Hello Worthington! Here's your recap of what happened at February 12th's Architectural Review Board and Municipal Planning Commission meeting. Below are summaries of the commercial and institutional projects that directly impact our community. For those interested in the full details, we've included links to longer articles where appropriate.
Workforce Housing Tax Abatement Program: What It Means for Worthington
The biggest topic of the evening was a presentation by Assistant City Manager David McCorkle on the city's new workforce housing property tax abatement program, approved by City Council in December. The program is designed to bring affordable housing for teachers, government workers, and other middle-income earners to Worthington — but only as part of mixed-use developments that also create jobs. The city is targeting 1,300 new units along its commercial corridors, with built-in guardrails: annual oversight, payroll requirements, and a commitment to pause the program once that target is reached.
McCorkle also named three sites where this could happen first and addressed concerns about how the program might impact enrollment at the school districts.
In Other News
Worthington Pools Renovation Progress: At the February 5th Board of Zoning Appeals meeting, staff shared an update on the Worthington Pools renovation (350 W Dublin Granville Rd). The old buildings have been demolished, crews are moving into the pool area, and the new pool has been ordered — it's being manufactured in Italy and will arrive in pieces for on-site assembly. The board also approved a minor adjustment to the concessions canopy design, which needed to be about a foot and a half wider once construction drawings were finalized.
New ARB Member: Ben Niebauer was sworn in as the newest member of the Architectural Review Board. Niebauer is a longtime Worthington resident, graduate of Worthington City Schools, and serves as the University Architect at Ohio State University. He previously worked with local firm DesignGroup for 22 years and is familiar with several properties currently under discussion, including the Boundless campus.
Susan Hinz Promoted to MPC: Susan Hinz moved from an ARB-only position to also serve on the Municipal Planning Commission — noted as the first time two women have served on the MPC simultaneously.
Key Upcoming Dates
- Worthington Together Comprehensive Plan: Next public meeting expected April or May 2026 (date TBD)
- Workforce Housing Program: Applications are live on the city's website now
Thanks for reading this summary of the Architectural Review Board and Municipal Planning Commission meeting. You can watch the original full video here
Note: This recap focuses on commercial and institutional projects that affect the broader community. Individual homeowner applications, while important to those involved, are not included in this community newsletter.