Worthington City Council moved forward with plans to develop a residential tax abatement program, prioritizing the creation of frameworks that could encourage diverse housing options while supporting the city's economic development goals. The discussion represents a significant step in the city's broader housing strategy, which aims to balance regional growth pressures with community preferences.
Key Strategy: Residential Tax Abatements
The most immediate action item involves establishing a Community Reinvestment Area (CRA) that would allow residential tax abatements, particularly in commercial corridors. Currently, Worthington's abatement program only applies to commercial projects that create jobs. The new program would incentivize developers to include workforce housing units or mixed-use developments that combine residential with job-generating commercial space.
City Manager Robyn Stewart outlined a tiered approach where projects could receive varying levels of abatement based on their community benefits:
- 100% abatements for projects that combine residential units with office or other job-creating commercial space in key corridors like Wilson Bridge Road and High Street
- Lower percentage abatements for purely residential projects
- Enhanced benefits for developments that include workforce housing units affordable to households earning 60-80% of area median income
The program would require individual projects to come before City Council for approval rather than being automatic, allowing for case-by-case evaluation of community benefits.
Housing Fund Exploration
Council also expressed strong interest in establishing a dedicated housing fund that could support various initiatives including:
- Loan and grant programs for multifamily property maintenance and renovation to keep units affordable
- Down payment assistance for first-time homebuyers
- Home maintenance support for income-qualified residents
- Direct investment in projects that include workforce housing components
The fund could potentially partner with nonprofit organizations like Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission (MORPC) to leverage existing programs and expertise.
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Zoning and Land Use Considerations
The third major strategy involves updating zoning codes to allow broader inclusion of housing types such as accessory dwelling units (ADUs), row homes, duplexes, and small-scale multifamily developments. This work would be closely coordinated with the ongoing Worthington Together comprehensive planning process to ensure alignment with community vision and values.
Community Perspectives
Two residents offered contrasting viewpoints during public comment. Doug Holmes cautioned against approaches like row houses, citing examples of vacant row house developments in other cities, and emphasized the need for careful community engagement to avoid assumptions about unproven strategies.
Ron Sears advocated strongly for accessory dwelling units as an alternative to large apartment developments, arguing that ADUs could provide housing while keeping wealth within the community rather than flowing to outside investors. He emphasized benefits including support for aging residents, multigenerational families, and small local businesses.
Balancing Competing Interests
Council members acknowledged the tension between regional housing needs and local community preferences. As one council member noted, regional population projections often drive housing unit estimates, but these may not align with what current residents want for their community.
The discussion reflects Worthington's position as part of the only growing county in Ohio, creating pressure to accommodate new residents while maintaining the character and quality that attracts people to the community.
Next Steps and Timeline
Staff will use the August recess to develop specific frameworks for the residential tax abatement program, including:
- State compliance work to modify the Community Reinvestment Area designation with Ohio
- Policy development for abatement criteria and approval processes
- Geographic focus initially on commercial corridors with potential for future expansion
The city is already receiving inquiries from developers about residential abatement opportunities, making the framework development time-sensitive to avoid missing potential projects.
Council indicated support for considering housing fund allocations as part of the upcoming budget discussions, recognizing that dedicated funding would be essential for implementing many of the strategies under consideration.
The housing initiatives represent part of Worthington's broader effort to proactively plan for growth while maintaining the community characteristics that residents value. The work will be closely coordinated with the Worthington Together comprehensive planning process, which is gathering community input on the city's future vision through fall 2025.