Columbus City Council will meet virtually on Monday and consider important zoning legislation and a resolution asking state utility regulators not to approve electric rate increases from American Electric Power of Ohio.
The utility rate resolution comes as a growing chorus of people are demanding AEP Ohio drop its proposed revenue increase before the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio. The increase could lead to higher electric bills down the road, once bill riders go into effect.
City council is also voting on the Columbus Growth Strategy, a plan to create a citywide land use map to help guide zoning law and development. Columbus' area commissions are split in their support of the plan, which would take away the mapmaking power from commissions and give it to the city's Department of Development.
The city is also holding a hearing virtually on Tuesday on the 2026 Operating Budget.
Members of the public can watch both meetings virtually on YouTube and Facebook. People who wish to participate and testify during Monday's city council meeting can still sign up on the city's website and the city will send instructions on how to do so.
Columbus City Council joins chorus of people opposing AEP rate hike
The resolution asks the PUCO to delay any rate hikes for residential consumers to 2027, in light of what it calls an "energy affordability crisis." Columbus City Council voted last year to increase its own electric and water rates.
AEP is litigating a revenue increase before the PUCO that could increase rates at a later date. AEP wants to use tax rebates that will run out in a few years to offset the increase. This was money that was already owed back to customers for years.
Council is also urging the PUCO to extend disconnection protections and provide cooling assistance to Ohioans during the summer months.
Columbus City Schools also spoke against the rate hike in December.
The next hearing before the PUCO on AEP's proposed rate hike was scheduled for Tuesday, but the PUCO plans to keep its downtown Columbus offices closed Tuesday due to the weather.
Columbus Growth Strategy draws split support from neighborhoods.
Columbus City Council argues a new citywide map will help inform the city's zoning code with a big picture idea of how the city should develop. But it takes away the mapmaking ability from the city's area commissions.
Some of the commissions are opposing the move, like Clintonville and the Greater South East but others support it, like North Linden and the South Side.
This is the next step in the city's Zone-In effort to overhaul the city's zoning code. The map will address 45% of the city focusing on areas with mixed-use developments, industrial and warehouse areas and business and institutional campuses.
Many of the land use maps the city is trying to update date back decades. The oldest hasn't been updated since 1994.
