Updates

February 2021

• Updated Plans for Linwood Ave Cluster Housing Development. The developer completed a second Coordinated Site Review (CSR) through the city's Department of Buildings and Inspections with updated site plans. Key features include:

  • Demolition of 7 houses along Linwood Ave

  • 23 new single-family houses

  • 5 houses along Linwood Ave

  • 18 houses in the wooded hillside area behind Linwood Ave

  • A new public street, with a single access point onto Linwood Ave for all 23 homes

July 2020

• Updated Plans for Linwood Ave Cluster Housing Development. The developer completed a Coordinated Site Review (CSR) through the city's Department of Buildings and Inspections with updated site plans. Key features include:

  • Demolition of 6 houses along Linwood Ave

  • Construction of 26 new houses

  • 16 new attached houses along Linwood Ave

  • 10 new detached houses in the wooded hillside area behind Linwood Ave

  • Removal of over 30 vertical feet of the wooded ridge on the property

  • A new public street, with a single access point onto Linwood Ave less than 500 feet from its intersection with Beverly Hill Dr for all 26 homes

  The CSR process compiles written feedback from all city departments involved in the site plan approval process to allow the developer to identify any conditions that may affect the project so they can make modifications before submitting any formal applications. The Department of Buildings and Inspections has also shared their initial Coordinated Site Review (CSR) comments and recommendations on the revised plans. 

• Community Advisory Group Volunteers Needed! The Mt. Lookout Community Council is forming a Community Advisory Group to help focus discussions about the development. They are looking for up to eight volunteers to form a diverse group of Mt. Lookout property owners that represent our community as broadly as possible. Please send an email  info@mtlookout.org by August 17, 2020 with your name, email address, phone number, and a brief statement outlining why you are interested, your general availability, and any expertise that you have that may benefit group discussions. 

  
  Looking Out for Mt. Lookout encourages all interested property owners in Mt. Lookout to volunteer for this group. 

May 2020

• May 28 Zoning Hearing on Redevelopment in Mt. Lookout Square. A Zoning Examiner hearing has been scheduled for Wednesday, May 28, 1:30 pm on the planned redevelopment of four rental properties at 1009, 1011, 1013, and 1015 Delta Ave into 30 apartments and 5 rental townhouses. In February, the development group submitted an Application for Zoning Relief - which includes a request for height, rear-yard, buffer-yard, retaining wall and side yard variances - to the City’s Building and Inspections Department. Both the Mt. Lookout Community Council and Looking Out for Mt. Lookout have submitted comments to the City for consideration. 

  Action Steps: 

  • Attend the Mt. Lookout Community Council virtual meeting on May 20 at 7:30pm to discuss this project. This meeting will take place online through Google Meet. To join, go to https://meet.google.com/qct-rpkj-hvf. You can also join by phone by calling: 402-989-0313, PIN: 814854194.

  • Submit comments to zhe@cincinnati-oh.gov and include the case numbers in your email - ZH20200030 & ZH20200031.

  • Attend the virtual zoning hearing on May 28. See www.cincinnati-oh.gov/boards for more information on how to attend.

• Linwood Ave Development

  The Mt. Lookout Community Council is planning to form a Community Advisory Group with Urban Investors Mt Lookout, LLC and community members as they finalize their plans for the Linwood Ave project between Sheffield Ave, Beverly Hills Dr, and Richwood Ave. Looking Out for Mt. Lookout will volunteer to participate in the advisory group, and we encourage other interested neighbors to sign up.

  Action Steps:

  • Sign up for the Mt. Lookout Observer Newsletter to be notified by email when MLCC asks for volunteers.

January 2020

• Read the Cincinnati Enquirer Story. The Cincinnati Enquirer featured a story about the eastside development projects, including the proposed Linwood Ave cluster housing development, on January 12.

December 2019

• Linwood Ave Cluster Housing Development. Redstone MTL, LLC has transferred its properties to a new LLC that was established on April 1, 2019 - Urban Investors Mt Lookout, LLC. This new LLC now owns 5 of the 7 properties that were included in the draft Cluster Housing Application submitted by Redstone in December 2018. Urban Investors has also purchased 3546 Linwood, which was not included in the draft Cluster Housing Application.

• Redevelopment in Mt. Lookout Square. Looking Out for Mt. Lookout participated in the Community Advisory Group with R2 Partnership LLC for the planned redevelopment of four rental properties at 1009, 1011, 1013, and 1015 Delta Ave into luxury apartments. While R2 did indicate a willingness to work with the community on the “architecture and design of the building,” they have not provided additional information on site plan details and supporting studies.  

• Wasson Way Major Subdivision Application. Habitation Development Group, LLC has revised their plans and is proposing to subdivide a parcel at 3001 Wasson Road under the current SF-6 zoning into 5 parcels with 4 single-family homes and 1 existing parking lot. The plan indicates significant front and rear yard variances will be required. The public hearing before the City Planning Commission is scheduled for December 6, 2019, and a special Hyde Park Neighborhood Council meeting is scheduled for December 3, 2019. Learn more and take action at https://www.preservehydepark.org/

September 2019

• Zone Change for City Homes at Wasson Way. Habitation Development Group, LLC is proposing to subdivide a parcel at 3001 Wasson Road that is currently zoned Single Family 6,000 sq. ft. lot (SF-6) to 8 Single Family 2,000 sq. ft. lot (SF-2) parcels and 1 Commercial Community - Pedestrian (CC-P) parcel. This proposed zone change is coming up for a City Council vote on September 25, 2019. If approved, this change will set a precedent allowing developers to downgrade zoning for more lot splits and greater density. Learn more and take action at https://www.preservehydepark.org/

• Redevelopment in Mt. Lookout Square. Looking Out for Mt. Lookout participated in the first Community Advisory Group meeting with R2 Partnership LLC for the planned redevelopment of four rental properties at 1009, 1011, 1013, and 101 Delta Ave into luxury apartments on September 17. R2 did not share any project plans that have been updated since the July 16 Mt. Lookout Community Council meeting. However, they did indicate a continued willingness to work with the community on the “architecture and design of the building.” The Community Advisory Group is planning to meet again once R2 has obtained the necessary setback and Hillside District Overlay variances for the project.

• Redevelopment in Beechmont Circle. R2 Partnership LLC began demolition of homes on the east side of Bloor Ave in Linwood last week for their proposed mixed use, six-story development with 8,000 sq. ft. of retail space, 48-space garage, and 80 apartments. The Linwood Community Council has requested a project update from R2.

July 2019

• Redevelopment in Mt. Lookout Square. Paul Schirmer and Barry Rosenberg with R2 Partnership LLC shared plans to redevelop four rental properties at 1009, 1011, 1013, and 1015 Delta Ave into luxury apartments at a Mt. Lookout Community Council (MLCC) meeting on July 16. Mr. Schirmer also presented Redstone MTL, LLC’s cluster housing project along Linwood Ave during the February 25 MLCC meeting. Both of these proposed projects will change the character of our neighborhood. Neither project meets the current zoning requirements for their site locations.
  
  Looking Out for Mt. Lookout has volunteered to participate in the working group that includes R2 and community members as they finalize their plans for the Mt. Lookout Square project. We will also share any meeting materials that R2 provides to the MLCC.

• New Property Tax Working Group Survey. The Property Tax Working Group established by Vice Mayor Smitherman would like to hear about your experiences related to your property. Your response will be anonymous.

June 2019

• Proposed Development Plan. Redstone MTL is still revising their proposed site plan. We will continue to keep the community informed of their activities and plans as we learn more details.

• The city's landslide susceptibility map rates over 75% of the proposed development area at its high or moderately high risk levels, and 5 landslides have been identified within 0.5 miles. According to The Hillside Trust, “instability of Greater Cincinnati’s hillsides become more problematic due to excessive periods of precipitation, and construction methods that fail to address the underlying geology.”
  
  2018 was Cincinnati's 3rd wettest year on record and we just experienced the wettest 12-month period on record.
  
  A 2018 article on the history of hillside regulations in Cincinnati concluded “Pressures from the private sector to build on hillsides are strong and will only grow stronger in the generations to come. In highly desirable neighborhoods, often the only undeveloped lands remaining are those occupied by slopes...These hillsides often carry an even higher development risk, because of significantly steeper grades.”
  
  Landslide damages are not covered under regular homeowner insurance policies, and the risk to surrounding neighbors posed by the proposed development is unacceptable.
  
  For more information, see:

  • Looking Out for Mt. Lookout Maps

  • Urban Hillside Protection: A Case Study of Cincinnati, Ohio, United States of America

  • Geological and Geotechnical Factors Responsible for Landslide Susceptibility of the Kope Formation in Cincinnati, Ohio

May 2019

• Presentation for MLCC Board. Looking Out for Mt. Lookout gave a presentation to the Mt. Lookout Community Council Board on May 20. We appreciate the opportunity to keep the board informed of our activities, research, and plans.

• Petitions. We have delivered a petition opposing the proposed cluster development to both the Mt. Lookout & Linwood Community Councils. It is signed by immediately adjacent property owners on Linwood Ave, Beverly Hill Dr, Le Blond Ave, Richwood Ave, and Sheffield Ave. We circulated this first petition since Redstone MTL is not reducing the number of planned homes based on the geotechnical testing they performed in March. There will be a separate online petition that is circulated more broadly once Redstone MTL submits their final application materials.

Week of April 22, 2019

• Keep Your Yard Signs. It may seem like we’re going through a quiet period, but Redstone MTL is actively working on their final application for the proposed development. We are asking everyone who has a yard sign to please leave them up. We want to stay engaged and vigilant, and once Redstone MTL submits their application, we’ll need a strong show of neighborhood opposition to their plans.

  If your sign is damaged, please email us at info@lookingout4mtlookout.org so we can replace it.

• Site Plan Revisions. Redstone MTL is revising their proposed site plan based on the results of geotechnical testing performed in March. They are modifying the arrangement of the back row of detached homes, but not reducing the total number of homes.

Week of April 1, 2019

• Listen to the WVXU Cincinnati Edition Story. The April 1 episode of Cincinnati Edition on WVXU included a discussion about Redstone MTL's proposed development along Linwood Ave. Looking Out for Mt. Lookout participated, along with Mt. Lookout Community Council President Dan Prevost and American Planning Association Research Program and QA Manager David Morley.

Week of March 25, 2019

• Attend the Property Tax Working Group Public Meeting. The April 2 meeting of the Property Tax Working Group will focus on property taxes and the tax abatement program. The working group wants to hear from the public so they can identify those issues and programs that may be hurting our City. Neighborhoods like Hyde Park and Mt. Lookout do not need development incentives. New construction abatements have evolved into tax shelters for the very people who can afford to pay their full share of property taxes. They stimulate lot splits and encourage the tear down of our historic housing stock and precious green spaces. The character of our neighborhood is forever changing.
  
  The meeting will be held at William H. Taft Elementary School, 270 Southern Avenue, on Tuesday, April 2 from 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.

Week of March 18, 2019

• Be on the Lookout for Mt. Lookout...Literally. After installing construction fencing around the wooded portion of the proposed development on March 15, soil testing with a mini excavator was performed on March 21. Six trenches were excavated throughout the site and then filled in. Mayor Cranley has stated that:
  
  “Our inspectors have been out to the site multiple times and observed that temporary fencing has been installed and soil testing preparations are occurring. At this time, there are no permits required for that activity.
  
  The owner is allowed to take down trees on the property without a permit, however, if they begin to disturb the hillside or make it unstable by stripping off vegetation, that would trigger a hillside review and may require a cut and fill permit if they begin to do any mass grading of the site.”
  
  If you see any activity on the site that would disturb the hillside or make it unstable, please report it immediately to the Department of Buildings & Inspections at 513-352-3267.

• Detailed Site Plans Now Available. We have obtained detailed site plans for the proposed development. These plans were withheld during the public Mt. Lookout & Linwood Community Council Meetings on February 25 & 26, 2019. They clearly demonstrate how Redstone MTL intends to exploit the cluster housing guidelines.

Week of March 11, 2019

• Summary of the Mt. Lookout & Linwood Community Council Meetings, February 25 & 26, 2019. Looking Out for Mt. Lookout has compiled a summary from Paul Schirmer’s presentation on behalf of Redstone MTL, LLC at the Mt. Lookout and Linwood Community Council Meetings on February 25 and 26, 2019. We have also included additional details from the question and answer sessions that followed both presentations.

Week of February 25, 2019

• Read the Cincinnati Enquirer Story. The Cincinnati Enquirer featured a story about the proposed development and new subdivision rules on February 28.

• Complete the Mt Lookout Community Council Online Comment Sheet. The Mt Lookout Community Council had a record turnout at their February meeting – nearly 200 people! If you wanted to share your thoughts but did not get a chance or were unable to attend the meeting, please complete the online version of the comment sheet.

• Watch the Local 12 News. The Local 12 News at 11 newscast on February 25 featured a story about the Mt Lookout Community Council Meeting.

• Attend the Mt Lookout or Linwood Community Council Meetings. The developer will be presenting at the next Mt Lookout Community Council meeting on February 25 starting at 7:30pm, Christ The King Parish Center, 3223 Linwood Ave. The developer will also be presenting at the next Linwood Community Council meeting on February 26 starting at 7:00pm, Lindner Tennis Center at Lunken Playfield. The Linwood Community Council has generously invited Mt Lookout residents to attend this Linwood Community Council meeting if they are not able to attend the February 25 MLCC meeting. We want to have a strong public showing at these meetings, so please bring a friend! We will also be distributing yard signs at the Mt Lookout & Linwood Community Council meetings if you would still like a yard sign but have not received one.

Week of February 18, 2019

• Watch FOX19 NOW @ 10 Story. The FOX19 NOW @ 10 newscast on February 22 featured a story about the proposed development, including an interview by Maytal Levi.

• Watch Channel 9 On Your Side Story. The 9 On Your Side at 5:30PM newscast on February 22 featured a story about the proposed development, including an interview by Lisa Smith.

Week of February 11, 2019

• Bring a Friend to the Mt Lookout or Linwood Community Council Meetings. The developer will be presenting at the next Mt Lookout Community Council meeting on February 25 starting at 7:30pm, Christ The King Parish Center, 3223 Linwood Ave. The developer will also be presenting at the next Linwood Community Council meeting on February 26 starting at 7:00pm, Lindner Tennis Center at Lunken Playfield. The Linwood Community Council has generously invited Mt Lookout residents to attend this Linwood Community Council meeting if they are not able to attend the February 25 MLCC meeting. We want to have a strong public showing at these meetings, so please bring a friend!

• Make Sure You Have a Yard Sign. We will be distributing yard signs at the Mt Lookout & Linwood Community Council meetings if you would still like a yard sign but have not received one. We also have a PayPal option if you already have a yard sign but have not been able to donate $4 to offset the cost.

• Website FAQs Have Been Added. We have added a new section with Frequently Asked Questions to the website. These were common questions that came up during our discussions with you. Please reply with any additional questions you would like to see answered.

Week of February 4, 2019

• The Mt Lookout Community Council has confirmed Feb 25 as the new date for their next public meeting. It will start at 7:30pm at Christ The King Parish Center, 3223 Linwood Ave. The developer will be presenting at this meeting, and a question and comment period will follow his presentation. MLCC has confirmed that no formal votes on the proposed development will be taken at this meeting.

• Eric Russo with The Hillside Trust will attend the February 25 Mt Lookout Community Council meeting. The entire area for the proposed development is covered by the Hillside Overlay District designation, and Mr. Russo can provide valuable input on development within this district.

Week of January 28, 2019

• Most yard signs have been distributed. If you would still like a yard sign but have not received a follow up email from us, please contact info@lookingout4mtlookout.org.

Week of January 21, 2019

• Watch the Local 12 News. If you missed it on January 24, the Local 12 News at 5 featured a story about the proposed development.

• Save the Date for the Next Linwood Community Council Meeting on Feb 26. The developer will be presenting at the next Linwood Community Council public meeting, which is scheduled for February 26, 7:00pm at Lindner Tennis Center at Lunken Playfield. The Linwood Community Council has generously invited Mt Lookout residents to attend this Linwood Community Council meeting if they are not able to attend the February 25 MLCC meeting.

• Spread the Word. Email our flyer to your family, friends and neighbors. We want to make sure the whole community knows about this.