City official opens public comment period for Columbus growth strategy, citywide land-use map

A zoning project manager for the City of Columbus told the German Village Commission that the city will open a public comment period Oct. 10–Nov. 9 on a proposed Columbus growth strategy and the city’s first single, citywide land-use map.

The project manager said the city began updating its zoning code after rezoning about 4.2% of the city in an earlier phase, and now plans a much larger second phase covering roughly 40% of the city focused on “economic and housing opportunity.” "Our zoning code is over 70 years old," the project manager said. "We hope to be moving that down significantly to below 20 land-use categories from 200."

Why it matters: the city’s current system relies on 40 separate area plans with more than 200 land-use categories, which staff said is difficult for residents to understand and produces inconsistent planning outcomes across neighborhoods. The proposed update would set a single policy foundation for future rezonings and establish citywide land-use categories and maps.

Details: the project manager said the city engaged residents extensively over the summer — four workshops, two walking tours, more than 23 pop-up events and an online survey with more than 3,300 respondents — and convened a zoning advisory committee of residents and professionals. The public comment period will include four pop-up events and an open house in the meeting room on Oct. 22. Staff expect to bring a recommendation from the Development Commission to City Council in December and pursue zoning work in 2026.

The public-facing elements will be posted at the Columbus growth strategy web page beginning Oct. 10, where residents can review the proposed map and policy amendments to C2P2 and submit comments.

Quotations from the meeting: the project manager said, "We are going to be doing what we're calling public comment period on our website," and explained, "This phase will be 40% of the city as opposed to 4%, so a much larger area of the city."

What's next: staff asked commissioners to help direct residents to the posted materials and to encourage participation during the Oct. 10–Nov. 9 comment window. The project manager said the team hopes to return to council in December after a Development Commission recommendation.

Provenance: presentation began when the zoning project manager introduced the citywide update and public comment period (transcript block starting ~184.245–190.965) and concluded when they invited questions and closed (transcript block ending ~554.635–564.94).