Category Archives: Community News and Events

Helpful information about the community, including events. (Events may also appear on Calendar).

City of Columbus hearing on hotel rezoning set for Feb. 9, 2023

By Scott Biggs, FPCA Volunteer Coordinator

The future of the former hotel property at 1289 E. Dublin-Granville Rd. near Satinwood Dr. in Forest Park West will be on the agenda at a Feb. 9 public hearing by the City of Columbus’ Development Commission. The property is between Popeye’s Chicken and Satinwood Dr.

Adjacent property owners should have already been notified of this meeting directly by the city. All Forest Park residents can attend the 4:30 p.m. hearing, watch it online, and email statements for consideration. See below for more information.

HOW TO ATTEND OR WATCH THE HEARING

The Development Commission of the City of Columbus will hold a public hearing on Thursday, Feb. 9, 2023, to consider rezoning the hotel from commercial to residential.

The public hearing will be at the Michael B. Coleman Government Center, Second Floor Public Hearing Room, 111 North Front St., Columbus, OH 43215. The hearing begins at 4:30 p.m. and is expected to include eight applications including this rezoning application for the 1289 property. The agenda shows this issue listed as fifth of the eight applications at the hearing (this is subject to change).

Parking is available in the parking garage located north of the Michael B. Coleman Government Center and is accessed from Ludlow Alley north of West Long St.

SUBMIT TESTIMONY VIA EMAIL

The FPCA encourages residents to submit testimony via email before the deadline. Please reference Record Z22-083: 1289 E DUBLIN-GRANVILLE RD.

Anyone wishing to provide testimony in favor or in opposition to this rezoning can submit a statement in writing via email to Tim Dietrich at tedietrich@columbus.gov. Written testimony must be received at this email by noon on the day of the meeting.

WATCH THE MEETING ON YOUTUBE

You can attend the meeting in person and also watch the hearing online at the city’s YouTube channel at http://www.youtube.com/cityofcolumbus.

ABOUT THE REQUEST

The Community Shelter Board is requesting a rezoning that would permit the use of the former Red Carpet Inn property containing 82 units for long-term, permanent supportive housing under lease to Homefull.

This request was the subject of a well-attended monthly meeting of the Forest Park Civic Association on Jan. 10 at Epworth United Methodist Church.

More than 60 Forest Park residents listened as the Community Shelter Board and its partners described their plans for the property. Homefull, which provides property management and case management for a property at 1111 Mediterranean Ave. (located in a former hotel behind The Waffle House near I-71) would lease the hotel property and provide the same services at the 1289 site. The Community Shelter Board explained that the property would serve as permanent supportive housing for disabled homeless people.

NCC VOTES TO RECOMMEND AGAINST REZONING

The Northland Community Council’s Development Committee considered this application at its Jan. 26 meeting and voted 15-0 to recommend that the City of Columbus DISAPPROVE (reject) the rezoning. The City is not required to abide by the NCC’s recommendation, but the unanimous consensus is expected to carry some influence in the City’s decision.

The Northland Community Council (NCC) represents 26 area civic associations and organizations in the Northland area. The NCC represents more than 100,000 households and ensures that the City of Columbus recognizes Northland as an important political voice. Two FPCA volunteers currently serve on the commission and provide detailed reports at every FPCA meeting. Ed Vanasdale, the current president of the FPCA, and Dave Paul both serve on the NCC Development Committee.

Dave Paul, a co-chair of the NCC Development Committee, a representative of the Northland Community Alliance, and an active member of the Forest Park Civic Association, explained his concerns at the January FPCA meeting. While acknowledging that there is a need for affordable housing for disabled residents in the city, Paul noted that the rezoning would permanently allow residential use for the hotel property. This would mean that if the Community Shelter Board abandoned its plans at any time, the hotel could be used by another group for a variety of residential uses that could negatively affect the neighborhood.

Residents at the FPCA meeting raised concerns that the proposed plans would attract increased crime, vagrancy, alcohol abuse, drug activity and other issues in its vicinity. They asked how residents would be monitored, how they qualify to participate in the housing, and what security services would be in place. Several mentioned current issues with panhandlers in the I-71 and Dublin-Granville Rd. area and concerns that the situation could worsen.

THANK YOU TO OUR NCC REPRESENTATIVES

Many thanks to Ed Vanasdale and Dave Paul for their continued VOLUNTEER work to represent all residents of Forest Park on this issue and many more that protect our interests. They spend a lot of time in service to their community.

Part of your $25 annual FPCA membership helps fund the NCC and its important work to represent Northland in decisions made by the City of Columbus. If you have not joined the FPCA this year, please consider membership.

JANUARY 2022 Forester ONLINE only

JANUARY 2023 Forester, online only

Former Red Carpet motel seeks zoning change (updated version)

*** UPDATE TO PREVIOUS POST: The hearing of this case by the Northland Community Council Development Committee has been postponed from December to its January 25, 2023, meeting (at the earliest). ***

The owner of the former Red Carpet Inn at 1289 Dublin-Granville Rd. (between Satinwood Dr. and Popeye’s Restaurant in Forest Park West) has requested a zoning change.

The owner of the former Red Carpet Inn at 1289 Dublin-Granville Rd. (between Satinwood Dr. and Popeye’s Restaurant) has requested a zoning change that may allow the owner to rent/lease the property to the Community Shelter Board.

THE PREVIOUS ARTICLE CONTAINED INACCURACIES. WE WILL PROVIDE UPDATES AS THEY ARE AVAILABLE.

Manager of the city’s 311 service promotes new features at FPCA meeting

Carmen Duckens and Darian Price from the City of Columbus 311 Department (fourth and seventh from left) with FPCA officers and other residents at the November 2022 FPCA meeting.

One of the most important services that the Forest Park Civic Association provides is our close relationship with the City of Columbus and its officials.

With nealy 3,000 households in Forest Park and more than 100,000 households in the Northland Area, we are able to speak with a common voice that is larger than our voices as individuals.

As a result, we were happy to welcome representatives from the city’s 311 service at our November FPCA meeting. Carmen Duckens, 311 Service Manager, and Darian Price, a 311 Service Representative, provided a presentation the service’s new features.

The 311 service is your primary customer service connection to the City of Columbus. It is available online, by phone, via email, and with the 311 mobile app for your smartphone.

For 20 years, 311 has connected residents to the city’s services and resources. The improved website and the new CBUS 311 mobile app makes it easier to submit your service requests 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

You can look up your trash collection day, report code and animal violations, request information about social services, ask about licenses and permits, contact officials, and perform dozens of other similar tasks. Carmen noted that bulk trash pickup requests are the most popular requests from residents.

Notably, Columbus now will pick up old televisions. Previously, it did not accept older model tube TVs.

Carmen explained that her staff of 18 Customer Service Representatives handle nearly half a million 311 contacts a year. The representatives field the requests and route them to the appropriate city department. The 311 service is available live Monday through Friday and recently expanded its hours from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.

After maintaining the same number of staff members since 2006, the 311 staff is expanding this year to handle a continual increase in contacts. They are actively hiring now to add staff. The staff expansion will allow the department to staff the center on Saturdays.

Carmen and Darian walked the attendees through the service and answered questions from Forest Park residents. She also distributed tote bags full of information about city services, magnets, and COVID-19 test kits.

The newly improved 311 version includes several convenient new features:

SMART GROUPING OF REQUESTS
Learn right away if an issue has already been reported. View the community map to see other requests in your area.

UNIQUE RESPONSE FIELDS
New information fields to speed the accurate routing of requests to the right areas.

PIN DROP ACCURACY
Describe your request with pinpoint accuracy by dropping a pin on the exact location where service is needed.

NEW INFORMATIONAL ARTICLES
Access the library of articles in the Knowledge base to learn about city processes and policies.

You can contact 311 online at www.columbus.gov/311, by phone at (614) 645-3111, and by email at 311@columbus.gov. You can also download the CBUS311 mobile app.

Representative of Columbus 311 Service is the featured guest at the November FPCA Meeting

A representative from the City of Columbus 311 Call Center will be the featured speaker at the next Forest Park Civic Association meeting. The rep will give a presentation on how to use the city’s new online 311 reporting system and answer questions from attendees. As a resident of Columbus, the 311 service is our one stop “customer service” contact for all non-emergency city services.

https://www.columbus.gov/311/

All Forest Park residents are welcome and encouraged to attend.

The church where we meet each month (thank you for donating your space, Epworth United!) will also host voting on that day. We meet in a separate room.

If you have not yet joined or renewed your membership for the year, you can join at the meeting, via your November Forester Newsletter, or online below.

November FPCA Meeting
7 – 8 p.m.
Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2022
Epworth United Methodist Church
5100 Karl Rd.

Toro Meat Market will be the featured guest at the October FPCA meeting

A representative of the new Toro Meat Market will be the featured guest at October’s FPCA meeting. They will speak on their experiences taking over the former Carfagna’s market location at 1405 E. Dublin Granville Rd. and serving the Forest Park community.

The meeting will also include updates from committee chairs, including area development updates from the Northland Community Council and neighborhood security reports from our police liaison and security chairman. Attendees can raise issues and ask questions.

We are looking forward to seeing all FPCA Area Reps at the meeting.

All residents of Forest Park are invited! (We will wrap it up on time so we can watch The Guardians win!)

FPCA October Meeting
Tuesday, Oct. 11, 2022
7 – 8 p.m.
Epworth United Methodist Church
5100 Karl Rd., Columbus, OH 43229

The Fall Forest Park Community Garage Sale is Sept. 17

Clean out your garage and basement and get ready for the Forest Park Community Garage Sale!

The Forest Park Civic Association’s Fall Community Garage Sale is Saturday, Sept. 17, 2022, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and typically features more than 100 individual sales throughout Forest Park East and West. Bargain-hunters from across Central Ohio travel to Forest Park looking for deals. Ads for the event are posted in local newspapers and social media.

Visitors can enter Forest Park East and West and pick up maps at Karl Rd. and Sandalwood Pl. in the Northland Area of Columbus. [Find Directions on Google Maps]

Maps and listings of garage sale addresses will be handed out at the East and West island entrances at Karl Rd. and Sandalwood Pl. on the day of the sale. Residents can include their sale address and items on the map and ads for $5 per household. The fee helps with the cost of advertising.

We need volunteers to hand out maps! Volunteer at volunteerFPCA@gmail.com.

INCLUDE YOUR SALE ON OUR MAP

To include your sale in the map and ads, see the form in the September 2022 issue of The Forester Newsletter, delivered to your door.

Don’t have a copy of the Forester? You can list your Name, Address, Email, Phone and your Featured Sale Items on a piece of paper and mail it with your check for $5 made payable to the FPCA by Sept. 14. (Your name, phone number and email will not be published).

Mail or drop it off to Mary Sguerra, 5395 Pine Bluff Rd., Columbus, Ohio 43229.

If you have questions, call Mary at 614-818-7636.

NCC hosts Northland Annual Picnic on Aug. 9

The Northland Community Council will host its Annual Picnic on Tuesday, Aug. 9, at Blendon Woods Metro Park, 4265 E Dublin Granville Rd., from 6 to 8 pm.

Everyone in Forest Park and the Northland area is invited.

NCC will provide burgers, brats, hot dogs, soda and water. Join us for the trails, outdoor games, and community as we celebrate Northland together. Bring a covered dish to share.

The Forest Park Civic Association’s monthly meeting will not occur in August so members can attend this picnic.

National Night Out celebration at YMCA North

The Forest Park Civic Association and the North YMCA will host a free National Night Out celebration on Tuesday, Aug. 2, from 5 pm to 8 pm for everyone in Forest Park East and Forest Park West.

The event will include food, inflatables, an obstacle course, and more fun for residents and families. Local police officers will attend the event to meet residents.

The North YMCA is located at 1640 Sandalwood Pl. near the corner of Karl Rd. and Sandalwood Pl. in Forest Park East.

National Night Out is an annual event that enhances the relationship between neighbors and law enforcement while bringing back a true sense of community. It provides an opportunity to bring police and neighbors together under positive circumstances.

Everyone in Forest Park is encouraged to stop by the event and also to spend the evening outside on your street to gather with neighbors, meet new people, and build community. Many neighbors host a cookout or similar casual get-togethers.

Northland Unity Festival set for September 17

Elevate Northland will host the 2nd Annual Northland Unity Festival (formerly the Northland Community Bazaar) on Sept. 17, 2022, in Forest Park.

Organizers are currently accepting vendors and exhibitors. Sponsorship opportunities are also available.

The event will be at the North YMCA, 1641 Sandalwood Pl., from 3 to 7 p.m.

The festival features food, live music and performances, children’s activities, and a marketplace where local arts & crafts and other vendors can showcase their products.

The event this year will be in collaboration with the City of Columbus RiseUp CBUS events and will finish out the series with a show of diversity during Welcoming Week.

More information is available at the Elevate Northland website.

Questions? Email volunteerFPCA@gmail.com.