Why the Short North may soon charge extra for dining, shopping
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- Central Ohioans may soon have to pay an extra charge when visiting Short North restaurants and stores.
Columbus City Council voted on May 19 to accept a petition from the Short North Alliance proposing the creation of a "New Community Authority," a group that could charge visitors a small fee when shopping, dining, and staying at hotels.
Betsy Pandora, executive director of the Short North Alliance, said the revenue from the fee will act as a "reinvestment" supporting a wide range of the area's priorities, like cleaner sidewalks, more public art, expanded creative programming, and services for those in need.
In turn, the NCA will yield "a better overall experience for everyone who visits, lives, or works in the Short North," Pandora said.
"The primary driver is growth," she said. "With more than 10 million visitors last year, the district is evolving, and it needs a forward-looking strategy to match. This community-led initiative uses a tool commonly implemented across central Ohio to invest in the neighborhood's long-term vitality."
The Short North's NCA would mimic several other central Ohio authorities that also charge visitors a small fee, like at Bridge Park in Dublin, which charges 0.5% on gross receipts at restaurants and retail businesses and 1% on hotels. Often, the fee is identified on receipts as "NCA CHARGE."
The percentage for the Short North's proposed fee has yet to be decided and will be set based on community feedback, Pandora said. If approved, a board would be appointed by city council to manage the NCA.
A Short North Alliance spokesperson said that the charge would not be classified as a tax under Ohio law, noting that individual property owners in the area would be able to decide whether they want their business to opt in or out of the NCA.
Revenue from the fee could also support safety initiatives. Last year, the Short North was the site of a mass shooting that injured 10 people. Pandora said safety is "one important component," but that the NCA "is not being proposed in response to any single issue."
A map submitted to city council shows that the Short North Alliance's proposal would implement the NCA along High Street, but also part of East Fifth Avenue and connecting to North Fourth Street. The area surrounding the Columbus Convention Center would also be included.
Next, the Columbus Department of Development will set a date for a public hearing on the alliance's petition to gather resident feedback before city council votes on whether to create and implement the NCA.