Explanation
BACKGROUND
Ordinance #0830-2024, passed March 25, 2024, amended various sections in Title 33 of the Columbus City Codes pertaining to Council actions on zoning and the Zone In Initiative. One of the amendments included changes that stipulated that rezoning into a Title 34 2024 Zoning Code district could only be accomplished as an initiated act of Council in a Zone In phase.
Phase One of Zone In was implemented on July 29, 2024, with the passage of Ordinance #2112-2024, which established Title 34, the 2024 Zoning Code, and Ordinance #2113-2024, which rezoned approximately 12,300 parcels into new Title 34 mixed use districts.
The Zone In Leadership Team has been working to establish procedures for how Title 33 parcels that were not included in Phase One could be rezoned to Title 34 2024 Zoning Code districts while comprehensive and more timely phased Zone In efforts continue.
One procedure is the “Update” process, wherein blocks of parcels not included in the initial Phase One focus area, but where community support and criteria for inclusion is evident, could go through the same process as Phase One with a 60-day comment period. That process is occurring with the Phase One Update of the 161 Corridor in the Northland area. At some point, other mixed-use corridors that were not included in the initial focus area or the 161 update area may go through this same process.
The other procedure is the “Opt In” process, which is an applicant-driven rezoning process wherein an application may be filed with the Department of Building and Zoning Services requesting the same or a less intense 2024 Zoning Code district for a parcel that is immediately contiguous to a parcel that was rezoned as part of the initial Phase One rezoning or the Update into a Title 34 district.
The applicant-driven rezoning process includes two scenarios. In the first scenario, a parcel in a Title 33 district that is contiguous to a 2024 Zoning Code district parcel is combined...
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