By Sandi Latimer
Staff Writer
The city of Columbus, looking to the future and how to plan for growth, has developed some planning policies that were shared at the latest meeting of the Westland Area Commission.
Commission zoning chair Mike McKay distributed information about Columbus Citywide Planning Policies at the May meeting that can be used as a guide for the next generation of development. Part of this project, known as C2P2, will be updating each area’s land use plan. An area plan is a document that tells how an area will be developed. Such a plan for the Westland Area hasn’t been updated in many years.
This project will allow every area of the city the opportunity to have consistent, up-to-date policies and design guidelines.
The focus group Insight2050 anticipates central Ohio will have as many as one million more residents by 2050 with Columbus seeing the biggest share. This plan, according to the city, has been designed to guide and focus growth in a way that will support economic competitiveness, improve resident’s quality of life, and provide environmental benefits throughout the city.
The first step is to educate the community about the project and get each area to go along with it. Currently the city has more than 40 neighborhood and area plans that cover more than 90 percent of the city.
Under this project, the area plans or land use plans will be updated beginning in 2020. This is a project the city expects will take five years. The Westland Area covers both the city and the township.
Also at the meeting, public health and safety chair Nancy Day-Achauer asked for volunteers to help out at the produce give-aways in the area. She said volunteers are needed early to help get the produce off the truck, to bag the produce and then help carry it to the vehicles.
Normally a produce give-away is staged the third Saturday of the month, but with the approach of summer, the project will be moving out to the many festivals, she said, and volunteers will also be needed at those times.
Petitions were also circulated for those seeking re-election this year – Marian Hymer, Tena Thompson, Adam Slane and Dave Van Order. Their petitions with signatures of 25 registered voters are to be turned in by the next commission meeting June 20. Seats held by Ashley Hoye and Denise Southward are up for re-appointment this year.
