On Wednesday, Columbus City Council members discussed nine new legislative initiatives they’ll be pursuing to deal with multiple issues including population growth, crime and homelessness.
They’re calling it “Columbus Forward,” and they outlined the objectives during a press conference at the Martin Luther King Columbus Metropolitan Library branch on the city's Near East Side.
The council members said the initiative is aimed at preserving the quality of life as Columbus grows.
“Can we get better as we get bigger? More people moving to Columbus is great. But what good is growth if it leaves behind lifelong residents,” Columbus City Council President Shannon Hardin said.
Council President Pro Tem Rob Dorans said rising rents and job opportunities being out of reach are among the issues causing problems.
“We know that growth is both a huge opportunity but also a challenge,” Dorans said. “How do we get ahead of these issues in our community?”
Each of the nine council members are leading specific initiatives.
For example, Hardin is leading an initiative to work with churches to turn unused church land into affordable housing.
“All these folks moving to Columbus need a safe place to live,” Hardin said.
Many faith-based institutions are asking how they can keep their doors open and serve their congregations, Hardin said.
Side yards and parking lots could become sites for housing. Cities such as Atlanta and Charlotte are moving in this direction, he said.
City council is also looking at several other initiatives.
Regarding historical preservation, President Pro Tem Rob Dorans will work on policies to balance growth and protect neighborhood character, including a benchmark study comparing Columbus' policies to other cities. “We have an opportunity to not just be bigger but better,” Dorans said.
When it comes to the impact from construction, Council Member Nick Bankston will develop a plan to help small businesses that could be affected by construction disruptions.
“Road closures, blocked parking, confusion about whether businesses are still open or not,” Bankston said. “Making sure progress doesn’t come at the expense of our small businesses. Construction should never mean displacement."
Council Member Otto Beatty, who is leaving council at the end of the year, is leading the push for accessory dwelling units, including converted garages and carriage houses and new structures, to add more housing to existing neighborhoods.
Beatty said there is a housing crisis. Columbus is rapidly growing and the housing stock must keep up with changing needs, he said. Beatty said part of what contributes to the housing issue is more people are returning home after college and more seniors need housing.
Council Member Nancy Day-Achauer will lead an analysis of city and nonprofit youth programs to see what works and avoid a duplication of services. Day-Achauer said the analysis will help to determine how grants are used to support programs. She said there has never been a strategic effort to map youth programs.
In addressing pay transparency, Council Member Lourdes Barroso de Padilla will propose legislation that requires employers to post salary ranges on job postings for transparency and to close racial and gender pay gaps.
“When you apply for a job, you deserve to know how much that job pays,” she said. The lack of transparency causes pay gaps, she said. Cleveland, Cincinnati and Toledo have similar rules, Barroso de Padilla said.
Council Member Melissa Green will look at new ways to provide long-term funding for homelessness, housing and other services. State and federal budget cuts threaten services, Green said. “It’s about shifting from unreliable funding to locally-guided solutions,” she said. “When we talk about moving Columbus forward, we mean everyone.”
Council Member Emmanuel Remy will work on new rules for short-term rentals, events and liquor permit enforcement while modernizing crime reporting. “This is how we balance growth with safety,” Remy said.
Council Member Christopher Wyche will work to expand recycling efforts.
Wyche said the Franklin County Landfill only has another 40 years of capacity. Too many businesses and residents don’t have access to recycling because their landlords don't provide the service.
