In any city there are times when the uses for a property will change.  Because we have so few undeveloped pieces of land, almost anything that is built in the City of Blue Ash requires that it be built on a piece of property that already has something on it.  In the SimCity simulation, if you don’t like the way a piece of land is being used, the player can just knock it down and see if something better comes or they can change the zoning and see if that will be enough incentive for the market to make a positive change at the property.

In real life, such changes are not that easy.  Changing how a piece of property is used costs money: money to retrofit the current building; money to knock down the old and build new; and, sometimes, money to incentivize a land use that is of particular value to the larger community.   In addition the interest of the landowner, the property neighbors, and of the City should be considered.

Read more about what this might look like and how the proposal for a Wawa convenience store and gas station as well as a car wash fits.