The plan is a bold one.  If adopted as currently written, the Darby Accord features the following historic elements:

°    A commitment by all 10 jurisdictions in the Franklin County portion of the watershed to cap growth at the current “by right” zoning.  In other words, no additional housing will be permitted above what current zoning—mostly rural residential--would allow.  This would permit approximately 20,000 additional residences in the roughly 50,000 acres of the watershed in Franklin County.  The plan would offset the effects of the new development by concentrating it in an environmentally sensitive pattern and imposing design restrictions on development.

°    A goal of designating roughly half the area as undevelopable open space.  Open space would be concentrated in the most environmentally sensitive areas, primarily along streams, in wetlands, in woods, and in areas that would serve as connecting corridors designed to create large tracts of contiguous natural areas.

°    A commitment by the city of Columbus to offer sewer and water services without annexation—a departure from the city’s 50-year policy of gobbling up farmland at its borders.

°    A requirement that the majority of residential housing be in “conservation development” in which houses are clustered and each development hold an additional 50 percent of the property in open space.

°    The creation of a dense “Town Center” that would hold at least 5,000 of the 20,000 new units.  The town would be located between Big Darby Creek on the west and Hellbranch Run on the east, and between Interstate 70 to the north and Broad Street to the south.  This new town, and a smaller Hilliard expansion area to the north, would generate revenues to purchase land and easements in the open space areas.

°    The adoption of the most stringent environmental restrictions on new development yet attempted in Ohio, including far-ranging stormwater regulations, conservation development design requirements, open space requirements, infiltration requirements for stormwater, and generous riparian corridor setbacks.

°    The creation of a monitoring regime to track impacts from new developments, and a pledge to use “adaptive management” to tighten restrictions if water quality continues to degrade.

°    The generation of a projected 1 billion dollars to purchase open space and easements, build infrastructure, and fund services in the Accord area.  Methods of revenue generation would include developer fees, tax increment financing, and assessments on new residents.

°    A commitment from the jurisdictions to cooperate on a central authority to review all development projects.

°    A commitment from the jurisdictions to secure the biologic integrity of the Darby.

As with any master land use plan, the devil is in the details. All will be wasted effort if communities don’t implement the plan effectively.  Numerous challenges face jurisdictions and agencies as the moratorium on development ends.  Will the jurisdictions have the political will to stick to the plan?  Will they allocate funds to their intended use—acquisition of open space—or will they be tempted to direct money toward more politically advantageous uses?

Will jurisdictions really revise the plan to adapt to environmental realities in the future?  The plan is a grand experiment, with Darby Creek as the guinea pig.  Existing research and modeling of the plan suggest that it may not be sufficient to protect the most sensitive of Darby’s rare and endangered species.  If this proves to be the case, will elected officials be willing to tighten restrictions, or even say “no” to developers if that is what the situation calls for?

The Darby Creek Association strongly supports the Accord process, despite all the unanswered questions. Why?  Two reasons. First, because the alternative, uncontrolled sprawl, is certain doom for the creek.  But secondly, we support the Accord because the jurisdictions have demonstrated cooperation, commitment and good faith in devising a creative, fair strategy to protect Darby Creek.

The final plan is due to be completed by June 30, and jurisdictions will hopefully sign a Memorandum of Understanding agreeing to support it.  Whether all the jurisdictions sign is unknown.  Hilliard in particular has chafed at committing to some of the standards in the plan.  But all indications are that a majority of the parties will sign, including Columbus, the three townships, and Franklin County. 

If the Darby Accord becomes reality, Central Ohio will have a rare opportunity to control growth, maintain rural qualities in the midst of a metropolitan area, and preserve one of the richest aquatic sanctuaries remaining in the Midwest.

For news and information about the Darby Creek ecosystem, visit www.darbycreeks.org .