INDEPENDENT ASSESSMENT IDENTIFIES OPPORTUNITIES TO MODERNIZE COLUMBUS ZONING CODE TO FOSTER EQUITABLE GROWTH
[Columbus,
OH] – An independent assessment released today identifies inequities and
inefficiencies in the City of Columbus’ zoning code, and proposes a comprehensive
revision to promote more equitable growth. The assessment, begun in November
2020, finds the current code will not satisfactorily accommodate Columbus’
anticipated growth. It recommends a multi-year community engagement process to
modernize the code to encourage
affordable housing development, protect job centers, and establish transit-supportive,
mixed-use corridors that can help Columbus residents thrive.
“Zoning is a tool we can use to guide
growth and development to help ensure that all residents have access to
affordable housing, greenspace, and reliable, affordable commutes,” said Mayor
Andrew J. Ginther. “At present, our zoning code does not support our
community’s shared aspiration to be an equitable, thriving city. We can and
must collaborate with every Columbus neighborhood to envision new zoning
policies that guide growth around the desires, needs and aspirations of our
entire community.”
Zoning regulates and
influences development through standards that establish the use of land and the
size and scale of development on that land. Ultimately, it regulates where residential
or non-residential buildings may be built. The report finds
that Columbus’ zoning code, which has not been comprehensively updated since
the 1950s, does not foster equity in the built environment. It is also inefficient to navigate and administer, which
results in an overreliance on project-by-project negotiations, variances and
rezoning for new projects. A reflection of the time it was written, the Code also
promotes suburban sprawl over walkable, mixed-use development, which is not
aligned with modern residents’ desires or factors companies seek in site
selection decisions.
“Columbus
grew by 15% from 2010 to 2020 — that’s 32 people, every day, for a decade,” said
Scott Messer, Director, Department of Building and Zoning Services. “This growth
can happen to us, or we can intentionally cultivate development and investment in
ways that enhance our city’s competiveness and shared prosperity.”
In order to modernize the
code around community needs and desires, the assessment recommends an early
focus on increasing development capacity and density along designated transit
corridors. This is consistent with the LinkUs initiative sponsored by the City, COTA,
MORPC and Franklin County. This alignment also recognizes the role these
corridors and corridor planning have on neighborhoods and the potential to
accommodate additional housing and job opportunities.
“Like many
fast-growing cities, Columbus has developed a series of zoning and land use
regulations over time. As layers were added, the code became more cumbersome,
and the outcomes became less predictable. Columbus now has the opportunity to
untangle this web and leverage modern best practices to intentionally design
its zoning code for equitable growth,” said Lisa Wise, whose company developed
the assessment based on stakeholder interviews, a community survey, and
consideration of national best practices. “More and more cities are proactively
addressing their regulatory structure to help improve quality of life, take
advantage of new opportunities, and remain economically competitive.”
The zoning
code assessment, including the assessment report, stakeholder interview
findings, community survey findings and a findings summary, is available at columbus.gov/zoningcodeupdate. Public meetings will be held virtually
on October 20 at 3pm and 6pm with city officials and project leaders from Lisa
Wise Consulting, Inc. to review the key findings and recommendations of the
assessment.