Explanation
BACKGROUND:
The Columbus Zone In Initiative (“Zone In”), a multi-phase effort to update the City’s zoning code and Official Zoning Map, began in 2023 with the “Where Do We Begin” report, which identified that the initial phase of Zone In should focus on 140 miles of key corridors. These “Main Streets” were identified as having the greatest potential to deliver critically needed housing, support enhanced mobility options, and create employment opportunities in ways that are economically and environmentally sustainable. The initial locations were based on a number of factors including existing land use and development policy; current base zoning and overlays; existing conditions; proximity to current and planned COTA routes and proposed LinkUS bus rapid transit alignments; and site-specific circumstances.
Phase One was implemented on July 29, 2024, with City Council rezoning approximately 12,300 parcels into one of the newly created mixed-use districts, and enacting Title 34, the 2024 Zoning Code, which defines the new districts. After having worked with Title 34 for nine months, it was determined that an update to Phase One consisting of map amendments and minor revisions to the code would be beneficial.
In the initial stages of identifying priority corridors to rezone parcels into new mixed-use districts, 62 focus areas emerged as top candidates based on strong alignment with the factors listed above. Certain parcels along or adjacent to State Route 161 (SR-161) were identified as meeting the criteria for the Community Activity Center (CAC) and Regional Activity Center (RAC) districts as defined in Title 34, and therefore, were rezoned as part of Phase One. Other portions of the SR-161 corridor did not initially appear to fit the guidelines for the new districts due to the absence of sidewalks, existing conditions, and the lack of a recommendation for mixed-use development in the previously adopted Northland I Area Plan (2014).
Since the p...
Click here for full text