Columbus Council unveils “Columbus Forward” package to guide growth, with housing, small-business and recycling measures

Columbus City Council on an announced day at the MLK Branch of the Columbus Metropolitan Library unveiled “Columbus Forward,” a multi-part policy platform intended to prepare the city for population and development growth by preserving neighborhoods, supporting small businesses, expanding recycling and reducing housing barriers.

Council President Harden said the package is intended to make sure growth “is when every worker, every small business, every child, and every family shares in the success of a city that is growing.” He described Columbus Forward as “a new policy platform dedicated to getting ahead of the growing pains and making growth work for all of us.”

The package bundles nine initial initiatives from multiple council members. President Pro Tem Rob Dorns framed the effort as building on prior council packages addressing public safety and housing, saying the city faces both opportunity and challenge as it expands. Dorns said the proposal will include “an assessment of our historical preservation policies” to identify ways to preserve neighborhood history while accommodating new development.

Council member Nick Bankston introduced a construction impact mitigation…