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Covington Downtown District

Boundary

Boundary Map (Ord. 05-23) | Exhibit A - Map and Parcel Listing

 

Creation

The Village of Covington has a downtown district that was established by Ordinance 05-23, which rescinded previous Historical District Ordinances. The district was established to preserve the Village core, which traditionally has been the main retail and commercial center of the Village.  The district boundaries start at Spring Street and continue to just north of Wright Street along High Street and Main Street.  They also include all of Wright Street. 

Standards and Regulations

The Downtown District has additional regulations that must be met by properties within the boundaries.  Exhibit B - Downtown District Design Manual details all of these regulations as well as the process for receiving approval for changes within the district. 

 
Residential Structure Exemption
For the purposes of these regulations, all existing single family residential properties within the Downtown District Boundary as of the adoption of these regulations are exempt.

Process

The Village Administrator will act as the general staff review and the Village of Covington Planning Commission (CPC) will serve as the review board for the Downtown District Design Standards. Property owners, residents, and tenants are required to apply for and obtain a Certificate of Appropriateness (COA) before starting work that will be reviewed by the Village Administrator or the CPC where applicable.

Application for Certificate of Appropriateness (COA)
Prior to any applicable work commencing property owners, residents, and tenants will apply for a COA by completing an application and submitting it for consideration by the Village Administrator. The Village Administrator shall be empowered to approve certain modifications, restorations, or other changes to the buildings administratively. These changes are defined within the standards. If the Village Administrator is not authorized to administratively approve changes, the application will be placed on the CPC agenda for consideration.

Download - COA Application - 2023

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Application to the CPC for a COA shall be advertised similarly to general cases being reviewed by the CPC. A letter shall be mailed to the applicant and property owners of the property that work is being done as well as to the property owners of properties directly adjacent with at least 10 days’ notice provided.

Fee
There shall be no fee for a COA application.

Meeting
The CPC shall hear a COA application at their next regularly scheduled meeting date where proper advertisement can be made.

Approval
The CPC shall either approve, deny, or approve with modifications an application for a COA.

Appeal
Appeals to the CPC decision for approval or denial will be made to the Village Council for final determination. The Village Council may overturn a decision of the CPC by 2/3 vote of Council. Appeals of the Village Council are made to the Miami County Court of Common Pleas.

Downtown Redevelopment District (DRD)

In 2023 the Village codified a DRD district boundary with the State of Ohio, which allowed for additional funding to be put in place to help develop, redevelop, and rehabilitate the downtown core. The DRD is a separate boundary, with separate requirements.  For more information on the DRD, please go to the Downtown Redevelopment District page.