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Historic preservation, parking among changes to Columbus’ zoning proposal

Historic preservation, parking among changes to Columbus’ zoning proposal

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — As the first changes to Columbus’ zoning ordinance in more than 70 years come to a vote, city officials on Monday filed amendments in response to months of public feedback.

After the first reading, the final version of Zone In is expected to be approved by the Columbus City Council at its July 29 meeting. The initiative represents an overhaul of the city’s zoning code — how and where homes and businesses can be built — with the goal of preparing for the millions of new residents expected to move in by 2050.


After two years, the first draft of the zoning code was introduced in April, ahead of 3 1/2 months of public feedback. City leaders then introduced amendments during a press conference in the Zone In Gallery, a place where Columbus residents can learn more about the program.

“The overwhelming majority said two things,” Mayor Andrew Ginther said. “It’s time for change, and I want more density in my neighborhood.”

Anna Teye-Kasongo, a resident and member of the Affordable Housing Alliance of Central Ohio, spoke in support of the initiative. The coalition focuses on Black and minority homeownership, which is what attracted her to the project.

“I wanted to be part of the process,” Teye-Kasongo said. “I felt like in 1954, when the zoning code was written, people like me weren’t in the room.”

Below are the proposed changes for Zone In.

Historical preservation

The city added language clarifying that existing protections for historic neighborhoods will remain in place even in areas affected by zoning changes.

“The government understands the importance of preserving the historic nature of our communities, and so we felt that was already built in,” said Council President Shannon Hardin. “But we heard a real concern, a real concern. So we wanted to make it abundantly clear that the preservation guidelines must be followed first.”

The code protects historic sites by requiring that design and demolition be reviewed by historical commissions and that the scale and design of new developments follow guidelines. The changes also exempt historic districts from objective design standards and strengthen the design review processes in place in East Franklinton and the University District.

According to Hardin, preserving Columbus’ history is even more important than zoning.

“That even exceeds the zoning code,” Hardin said.

Parking

A major change that comes with the zoning code is the introduction of a market-based approach to parking, as opposed to the current one-size-fits-all parking requirements. With this change, parking impact studies were added to the code, allowing for additional space to be used for more housing instead of being left empty for cars that will not use it.

“As a city, we must give people priority over parking,” said chairman pro tempore Rob Dorans.

According to Dorans, parking is one of the biggest costs for housing. According to him, it is time to prioritize putting roofs over the heads of residents.

The studies allow the city to look at projects individually to determine if there is enough parking. This project-by-project approach allows Columbus to find different ways to alleviate parking problems in a neighborhood, with a study required for any project with a ratio of less than one parking space per unit.

Sustainability

To reduce the environmental impact of growth, encourage walkable neighborhoods and support public transportation, the city added language focused on sustainability. Dorans said he heard from many residents who were concerned about the environment.

“One of the things I heard from a lot of different people in the city of Columbus was, ‘How does this code impact sustainability in Columbus?’ And I was really excited to hear that,” Dorans said.

Creating denser, more walkable neighborhoods is one of the best ways to create a more environmentally friendly community, Dorans said, adding that the city’s focus on expansion runs counter to that goal. Language added to the code included requirements for landscaping, the use of native trees and having electric vehicle charging stations.

The rest

Other changes to the code include additional objective design standards and landscape buffers.

The city said it needs 200,000 units over the next decade to meet growing demand. The first phase of Zone In is a step toward that goal, with space for about 88,000 units.

“We don’t just need more affordable housing,” Ginther said. “We need more housing at all price points because of this current supply crisis. Because we don’t have enough market-rate housing, workforce housing, and affordable housing, our lowest wage earners are feeling the brunt of the crisis.”