Public Wokrshop Featuring a Presentation of the Draft Strategy on June 1st

Please join us for the Bexley Land Use Strategy draft proposal presentation and public workshop on June 1, 2010, at the Torat Emet Synagogue ("The Main Street Synagogue") from 7pm to 9pm, 2375 East Main Street. The public presentation and workshop will include a presentation of the proposed strategic plan, as well as opportunities for Q&A and comments and feedback. After the public workshop, the Land Use Strategy Commission will review public feedback before finalizing the Land Use Strategy.

A downloadable copy of the draft strategy can be found at the City of Bexley's Land Use Strategy webpage.

ThisWeek Article on the Land Use Strategy

http://www.thisweeknews.com/live/content/bexley/stories/2010/03/31/0331beland-use-strategy_ln.html?sid=104

January, 2010 Land Use Strategy Update

At this January's meeting, the Land Use Strategy Commission completed its area-by-area review. At this point, the commission is working on compiling a rough draft of a strategy before regrouping, answering any outstanding questions, and refining some of the thoughts and strategies that have risen to the surface. In conjunction with that, a public workshop will be scheduled to review the progress of the commission, and to solicit public feedback on the strategies presented.

Meanwhile, a group of graduate students from the Knowlton School of Architecture's planning program and the Fisher College of Business' real estate program are working together to study the challenges and opportunities at the North Cassady commercial corridor. Their work will be completed at the end of this quarter and will be presented to the commission for review and incorporation as appropriate.

So, to recap, here's what to look out for in the coming months...
- OSU Knowlton School of Architecture/Fisher College of Business North Cassady study is underway
- Public workshop to review draft Land Use Strategy sometime in the Spring of 2010

Land Use Strategy Update - October 2009

In its October meeting, the Bexley Land Use Strategy commission discussed environmental protections for Alum Creek, and delved into ways to rejuvenate the North Cassady and Delmar commercial corridor.

Kim Williams from Friends of Alum Creek and Tributaries and Kyle Wilson from Franklin Soil and Water Conservation District visited the commission to discuss recommended protections in order to reduce runoff and pollutants from entering the creek, and in order to help preserve and strengthen the creek's banks. At the commission's meeting on November 2nd at City Hall, the Alum Creek recreational and natural corridor will be discussed in depth, and the commission will work towards creating specific strategies for better protection and better access to the creek.

Additionally, commission members John Reagan and Bill Heyer presented concepts to the commission for establishing a form-based code for the corridor, in order to preserve the character of the neighborhood during future development, and in order to bring out and enhance the natural assets of the neighborhood. The commission discussed various methods of encouraging economic development along North Cassady, and heard a report from a community-based group of residents in the North Cassady area who have held public meetings and dialogued regarding their desires and vision for the area.

At its November meeting, the commission will focus on the Alum Creek Study Area. Future meetings will focus on the Main Street commercial corridor, and the Livingston/Ferndale/Mayfield study area.

North Cassady/Delmar Community-organized Meeting on Sunday, August 23rd

Residents from the North Cassady/Delmar area have arranged for an initial community meeting to further discuss land use along the North Cassady/Delmar study area - the meeting will take place on Sunday, August 23rd, at 2:00 pm at the Bexley Coffee Shop at 492 North Cassady Avenue.

This is a community-organized meeting by residents of the area, who will then liaise with the Land Use Strategy Commission as the Land Use Strategy is being formulated. For more information regarding the meeting, you can contact Emily and Mike Haynes at emilyshaynes@yahoo.com

The Initial Public Workshop for the Bexley Land Use Strategy is Tuesday, August 4th

The first public workshop for the Bexley Land Use Strategy will be this upcoming Tuesday, August 4th, at 6:30 pm at the new home of Torat Emet Synagogue (“The Main Street Synagogue”), at 2375 East Main Street in Bexley. The workshop is an open, public workshop, and is intended to solicit feedback from residents of Bexley regarding current and desired land uses and land use policy in the city.

The Bexley Land Use Strategy Commission was formed in order to provide a strategic vision for development throughout all of Bexley. By identifying both strategic goals for development in the city as well as ways to achieve those goals, the commission hopes to be able to foster a perpetual culture of proactive planning and appropriate redevelopment in the city. In particular, the commission hopes to address those areas on the “fringes” of Bexley – namely the Livingston Avenue and North Cassady corridors – areas which have received less planning attention and development efforts.

We’ve heard from residents who wish there was a true neighborhood grocery store in the city, or envision a hotel in the area to refer visitors to, or thought it would be nice to have a creekside boardwalk along Alum Creek. In a city like Bexley, with limited available land and often many logistical obstacles in the way of redevelopment, local government needs to be proactive in identifying community needs and desires and identifying ways to help facilitate appropriate redevelopment.

The commission has defined four primary study areas – Livingston Avenue, Main Street, North Cassady Avenue, and the Alum Creek natural corridor (see Bill Heyer's post below for some aerials of these study areas). These four areas are already largely defined by existing businesses and users, and as such a strategy for land use in these areas must consider existing uses and potential future uses.

At the Land Use Strategy Commission’s initial public workshop, residents of the city are going to be asked to identify land uses that they like, critique things that they don’t like, and envision improvements that could be made to the city in terms of land use and land use policy. Land use is a wide-ranging term that encompasses the types of businesses and users that exist, and in doing so also addresses zoning and planning policy, as well as architectural and aesthetic considerations.

The Land Use Strategy Commission will use the public feedback it receives at the August 4th meeting to help inform the creation of a strategic plan. Once the commission has produced a proposed strategy, follow-up public workshops will be held to provide additional feedback.

The Bexley Land Use Strategy initial public workshop will be held on August 4th, 2009, at Torat Emet Synagogue, 2375 East Main Street, Bexley. Doors will open at 6:30 pm and participants will have an opportunity to view the new synagogue facility, followed by the workshop itself, which will commence at 7:00 pm.

Four Bexley Neighborhoods Need Your Ideas

The Land Use Commission has discussed four neighborhoods in Bexley that need improvement and beautification. Below are aerial images of these areas.

The southwest area at Livingston is kind of obvious, but how about the Bexley side of Alum Creek between Livingston and Main? Did you know there was a park there and an actual sledding hill? How about North Cassady Ave. where it meets Columbus and the railroad tracks? How about Main Street where Bexley meets Capital University? We have ideas, and we'd like yours as well.

Tuesday August 4th, you will have the opportunity to meet us and share your ideas for a more beautiful Bexley at a public sketch session. More information is forthcoming. Spread the word to your friends and bookmark this blog while we contact the local papers...

Southwest area of Bexley at Livingston Avenue between I-70 and College Ave.
and the Bexley side of Alum Creek

Main Street at Capital University

North Cassady Avenue