HABASH HAS PLAN FOR OSU - COUNCILMAN'S MEMO TARGETS AREA EAST OF CAMPUSColumbus Dispatch, The (OH) - May 13, 1994Author: Alan D. Miller, Dispatch Higher Education Reporter

Long overlooked by both the city and Ohio State University, the declining neighborhood east of campus is now getting plenty of attention from both.

The latest move in that direction is a memo from Columbus City Councilman Matt Habash to his fellow council members, other city officials and university-area leaders.

His top priorities for the council, if fellow members agree, are to find money to expand the Community Crime Patrol, boost basic services such as trash collection, and study problems with parking and traffic circulation.

Among other elements, the traffic study would look at "traffic flow and street or alley closures to control or inhibit crime; the aesthetic impacts of two-way vs. one-way streets and other streetscape improvements, as well as limiting parking in architecturally significant areas such as 15th Avenue."

It also would look at the need for residential permits for on-street parking.

In response to another community concern - the number of bars - the city has found the university area has the highest concentration of liquor permits in the city.

"The next step will be to determine whether the city can and should object to the issuance of any new permits in this concentrated area," the memo says.

Habash said one reason for creating a priority list is so the council can budget accordingly. Another reason is to coordinate efforts by informing various city departments and outside organizations about each other's projects.

The OSU Area Improvement Task Force is one group that needs the information, Habash said.

The panel of university, city and neighborhood leaders was assembled by OSU President Gordon Gee and Mayor Greg Lashutka to create a revitalization plan by early June.

"We wanted to make sure everyone knows what is being done so the right hand knows what the left hand is doing," Habash said.

The priority list is a working document, he said, and is open to additions. He made one as he spoke, noting a need for increased housing code enforcement.

The list includes:

Spending $325,000 from the Urban Infrastructure Recovery Program established by the council to resurface alleys, improve Weinland Park at 1280 Summit St., upgrade streetlights, plant 367 trees on Summit and 4th streets, and replace damaged trees and trash cans on N. High Street.

Finding incentives to promote home ownership.

Finding a way to obtain and plant an estimated 900 trees on residential streets.

Creating designs for "gaps" in N. High Street that should be upgraded to the standards of the Short North area, which was recently improved.

Legislating an increase in the trash storage container capacity for rental properties in the neighborhood.

Increasing bulk trash pickup to handle problems created by students moving in and out each quarter.

Increasing the frequency of street sweeping.

Stepping up enforcement of environmental laws in areas where properties are strewn with litter and trash.

Promoting summer jobs for youth that focus on cleaning up the neighborhood.

Enacting stronger legislation to crack down on hand-posted signs.

Improving, and possibly widening, major streets.

Upgrading storm sewers.

Caption: PHOTOHabashEdition: Home Final Section: NEWS Page number: 01B Record: 9405130021 Index terms: KEYWORDS: CITYCOUNCIL OPINION INCREASE POLICE AID END CRIME OSU; NEIGHBORHOOD Copyright: THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH Copyright (c) 1994 The Dispatch Printing Co.