City Planning and Engagement

 

 

Background

In January 2026, the Department of City Planning and Engagement received a directive from the City Manager to conduct a zoning study regarding the potential impacts of data centers and propose an Interim Development Control (IDC) Overlay District over certain zoning districts within the City of Cincinnati for the duration of the study. The rapid construction of new data centers, driven primarily by the increased demand for artificial intelligence, cloud services, and digital transformation, gives rise to the possibility for significant changes to land uses that have the potential to adversely impact living conditions, energy costs, health, safety, and quality of life throughout the City. Currently, there is no definition for data centers, so they are classified as indoor storage uses for zoning purposes. The zoning study will result in a definition for data centers and make recommendations for potential Zoning Code text amendments.

The proposed subject area for the IDC Overlay District includes properties within the City of Cincinnati in zoning districts that currently allow indoor storage, because that is how data center applications are currently classified. The following zoning districts comprise the proposed IDC Overlay District, encompassing over 22,000 individual parcels:

• Commercial Community Auto-Oriented “CC-A”
• Commercial General Auto-Oriented “CG-A”
• Urban Mix “UM”
• Downtown Development “DD”
• Manufacturing Limited “ML”
• Manufacturing General “MG”​

​The purpose of IDC No. 89 is to temporarily regulate the development of new or expanded data centers while the City’s Department of City Planning and Engagement studies proposed changes to the zoning code that would regulate the future development of data centers within the affected area.​

The City Planning Commission affirmatively recommended a zoning study and the establishment of the IDC No. 89 on February 6, 2026. City Council approved the zoning study and establishment of IDC No. 89 on February 11, 2026 for three months. During that time, DCPE staff will be:

• conducting a zoning study and developing recommendations on the proposed Zoning Code text amendments

​The City Planning Commission will consider a nine-month extension of IDC #89 on March 6, 2026 based on the initial study findings.

Location

The subject area for the IDC Overlay District is for all properties in the City that are zoned CC-A, CG-A, UM, DD, ML, and MG. (see map below).

 

Public Meetings

• Initial Zoning Study Engagement Meeting(s)
  TBD

• Public Staff Conference
  TBD

• City Planning Commission
  TBD

• Housing and Growth Committee
  TBD

• Cincinnati City Council
  TBD

 

Related Materials

• Staff Report for the Establishment of IDC #89 - February 6, 2026
• Emergency Ordinance Establishing IDC #89 "Data Centers" 

 

Contact

Sophia Ferries-Rowe, City Planner
sophia.ferries-rowe@cincinnati-oh.gov