A developer has proposed 1,344 apartments on 84.2 acres of rural land in the Rocky Fork-Blacklick corridor located at 5481 Walnut Street (parcel 010-323038). A regional land-use panel will get its first look at the plan on Thursday, Oct. 15.
The Rocky Fork-Blacklick Accord Implementation Panel, known as the RFBA panel, will conduct a conceptual review of the project at 4 p.m. at New Albany Village Hall, 99 West Main St. The proposal dwarfs two other multiunit projects the panel reviewed earlier in 2026: a 246-unit development on Central College Road and a 192-unit project on Harlem Road.
David Ruma of WUMA Predevelopment LLC is the applicant, represented by David Perry of David Perry Company Inc. The property owner is listed as Walnut Street LLC. According to the meeting agenda, the site is currently zoned Rural District under Columbus jurisdiction and would be developed in four phases.
No vote is expected. The review is conceptual, meaning the panel will offer design feedback but will not issue a formal recommendation. A formal rezoning application would need to be filed before the panel could act. The RFBA panel followed the same process for the Central College Road and Harlem Road proposals earlier this year.
Two sports facility rezonings up for a vote
Unlike the residential review, two Plain Township rezoning cases on the same agenda are listed for formal action.
The first, Case ZC-10-08-2026-01, would rezone 13.792 acres from Rural District to Exceptional Use District to allow a soccer field facility and parking. The applicant is Jacob Osborne, and the property owner is Blockchain Properties VII LLC.
The second, Case ZC-10-08-2026-02, would rezone 5.165 acres from Rural District to Exceptional Use District for an indoor baseball training facility, a baseball field and parking. Plan 4 Land LLC filed the application, represented by Joe Clase and Lexus Cain. The property owner is Derrick Neff.
Both parcels include a Park/Open Space designation under the accord's district plan.
What the panel does
The RFBA panel evaluates rezoning applications within the Rocky Fork-Blacklick Accord area and makes recommendations to the planning body of whichever jurisdiction the land falls in: Columbus, New Albany or Plain Township. The accord dates to 1997, when the three governments adopted a shared framework for development in the corridor.
The panel has nine members, three appointed by each jurisdiction. One Columbus seat is open. Ralph Smithers Jr. is one of three Columbus appointees.
A Babbitt Road Strategic Plan Addendum is also on the Thursday, Oct. 15 agenda under other business. No details on the addendum's scope appear in the posted agenda.
Residents who want to comment must attend in person. The meeting will be streamed for viewing only on the city website.
