Worthington Issue 35 Proposes Halving Zoning Referendum Window to 30 Days
City Council placed the charter amendment on the November ballot following commission findings that the existing 60-day window deters development.
Worthington voters will decide on the Nov. 3, 2026, special election ballot whether to amend the municipal charter to reduce the citizen signature-gathering window for referendums challenging zoning decisions from 60 days to 30 days.
The proposed amendment, designated on the ballot as Issue 35, proposes to delete Section 1.04 and amend Sections 2.17 and 2.19 of the Worthington City Charter. Worthington City Council enacted Ordinance No. 20-2026 (As Amended) on July 20, 2026, to submit the charter change to electors concurrently with the general election. The council acted on recommendations developed by the city's 11-member 2026 Charter Review Commission following six public working sessions held between April and June.
Regional Data and Economic Development Concerns
The current 60-day petition window originated in 2015, when Worthington voters passed a citizen-sponsored charter amendment that lengthened the signature collection period for zoning measures from 20 days to 60 days. In evaluating the provision a decade later, the Charter Review Commission found that the two-month timeframe positioned Worthington as an extreme outlier in the metropolitan area.
A regional survey conducted by the commission examined 16 other Central Ohio municipalities. Of 16 other cities in Central Ohio, 13 of the cities provide 30 days, one provides 20, one provides 60 for zoning-related matters, and one defers to State law. Under Ohio statutory law, municipalities without explicit local charter rules default to a 30-day referendum window.
Commission members determined that Worthington's outlier status created unintended economic consequences. According to commission findings, members expressed concern that the longer timeframe in Worthington deters investment in the community by subjecting approved land use and redevelopment projects to prolonged administrative uncertainty.
The proposed charter language establishes that zoning ordinances will take effect on the thirtieth (30th) day following publication. Commission members noted that this 30-day standard aligns Worthington with state law and regional practice while still providing a longer timeframe for zoning-related matters than for other City ordinances, which take effect in 20 days.
Charter Restructuring and Emergency Ban Preservation
Issue 35 repeals Charter Section 1.04, which had stood as a standalone section since the 2015 referendum amendment, and integrates its operational rules into Sections 2.17 and 2.19, where general legislative procedures and effective dates are defined.
While reducing the signature-gathering timeline, the amendment strictly maintains a key safeguard enacted in 2015. Under the revised Section 2.17, city ordinances altering land regulations may not be passed by emergency. City officials announced that Issue 35 continues the prohibition against the adoption of zoning matters by emergency that was originally put in place by the 2015 amendment. Under the charter, emergency legislation requires a six-sevenths vote of council and takes effect immediately upon passage and publication, bypassing the citizen referendum window. Preserving the emergency ban guarantees that every municipal zoning enactment remains subject to citizen review.
The amendment also refines statutory wording by clarifying that ordinances are the type of legislation subject to referendum, while specifying that covered zoning actions involve altering zoning district boundaries or reclassifying property.
Intersecting Referendum Questions on the November Ballot
Issue 35 will appear alongside several other charter questions that shape how Worthington residents exercise direct democracy.
State law revisions created recent friction over citizen ballot access. Prior to last year, State law required 10% of the City’s voters in the last gubernatorial election. Last year, the State law was changed to require 35% of the City’s voters in the last gubernatorial election. Issue 36 will return the threshold to 10% of the City’s voters in the last gubernatorial election. Issue 38 will change the threshold to 10% of the City’s voters in the last municipal election. The Charter Review Commission recommended Issue 36 to restore Worthington's historical local standard that had governed the city since the charter was adopted in 1956.
A competing citizen initiative, Issue 38, was placed on the ballot by petition rather than by commission recommendation, seeking the lower signature count tied to municipal voter turnouts.
To prevent legal conflicts if electors approve both measures, the commission embedded a resolution mechanism into Issue 37, an omnibus package containing administrative charter updates. Under Issue 37, if both issues related to Section 1.05 are approved and the ballot question that bundles the Commission’s remaining recommendations is approved, the issue that receives the higher number of ‘yes’ votes will take effect. If voters reject Issue 37 while approving both signature amendments, the determination of which language goes into effect will need to be determined in court.
Worthington voters casting ballots on Issue 35 will balance competing priorities: preserving accessible citizen oversight of local development versus providing the predictable regulatory timelines required to attract municipal reinvestment.
How we know this
The sources and records behind this story, with the facts they support.
https://www.worthington.org/2469/Proposed-Charter-Amendments
Supporting evidence (6)
The proposed amendment, designated on the ballot as Issue 35, proposes to delete Section 1.04 and amend Sections 2.17 and 2.19 of the Worthington City Charter.
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Reduce the number of days for collecting signatures on referendum petitions related to zoning matters from 60 to 30
Of 16 other cities in Central Ohio, 13 of the cities provide 30 days, one provides 20, one provides 60 for zoning-related matters, and one defers to State law.
According to commission findings, members expressed concern that the longer timeframe in Worthington deters investment in the community by subjecting approved land use and redevelopment projects to prolonged administrative uncertainty.
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Commissioners expressed concern that the longer timeframe in Worthington deters investment in the community since Worthington is an outlier in this comparison.
Commission members noted that this 30-day standard aligns Worthington with state law and regional practice while still providing a longer timeframe for zoning-related matters than for other City ordinances, which take effect in 20 days.
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provides a longer timeframe for zoning-related matters than for other City ordinances, which take effect in 20 days.
The amendment also refines statutory wording by clarifying that ordinances are the type of legislation subject to referendum, while specifying that covered zoning actions involve altering zoning district boundaries or reclassifying property.
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to clarify that ordinances are the type of legislation subject to referendum, and the addition of clarifying language related to zoning actions.
A competing citizen initiative, Issue 38, was placed on the ballot by petition rather than by commission recommendation, seeking the lower signature count tied to municipal voter turnouts.
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Issue 38 will also be on the ballot. It was submitted by petition and is not a Charter Review Commission recommendation.
City Council Ordinances · Ordinance No. 20-2026 (As Amended) · ordinance
Supporting evidence (3)
Worthington City Council enacted Ordinance No. 20-2026 (As Amended) on July 20, 2026, to submit the charter change to electors concurrently with the general election.
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Passed: July 20, 2026
The proposed charter language establishes that zoning ordinances will take effect on the thirtieth (30th) day following publication.
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thirtieth (30th) day following publication and all other ordinances shall take effect on the
Under the revised Section 2.17, city ordinances altering land regulations may not be passed by emergency.
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may not be passed by emergency.
https://www.worthington.org/2472/Frequently-Asked-Questions
Supporting evidence (4)
City officials announced that Issue 35 continues the prohibition against the adoption of zoning matters by emergency that was originally put in place by the 2015 amendment.
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Issue 35 continues the prohibition against the adoption of zoning matters by emergency that was originally put in place by the 2015 amendment.
Prior to last year, State law required 10% of the City’s voters in the last gubernatorial election.
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Prior to last year, State law required 10% of the City’s voters in the last gubernatorial election. Last year, the State law was changed to require 35% of the City’s voters in the last gubernatorial election. Issue 36 will return the threshold to 10% of the City’s voters in the last gubernatorial election. Issue 38 will change the threshold to 10% of the City’s voters in the last municipal election.
Under Issue 37, if both issues related to Section 1.05 are approved and the ballot question that bundles the Commission’s remaining recommendations is approved, the issue that receives the higher number of ‘yes’ votes will take effect.
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If both issues related to Section 1.05 are approved and the ballot question that bundles the Commission’s remaining recommendations is approved, the issue that receives the higher number of ‘yes’ votes will take effect.
If voters reject Issue 37 while approving both signature amendments, the determination of which language goes into effect will need to be determined in court.
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determination of which language goes into effect will need to be determined in court