Upper Arlington council OKs rezoning to allow office building near city hall

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After nearly three hours of listening to residents express their opposition, Upper Arlington City Council members voted 4-3 last night to approve the controversial rezoning of 1.34 acres of wooded green space north of the Municipal Building that would allow construction of an office building.

For those council members in favor, it came down to a need for economic development to address the citys financial woes, and serving all residents, not just those neighbors who turned out in force last night.

Those opposed to the measure believe the land around any city hall is sacred.

The rezoning actually takes in more than 5 acres, which includes the Municipal Building only because that is the minimum required by office and research district zoning.

But only the small point to the north where Kenny and Tremont roads converge would be positioned for development, City Manager Ted Staton said.

Councilman Kip Greenhill, who voted against the plan, said he thought that in 25 years, someone might ask him, Why did you build your city hall behind a commercial development?

That seemed to be the opinion of most of the 150 people in the audience, a majority of whom are residents of the Trouville condominiums to the south of the Municipal Building, and neighborhoods across Kenny Road to the east.

An attempt by one resident to obtain a temporary restraining order earlier in the day to stop the meeting was turned down by Franklin County Common Pleas Judge Pat Sheeran.

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Upper Arlington council OKs rezoning to allow office building near city hall