Columbus City Council approves uptown teen curfew, technology overlay for zoning
The Columbus City Council approved a technology overlay that adjusts zoning for future tech industries, alongside a teen curfew. This zoning change aims to support developments like the proposed Project Ruby data center in northern Columbus. The ordinances passed despite public concern from citizens.
The Columbus City Council, in a recent session, approved two significant ordinances. One established a 9 p.m. curfew for teens in the uptown district, which Mayor Skip Henderson supported as part of a crime suppression strategy in what he described as a predominantly adult area. The curfew, passed 7-1, will be active until the end of September and includes escalating fines for repeat violations.
Simultaneously, the Council passed a technology overlay in a 6-2 vote, which amends the Unified Development Ordinance to accommodate new technology industries within the city's zoning framework. While the ordinance itself does not directly approve specific projects, it is seen as a foundational step for future developments. Council members clarified that this overlay does not immediately or directly impact "Project Ruby," a proposed $5.18 billion data center in northern Columbus, though it aims to support such ventures. Councilman John Anker emphasized the vote was on a development ordinance, not specifically the data center. Both ordinances generated public concern, with residents expressing worries about potential taxes and utility surcharges associated with data center development, and parents raising concerns about the curfew's impact on summer activities.