City of Columbus

The regular meeting commenced with the call to order and a quorum confirmation. Key agenda items included the swearing in of new plan commissioners, Nathan Hamilton and Jason Stapleman. The commission approved the agenda and the minutes from the December meeting, noting no meeting took place in January. The primary discussion focused on considering and taking action regarding Draft of Part One of the comprehensive zoning code rewrite, which involves overhauling the city's zoning and subdivision codes. Specific topics addressed included the proposed mix of residential zoning districts (SR1 at 8,000 sq ft minimum and SR2 at 5,000 sq ft minimum), the organization of the code into consumable articles using land use and bulk tables, and the proposed mix of commercial zoning districts (Business Park, Light Industrial, and Heavy Industrial). Policy questions regarding the continuation of the existing zoning district mix were introduced for commission feedback.

The committee of the whole meeting addressed several critical items concerning Hillside Cemetery management, including discussion and proposed repeal of ordinance 813-26 to transfer management sections to the city code and establish new governance through the Public Safety Committee. Key discussion points included the status of cemetery land ownership, confirming that title search indicates the city owns the land, and clarifying that the Hillside Cemetery Association remains a separate entity. Financial matters involved ensuring all funds, including donations and perpetual care funds ($26,000 from Edward Jones), are tracked and managed through City Fund 235, with recommendations made regarding fee structures being moved to the general fee schedule instead of the ordinance. Additionally, the body decided to task the Community Development Authority (CDA) with conducting a feasibility report on development opportunities for the property at 1149 West James Street, while also discussing temporary storage solutions for equipment currently housed there. The meeting concluded with adjournment into the subsequent City Council meeting.

Key discussions during the meeting included approving the agenda and addressing public comments, specifically regarding a donation to the historic society museum renovation fund. The consent agenda covered the approval of previous utility commission minutes, cash disbursements, accounts payable reports, and an outage report. Under new business, the commission recognized an employee for completing the electric line worker apprenticeship program. Significant time was spent on the approval of a prime contractor, Wandra Construction Incorporated, for the Heritage Way Water Main Extension contract, which is intended to improve water reliability by looping the system. The utility director's report detailed extensive maintenance due to extreme cold weather, including line work repositioning, meter installations, and streetlight repairs. Water department activities included routine sampling for fluoride and chlorine residuals, valve testing, and managing increased workload due to an operator's surgery. Wastewater tasks involved cold weather maintenance checks at lift stations and a successful repair of a ripping belt on the solids handling belt press. The department also reported significant issues with the SKA system dialer, which is critical for remote monitoring. Additionally, an update was provided on the West School Street rebuild project, which received favorable bids but whose award is pending the announcement of an LRIP grant.

The committee discussed several new business items, primarily focusing on Ordinance 812-25 regarding the removal of snow around fire hydrants. Initial recommendation favored relying on goodwill, but concerns were raised regarding enforcement consistency, especially since some hydrants are city-owned while others are utility-owned, and the potential burden on city staff. The consensus leaned against moving forward with the ordinance at that time. A major discussion focused on the restoration of the 1925 American LaFrance fire truck. An estimate of approximately $153,000 (excluding potential brake work) was presented from a local restorer. Given that the dedicated fund, which includes a $20,000 donation, is held in an LGIP account with a good interest rate, the committee supported moving forward with the restoration, authorizing the Fire Chief to use up to the total fund amount as needed for the project. Finally, the committee addressed the appointment of the 2026-2027 Election Inspector, noting the recent passing of a vital election worker, Jeffrey Vanfleet.

The regular meeting included procedural items such as approval of the agenda and previous minutes. The primary item of business was a discussion regarding the zoning rewrite project. Key discussion points focused on the ongoing development of Part One of the zoning code draft by Vanal Associates, specifically concerning zoning districts and bulk regulations. Members provided feedback on the potential inclusion of design standards for commercial and industrial corridors to ensure high-quality development, contrasting with the decision not to implement them for residential districts. The need for a manageable review and approval process, avoiding excessively subjective decisions or overly prescriptive regulations that could stifle development (using examples like Dollar Tree and O'Reilly structures), was emphasized. There was also discussion about historic preservation guidelines in the downtown area, with members noting the subjective nature of current reviews and seeking examples of successful local downtown revitalization efforts, such as those in Ripon and Waupaca, regarding architectural and facade standards. Landscape standards, potentially using a point system for flexibility, were also considered for inclusion in the subdivision code rewrite.