Councilmember Remy Hosts Community Hours

In an effort to connect with the community, Councilmember Emmanuel V. Remy will host virtual community hours in September to listen to ideas and concerns of Columbus residents.

“My team and I are grateful to have the opportunity to engage with those living in our neighborhoods. We welcome area residents to share their concerns and thoughts as we strive to create a greater Columbus,” said Remy.

This event will give residents the opportunity to talk with Councilmember Remy and his staff, share what is important to them, and propose ways Council can work with the community. This meeting will be held on WebEx.

Thursday, September 23, 2021, 4:00 pm – 5:30 pm

To RSVP & receive the WebEx information, please email Lucy Frank at ljfrank@columbus.gov by noon on September 23, 2021.

Mayor Ginther declares State of Emergency, including mask requirement.

Mayor Andrew J. Ginther today signed an executive order declaring a State of Emergency in the City of Columbus and requiring that face masks be worn by individuals age 6 and older while in indoor spaces accessible to the public, including but not limited to city buildings, office buildings, retail establishments, bars and restaurants, and public transportation.

“New cases are on the rise, hospitalizations are on the rise, and the strain on our medical and public health professionals has reached a critical point,” said Mayor Ginther. “It is vital that we act now to protect the health and well-being of our community while keeping our economy, our schools and our city open for business.”

The order takes effect immediately (as of September 10, 2021) and remains in place until it is rescinded by Mayor Ginther. Exemptions to the order include those younger than 6 years of age; individuals with medical or behavioral conditions that preclude them from wearing a face covering; and anyone actively eating and drinking, engaged in sports and recreational activities, and giving a speech or performance before a live audience.

Columbus Public Health will issue citations to businesses and organizations that fail to comply or enforce the order among their patrons or employees. The public may report violations to the city’s 311 Customer Service Center.

Council Residential Districting Commission to Release First District Map and Continue Public Feedback

District-drawing process to conclude by end of 2021, with additional maps to come

On September 1, 2021, the Council Residential Districting Commission (CRDC) will release the first draft of a district map for Columbus City Council districts.

Note: This first map uses 2010 Census data; later maps will use the 2020 census. A first draft map was required by the statute to be presented by September 1st. View the map and make comments at https://columbus.maps.arcgis.com/apps/CrowdsourceReporter/index.html?appid=12d3163cd9e94b5e8e799c29ff2e7af2 on the draft map.

Thus far, the CRDC has held a series of eight public outreach meetings, six public working sessions and conducted an online survey that garnered thousands of results. All of the feedback gathered at these meetings and the survey helped to inform the map-drawing process. Additionally, the US Census Bureau released 2020 Census data on August 12, 2021, which is an essential guide to forming the future of the City. The new 2020 Census data will be incorporated in the second draft of the district maps.

The CRDC will continue public working sessions from City Council Chambers in City Hall on Wednesday evenings from 5:30-8:30p, beginning on September 8, and running tentatively through November 10, 2021.

“We are so excited to share our work with the public,” said Commission Chair Malik Moore. “I am grateful to have done a small part of the work with an amazing team of people. I will feel blessed to witness the work we started continue to grow and I believe one day we will see every voice lifted up. In a City as diverse as Columbus, the sky is the limit.”

“After hearing from residents in every corner of the City, as well as reviewing the survey results that more than 2,000 residents filled out, I am excited to put out our first map for public feedback,” said Commission member Monica Cerrezuela. “These initial comments from the public will be instrumental in helping us create additional maps as we dive into the 2020 Census data and how we account for the Columbus’ 15% increase in population over the last decade.”

“This process has been open and transparent, but the work isn’t done,” said Councilmember Emmanuel V. Remy. “I’m eager to advocate that residents across Columbus participate and engage with this exciting process as we move along. The Commission will solicit more feedback before they release additional maps, with the future of our City determined in these maps.”

Residents are encouraged to follow Council’s social media channels and further emails for information on future meetings and map releases as they take place. The main places to watch will be on Facebook Live or on the City of Columbus’ YouTube channel, where you can watch all past public meetings.

Council will approve one of three maps produced by the CRDC by the end of 2021, and the districts will be in place for the 2023 Council election.

For more information, visit www.columbus.gov/districtingcommission/ or email crdc@columbusgov.

Columbus City Council to Meet in Person beginning July 12th

For the first time since March of 2020, Columbus City Councilmembers will meet in-person in Chambers at City Hall and open the doors to the public for its regularly scheduled meeting on July 12, 2021, at 5pm. The meeting will be live-streamed on the City’s YouTube channel and Facebook Live.

While members and some staff will be in Chambers, Columbus continues to be COVID-19 cautious. Public seating in Chambers will be limited to 20 safely-spaced individuals, with limited additional seating in an adjacent conference room. Council will also continue to offer virtual online testimony to residents on regular agenda items, except zonings. Returning in a limited capacity and adhering to current social distancing and masking guidelines is an incremental return to normalcy. The regular zoning meeting is scheduled for 6:30pm.

Columbus City Council continues to urge residents to submit their testimony in writing rather than attend the meeting in person. Residents that wish to speak in-person or online must complete an electronic speaker slip by 3pm on the day of the meeting, indicating whether the request is to speak in person, or via WebEx. To access the form, visit www.columbus.gov/council/information/Online-Speaker-Slip/.

Parties presenting testimony to Council during the Zoning Committee meeting of Council are required to be sworn in prior to giving testimony. In order to accommodate this, parties will be required to attend the meeting in person.

All parties planning to present testimony on a Zoning Committee ordinance must complete an electronic speaker slip no later than 3pm on the day of the zoning meeting to request attendance at the meeting. To access the form, visit columbus.gov/council/information/Online-Speaker-Slip/. Online speaker slips can be submitted between 8am-3pm on the day of the meeting. The Zoning Chair will swear in all parties signed up to testify on a Council Variance just prior to the reading of that piece of legislation. For more information, visit https://www.columbus.gov/council/toolkit/rules-for-speaking-at-city-council/.

In accordance with public access provisions, the meeting is open to the public. However, Columbus City Council discourages residents from attending the meeting in person and requests unvaccinated residents wear masks while in Chambers. The protocols of social distancing will be enforced, and the capacity in Chambers will be limited to 20 people based on the space of the room.

Council Districting Meeting for New Americans, Immigrants, and Refugee Populations

Who:
Chair Malik Moore
Members of the CRDC

When:
Wednesday, July 14, 2021
5:30 – 7:30pm

Where:

Heart of Ohio Family Health at Capital Park

2365 Innis Road
or
Tune in on Facebook Live

What:

On Wednesday, July, 14^th from 5:30-7:30p, the Columbus Residential Districting Commission (CRDC) will continue the discussion around geographic locations to draw the nine Council legislative districts by asking for feedback directly from residents. This week is focused on the New American, Immigrants & Refugees communities and will include a recap of previous presentations, an introduction to the CRDC survey, and the solicitation of direct feedback from attendees.

“As we embark on the journey to district our City, we want to be intentional about educating the community on the process as well as soliciting recommendations and feedback from our community,” said Councilmember Emmanuel V. Remy.

The CRDC has also created an online survey to gather additional information regarding this important process. Help us gain the feedback we need by taking our survey at www.surveymonkey.com/r/Columbusdistricts.

The meeting will also be posted on the City of Columbus YouTube channel following the event.

To learn more, please visit https://www.columbus.gov/districtingcommission/ If you have any questions or concerns, please email CRDC@columus.gov

Sheep Farm Park Contract on Tonight’s City Council Agenda

President Pro Tem Elizabeth Brown, chair of the Recreation and Parks Committee is sponsoring ordinance 1182-2021 to design the new Case Road Park, located on the site of the former Ohio State University Agriculture Extension Sheep Farm at 2425 W. Case Rd. This 58-acre park has more than 1,000 households within a 10 minute walk. The $235,825 contract with MKSK Inc. will include developing plans for the parkland design and layout of amenities, which will be guided by community input.

You should be able to view the City Council meeting on their YouTube channel. The meeting begins at 5pm, but this issue is expected to be discussed around 5:30 or later. Trustee Roy Wentzel is scheduled to speak.

Columbus to Fund Summer Youth Engagement and Anti-Violence Programming

The City of Columbus has received $93 million in federal funds out of an expected $187 million from the American Rescue Plan (ARP) to provide assistance in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The funds will be delivered over two years and must be used by 2024. Columbus Mayor Andrew J. Ginther and City Council have agreed to allocate $19.7 million for short-term summer youth engagement and anti-violence efforts.

“Our city and our residents continue to suffer from the fallout of the global pandemic, and no one has been more negatively impacted than our young people,” said Mayor Ginther. “Our first investment of American Rescue Plan dollars will help our kids regain some of what they lost with opportunities for programming, education and employment through city departments as well as through community partners.”

“We are advancing a bold plan with the Mayor to put nearly $20 million into area nonprofits focused on keeping our kids safe while helping them catch up,” said City Council President Shannon G. Hardin. “This package of ARP projects are critical to getting Columbus past the brutal challenges brought onto neighborhoods by COVID-19 restrictions and frustrations. Together with local partners we’re helping make sure folks can get back to work, back into classes and back to living their lives safely.”

Of the $19.7 million that is being allocated, $15.6 million will utilize ARP funding. The Columbus Recreation and Parks Department’s (CRPD) total additional spending for summer programming is $4.8 million, with $4 million coming from City sources outside of the ARP allocation. $4.2 million will be used by CRPD to support qualified 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations that provide youth programming centered on addressing educational disparities and/or promoting healthy childhood environments.

Requests for RFPs through CRPD have been posted on the city’s Vendor Services portal since June 11, 2021. Proposals are due at noon on July 9, 2021. Questions can be submitted via email to: RecoveryFunding2021@columbus.gov.

The city is developing a process to determine how to best invest ARP funding to meet the community’s near- and long-term needs, informed in part by the work of the joint City-County Recovery and Resiliency Committee. Community organizations seeking financial support for proposals utilizing American Recovery Plan funding are encouraged to submit proposals online utilizing a standard form that includes a budget and description of how the funds will be used.

Sheep Farm Events

Join us if you are available on Saturday, June 12th from 9:00 am to noon.

We will have Pam from the City of Columbus Department of Recreation and Parks to show us what weeds we should target to keep the Sheep Farm as clean and usable as possible while we wait for a plan for the property. She will bring tools and gloves, but I encourage you to bring your own gloves and to be prepared with long sleeves and pants and, given the recent rain, boots.

As an inducement for rolling out so early on a Saturday, NWCA is providing coffee and donuts (really good ones from a local donut shop). So we know how many tools and donuts will be needed, please email northwestcivic@gmail.com if you plan to come.

Please come even if you can’t stay long. We want to show Recreation and Parks that this park is important to us. Thanks!

North Side Council Residential Districting Commission Rescheduled for June 16th – Update

The Council Residential Districting Commission will postpone their upcoming North Side Regional Meeting scheduled for Wednesday, May 19^th due to overlapping meeting schedules. The Council Residential Districting Commission is drawing the maps that will create nine Council districts in the City of Columbus, and we need your help to get it right. In addition to the weekly neighborhood virtual meetings occurring right now, you have an option to take the CRDC survey at www.surveymonkey.com/r/Columbusdistricts. Visit columbus.gov/districtingcommission for more info.

The survey asks users for their insights in neighborhood representation in Columbus and how they want to see the CRDC address the new residential Council districts. The information will inform the strategy in the drawing of the maps to take place later this year.

“As our community continues to reimagine public safety and discuss the needs of our neighbors, it is important that we don’t make people choose between two important meetings. Postponing this week’s CRDC meeting just makes sense,” said Malik Moore, Chair of the Council Residential Districting Commission. “We encourage residents to attend Mayor Ginther’s Virtual Town Hall on Wednesday, May 19^th at 6:00p to hear from the four finalists for Columbus Chief of Police.”

The next CRDC meeting will occur on Wednesday, May 26^th from 5:30-7:30p focusing on the East Side Region of the City. Look for future Columbus City Council advisories for more information.

Updated CRDC meeting schedule:

May 26, 2021 – East Side Regional Meeting 5:30-7:30p

June 2, 2021 – West Side Regional Meeting 5:30-7:30p

June 9, 2021 – South Side Regional Meeting 5:30-7:30p

June 16, 2021 – North Side Regional Meeting 5:30-7:30p

June 23, 2021 – Community Outreach Meeting pt. 1, 5:30-7:30p

June 30, 2021 – Community Outreach Meeting pt. 2, 5:30-7:30p

To learn more, please visit https://www.columbus.gov/districtingcommission/ If you have any questions or concerns, please email CRDC@columus.gov

Join Your Neighbors at the Historic Sheep Farm Park for Earth Day!

Have you seen the new Columbus park on West Case Rd.? A lot of your neighbors have walked their dogs, flown kites and even cross-country skied there. On April 22nd we will meet in the Sheep Farm Park at 6:00 P.M. to celebrate Earth Day!

You can tour the 57+ acres, explore the mown paths and enjoy spring breezes! Or, you can help to remove some pesky invasive volunteer Callery pear seedlings. We will have trash bags to help clean up any trash we find. If you think you might want to do some clean-up or dig up unwanted plants, bring some gardening/work gloves. Bring tools if you have them.

This is great opportunity to get out in the fresh air, talk to other people and enjoy nature. We want everyone to be safe, however, so please wear your masks and maintain appropriate distance.

See you on Thursday!

Whether you are able to come or not, take our one question survey about how you can be involved with the Sheep Farm Park in future.