Planning & Zoning
The Department's planning and zoning responsibilities include administration of the City's long range plans, planning for future growth, administration and enforcement of the City's zoning, subdivision, sign, and related ordinances. Here you will find resource links, maps, and other information.
Comprehensive Plan
'Our Worthington 2045' is the City's Comprehensive Plan, adopted in November 2024. It is a guiding plan setting goals for the City over the next 20 years. The Plan's vision statement reads, "The City of Worthington is a thriving destination for all people to live, work, invest, and play. Worthington is a place where all can come together to shape our community's unique identity, culture, and sense of place. In 2045, our Worthington will be livable, accessible, active, welcoming, and economically vibrant."
The Plan applies these 5 goals (livable, accessible, active, welcoming, and economically vibrant) to a variety of topics including:
- Land Use and Zoning
- Housing
- Economic Development
- Transportation
- Parks and Recreation
- Natural Resources
- Utilities
- Public Buildings
The Plan is used to guide decision making by City Council, Planning Commission, City departments, and other Boards and Commissions. It is used in determining land use and zoning decisions, infrastructure planning, budgeting, transportation investments and planning, and in many other ways. You can find the complete Plan in the links below.
Zoning
The City of Worthington has a number of zoning ordinances regulating land usage, building locations, accessory structures, building heights, green space, fencing, signage, subdivisions, and much more. Zoning requirements can be found in section 15 of the Worthington City Code of Ordinances here .
Applications for zoning changes, conditional use permits, platting, variances, PUD's, and Amendments, and other special zoning requests can be found in the resource links below. Applications are generally due around the middle of the month in order for the request to be on the following month's Planning Commission agenda. The actual deadline may vary by month and is based upon the deadline to submit public hearing notices to the local newspaper. Please contact the City to ensure you know the correct deadline.
Subdivisions
Subdivisions resulting in the creation of three or more lots, including the original lot, must be platted. Refer to the information above regarding that process. Minor subdivisions, or splitting one lot into two, require application to the City and will be approved or denied administratively. To apply for a minor subdivisions, fill out the zoning application linked below and submit it to the City.
Realignment of lot lines, or the shifting of property lines (e.g. you buy 5 feet of property from your neighbor) must be approved the City.
It is always best to the contact the City right away before proceeding with surveying or purchase agreements involving the subdivisions or realignment of lots.
Resource Links
- Interactive Zoning Map
- (PDF, 9MB)Comprehensive Plan(PDF, 9MB)
- Zoning Ordinance - See Chapter 155
- Subdivision Ordinance - See Chapter 154
- Sign Ordinance - See Chapter 153
- Residential Minimum Setbacks(PDF, 109KB)
- Off-Street Parking Requirements (Land Usage: Schedule of Required Off-Street Parking and Loading Spaces)(PDF, 176KB)
- Special Use Permit, Rezoning, Variance Application(PDF, 136KB)
- Sign Permit Application(PDF, 253KB)
- Worthington Comprehensive Housing Market Study(PDF, 5MB)
- Fence-Regulations.pdf(PDF, 582KB)
Forms