public staff conference held on July 2, mentioning support from the local community as well as concerns that were raised regarding increased traffic, decreased property values and impacted views.
• Ferries-Rowe concluded the presentation with the staff of the Department of City Planning & Engagement recommending that the CPC approve the zone change.
• The official government page for this project can be found here.
• Kearney mentioned letters the city has received from the public expressing concerns about affordable parking, private for-profit ownership on public land, long-term management and pedestrian traffic.
• Ferries-Rowe replied that the applicant team has been working on vendor parking and pedestrian traffic — though no specifics were given — and that the sale or lease of the property, since it is city-owned, is currently under negotiation.
• Samad transitioned the meeting to allow speakers to participate and explained the instructions for doing so. The first to address the commission were members of the CFFM: John Bird, director of market management & operations; and Kelly Lanser, president and CEO. 
• Bird explained that their overall goal is to consolidate CFFM’s various properties in the area, which houses its office space, shopping app, maintenance facilities and storage.
• Samad expressed concern that the community engagement hasn’t lived up to some of its expectations and allowed Bird an opportunity to provide some examples of how the CFFM has engaged the vendors and surrounding property owners. Bird described their design team working with the community council, having attended the trustee meeting and membership meeting, along with having surveyed the business owners to understand their viewpoints.
• Samad then addressed another concern regarding the short-term impact on local businesses during construction. Bird said their intention is to minimize impact on the north parking lot and to attempt to focus construction on Mondays, when the market is closed. They concede that some residential areas will unavoidably be affected.
• Beltran asked a question in regard to site selection, citing the housing density of that particular area of OTR. Bird responded that they’ve been exploring options for two years, having considered eight to 10 sites, but that none of the sites hitherto considered were adequate for their operational needs.
• Kearney reiterated concerns about affordable parking. Bird responded by explaining that rates have been lowered in Findlay Garage and that they’re currently in talks with Cincinnati Center City  Development Corp. (3CDC) to explore options in the area. Kearney further inquired about accessible parking, to which Bird replied that there are a little over six handicap spots in the north lot.
• Lanser, who participated via Zoom, was called on to speak. She offered to answer any additional questions, though none were asked of her.
• Kearney brought up the concern of one resident, who is worried about vehicle and pedestrian traffic in the nearby alleyway, which is planned to be opened up into a thoroughfare. Bird explained that this alleyway would be for use only by Findlay Market.
• Other members from Arcx were in attendance for questions only: Katie Conner, Ernie Palmer and Katrina Zielonka. Beltran provided some guidelines for future meetings regarding the project, and Dansby asked if residents of the City Lofts building will still have immediate access to their parking garages. Palmer said that there should not be any impact to parking or garages to the south.
• The first resident speaker was then called to the podium, introduced only as Minister Adrian, a nonprofit organizer and former Findlay Market vendor who lives in OTR. He had previously spoken against the CFFM at the City Council meeting held on June 4, 2025. Averring that many OTR residents oppose the project but are afraid to speak up, he described a lack of transparency regarding meetings and fundraising and the exploitation of local Black-owned businesses. He also asserted that bylaws of the OTR Community Council were breached at the aforementioned trustee meeting, and that Findlay Market has routinely engendered the violation of residents’ 14th Amendment rights. He concluded by describing the overall negative impact of the CFFM and Findlay Market as a whole on the community.
• Beltran asked whether or not meetings have been requested by the community to address these concerns; Adrian said no.  Weber then asked for clarification on his relationships and insights to Findlay Market vendors.
• The next speaker was Laura Riley, co-owner of Madison’s at Findlay Market. She echoed concerns regarding parking, ongoing construction and safety, and ultimately expressed her opposition to the zone change. Samad asked if she felt that the CFFM was transparent and provided open lines of communication to discuss these challenges, to which Riley responded no. She also said she did not feel comfortable bringing these issues up to the CFFM.
• The next speaker was Riley Owens, an OTR resident who spoke in favor of the zone change, expressing their love for the densely built character of the neighborhood and their disdain for parking lots and the effect they have on neighborhoods.
• The next speaker was Joy Pierson, a manager for local governments and nonprofit organizations who has close relationships with many vendors and worked at Findlay Market from 2001-2. She echoed sentiments that vendors are scared to voice their concerns to the CFFM and that CFFM has not communicated with them at all in regard to the project. Pierson mentioned that, despite paying for them, vendors are unable to utilize their garage parking passes during FC Cincinnati games, left only with the option to pay increased event rates. She also asserted that the economic impact report provided by the CFFM put forth false information, due to the fact that no merchants had in fact provided any financial data. She concluded by saying that trust has completely eroded between the vendors and the corporation.
• Beltran asked if Pierson sees this as a historic problem or a new one, to which Pierson answered the former, arguing that these tensions have been mounting for decades. She called to attention the fact that the CFFM claimed there would be merchants and city staff on its board but has failed to deliver on this front, which is in breach of its bylaws. She finished by reiterating the vendors’ fear of retaliation from the CFFM and their strong desire to remain anonymous. Kearney responded by suggesting that a solution can be achieved by interfacing with the Department of Planning & Community Engagement.
• The last speaker, joining via Zoom, was Becky Montag (spelling uncertain), president of the City Lofts at Findlay Market Homeowners Association. She relayed her organization’s opposition to the zoning change, citing the preservation of unobstructed views, increased vehicle and pedestrian traffic, damage to property and lack of access during construction, and depreciation of property values. Montag also expressed dismay at a lack of communication from the CFFM, stating that she had only come to learn of the project by actively pursuing answers from the involved parties.
• Following the conclusion of public comment, Samad transitioned the meeting to commissioner discussion, during which Beltran, Weber, Kearney, Dansby and Samad made clear their intent to vote “yes” on the Item and attempted to assuage some of the public’s concerns. Weber moved to approve Item 2, which was unanimously approved.
• The director’s report was the final item on the meeting’s agenda. It introduced a new member of staff: Dariah Williams, the newest community engagement specialist. A sociology graduate from Ohio State University, she has experience working in state and federal government before serving at the local level.
• A motion was made to adjourn the meeting, which was seconded. The meeting was adjourned at 10:06 a.m.

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