Council approves contested Demarest Road rezoning after amendment to reduce building height at entrance

Columbus City Council voted to approve an ordinance rezoning 2410 Demarest Road from the city's default rural district to LAR‑1 (limited apartment residential) to allow a multiunit apartment development, after the applicant agreed to amend the project to reduce the height of the building at the site entrance from three stories to two.

The amendment, offered by the developer during council consideration, reduces the project's unit count by eight and was accepted by council before the final roll call. Councilmember Dorrance, chair of the zoning committee, moved the measure; the rezoning passed on a roll‑call vote with all present members voting yes.

City planning staff and the Columbus Department of Public Service described the proposal as a high‑quality design that meets updated city design guidelines and helps meet local housing needs. "Planning is in full support," said Chris Lohr of the Division of Planning, citing the proposal's site‑level design features such as tree preservation, buffering and open‑space activation.

Traffic and access issues were discussed at length. Dan Bushman of the Division of Traffic Management said the developer's traffic access study met city requirements and that the proposal includes turn‑lane work and a fee in lieu to the Franklin County Engineer to support a future regional path on Demarest. The project also commits about $193,000 toward regional roadway improvements, the city said.

Jeffrey L. Brown, the applicant's attorney, described the changes Metro Development made after conversations with neighbors. "This site plan is a better site plan than we started with," Brown said, adding the amendment to make the front building two stories was a concession to community concerns and reduces the proposed unit total.

Neighbors and the Westland Area Commission urged the council to reject the rezoning. Mike McKay, chairman of the Westland Area Commission's zoning committee, said the plan's density is far higher than the area plan recommendation. "This project is 18.76 units an acre," McKay said, calling it "too intensive" for the site and highlighting the stretch of two‑lane Demarest Road and a single‑lane roundabout that serve the area.

Several residents who live next to the site told council they had worked for months to engage with the developer. Brad Oyer, who described his property as adjacent to the proposed development, said the project "makes no sense mathematically, but also makes no sense architecturally." Caitlin Garbrand, speaking for a neighborhood coalition, said the developer's traffic counts were outdated; she said opponents had also gathered more than 700 petition signatures.

Housing officials said the rezoning fits the city's housing priorities. Aaron Prosser, deputy director for housing strategies in the Department of Development, said the area has seen rapid price increases and is undersupplied with housing. "Average home values in this ZIP code rose 52.5% from 2020 to 2025," Prosser said, and he added that adding rental units in high‑opportunity areas can help slow price growth and reduce displacement pressures.

Council members said they weighed neighborhood concerns against citywide housing needs and the project's commitments to infrastructure contributions and design mitigation. After debate, the council accepted the developer's amendment to lower the entrance building and voted to approve the rezoning as amended.

Votes at a glance

- Ordinance 2288‑2025 (2410 Demarest Road rezoning to LAR‑1, with amendment): Passed (roll call; all present voted yes). The approved commitments include a maximum unit cap (256 units before the amendment), site buffering, tree preservation, pedestrian connections, and a developer contribution of about $193,000 toward regional roadway improvements. The amendment reduced one front building to two stories and lowered the total unit count by eight.

- Resolution 0235x‑2025 (on federal government shutdown): Adopted; council called on federal leaders to reopen government and recognized the hardship on federal employees living in the Columbus region. Testimony from Patty Davis Sato (American Federation of Government Employees, Local 3448) and Jamie Shoemaker (Central Ohio Labor Council) accompanied the resolution.

- Resolution 234‑2025 (Greater Columbus Public Arts Strategy): Adopted; council supported GCAC's public art strategy and recognized the Greater Columbus Arts Council's work. GCAC leadership and staff joined council discussion.

- Ordinance 2672‑2025 (settlement: Lonnie Henry and KG v. City of Columbus): Passed; council authorized a $1,000,000 settlement. City officials described an investigation that sustained findings of officer misconduct and said the officers received corrective counseling and retraining. The division of police said additional retraining has been incorporated into annual training.

- Ordinance 2539‑2025 (HOME funds commitment to Habitat for Humanity Mid Ohio): Passed; council authorized up to $1,100,000 in HOME funds to support construction of multiple single‑family homes targeted to households earning 30–80% of area median income.

- Ordinance 2564‑2025 (Sound Thinking, formerly ShotSpotter): Passed; council authorized $210,000 for year two of a three‑year contract to maintain acoustic gunfire detection coverage in the phase‑2 area.

What it means

The Demarest Road vote underscores a familiar tension in Columbus planning: the city's stated goal to add housing in higher‑opportunity neighborhoods versus existing neighborhood character and transportation constraints. Councilmembers signaled they expect continued coordination with the Department of Public Service and the Franklin County Engineer to identify and fund needed roadway and pedestrian improvements as development proceeds.

Council action does not complete construction work; project permits, final engineering and any required off‑site improvements must still be completed under the commitments approved by council.