Graphic provided This image provides site locations for development on the 700-acre site, including a hospital, park spaces and housing.
Columbus City Council will soon have its initial vote on whether to annex nearly 700 acres of property owned by Columbus Regional Health into the city.
The council will have its first reading of an ordinance on the matter next week, said city/county planning director Jeff Bergman. The city council will meet at 6 p.m. Wednesday, due to Tuesday being Election Day, and the meeting will be held in the council chambers of Columbus City Hall.
The 674-acre, hospital-owned site stretches east-to-west from Interstate 65 almost to State Road 11/Jonesville Road, and is south of the westside Walmart and north of the Bartholomew County 4-H Fairgrounds.
City council members voted in September to adopt a long-term concept plan for the area — known as the City View District Plan — as an element of the city’s Comprehensive Plan. The Columbus Plan Commission then voted in October to send a favorable recommendation to council regarding annexation.
In addition to an approximately 100-acre CRH campus on the northeast side of the site, the City View District Plan includes residential neighborhoods, commercial centers and a research and development campus. These areas would be connected to each other and nature via “open spaces, green corridors, and amenities that extend throughout the property,” officials said.
“Columbus Regional Health has indicated their long-term intent to both identify the +/-100-acres of this property they wish to retain for a future medical facility and to offer the remaining property for development,” planning department staff stated in a report on the annexation request. “Annexation is the first step in the process for the development of this property which, over time, will be subject to numerous significant infrastructure decisions, rezoning, and subdivision. The applicant is not proposing any zoning changes or development of the property at this time.”
Assistant planning director Melissa Begley said at the commission’s October meeting that planning staff reached out to all department heads to find out if annexation would lead to additional capital, maintenance or infrastructure costs that are outside of what the city would typically expect.
The Columbus Fire Department replied that in the long term, there will likely be a need for additional equipment and personnel. They also wrote that the city may want to considering adding another firehouse and ambulance.
Columbus Police Department officials said that there may be some potential concerns in the long term, though this will depend on if residents on the site are new to Columbus or just “transplanted” from another part of the community.
“I’m sure our call volume will increase in the long term for this area with the number of businesses and residences that will potentially be built,” a department representative wrote. “Traffic in this area will be affected as well which will increase our presence in this area. When we look at long term impact for CPD it will depend on the population of our community more than where that population resides or works.”
Parks and public works officials said that development of the property will likely result in additional staffing and equipment needs.
The parks department also said that it will need a new maintenance facility to accommodate the new equipment and supplies required to maintain new parks facilities on the site.
“Parks would be interested in looking into implementing a park impact fee for a project of this size and future developments,” department officials added. “We would look to implement the park impact fee prior to any development of this project.”
Where to learn more
Agendas and materials for council meetings are posted at columbus.in.gov/clerk-treasurer/city-council-agendas/.
Council meetings are also livestreamed at columbus.in.gov/video/live-streaming/.
To access the City View District Plan, visit columbus.in.gov/planning/comprehensive-plans/.
