The Guide to Area and Neighborhood Planning (Draft) is a comprehensive presentation on the process of neighborhood-based planning in the city of Columbus. This handbook presents an overview of the Planning Division and its work, presents the policy foundation upon which neighborhood planning is undertaken, presents an overview of the methodologies, techniques and standards to be used by the Planning Division, and concludes with best practices that are to be integrated into neighborhood plans.

The overall development goal for Columbus is quality neighborhoods as established by Mayor Michael B. Coleman. The ingredients for creating quality neighborhoods are defined by the city’s planning principles, policies, and standards.  This is best expressed in the city’s 21st Century Growth Team as “sustainable growth which includes both job growth and healthy neighborhood development. Healthy neighborhood development will assure that new neighborhoods will better support themselves and contribute to the community as a whole.” 

The focus of the city of Columbus and the goal of the Guide to Area and Neighborhood Planning (Draft) are to support, facilitate, and ensure quality neighborhoods for the residents of Columbus. This is a city that is defined by its neighborhoods and their sustainability has long been a city goal. To better define this policy foundation the following principles are provided.

Quality neighborhoods . . .

• Provide a full range of housing opportunities, including a variety of housing types, densities, ownership and rental choices, and affordability.
• Are served by a well connected street, pedestrian and bicycle network.
• Have mature street trees and provide access to natural areas for recreation and enjoyment.
• Are supported by a range of retail and service businesses and employment opportunities, preferably within walking distance.
• Are served by accessible parks and recreational facilities.
• Are served by public schools, libraries, health care, and other community facilities.

The Best Practices is a compendium of planning-related policies, guidelines, and standards excerpted from City Council-adopted area and neighborhood plans, 21st Century Growth Team recommendations, Mayor Michael B. Coleman’s Green Memo, and other related city and professional sources.  

These policy benchmarks will be used by the Planning Division in drafting area and neighborhood plans, working with communities, stakeholders and the general public. As such these benchmarks become a starting point for preparing policies that are unique to each area and neighborhood plan – provided that a consistent focus is maintained throughout all planning documents.

The Guide to Area and Neighborhood Planning pdf