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Finance committee reviews 2026 priorities for planning, parks and recreation; planning seeks zoning and permitting work
Summary
At a Nov. 17 finance committee meeting, Planning presented 2026 priorities including zoning-code updates, online mapping tools, and a land-entitlement process review (estimated consultant cost $60,000–$75,000); Parks & Recreation outlined canopy work, facility moves, and programming expansion tied to the parks master plan.
The Gahanna finance committee on Nov. 17 heard department presentations on 2026 priorities and follow-up budget questions from planning, parks and recreation, and finance staff.
Director Blackford (Planning) outlined three primary priorities: (1) zoning-code updates to align rules with recently adopted vision and strategic-plan documents; (2) creation of online mapping tools so residents can track public hearing applications and project locations; and (3) a land-entitlement process review to improve permitting predictability and staff efficiencies. Blackford said the anticipated consultant cost for the entitlement process deep dive is roughly $60,000–$75,000 and that, as written, existing departmental resources could cover the work in 2026 without an additional funding request.
Parks & Recreation Director Farrell described priorities tied to the parks master plan: raising standards of care across park assets, transitioning the senior center to 825 Tech Center Drive with expanded year-round programming, continuing the urban tree-canopy program (staff reported roughly 169 removals and about 340 plantings planned for the year), and ODOT-funded wayfinding improvements to the Big Walnut Trail. Staff explained there are no pickleball courts currently in the capital plan and cited acoustic/neighbor impacts as a practical constraint.
Finance staff clarified that funds from Issue 12 are not in the general fund and explained enterprise capital improvement documents and the limited capacity of older special revenue funds. Staff noted the street-tree program currently uses general-fund dollars because the dedicated permitting-derived fund has not generated steady revenue.
Committee members asked about cost-recovery models for parks services, indoor programming space availability, and staffing transitions; staff provided detail on how cost recovery is calculated across divisions and how new indoor spaces (the exploration center and 825 Tech Center Drive) will expand programming options in 2026. The committee asked councilmembers to submit outstanding questions by the following Thursday ahead of next-week meetings.
