CINCINNATI — A group of Hyde Park residents says it collected more than 18,300 signatures on a petition to place a referendum on the November ballot to overturn Cincinnati city council's approval of a controversial $150 million development. This number is approximately double the number needed.
Cincinnati City Council in April greenlit a zoning change required for a $150 million development that would reimagine Hyde Park's historic square. The Hyde Park Neighborhood Council and residents fought against the plan, which would include the construction of an 80-foot building in an area where regulations have traditionally restricted buildings to a height of 50 feet.
"We begged them on numerous occasions, during hours-long meetings, but they went ahead with their plans," Kathleen Wilkins, a volunteer with Save Hyde Park Square, told WCPO.
Now, neighbors are hoping they can overturn the city's decision at the polls.
"The thing about planned developments is that they are a way around the zoning code and around the contract, so to speak, that's been agreed upon between the neighborhood and the city," Glendale resident Beth Sullebarger told WCPO.
You can watch as residents from across Cincinnati gathered outside of City Hall in support:
Taking Action with Signatures
Amber Kassem lives in Price Hill. The East and West Price Hill neighborhood councils both supported the petition. They were among over 14 other neighborhood councils that supported their efforts.
"When planned developments are pushed through with such great neighborhood opposition," Kassem said. "It really gives the impression that there's corruption and that the developers have privileges that the residents who live there and live amongst these developments don't have."
Kassem helped collect signatures in her area and feels the zoning change and the legal efforts made after its approval impact more than just Hyde Park.
Laura Wiedemann, a petition signer, voiced her support for this grassroots movement, stating, "I think the power's in the people. Everybody should have their say in the way their city is developed."
The Path to the Ballot
To successfully place the referendum on the ballot, organizers need to collect at least 10% of the votes from the most recent gubernatorial election, which translates to approximately 9,200 verified signatures. Currently, the group reports having over 12,000 signatures, with a goal to reach 15,000 to account for any potential disqualifications.
The measure on the ballot, if it makes it to November ballots, would ask Cincinnati voters to overturn a recent council vote approving zoning for the development.
"We're hoping to get this on the ballot so that people can understand that city council doesn't know everything," Wilkins said. "We need to stand up for ourselves and be proactive."
Watch Hyde Park residents explain their efforts below:
Looking Ahead
As the residents of Hyde Park continue their efforts, they remain hopeful that their collective action will lead to greater community involvement in local development decisions.
"Could this happen, this level of organizing happen in Price Hill? No," Kassem said. "That's why it's important for us to build a coalition across the city because I think that's where the real change is going to come in."
Residents tell WCPO they hope their movement reflects a growing sentiment among citizens who seek more direct influence on how their neighborhoods evolve, urging the city council to consider the wishes of the community before making future decisions.
Now that this group has turned in the petition to the city's clerk of council Friday afternoon, the Hamilton County Board of Elections will then verify signatures. The group needs at least 9,146 valid signatures to get the issue on the November ballot.
