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City of Columbus, Community Engagement & Policy Research
The Context
A city’s zoning code is analogous to a body’s DNA, in that they both set the parameters for future growth and development. However, while DNA is subject to continuous evolution, Columbus, Ohio’s zoning code has not had a comprehensive update in more than 70 years. To help it prepare for a not-too-distant future in which a million or more residents arrive to the region, the City recently embarked on a journey to modernize its zoning code.
The Critical Question
Thinking about specific areas where people live, work, or play, what are attitudes towards buildings with different types of heights and designs? To what extent do people support or oppose a variety of zoning and development strategies that the City is considering? And how can such preferences be measured accurately, without introducing bias towards any of the policy or building design options under consideration?
Our Solution
Working in partnership with staff from the City and its community engagement partners, Illuminology created a simple but effective questionnaire that employed both words and images in its public opinion measures. The City and its partners then distributed the survey to property owners, renters, and interested citizens. Illuminology also provided data analytic support to the City and its partners.
Illumination
By following best practices in survey research, this community engagement questionnaire allowed the City to accurately measure public opinion about residents’ willingness to accept different types of development in specific neighborhoods.
Resolution
Overall, more than 7,000 residents provided responses to this community engagement questionnaire that Illuminology created. After a careful analysis of these data, City employees are now using the insights derived from this surveying effort to prepare for a likely modernization of the City’s zoning code. A draft version of Columbus’ new zoning code will likely be made public in Spring 2024, at which point residents will have additional opportunities to voice their opinions about this framework for growth and development.
