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- NIMBY Lawsuit Backfires—City’s Zoning Code Wiped Out
NIMBY Lawsuit Backfires—City’s Zoning Code Wiped Out
Patrick Slevin
July 15, 2025
NIMBY LAWSUIT BACKFIRES—CITY’S ZONING CODE WIPED OUT
Be careful what you litigate for. A group of NIMBYs in Ohio just nuked their city’s entire zoning code—by accident. In a misguided attempt to block development, they triggered a legal technicality that threw the whole codebook out the window.
The irony? They fought to stop one project and ended up creating an anything-goes development zone. It’s a cautionary tale for both developers and decision-makers: when NIMBY tactics go scorched-earth, everyone loses.
This is what happens when fear-driven politics overrides smart growth. Use it as a rally cry. Show your community and elected officials that NIMBY extremism isn’t just hostile—it’s reckless.
Public hearings aren’t won with PowerPoints—they’re won with people skills. Patrick’s On The Road video tips are your crash course in real-time NIMBY strategy. From body language to messaging cadence, each video shows you how to show up, speak up, and shut down opposition without triggering backlash.
In Case You Missed It
“NIMBY Mind Reading” – Patrick Slevin dives into polling from the Academy of Citizen Engagement to uncover the mindset behind opposition. Learn how fear, gossip, and outdated processes combine to fuel the trifecta and derail projects—and how pre‑emptive messaging reverses the trend.
