Westside Messenger - October 30th, 2022

PAGE 6 - WESTSIDE MESSENGER - October 30, 2022
Get the word out
FAST
Advertise your Craft Show
or Bazaar in the classifieds.
It’s easy to do.
Just call or email Kathy at
614-272-5422
kathy@columbusmessenger.com
for all of the details
“BEST NEW YEARS PARTY IN TOWN”
18 th Annual
Mike Albert
and
The Big E. Band
Per Couple Prices
Overnight Package - $319
Party Only Packages - $250
Single Packages Available
Prices include
Dinner, Drinks, Room, Party favors,
Full Breakfast
Crowne Plaza • 6500 Doubletree Ave. (formerly Marriott North)
The Ohio Department of Development announced
that up to $182 million will be available to support
small businesses in Ohio.
“There is no better place to live, work, and raise a
family than in Ohio, and our small businesses are a
major reason why,” said Governor Mike DeWine. “My
administration is dedicated to supporting the small
businesses that are so integral
to our state, especially those
that need extra support to get
off the ground and become a
success.”
The funds are being awarded
to Ohio as part of the federal
State Small Business Credit
Initiative (SSBCI). Ohio will
initially receive approximately
$52.4 million to support socially
and economically disadvantaged
individuals, very small
businesses, and early-stage,
technology-based companies.
The remaining funds will be
made available through multiple
allocations as the state
meets expected performance
targets.
The Department of
Development will administer
the SSBCI program in Ohio
through the Minority Business
Development Division and the
www.columbusmessenger.com
Government Focus
Zoning code updates discussed at WAC
By Hannah Poling
Staff Writer
Zoning was the topic of discussion at the October
Westland Area Commission meeting.
Kevin Wheeler, assistant director for growth policy
with the city of Columbus, attended the meeting to discuss
the future of zoning. He said the Columbus zoning
code has not been updated since the 1950s and city officials
are looking at an overhaul of the zoning code.
“Zoning can be a barrier to seeing what the community
wants and investing in our community. Or it can
set the standards,” Wheeler said.
Wheeler said that the city has updated the code in
bits and pieces over the years but they have never
taken a look at the code to make sure that it makes
sense with the ever-changing evolving and growing
city.
“If the city is going to continue growing, then we
need to figure out how to manage that,” Wheeler said.
According to Wheeler, the city code does not provide
for future housing needs and it does not support transit.
In addition, the code is not user-friendly and there
is an overreliance on site-to-site negotiation.
“No zoning code is really user friendly but ours is
very unfriendly. In the end, you have to be almost an
expert to understand. That leaves neighborhoods and
communities behind in the conversation,” he said.
The city is planning to work on addressing the code
in phases - starting with a mixed-use corridor.
According to Wheeler, the city is going to do its first
round of work looking at these mixed-use transits to
see how they can update the zoning code and map to
allow for more development while being consistent
with what the community is trying to achieve. He
hopes to start formulating a plan throughout 2023 as
they shape what this will look like. They are hoping to
have something to present to city council by 2024.
Wheeler plans to come back before the commission
to keep the community updated on the progress.
State initiative to help small businesses
After school snacks
at local libraries
Columbus Metropolitan Library has
once again partnered with Children’s
Hunger Alliance to provide after-school
snacks for children ages 1-18 at several of
its locations including:
• Franklinton Branch: Monday -
Saturday: 3:30 to 4:30 p.m.
Ohio Third Frontier, splitting the funding among four
programs that are expected to be available by the end
of 2022:
• The Community Development Financial
Institutions (CDFI) Loan Participation Program will
provide loans to socially and economically disadvantaged
individuals, very small businesses, and businesses
located in CDFI tracts.
• The Ohio Collateral Enhancement Program will
provide collateral on small business loans made by
financial institutions to allow small businesses to
access loans that otherwise would have been denied.
• The Ohio Venture Fund will provide capital to
investment funds to invest in early-stage, tech-based
companies.
• The Early-Stage Focus Fund will complement the
existing Ohio Third Frontier Pre-Seed Fund to support
funds that target investments to early-stage, techbased
companies in underserved communities and
populations.
“Small businesses are the backbone of the Ohio
economy, and this money will help ensure they are
positioned to grow and create good jobs across Ohio,”
Development Director Lydia Mihalik said. “Our staff is
working hard to stand up these programs so the funding
can flow to businesses as soon as possible.”
The American Rescue Plan reauthorized and
expanded SSBCI, which was originally established in
2010 to increase access to capital for traditionally
underserved small businesses and entrepreneurs.
Additional details about the programs are available
at Development.Ohio.gov.
around the westside
• Hilltop Branch: Monday - Friday:
3:15-3:45 p.m. and Saturday: 2:15 - 2:45
p.m.
These locations were selected for the
meal program based on student need. A
typical super-snack provided by Children’s
Hunger Alliance consists of a fruit, vegetable,
protein, grain and milk.
For more information, visit cholecystenterorrhaphy.org.