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Quasi Judicial


NOTICE OF TEMPORARY PUBLIC QUASI-JUDICIAL HEARING PROCEDURES DUE TO PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY

The City Planning Commission has returned to in-person meetings (located in City Council Chambers on the 3rd floor of City Hall at 801 Plum Street, Cincinnati, OH 45202). Additionally, attendance virtually via Zoom is still an option for those wishing to speak (please see below for instructions on how to register to receive the Zoom link for a meeting). All meetings are broadcast live on CitiCable and can be watched in real time, including streaming at https://www.cincinnati-oh.gov/citicable/. If you have any questions, please email planning@cincinnati-oh.gov.

In accordance with orders issued by state and local officials and applicable guidance concerning COVID-19, the City Planning Commission will temporarily conduct public hearings for Quasi-Judicial agenda items using video-conferencing technology.
During this time, persons with standing, their representatives and witnesses, and members of the public will be provided virtual access to public hearings as provided below.  If you would like to participate in or view an upcoming hearing please carefully review the following instructions.  Please note that persons with standing must submit a written request no less than 48 hours in advance of a public hearing to gain access.

Please email us to access the meeting: planning@cincinnati-oh.gov

You can find out specific details of a project at the City Planning Commission webpage here: City Planning Commission

New Temporary Quasi-Judicial Hearing Procedures

Public Hearings

  • Until further notice, all public hearings will be conducted using Zoom video-conferencing technology and live-streamed for view by members of the general public via CitiCable at https://www.cincinnati-oh.gov/citicable/

Persons with Standing

  • To actively participate in a public hearing, persons other than applicants must demonstrate legal standing by fully completing the request form below[1]  no less than 48 hours prior to the hearing.  This includes providing a brief statement demonstrating how you qualify to participate in the hearing, as distinguished from the public at large.
  • Standing to participate in a hearing is established pursuant to applicable laws and codes.  Examples of persons with standing to participate in a public hearing include:
    • The applicant;
    • An owner, occupant, or interest holder in the real property that is the subject of the hearing;
    • An owner, occupant, or interest holder in real property that would be uniquely impacted, positively or negatively, by the work proposed by the applicant;
    • A person who is subject to, or owns or controls property subject to, the decisions by the Director of the Department of City Planning or City Planning Commission that is the subject of the hearing; and
    • An authorized representative of the Community Council recognized as having an interest in the area in which the real property that is the subject of the hearing is located.
  • After submission of a completed request form, persons with standing will receive an email prior to the hearing that contains a link to the Zoom video-conference and instructions for virtual attendance.
    • Zoom video-conference technology is web-based and does not require you to download any software.
    • Zoom video conference technology works on multiple devices, including desktop/laptop computers, tablets, and smartphones as long as the device has video and microphone capabilities.  It is strongly recommended that you familiarize yourself with this technology and test your device’s capabilities before logging into a public hearing. Visit the Zoom website prior to the actual hearing to practice a test meeting at https://zoom.us/test. 

Evidence, Witnesses, and Legal Representation

  • Participants in a public hearing may be represented by legal counsel, testify, present arguments, evidence and witness testimony, and conduct cross-examination when represented by legal counsel.
  • Persons represented by legal counsel and those intending to present witnesses and/or submit evidence in the form of documentation must identify their legal counsel and witness and submit electronic copies of documentation to City staff no less than 48 hours in advance of a hearing.
  • City staff will provide legal representatives and witnesses an email prior to the hearing that contains a link to the Zoom video-conference and instructions for virtual attendance.
  • In addition, City staff will compile documentation received from all hearing participants, bates-label the documentation, and disseminate it to all hearing participants in advance of the hearing.  Hearing participants are expected to refer to each document’s bates-label when presenting evidence during a public hearing.
  • Legal counsel and witnesses identified after the applicable deadline may not participate in the scheduled public hearing, and documentation received after the applicable deadline may not be   introduced at the hearing.  A request to postpone or continue a hearing to permit the participation of legal counsel and witnesses or the introduction of documentation will only be approved by the City Planning Commission Chair upon a showing of good cause.
  • To the extent feasible, except as otherwise provided, remote hearings will observe existing procedures and protocol.