The Columbuswide development plan in the works now could mean big changes — especially for the forest of signs along Highway 45 North.
The signs that line the highway need to be thinned out and pared down to improve the city”s aesthetic and improve traffic safety, said Darrell Meyer, a KPS Group designer who”s preparing the plan.
His recommendation at the plan implementation meeting Thursday was to give businesses throughout the city a certain amount of time — even up to seven years — to bring their signs into compliance with the city”s wishes.
Businesses, Meyer added, had generally been in favor of the idea in other cities.
“They want to be good neighbors,” he said. “They just don”t want to be the first to take their sign down.”
Only small group of the faithful attended the public meeting, the fourth in a series, even though the plan has far-reaching implications for both businesses and residents, from business signs to green trails that connect city parks.
Now that designers have a rough idea of the city”s needs, they moved on to discuss Thursday how to implement the plan.
One way to make sure businesses and people follow the rules is to update city ordinances — some of which haven”t been updated in years.
City Engineer Kevin Stafford said giving those ordinances a makeover was a priority on the city”s to-do list and would be looked at soon.
If city officials implement the plan, as they intend to do with the community”s support, certain businesses would be pushed to build in certain districts and closer to curbs. Curbs at major intersections would be brought out to protect parking spaces. Multiple driveways, like the three at the Highway 45 North Sonic, would be reduced to one or two.
The plan only provides general guidelines and is less specific than a zoning ordinance, but designers said the plan would impact long-term growth — something the city, which has been losing population steadily for years, needs.
“You have to have a plan so you can know where to deviate (from it),” said KPS Group designer Ben Wieseman.
The plan is about 65 pages so far and is available online at columbusplan.blogspot.com.
At the next public session July 13, designers and city officials will go over an outline of the plan.
The rough draft of the entire plan will be reviewed at a public meeting July 14. The draft should be up on the website the day before.
After that meeting, the city will have public hearings on the plan before its adoption.
All meetings are in the lower level of the Trotter Convention Center at 5:30 p.m.
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Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 34 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
