PC to discuss Banks height limits

The City Planning Commission will be discussing height limits for buildings in the Banks development at their meeting on Friday.

The discussion is the result of a letter from Joseph Trauth Jr. - on behalf of several downtown property owners - to City Planning Commission Chairman Caleb Faux pointing out a discrepancy between the Banks master development agreement and the City's planned development district (PD-43). While the master development agreement was amended to impose a height limit of 20 leasable floors and up to 4 floors of parking, PD-43 still allows for a height of 30 floors.

City Council voted to approve both documents at the same meeting.

Upon approval, planned development districts become part of the Cincinnati Zoning Code. Developers in planned development districts are required to have their final development plans approved by both the City Planning Commission and City Council.

Because the City has this final say before granting approval and issuing permits, they would automatically deny any plans with buildings over 24 floors as a violation of the master development agreement.

It is expected that the City will not pursue a revision of PD-43, as it would be a useless waste of bureaucracy.

Previous reading on BC:
Banks: 24 floors, or 30? (11/19/07)
Dumbest opinion piece ever (11/12/07)
Banks agreements online (11/7/07)
OTR Foundation: Why it is the wrong time for the Banks (11/6/07)
The Banks, block by block (11/5/07)