The beauty and quality of Upper Arlington’s homes and neighborhoods are a source of pride for residents. As the homes have aged and UA’s desirability as a premier residential community remains strong, some property owners choose to invest in major home additions or to raze the old and invest in a new-build home that better meets their needs.

In recent years, the Community Development Department has experienced an uptick in permit submittals for substantial additions and replacement homes. In response, the City has already taken steps to strengthen its regulations so that these projects better fit the character of existing neighborhoods. However, some residents feeling the impacts of the changes taking place around them believed that more could be done and asked the City to revisit the issue as part of a broader community discussion.

In the Spring of 2021, the City facilitated a series of discussion group meetings with community members to better understand what issues and questions exist and the level of intensity surrounding these concerns. A series of key findings emerged from these discussions – with both positive and negative perceptions of the City’s neighborhood compatibility ordinance and how it is applied emerging.

From this feedback, Staff has developed a proposed City Manager Policy on Neighborhood Compatibility. The policy aims to provide a clearer understanding of the many standards and regulations already in the City’s zoning code and provides additional clarity on how neighborhood compatibility will be assessed when substantial additions or replacement homes are proposed.
The proposed policy was shared with the Board of Zoning and Planning at the end of April and is available on the City’s website for the community to review and provide feedback in May through early June. A series of open house sessions have also been scheduled so that residents can learn more, ask questions and provide feedback, per the following schedule:

Zoom Session 1: Noon-1 pm, Wednesday, May 25

• Join the Meeting: Zoom Link
• Join By Phone: 888 475 4499 or 877 853 5257 US Toll-free
• Meeting ID: 960 796 1391

Open House 1: 4:30-5:30 pm, Wednesday, June 1 – Municipal Services Center, 3600 Tremont Road

Zoom Session 2: Noon-1 pm, Wednesday, June 8

• Join the Meeting: Zoom Link
• Join By Phone: 888 475 4499 or 877 853 5257 US Toll-free
• Meeting ID: 869 4149 4637

Open House 2: 4:30-5:30 pm, Wednesday, June 15 – Municipal Services Center, 3600 Tremont Road CANCELED DUE TO POWER OUTAGE – PLEASE VIEW THE VIDEO

The Planning Division will provide an updated version of the proposed policy to City Council for its consideration on Monday, June 27.

More on Neighborhood Compatibility, including the draft policy and a map showing the locations of new home permits issued since 2018, can be found here.