PAGE 6 - MESSENGER - <strong>January</strong> 23, <strong>2022</strong> www.columbusmessenger.com Plans for CW’s Comprehensive Plan are underway Science: Let’s React Celebrate African American achievements in science at The <strong>Canal</strong> <strong>Winchester</strong> Branch of the Columbus Metropolitan Library, 115 Franklin St., <strong>Canal</strong> <strong>Winchester</strong> on Feb. 5 at 2 p.m. Discover brilliant scientists while conducting experiments. For ages 5-11. For information visit www.columbuslibrary.org or call 614-645-2275. By Linda Dillman Staff Writer A guideline created more than two decades ago to shepherd growth in <strong>Canal</strong> <strong>Winchester</strong> is getting an update as the city starts to create a new Comprehensive Plan. <strong>Canal</strong> <strong>Winchester</strong> Development Director Lucas Haire said the city decided to approach the topic of the plan based on continued growth pressures. The last plan was adopted in 1999. While there was an attempt to update that plan in 2005, the council chose not to do so in 2007. “Many of the residential and commercial areas approved more than 20 years ago are now nearing final build-out and the city is seeing interest in new annexations and rezoning requests,” said Haire. “Having an upto-date comprehensive plan in place with help guide the planning and zoning commission and city council as they evaluate the future development of our community.” A request for proposal for the comprehensive plan was issued by the city with responses due Jan. 3. A committee comprised of residents, council members, and city employees was assembled to evaluate the proposals and recommend a consultant. While establishing a vision for the community based on core values determined through the planning process, the plan addresses the balance of land use with location, design character, and density in undeveloped and potential re-development areas. The plan also considers the interconnection among land uses, the build environment, socioeconomic environment, and the natural environment. This comprehensive plan will then be used to guide elected officials’ decisions for the next 10 to 20 years. CW Council work sessions <strong>Canal</strong> <strong>Winchester</strong> City Council meets in work session at 6 p.m. prior to each city council meeting to discuss legislative items and other issues of the city prior to being included on a city council agenda. Council work session consists of all members of council with the vice-president serving as chair. The work sessions are divided into two areas of focus. The first work session of Elements of the plan as outlined by the city include citizen participation, demographics and socioeconomics and their impact, existing land use within the city, and surrounding communities and community character. Housing and neighborhood elements provide an opportunity to set policy direction related to the range of housing products offered in <strong>Canal</strong> <strong>Winchester</strong>. Transportation will be evaluated as well and build upon the city’s transportation plan. The plan will also integrate existing parks and open spaces, trail connectivity, accessibility along with natural areas and open spaces, and address governmental services and infrastructure. As written in the request for proposal, “The city considers citizen input essential. The Comprehensive Plan process shall be structured to maximize citizen involvement the month focuses on finance/economic development items and the second monthly work session focuses on service/safety items. While each work session includes specific areas of focus, other items may be brought before council as needed. Council work sessions are open to the public. We Love Our Veterans Groveport Town Hall, 648 Main St., Groveport, will host the We Love Our Veterans exhibit from Feb. 1 to March 25. The city of Groveport is recognizing honorably discharged military veterans from all branches of service who reside in Franklin County. Motts Military Museum has provided five cases that will be on display from the and participation. Participation of citizens, developers, landowners, business owners, appointed and elected officials, and other stakeholders throughout the community is paramount to success of the Comprehensive Plan. Community well-being shall be incorporated into all aspects of the plan; how will recommendations enhance the well-being of our community?” According to Haire, there will be in-person meetings, surveys, a comprehensive plan specific website, and other tools that will allow the community to engage and provide input into the planning process. “I would anticipate the city entering into a contract after city council approval in late March,” said Haire. “The city has budgeted $225,000 for the project in <strong>2022</strong>.” Consultant proposals will determine a timeline. Civil War through the Vietnam War. If you have any items, pictures, and/or stories that you would like to display in the exhibit, contact the Groveport Community Affairs Department at 614-836-3333. Items must be received by Jan. 28 before 4:30 p.m. Items can be retrieved after the exhibit ends on March 28. Barber Museum The National Barber Museum in <strong>Canal</strong> <strong>Winchester</strong> is located at 135 Franklin St. (behind the former CW High School building). The museum, housed in approximately 5,000 square feet, showcases art, artifacts, and memorabilia from decades of the barbering profession. For information call(614) 837-8400. PICKS Continued from page 1 “I went to the mayor and asked what can I do to help?” said Carpenter during the Jan. 18 meeting. “The mayor asked if I’d like to help on this commission. I run into a roadblock and I don’t know why.” Amos said council asked that other commission applicants be contacted regarding the appointments. She said she reached out to some of them and was told no one approached them following the Jan. 3 meeting. “We are in a crisis situation. I need to have faith in them when we make a decision,” said Amos, who felt more qualified candidates, including Vasko, were overlooked. “Our asks at the last meeting were very specific and those were not answered.” She said her personal review of the list of applicants was done by redacting names so she could eliminate outside influences. According to the city charter, commission members are appointed by the mayor, but confirmed by the council. They serve for overlapping four year terms of office. The commission is charged with hearing appeals from administrative officers and employees with respect to zoning, platting, subdivision, building and other regulations pertaining to land uses. Ebert responded to Amos’ statements by saying that he followed all of the rules as set in the charter– including the only qualification that you must be a resident of the municipality to serve on a city commission. There is no requirement to have experience within a commission’s area of concern. “You had the opportunity to change that in the charter last year,” said Ebert. “He’s (Carpenter) the only one of all the applicants that came in and talked with Luke (Haire) and Andrew (Moore).” Clark, who voted for the resolutions, said there are plenty of commission members who did not have previous experience in areas of planning or zoning before joining the commission, but are now doing a good job. “The mayor has the prerogative to do what he wants,” said Clark, who felt they were “putting the community in peril” by not filling the appointments. Walker echoed Clark’s comments by saying it is Ebert’s decision to make and he has done so. He felt Ebert is “perfectly capable of picking someone for planning and zoning.”
www.columbusmessenger.com <strong>January</strong> 23, <strong>2022</strong> - MESSENGER - PAGE 7