City committee advances pollinator‑garden code changes after wide public comment

The Columbus City Council Public Utilities and Sustainability Committee heard public testimony May 16 on proposed revisions to city code intended to make pollinator and native‑plant gardens easier to install and to clarify enforcement of the noxious‑weed standard.

Deputy Director Tony Celebrizi of the Department of Building and Zoning outlined revisions made after an earlier hearing. “We went ahead and removed the 50% maximum for the front yard, so the entire parcel can be a pollinator garden,” Celebrizi said. He added that the draft also removes a previously proposed 30‑inch buffer around property lines and removes shrubs from the definition of weeds. The draft retains vision‑triangle and sidewalk safety limits and adds language that distinguishes “live or dormant” plant material to address fall and winter plant appearance.

Advocates and neighborhood volunteers…