City Council OKs $579K voice-system contract; zoning panel advances manufacturing district rezone
Columbus City Council approved a series of technology and infrastructure contracts at its June 29 meeting, including a $579,443 deal for a new voice-response system and $300,000 for the Smart Columbus initiative.
The council also advanced a handful of land-use changes, with the Zoning Committee endorsing a manufacturing-district rezoning on a close 5-4 vote and green-lighting several apartment-complex rezonings. After a two-week burst of development-related decisions, city boards have no meetings on the calendar for the next 14 days.
City Council spending
On June 29, the council voted 9-0 to approve a $579,443 contract with Talkdesk Inc. for a voice-response system. The same consent agenda also included:
- $300,000 to Columbus Partnership (Smart Columbus, LLC) for smart-city work.
- $215,000 for automotive maintenance with Valvoline LLC.
- $116,934 to Workspace Ohio LLC for office furniture for the City Clerk.
- $38,150 for a pool boiler replacement at 1000 N. Hague Ave.
- A $15,000 payment to the National Association of Black Journalists.
One item broke the unanimous pattern: an amendment to the Jana Holdings, LLC enterprise zone agreement passed by an 8-1 vote.
The council also approved expansion of the Grandview Crossing Community Authority district. No other final ordinance votes were taken; 19 ordinances – including tax abatements and TIF agreements – received first readings and were held for future consideration.
At the June 22 meeting, council conducted no substantive business beyond a 9-0 ceremonial resolution honoring Sam Orth on his retirement. All other items were first readings or communications filed.
Zoning decisions
The Zoning Committee met twice in recent weeks, the first on June 22. That day, members approved a slate of rezonings with unanimous 9-0 votes:
- 824 Kinnear Rd to Apartment Residential.
- 8032 Kennedy Rd to Limited Apartment Residential.
- 7500 Long Rd to Limited Apartment Residential.
- 181 Business Center Dr and 2500 Airport Dr to Commercial Planned Development.
- 274 E. 1st Ave to Urban Center District.
Variances for 824 Kinnear Rd, 89 West Park Ave and 7500 Long Rd also passed 9-0. The committee postponed consideration of 1695 Dewey Ave until June 29.
When the committee returned on June 29, it approved the Dewey Avenue rezoning – to a Limited Manufacturing District – on a 5-4 vote. That vote was the narrowest of the two meetings. Other actions that day:
- 1258 Oak St rezoned to Commercial Planned Development, 9-0, and a variance for ground-floor residential uses at that address passed 9-0.
- 925 Hilliard & Rome Rd rezoned to Commercial Planned Development, 9-0.
- 1753 N. Hague Ave rezoned to Limited Apartment Residential District on a 7-2 vote.
- Variances at 3579 S. High St (self-storage) and 887 N. Nelson Rd (residential parking) approved 9-0.
One item – the rezoning of 2345 Demorest Rd – was referred back to committee by a 9-0 vote.
Coming up
No meetings of the Columbus City Council, Zoning Committee or other regular city boards are posted for the next 14 days. The next zoning hearing is expected later in July.
Generated from official meeting agendas and minutes — every underlying document is linked from the city page. Read the primary source before you rely on a detail.