Columbus is in the middle of the biggest change to its zoning rules in generations, and the latest phase covers a big piece of the city. More than 40% of Columbus is included in this phase of proposed changes, NBC4 reported. It's part of a multi-year effort to update the city's zoning code for the first time in more than 70 years.
What the city says
Luis Teba, project manager for the city's "Zone In" initiative, told NBC4 the changes are needed to support housing and business opportunities as Columbus keeps growing.
"It really sets the stage and opens up the opportunities for more housing to go in the city of Columbus," Teba said.
Teba said the city wants the process to be thoughtful and is asking neighbors for feedback. All comments will be reviewed before a final proposal goes to City Council. "We review all the public comments that we receive," Teba said. "We are making map changes currently based off the public comment we receive."
A neighbor's concerns
Not everyone is on board. Joseph Higginbotham has lived in his Forest Park home for 35 years. What's now a wooded area with a creek behind his backyard could become residential or commercial development under the proposed rezoning, NBC4 reports.
"We loved the place where we moved because it had a backyard with beautiful trees," Higginbotham said. "It was a real shock when we found out what was going on."
He's worried about what could go up next door. "It could be as high as four stories of apartment complexes and be butted right next to our backyard ten feet away," he said. "That seems like an atrocity to us."
"I hope they listen to us and our opinion is considered," Higginbotham said.
Key dates
- Public comment is open through the end of the day Saturday, Oct. 24. Residents can view the proposed code and take an online survey at columbus.gov/zoningupdate.
- Thursday, Nov. 5, 5 to 7 p.m.: A hearing to share the public feedback the city received during the comment period.
- Nov. 18, 5 to 8 p.m.: A hearing to review the code and map that will be presented to City Council, after all changes have been made.
What's at stake
Zoning codes decide what can be built where, how tall it can be, how close it can sit to the property line and what uses are allowed. When a city rewrites those rules for the first time in seven decades, it changes the playing field for everyone who builds there.
The tension in Forest Park is one many growing cities face. The city says it needs more room for housing and businesses as it grows. Longtime residents worry about losing the character of neighborhoods they've called home for decades. Teba's comment that the city is already making map changes based on public input shows the final maps could still shift before they reach City Council.
Why it matters for contractors
A zoning rewrite covering more than 40% of Columbus could change what contractors are allowed to build across large parts of the city. If the new code opens up more land for housing, as Teba says it's meant to, builders could see more projects that are allowed without lengthy rezoning fights. That means more apartment, townhome and mixed-use work, and the sitework, utilities and trades that go with it.
Higginbotham's description of the possibilities near his home, apartments up to four stories, gives a sense of the scale that some areas could see. That's the kind of mid-size multifamily work that keeps framers, roofers, MEP contractors and finish crews busy.
But the details matter. Setbacks, height limits, parking rules and allowed uses in the final code will decide which projects pencil out. Builders, developers and contractors who work in Columbus should read the proposed code and maps now, and if something affects their work, comment before the Oct. 24 deadline. The Nov. 5 and Nov. 18 hearings are the next chances to see where the rules are heading before City Council takes them up.
Keep an eye on neighborhood pushback, too. Concerns like those in Forest Park can lead to map changes, and they can affect how smoothly individual projects move once the new code takes effect.