No More Concrete Wastelands: Support the Ban on New Surface Parking in Cincinnati

Do you want a city or a parking lot?

Rolling hills. Beautiful views. Historic Buildings. Places to gather, read, and picnic. Children playing. The sound of laughter or the sound of serenity. Music, art, festivals, celebrations. This is the essence of what makes Cincinnati special. We cherish our city and all that it represents—a vibrant community with a rich history and a promising future.

But this vision of Cincinnati is under threat, and we need your help to protect it.

The proliferation of over 40,000 surface parking spots downtown poses a significant threat to our city's charm and potential. Not only do these lots mar our landscape, but they also detract from the vibrant atmosphere we strive to create. Surface parking lots consume valuable land that could be used for more meaningful purposes—homes, businesses, cultural attractions, and community spaces that contribute to the vibrancy and prosperity of our region. They drive up the price of housing and contribute very little to any taxes.

City Council along with the Planning Commission took the first step in September 2022 and temporarily halted new surface parking lots without planning commission approval. City council also put in the provision to allow temporary two year parking lots. However, this isn’t good enough for those that just want to tear down our buildings and create more surface parking. These affluent, profiteering parking lot owners are fighting back. They have donated money to political campaigns and now they are asking commission and mayor to return the favor and allow them to continue to tear down our cherished city.

We urge you to sign this petition and make your voice heard by our city councilmembers and Mayor. Let them know that we want a city, not a parking lot. We refuse to let our precious buildings and land be spoiled by more surface parking.