Residents in a northwestern Columbus neighborhood will still have a field behind their homes, but they will also soon have a lot more neighbors to enjoy the view.

That’s under recommendations made this week by the Columbus Plan Commission on a pair of unrelated but neighboring developments proposed south of Lowell Road between 200W and Indianapolis Road. The commission was asked to give its blessing to the annexation and rezoning of a new, 312- home development by Arbor Investments that be built on either side of 200W.

Jeff Bergman, director of the city/county planning department explains the commission’s action on the project, to be called Abbey Place:

The development would include several parks and ponds. Road 200W improvements would include a roundabout in the midst of the development and city officials also want a roundabout on Lowell Road.

That vote was unanimous. But by a 6-3 vote the commission turned down a request to rezone a neighboring property for industrial use.

That proposed change would affect property along Road 150W, allowing industrial use up against existing homes at Princeton Parks. The industrial project would also have been on the edge of the new housing development approved earlier Thursday evening.

Members of the commission said they thought it was unfair to the owners of neighboring homes to allow the property to be rezoned and turned to industrial use.

Michael McIver, an attorney representing the property owners, said that while homes were to the north and west, industrial properties were on the east and south towards Indianapolis Road.

The council voted 3-6 against approval of the request, and then 6-3 to recommend turning down the request.

The Plan Commission does not have final say over the decisions. That power rests with the City Council, Bergman says. Both of the recommendations will go before Columbus City Council on May 16th.