Worthington City Council unanimously approved a $76,000 contract amendment with planning consultant Planning Next to complete the Worthington Together comprehensive plan process, following an extended discussion that included opposition from two residents who questioned the value and transparency of the planning effort.
Why the Expansion?
City Manager Robyn Stewart explained that the original scope of work, established when the consulting team was selected in 2024, has evolved significantly based on community requests for more engagement opportunities.
"As we started engaging with the community, it became clear that the community wanted some extended engagement opportunities through this process," Stewart told council. "We've added requests from members of the community, we've added extensions of time for the engagement rounds, we've added additional groups and expanded the number of meetings with various groups."
The additional work includes:
- Extended engagement periods during both rounds of community input
- A speaker series featuring educational panels on planning topics
- Additional meetings with various community groups
- More meetings with the community committee as the process moves to drafting recommendations
- Responses to broad information requests from the public
Stewart emphasized that the funding would come from previously appropriated dollars allocated for the vision implementation process and policy agenda, no new appropriation was being requested.
Community Committee's Role
R. Lee Brown, Planning & Building Director, highlighted the work of the 18-member community committee appointed by City Council to guide the process. The committee has held seven meetings, with another scheduled for March.
"One of the things that has been great with this committee—they've been very engaged in trying to get the word out but also dealing with staff and our questions of how do we get the word out, what things should we be going to our community," Brown said.
He noted that videos from the speaker series have each been viewed by approximately 170 people online, in addition to in-person attendance.
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Public Opposition
Two residents spoke against the contract amendment during public comment.
A resident speaking first criticized the engagement process as "performative" and alleged that "residents [are] not permitted to ask questions, make statements, observations, [or] present ideas". The resident also raised concerns about a previous Planning Next project in Upper Arlington.
A second resident, representing Worthington Alliance for Responsible Development, echoed similar concerns. "From the beginning, the process was chaotic with an unorganized kickoff, leaving residents questioning the decision and validity of council to select Planning Next," they said. The resident alleged that an 18-month contract should be completed within its original budget and timeline.
The resident also stated that WARD had presented a conceptual plan for the UMCH property to the consultant in October, but it was not included in November's public opinion meeting—which she characterized as "a snub to two grassroots Worthington groups and a snub to opinions of over a thousand residents".
Council Response
One council member offered perspective on the broader definition of community engagement, emphasizing that the comprehensive plan should serve "not just our residents, but our business owners, our students, our visitors. All of these groups of folks make up our community, and that's what makes our community great."
Another council member, who has served as a liaison to the community committee, defended the expanded engagement. "I've appreciated how responsive the planning team has been and the city has been in working to bring more people in," she said. "I know there was recently an effort to bring high school students into the fold, and I just think that's so important as you're trying to plot a path for the future."
Drawing on 20 years of consulting experience, one council member noted that the original proposal was well-documented and that contract amendments are common when scope expands. "We wanted to have a really robust community engagement outreach," they said
Looking Forward
City Manager Stewart indicated that staff would be more cautious about scope expansion going forward. "I think we'll be watching it even more closely and maybe not being quite so readily to yes as we have been to this point when we've had questions and requests from the community," she said.
Jamie Green of Planning Next was available virtually during the meeting to answer questions. One Council Member inquired about incentivization strategies for engagement that Green has used in other communities, such as gift cards for people who convene focus groups—a technique he confirmed has been used in Durham, North Carolina and Grand Rapids.
The resolution passed unanimously by voice vote. Community members can continue to participate in the Worthington Together process at WorthingtonTogether.org.