Columbus council approves Chase Pointe annexation and rezoning after hours of public comment; council adds density and tree-buffer limits

Columbus City Council voted Tuesday to adopt a fiscal plan, annex a roughly 107-acre parcel on the city’s west side and rezone the property for a mix of single-family and multifamily housing — approving the rezoning after adding limits on multifamily density and new tree-buffer requirements.

The council adopted the fiscal plan by roll call (resolution) and passed the annexation ordinance before approving an amended rezoning measure that includes a two-story maximum for multifamily structures and a council-added requirement that buffers be planted with trees (including evergreens) rather than shrubs. Council debate and several failed amendment attempts preceded the final vote.

The actions set the legal framework for a proposed subdivision known as Chase Pointe, which would extend the city’s limits north of State Road 46 near Belmont Drive and Wolf Creek. Proponents and the city planning staff said the annexation and zoning changes will allow new housing and make municipal services and infrastructure extensions possible. Opponents — many of them neighbors who spoke during public comment — urged the council to halt or narrow the project because of concerns about traffic on 500 West and State Road 46, flooding and stormwater runoff, wildlife habitat loss and impacts on nearby long‑time residents and institutions.

Jeff Bergman, a city staff…