Worthington residents have one more structured chance to shape the city's comprehensive plan. An in-person open house is set for Wednesday, May 13 at 6:30 p.m. in the North Gym of the Worthington Community Center. A virtual meeting follows on Wednesday, May 20 at noon, and an online public survey runs from May 13 through June 3.
Council Pro Tem Rebecca Hermann and Council Member Maria Ramirez, who both serve on the Worthington Together Community Committee, gave the update to City Council on April 13.
Where the Process Stands
The Worthington Together initiative began its first community committee meeting in February 2025 and has now held nine evening meetings with the 18-member community committee. Hermann said the work is now in the "last third" of the process. The committee has moved from collecting information, to testing ideas, to reviewing and giving feedback on an actual draft plan.
Recent committee meetings have covered:
- Guiding principles
- Future land use and character
- Opportunity areas
- A fiscal analysis update
- The thoroughfare plan, including draft drawings showing how Worthington streets could be designed in the future
- Housing and neighborhoods
- Economic vitality
- Environment and resiliency
Ramirez said the economic vitality chapter focused on what types of industries fit Worthington, given the city's limited space and the larger Columbus-region economy.
Format of the May 13 Meeting
Planning and Building Director R. Lee Brown described the in-person meeting as an open-house format in the community center gym. After a 10- to 15-minute structured discussion, the 18 community committee members and city staff will be at tables answering questions on specific sections of the draft plan.
"The idea was… since the community committee members are the ones that have been in the trenches reviewing the documents, they're the ones that are also at the tables and answering the questions from our residents," Brown said.
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Reaching More Residents
Council Member Joycelyn Dong pushed for broader outreach to families and residents under the city's average age of 42. She asked the schools to distribute a digital flyer in their weekly newsletters, local libraries to post event information and possibly hand out flyers during story time, and the event be advertised in the Spotlight publication before its May deadline. Dong also noted feedback from the prior in-person meeting that printed materials were too small to read, and asked staff to be mindful of legibility.
Council Member Amy Lloyd offered to help with school contacts and said school newsletters are one of the best ways to reach younger parents.
Brown outlined the outreach plan:
- The Village Talks newsletter will be mailed to every Worthington household two to two and a half weeks before the meeting
- Notify Me email subscribers (~380 signed up as of April 13) will receive updates
- Village Green signs will return
- Flyers will go to the libraries, Community Center, and other public spaces
- Staff plan to add information to upcoming community events next week, including the Worthington Library's breakfast and the Worthington Community Partnership annual meeting
What Comes After May and June
Following the third engagement round, the community committee will reconvene to reflect on public feedback and refine the plan. A joint meeting between the Municipal Planning Commission (MPC) and City Council is scheduled for July. If things stay on track, the plan would come to council for an early September presentation.
Council Member Glen Pratt asked whether the July-to-September timeline is realistic. Ramirez said "things are moving" and the pace feels right. Hermann added that during the 2005 plan process, the MPC review stage took extra time. She said she does not want this process to stretch to four years the way that earlier effort did.
What Residents Can Do Now
- Attend the May 13 in-person meeting at the Community Center's North Gym at 6:30 p.m.
- Attend the May 20 virtual meeting at noon.
- Take the online survey between May 13 and June 3.
- Subscribe to Notify Me emails for reminders.
- Review in-progress materials at worthingtontogether.org.