Upper Arlington · issues
Civic issues
Topics getting the most attention in Upper Arlington public meetings, ranked by how frequently they come up.
Public Safety Alert
The board will review the latest EMS call volumes and high-acuity incident data for Upper Arlington. These numbers show how emergency medical services are keeping up with demand in the community.
Medic 71 purchase and Medic 72 in 2028 budget cycle
The city has purchased a new Medic 71 ambulance, and a Medic 72 replacement is planned for the 2028 budget cycle. These apparatus purchases affect future fire and EMS budgets.
Historic demolition and replacement house at 2505 Coventry Rd
A proposed teardown and new-build on Coventry Road gets its informal review now, with the real decision coming November 18. Historic demolition reviews can shape the character of the neighborhood's older housing stock.
EMS protocol changes including non-invasive ventilation
The board will discuss proposed protocol changes, including non-invasive ventilation, which affects how paramedics treat patients in the field. Changes in protocols directly shape the care residents receive before reaching a hospital.
Proposed front-yard swimming pool at 1725 Roxbury Rd
A corner-lot owner wants a 15' x 35' pool and patio in the Chelsea Road front yard, where pools are prohibited by the zoning code. Staff say the variance would create a dangerous precedent and won't support it — but the applicant wants to gauge the board's thinking before deciding whether to keep or sell the property.
CARES community outreach program
The CARES program provides home visits, smoke detector installs, grab bars and wellness check-ins for residents, particularly seniors. The board will review its latest statistics.
UAFD Lieutenant Examination Protest
A protest was filed concerning the fire division's lieutenant promotional examination, and the Civil Service Commission was scheduled to take it up as new business. The outcome could affect who is eligible for promotion within the fire department.
Detached garage height precedents
A North Devon Road family won approval for a 22-foot-10-inch garage with a home office and future golf simulator, after trimming its size and coverage. The board liked the landscaping, screening, and rain barrels offsetting extra stormwater runoff.
Residential setback and height variances
The Coventry Road case shows how close quarters in older neighborhoods create conflicts — a 1'-9" encroachment triggered real privacy worries about a new window over a neighbor's patio. A condition removing the window resolved it without denying the project.
Unpermitted structures and uses
A builder's four-foot dimensional error pushed a planned covered patio into the side-yard setback, leaving the owners seeking two variances. Staff recommended denial for lack of hardship, and the board gave the family a chance to redesign instead of likely denying the request.
Gateway Development Easement Vacation
The old Lane Avenue pump station easement is being vacated because a new sanitary sewer made the lift station unnecessary — a contractual obligation that supports the Gateway project.
Lane Avenue Corridor Parking Study
Two speakers said patrons of existing nearby businesses already park on neighborhood streets, and doubted any promises about the new venue's parking can be enforced. The city cited past efforts with Littleton's Market and Fox in the Snow and plans for a new public lot.
2026 Tax Levies Certified
Council certified the county-determined tax rates and levies for the year — routine annual budget housekeeping that sets the property tax rates residents will pay.
Flock License Plate Reader Surveillance and Ordinance 38-2026
The city's 20-camera Flock network has drawn intense resident opposition over outside-agency access, data security, and privacy. A proposed ordinance would create tiered search approvals, with judicial review for searches older than nine days. Council takes it up again October 12 with crime-data analysis.
Bob Crane Community Center Public Art
Arts on Arlington drew 1,700 attendees (up 41%), Arts on the Block drew 700, and the Labor Day Arts Festival is coming September 7 at Northam Park. Residents also asked for more food options and broader alcohol availability at future events.
Unpermitted above-ground pool at 3272 Mountview Road
A family installed a 5-foot above-ground pool without permits for their autistic son's swim therapy, running into a decades-old ban on pools taller than two feet. The board put off a decision to let the family explore burying or relocating the pool — and the case could test how the city handles special-needs exceptions.
2225 Yorkshire Road garage and driveway coverage
A corner-lot owner wants a fourth street-facing garage bay and a driveway extension pushing front-yard coverage from 34.7% to about 42.5% along Oxford Road. The board flagged drainage, tree loss, and tight street parking as concerns.
Police and Fire Pension Levy on November Ballot
Voters will decide this fall on a renewal levy with an increase dedicated to the police and fire pension fund — a direct line item on future tax bills.
E-Mobility Device Registration and Safety Program
The near-final e-bike/scooter ordinance now only requires registration for riders without a driver's license, mandates helmets under 18, sets a 10 mph sidewalk cap, and requires all riders to be listed on a device's registration. Final vote October 5.
August 12 Storm Response and Debris Cleanup
A supplemental budget move covers storm debris cleanup, with about $75,000 in new money for replacement trees and stump grinding; the emergency declaration has ended.
City cybersecurity and IT modernization
IT is hardening the city against cyberattacks under the HB 96 mandate — multifactor authentication, immutable backups, penetration testing, and disaster recovery via the State of Ohio Computer Center — plus replacing aging phones, wireless, and camera systems.
Fire Division operations and Station 71 renovation
The fire division handled 4,814 runs in 2025 with call volume up 6% this year. A $13 million Station 71 renovation is planned for 2028 to fix contamination-zone separation and aging infrastructure, and a Citizens Fire Academy launches spring 2027.
Leaf Collection
Get ready, Upper Arlington! The city's seasonal leaf pickup kicks off in mid-October, so it's time to start raking and prepping your yard for the curb.
CRC Grant Program Parameters
The grant working group set an annual pool of $15,000 with individual grants up to $5,000, and is considering adding social enterprises as eligible applicants.
CRC Relocation to Bob Crane Community Center
The community center blew past expectations in its first year, with 12,842 members against a projection of 3,500. That means heavy use of the facility and its programs by residents.
Residential beekeeping policy
Beekeeping is banned on standard Upper Arlington lots, but the hives case showed real community division — some neighbors support urban beekeeping, others report stings near pools. The applicant says a council member may push for a policy change; the board agreed that's the right venue.
New TIF Threshold Policy for Large Redevelopment
The county-led Tax Incentive Review Council found all 17 of the city's tax increment financing agreements in compliance.
CORMA Insurance Pool Renewal Cost Increase
The city's property/liability insurance pool contribution would rise about 16% to $512,000, driven by $30 million in newly insured assets and market increases. Council wants comparative market pricing to double-check the pool is still the best value.
Liquor Permit Transfer at 1674 W. Lane Avenue
The D-3 and D-1 liquor permits at a Lane Avenue business would move from Fade by R10, LLC to the new Hammer & Nails Grooming Shop for Guys. Council raised no objections.
Liquor permit transfer — Hammer & Nails
No objections to transferring D-3 and D-1 liquor permits to the new owner of the Hammer & Nails grooming shop on Lane Avenue.
Zollinger Road Improvements and MORPC Funding
Council's support locks in roughly $3.3 million in federal grant money for a full-length Zollinger Road resurfacing that converts four lanes to one each direction with parking/bike options. Construction is planned next year.
Five Points Intersection Roundabout
The city is moving toward a 194-210 foot multi-lane roundabout at Tremont/Northwest/Fishinger, backed by 55% of survey respondents. Construction is set for 2028, maybe 2029, with driveway changes coming for nearby businesses and education campaigns planned for drivers wary of roundabouts.
Henderson Road Improvements Phases I & II
Council backed the city's first grant application for Henderson Road Phases I & II; any money wouldn't arrive until 2031-32, and property representative Bill Hadler asked that this not be read as a design endorsement.
Proposed digital billboard at Arlington Gateway
A 2,180-square-foot electronic message center would be the first billboard-style sign in Upper Arlington's history, placed on the city's largest building at the Lane Avenue gateway. The city's sign code has banned billboards since its founding, so approving this would set a significant precedent for other commercial corridors.
2026 Community Programs and Events
The committee's lineup of community events — Porch Parties, the Labor Day Arts Festival, Navratri & Diwali, and a youth mental health fair — shapes what residents can plug into this year and next.
Master Plan development process
The city's Master Plan survey on land use, development, mobility and technology is open now, and the board will serve as a focus group at its September 23 meeting. Survey results from spring 2026 will shape future services for older adults.
Parks Rules
The board was scheduled to discuss rules governing use of the city's parks. Any changes would affect how residents use park facilities day to day.
Stay UA older adult services and Support Hub
The city's Stay UA program connects older residents with services, and a new free Support Hub (with Helpful Village) will match seniors with volunteers for everyday help — though not contractors or licensed trades. A social worker now has office hours at the Bob Crane Community Center twice a month.
PLAY UA Program
The board was scheduled to discuss the PLAY UA program. Residents may see changes to program offerings as a result.
Extending seasonal pool operations
The board was scheduled to review how seasonal operations, such as aquatic staffing and summer programming, performed this year.
2026 Sustainable Sewer Solutions contract
Council got a first look at hiring Performance Pipelining to line sewer pipes in two problem areas, sealing cracks that let rainwater flood the sanitary system. The work directly reduces the risk of sewage backing up into basements during heavy storms.
Perry Township fire and EMS agreement amendment
The city is adding 21 homes in the Haven development to its 1999 fire/EMS sharing agreement with Perry Township — minimal cost and impact — with a full contract overhaul planned by next year.
Mid-year 2026 budget amendment
Ordinance No. 31-2026 would adjust 2026 appropriations and the employee strength table, tweaking the budget partway through the year.
Economic development strategies overview
The city is nearly out of commercial space — expanding businesses are leaving because they can't find room, and land runs $1.2–1.3 million an acre. The new strategy leans on four pillars: built environment, business retention, entrepreneurship, and destination development.
City Code Cleanup Ordinance
Council is modernizing the city code, including raising the campaign contribution limit from $250 to about $400 with periodic reviews, revisiting the employee political activity ban, and bumping the settlement authority to $50,000. Final votes come June 1.
Administrative Code, fees, and building code amendments
A sweeping code cleanup would quadruple the fee penalty for building without a permit and add remote-meeting authority for boards. Council wrangled over keeping written notice of outside-counsel hires and civil-service exam fairness standards.
4190 Greensview Drive home gym encroachment
A homeowner wants a 750-square-foot detached gym with a 15-foot roof and reduced setbacks — five variances total. The board pushed back, saying too many variances set a precedent, and asked for a smaller design. It'll come back in a future meeting.
E-Bike and E-Scooter Safety Ordinance
Council heard alarming hospital data — admitted e-bike injuries up 122% in a year, mostly kids 10-15 — and shaped a final package: registration for riders without licenses, under-18 helmets, path speed limits, and lighting. The vote is August 24, and it directly affects families with young riders.
Perry Township Fire and EMS Contract Amendment
A housekeeping amendment adds 21 homes in the Haven development to the 1999 fire/EMS contract with minimal cost impact. All parties plan a full contract rewrite by end of 2026.
Mid-Year Budget Adjustment and Permanent Police Sergeant
A small mid-year budget fix funds storm tree trimming, police ballistic vests, a digital forensics workstation for the child-exploitation task force, and makes a temporary police sergeant position permanent to keep more officers on patrol.