Urban Design Review Board

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Authority: City Manager

Contact: City Manager

Purpose: Established by City Council in August 1964, Urban Design Review Board advises the City Manager on the appropriateness and conformity of private improvements with the principles and goals outlined in the Central Business District Plan adopted by City Council in 1964 and subsequently revised and updated in the Cincinnati 2000 plan. The Board offers its recommendations to the City Manager, who is the official City approval authority under City development agreements. Design review is a contractual requirement of agreements between the City and developers involving sites sold or leased by the City within the Central Business District (CBD) and the Central Riverfront. The City's right to review and approve a design is also often a requirement for the City's financial participation in the project. Board review may also be required prior to street vacations, grants of easement, or other indirect forms of financial assistance to a project. The board may review other projects as directed by the City Manager or City Council. Reviews major downtown public projects of the City, such as the Convention Center, Fountain Square, and Central Riverfront Park, in support of the City's commitment to quality design.

Meeting Schedule: N/A

Appointment: City Manager

Requirements: Special Qualifications or Restrictions: The Board is composed of architects possessing comprehensive experience in urban and architectual design and representing a broad spectrum of design experience and philosophy. The chairperson is a business person with a demonstrated interest in arts, architecture and design.