Located on the north bank of the Ohio River in Hamilton County, the City of Cincinnati is a major city in the Ohio Valley. Cincinnati, which has a population of approximately 300,000, anchors a metropolitan area with a population of 2.1 million and a land area of 79.54 square miles, is the third largest city in Ohio and the 65th largest city in the United States. Cincinnati is a unique and special place, with all the benefits of a large city yet the closeness and comforts of a small town.
The Cincinnati City Council is the City's legislative body. The popularly elected City Council is
responsible for enacting ordinances, imposing taxes, making appropriations, establishing
policy, and hiring some city officials. The council adopts the local general plan, zoning, and
subdivision ordinance. The mission of the Cincinnati City Council is to provide, in a
democratic and transparent manner, efficient and effective services which will make
Cincinnati a better place in which to live, work and play. The City's 30 departments, offices and agencies are tasked with carrying out day-to-day
operations of government.