I am a historian and preservationist in Columbus, and I am generally in support of the proposed legislation and support the clarification that historic districts won’t be disregarded with the new code. I nevertheless deeply urge a delay or even a “no” vote at this time, in order for a solution to be found for an alarming issue. I have raised this issue with the zoning team multiple times and have yet to hear a response. Your vote is the last potential for affecting change.

Columbus has an incredible array of historic, and architecturally significant, houses, churches, fire stations, schoolhouses, and more. The vast majority of these are not on any register, and will immediately be at a much higher risk of demolition if Zone In were to pass as is currently written. We will be at threat of losing much of our remaining historic heritage, and especially the most visible sites on these well-traveled corridors.

Here’s why. Zone In will incentivize developers to make offers to purchase, demolish, and redevelop so many historic sites, which will be automatically zoned for larger, fuller, taller structures, making the older building far less worthwhile. As well, we simply are not directly notified of at-risk historic structures being considered for redevelopment. We usually discover these plans at Area Commission meetings, but Zone In will remove many or most of these redevelopment projects from Area Commission discussions. We will only learn about these projects, perhaps, sometime after a demolition permit is filed or approved, which is far too late for action with the Columbus Register or really any other venue. The Historic Resources Commission’s register would have no worth for saving historic sites. It takes 6-8 months for listing, but only a quiet, nearly-unstoppable 60 days to demolish a building.

I urge your Zone In team to connect with and work alongside organizations including Columbus Landmarks, the Columbus Historical Society, and Preservation Ohio in finding an adequate solution. I personally recommend removing specific critical historic structures from the Zone In map, as well as numerous historic corridors. I also recommend the city help prevent demolition of historic structures through a notification system and a 180-day waiting period for demolition of potential historic sites. So much is being given to realtors, developers, builders, and architects with Zone In, allowing them easier processes, faster builds, and lucrative commissions. Can our historic heritage simply avoid suffering through this? I don’t ask for a lot, but Zone In has absolutely no benefits for historians and preservationists as is currently written, only incredibly, deeply troubling problems.