Columbus City Council will consider a citywide land use map as part of its zoning update at its upcoming Monday meeting.
City officials say the map will lead to a modern framework for development in the city, but some of the city's area commissions are opposed to the map, believing they'll have less say in how neighborhoods are changed.
The legislation, called the "Columbus Growth Strategy," will override the patchwork of maps previously created by the city's 21 area commissions, some of which haven't been updated since the 1990s. These maps tell the city how land should be zoned and potentially redeveloped.
Columbus City Councilmember Rob Dorans told WOSU area commissions will still get a say when proposed developments deviate from the map.
"That deserves scrutiny. That deserves folks to really ask a lot of hard questions about why you should be allowed to do something different," Dorans said. "As compared to today, because everything is so outdated, you need to go get that rezoning and variance almost every single time, even when it's the most accepted thing that folks would be totally fine with within that community."
Dorans has been the council's point person on the Zone-In initiative as the chair of the Zoning Committee. Mayor Andrew Ginther is introducing the legislation.
“Columbus is taking an important step toward a unified land use strategy that connects housing, jobs, transportation and infrastructure in a clear and coordinated way,” Ginther said in a statement. “As we continue to welcome new neighbors and new businesses, this strategy will ensure thoughtful development and vibrant, connected communities that expand opportunity for residents across our city.”
WOSU previously reported several area commissions were withholding an endorsement of the legislation, while others were supporting it. That included the South East Area Commission and the Clintonville Area Commission.
Zone-In Project Manager Luis Teba said some area commissions are officially opposing the legislation, while others remain neutral or support it.
Among the area commissions supporting the change are the Downtown Commission and the North Linden Area Commission.
The next step of Zone-In after the Columbus Growth Strategy will focus on an estimated 40% of the city including industrial and warehouse areas and business and institutional campuses like hospitals, universities and office parks. A previous step focused on major corridors of the city like High Street and Broad Street. The remaining parts of the city, concentrated within neighborhoods, will be the focus of a future third part of Zone-In.
Dorans said he thinks having a broader view of more than just one individual neighborhood makes more sense than how the city currently operates.
"Shifting to a broader view of the city allows us to keep these things updated on a more regular basis, which I think allows for more predictability for residents about what can happen or what changes they could possibly expect within their neighborhood or their area of the city," Dorans said.
Dorans said in Columbus right now if developers want to build virtually anything, they have to go before city council to get a rezoning approval or variance. He said this will be a step towards removing red tape so that only developments that differ from the land use map have to go through approvals before council and area commissions.
Dorans said that will come in the next step of Zone-In, which he said will allow developers to build "by right" without having to get rezoning or variance.
"(It) eliminates the red tape, eliminates a significant delay in these processes. So the growth strategy itself doesn't necessarily accomplish that on its own, but it sets the foundation," Dorans said.
Dorans said updating the land use will be reflective of current conditions in the neighborhood rather than what the neighborhood may have been 20-30 years ago.
Dorans said area commissions won't have to deal with day-to-day rezonings and instead focus on developments that deviate from an up-to-date map.
"A zoning code that goes back 70 years is not one that we should rely upon for the next 10, 20, 30, 60, 70 years of Columbus. So let's all agree that relying upon a system that is that old is maybe not a good idea," Dorans said.
