Columbus approves sweeping zoning changes, increasing height limits in parts of city

Columbus City Council voted Monday to overhaul the city's zoning code, paving the way for new higher-density development in parts of the city.

Each of the six resolutions amending the city zoning code passed unanimously. More than a dozen residents spoke during the meeting, with most saying they supported the initiative and believed the new code would improve access to affordable housing for residents. Members of the audience broke out into applause when the legislation passed.

At the Monday meeting, council members said the change will help modernize the code into a more lenient process, eliminate delays, keep up with Columbus' growing population, and ease the housing shortage in the future. Buildings as high as 16 stories and with no required parking could be constructed along some major routes with no parking requirements.

Council President Shannon Hardin said the new suite of zoning laws will help the city proactively attack issues of evictions and skyrocketing rent and housing costs — as hundreds of thousands are expected to move to Columbus and central Ohio in coming years.

"We as a city must be assessed every day, asking the question, 'As we get bigger, can we get get better?'" Hardin said.

Council members say new zoning will be transformative

Hardin said the new zoning laws will help Columbus "chart a new course for Columbus for a sustainable future with abundant housing for all."

"We can make sure our neighbors have a place to put down roots and that long term residents don't get priced out of the neighborhoods that they love," Hardin said.

City officials have worked on zoning changes for several years under an effort called "Zone In," which they say will streamline the process of getting approval for development projects. The effort is intended to make it easier for developers by not requiring them to apply for variances — or exceptions to the rules.

Council President Pro Tem Rob Dorans said the new legislation will fix a broken system plagued by a history of redlining, or discriminatory financial practices historically used against marginalized communities such as racial or ethnic minorities. He also said this was the beginning of a process and discussion about future changes to city zoning.

"The choice is pretty clear — between the status quo of our broken zoning code from over 70 years ago, and everyone knows does not work in the 14th largest city in the country — or we can try something new," Dorans said.

In an emotional statement on behalf of the legislation, Nancy Day-Achauer reflected on her own experience with homelessness in San Francisco when she was repeatedly priced out of her housing despite a relatively high-paying job. Eventually, she said through tears, she was forced into homelessness for two months while she searched for housing she could afford.

"No one should live the way my daughter and I had to live, no one should have to experience a housing insecurity and no one should be priced into homelessness," Day-Achauer said. "I've been homeless, that's my motivation for supporting Zone In."

Residents say legislation will spark affordable housing construction

Rev. Michael Young, pastor of City of Grace Church on the East Side, said he believed the new Zone In laws would address three issues he has seen with housing in Columbus: affordability, availability and accessibility.

"Zone In is not going to fix all of our problems, but we know that it will begin to eradicate a zoning that was really the twin brother to redlining that has benefited one constituency in our city and has negatively impacted and marginalized another group of people in our city," Young said.

Jonathan Beshears, a Columbus resident, said he believes the zoning proposals do not go far enough. He called on council to further remove height restrictions, reduce the required lot space for home construction and allow accessory dwellings, also known as "mother-in-law" suites."

"Columbus is experiencing unprecedented growth — If this problem is not addressed immediately it threatens to grow far worse," Beshears said.

Monica Tuttle, trustee of the Northwest Civic Association, however, urged Columbus City Council to table the resolution and expressed concern that civic associations will lose negotiating power with developers when developments are planned. She also said she has heard concerns from Northwest Side residents that the proposals will eliminate "naturally affordable" commercial real estate along the main corridors of the neighborhood.

"As much as we can all agree this is needed, I encourage you going forward you continue to give this great thought," Tuttle said.

Where are the proposed changes happening?

The city has targeted 12,300 parcels throughout Columbus that already follow major transportation corridors served by COTA or would be included under "bus rapid transit" lines, under a separate new project called LinkUS, The Dispatch previously reported.

Two of the most common variances routinely granted regard the height of new buildings and how much parking is required. Developers usually want to go higher than area residents desire, in order to get more tenants or buyers onto the same land. They usually also want to provide less off-street parking than the code requires. The Council routinely approves variances for projects on a case-by-case basis.

Many of the zoning changes radiate from Downtown, following main drags like High, Broad, East Long and East Main streets as well as Parsons, Mount Vernon, Cleveland, and Sullivant avenues, and other major crosstown corridors like Morse Road. Areas largely left off the rezoning map include areas around Route 161 between I-71 east to I-270.

Areas targeted for dramatic changes to code are inner-city neighborhoods of Franklinton, the Hilltop, the South Side, the Near East Side, Linden, and Northland, The Dispatch previously reported. Some of the city's most affluent outlying neighborhoods, including those bordering New Albany, Hilliard, Canal Winchester and Delaware County are not recommended for any density-inducing rezoning.

How does the plan affect building height and parking requirements?

With the exception of Downtown and certain urban corridors, Columbus' existing zoning code generally calls on buildings to lay low - no higher than 35 feet. For the 12,300 parcels that will be grouped into five new "Zone In" zoning categories, the heights would grow dramatically - up to 16 stories along some major streets.

The lowest level of intensity under the new code would be called "Urban General," allowing structures of four stories. Next would be "Urban Center" and "Community Activity Center," with up to seven stories. "Regional Activity Center" calls for up to 10 stories. And the most intensive density, "Urban Core," would see the tallest buildings, up to 16 stories without a variance.

Except in the Urban General category, to get the maximum height allowed, developers would need to meet an "affordability requirement," that grants them two to four extra stories, based on the category, if developers provide the required amount of affordable housing. That means buildings of up to five stories, seven stories, and 12 stories could be built in the other four categories with no affordable housing.

The proposals also will eliminate parking requirements for large developments. Under current zoning, a developer of a building of five or six stories might be liable by code for providing hundreds of off-street parking spaces, often in expensive below-ground garages.

The new zoning will allow developers to determine what parking is appropriate based on market demand from tenants.

Cbehrens@dispatch.com

@Colebehr_report

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Columbus City Council approves major zoning changes to applause