Livability

Livability is a broad term. While it can be expanded to include a more general inventory of “quality of life” characteristics such as affordability of housing, safety, civic participation, and human services,   here it refers to physical design of the community. It also includes the stock of amenities such as proximity to recreation, employment centers, and travel choices.

Partners for Livability

• 1000 Friends of Central Ohio
  Formed in 2002, this non-profit organization is focused on raising awareness of citizens and policy makers about specific activities that may promote or hinder responsible, balanced development and revitalization through advocacy and public education.
• Central Ohio Transit Authority (COTA)
  COTA is the transit service for Franklin County. Involving them in site design through local regulatory processes promotes inclusion of transit planning with land development decisions.
• City Living Network (CLN) is an exciting new cooperative marketing, buyer preparation, and sales effort which offers a centralized source for affordable housing information and listings in Central Ohio.
• Columbus Board of Realtors
  Impacts of high fuel prices and a glut of available housing stock on the market, the realty industry is getting more involved in promoting established neighborhoods. An example is their The Grass is Greener Here radio, newspaper, Internet and billboard marketing campaign to get more homebuyers interested in the local housing market.
• Consider Biking
  The mission of Consider Biking is to serve Central Ohio by creating a friendly environment for bicycling and walking and enabling all citizens to make active transportation a part of their everyday lives. Consider Biking achieves this through education, outreach, advocacy, and empowerment for all stakeholders in an integrated transportation system.
• Local Planning Commissions These local planning agencies are staffed with professional planners who can provide decision makers with information about current development standards and policies.  The 411 page of the MORPC Dataport has links to the various commission websites.
• MORPC Center for Regional Development
  This new center at MORPC is charged with providing planning tools and information, to provide leadership, and to contributepractical solutions to implement regionally focused land use and economic development recommendations.  For example, this State of the Region report is a product of the MORPC Center for Regional Development.
• Ohio Chapter of the Sierra Club
  This is a well established grass roots organization that engages its members and the community at large through advocacy and events.
• Ohio Planning Conference (OPC) 
  This member-driven organization of professional and citizen planners is the Ohio representative planning organization. The central Ohio chapter is working with MORPC to promote educational opportunities to all related professions and citizens. The OPC online library includes plans and studies for areas throughout Ohio covering a wide array of topics.
• Simply LivingSimply Living is a premier resource for connecting with organizations working on issues of sustainability. The member-based organization maintains a website with inks to over 210 organizations and web sites on peace, the environment, sustainability and more as well as a calendar of events and newsletter.
• Urban Land Institute 
  This member-driven organization has a new Columbus Chapter. The membership includes the development community from both the private and public sectors. The central Ohio chapter is working with the Columbus Southeast Career Center to introduce planning and development concepts to the students. They are also working with local leaders to develop a skate park. The central Ohio chapter recently collaborated with the OSU City and Regional Planning Department to mentor student teams participating in the Sustainable Cities Award program that recognizes outstanding and innovative programs that advance the application of sustainability principles to land use.