Against resident wishes, Council approves Far East zoning change

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – Residents of a Columbus neighborhood are upset with a zoning change approved by Columbus City Council Monday night.

The land at the center of the back and forth is on the Far East Side of the city at 198 McNaughten Road.

The zoning change will allow for a nearly 300-unit apartment complex to be built there.

The complex is smaller than what was originally proposed years ago, but residents are still upset.

Residents argue that traffic and safety are already issues on McNaughten Road, and this development will only make it worse.

"What's happening with this project is that this project doesn't fit,” resident Skip Dodson said. “We would accept a multi-use project that had some apartments, some single-family ownership, had some multi-family ownership, but this project doesn't fit.”

"Bottom line, our city is growing,” Councilmember Rob Dorans, chairman of the zoning committee, said. “Bottom line, our city needs more housing and right now, we have an application that has been with council for nearly five years that has seen change after change after change in order to bring it here tonight."

The zoning change passed in a 7-1 vote.