Bexley City Council hosted a public hearing on Tuesday, March 30, 2021 at 6:00 pm to discuss proposed Ordinance 10-21, which would create a Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area (DORA) in a specified portion of the Main Street District. A recording of this meeting can be found at the bottom of this post. Click here to view the DORA application.
City Council will be voting on this matter at their April 13th meeting at 6:00 pm.
Tonight at City Council, I shared the following thoughts regarding recent attacks on and intimidation of our Asian American community. We stand in solidarity with our Asian American community in the wake of a tumultuous year of anti-Asian sentiment and hate crimes.
The killings in Atlanta earlier this month are just one tragic example of a national rise in racist attacks and rhetoric. During the past year, Asians and those of Asian descent have been the victims of increased racism and xenophobia.
As students of history, we are aware of the tragic weight of anti-Asian sentiment, and the ways in which it has traumatized families and communities throughout our history. Additionally, we have witnessed the proliferation of xenophobic sentiments by including references to the COVID-19 pandemic by the geographic location of its origin in a way that is disparaging and harassing. Such statements have stoked unfounded fears and perpetuated stigma about Asian Americans and have contributed to increasing rates of bullying, harassment, and hate crimes against AAPI persons. When we as a community witness bias, harassment, racism, violence, or threats of violence towards our most vulnerable we cannot stand by in silence.
The City of Bexley is committed to social justice. We urge all citizens to uphold the human rights of all people and to call out injustice. We recognize the implicit and explicit role that we as a community have played throughout our history in marginalizing some of our most vulnerable populations, and we reaffirm our commitment to a Bexley community where all are included, feel safe, and are fully valued.
To find educational resources and ways you can take action in solidarity, please click here.
– Mayor Ben Kessler
To view City Council’s statement of support, please click here.
City Council meetings are currently being held on Zoom. Here’s how to access the upcoming meeting:
Agendas are subject to change before the meeting occurs. Residents are encouraged to email public comment in advance of the meeting. Additionally, public comment will be accommodated via the virtual meeting system.
At the upcoming City Council meeting, the following items will be discussed:
To view current agendas for city meetings, passed ordinances, or to learn more, visit www.bexley.org/meetings.
The State of Ohio is sponsoring 18 mass vaccination clinics to ensure all Ohioans have access to COVID-19 vaccine as it becomes more widely available. Once they are operating, any Ohioan who is eligible to receive the vaccine under the Ohio Department of Health’s vaccination plan will be able to get a vaccination at any of Ohio’s mass vaccination clinics. The Columbus clinic opens on Monday, March 29, 2021.
Schedule:
Registering:
If there aren’t appointments available when by the time you sign up, Ohio’s Vaccine Management Solution (VMS) can help you find additional vaccine providers in central Ohio. Appointments book quickly, but additional appointments are added to vaccination websites on a frequent basis. Check back every so often! Please note that vaccine appointments with Franklin County Public Health are full for the week of March 29th.
Mayor Ben Kessler and the City of Bexley joined Power A Clean Future Ohio (PCFO) this week, which is a nonpartisan coalition and campaign dedicated to developing equitable and clean energy solutions to benefit the well-being of residents, the environment, and the economy!
Ohio ranks 46th in the nation in asthma rates for children ages 0-17. Poor air quality is a major contributor to asthma rates, particularly in disproportionately impacted communities, which is the leading reason for hospital ER visits in this age group. Developing innovative solutions to harmful air pollution will serve to protect the health of all residents in Bexley. Partnering with Power A Clean Future Ohio provides the City with additional resources to expand upon its containing effort towards a brighter and more sustainable future!
With the weather warming and Spring on our doorstep, it’s a good time to tackle a little spring cleaning in our community. For the next couple of weeks, Mayor Ben is launching Trash Talk with the Mayor, a community cleanup where volunteers preregister for a one hour, small group litter cleanup event with the Mayor. This is a one-on-one chance to get a city update, heckle, or brainstorm over a trash picker, some work gloves, and a big orange trash bag, all while helping to improve our community. Dates and locations are subject to change; we ask that you preregister here so we can contact you with any changes, if necessary.
All necessary supplies will be provided for each event!
Together in Gratitude, a virtual event scheduled for April 21st, will shine a spotlight on the many ways our school community has come together to keep students connected, engaged, cared for, and safe through hard work, creativity, innovation, and outreach. The program will also recognize the 2021 Glick Family Bexley Educator of the Year.
All community members are invited to participate in the event by sending messages of gratitude! If you would like to share a written message or a video clip to thank our teachers and school staff, click here. All videos and written messages must be received by April 1st to be included in the event program!
The City has launched the Sanitary Sewer Inspection and Remediation Program as a result of the flooding events many Bexley residents experienced in 2020. This program is designed to assist with identifying on-premises sewer issues that contribute to basement flooding, provide up to $2,000 in grant funding to assist with repairs to on-premises sewer issues, and provide a loan program to assist with costs above and beyond the $2,000 grant program. To learn more about this program, including a list of frequently asked questions, visit www.bexley.org/flooding.
Board of Zoning Appeals and Planning meetings are currently being held via Zoom. Here’s how to access the upcoming meeting:
To view agendas and other supporting documents, visit www.bexley.org/meetings. Please note that agendas are subject to change before the meeting occurs. Residents are encouraged to email public comment to Director of Building and Zoning, Kathy Rose, in advance of the meeting. Every effort will be made to accommodate testimony from individuals with standing via the Zoom webinar.
At the upcoming BZAP meeting, the following applications will be reviewed:
Location: 471 N. Parkview Ave.
BZAP Request: The applicant is seeking a variance from Bexley Code Section 1264.03(a) which limits a fence, wall or combination thereof shall no exceed seventy-two inches in height, to allow to allow an 8′ high (green) vinyl coated fence along the west and North property lines. The applicant is seeking approval to place a portion of the fence in the riparian setback along Alum Creek.
Location: 2534 Brentwood Rd.
BZAP Request: The applicant is seeking a variance from Bexley Code Section 1252.15 (g) Accessory structures and uses shall be permitted only in the rear yard and shall be at least three feet from all property and right-of-way lines, to allow a swim spa in the west side yard.
Location: 489 Northview Dr.
BZAP Request: The applicant is seeking a 2′ variance from Bexley Code Section 1252.10 (a) (1) which, in residential districts, the side yard setback requirement from the property line along the side street of a corner lot that is over 40 to 50 feet in width, it shall be 15 feet, to allow a 1-story addition to the rear of the principal structure. The applicant is also seeking approval of a certificate of appropriateness.
Location: 887 College Ave.
BZAP Request: The applicant is seeking a 19′ variance from Bexley Code Section 1252.10(a)(1) the side yard setback requirement from the property line along a side street for corner lots over 50 to100 feet it shall be 20′, to allow an existing screened porch on the south side of the principal structure (along Charles Street) that is 1′ the south property line to be replaced with a new screened porch at the same setback, and extended 5′ east and even with the front (east) façade of the house. The applicant is also seeking architectural design review and approval.
Other Business
Address: 12 Sessions Village
Note: This Item has been removed from the Agenda, as it did not require a variance and is subject to the Sessions Village Association Design Review Board per the Planned Unit Development Text.
Board of Zoning Appeals and Planning meetings are currently being held via Zoom. Here’s how to access the upcoming meeting:
To view agendas and other supporting documents, visit www.bexley.org/meetings. Please note that agendas are subject to change before the meeting occurs. Residents are encouraged to email public comment to Director of Building and Zoning, Kathy Rose, in advance of the meeting. Every effort will be made to accommodate testimony from individuals with standing via the Zoom webinar.
At the upcoming BZAP meeting, the following applications will be reviewed:
Location: 424 S. Columbia Ave.
BZAP Request: The Board is reconsidering its decision and Record of Action on January 28, 2021 that did not approve the application to amend the Certificate of Appropriateness granted by the BZAP on February 22, 2018 for design modification of the new single-family home.