Explanation
This Ordinance amends Ordinance No. 2168-2020 to modify the boundaries of the existing Far South Community Reinvestment Area ("Far South CRA") and extend real property tax exemptions for residentially zoned parcels within the existing boundaries. There is a need to amend the current boundaries to encourage new housing construction and the repair of existing facilities or structures. All exhibits referenced in this Ordinance are on file with the City Clerk’s office.
Title
To amend the Far South CRA to modify its geographic boundaries; to provide that the City’s existing Community Reinvestment Area Housing Council shall serve as the Housing Council for the Far South Community Reinvestment Area, as amended herein.
Body
WHEREAS, the City of Columbus has established a goal of fostering private sector investment to build mixed income neighborhoods dispersed throughout the City; and
WHEREAS, Ordinance No. 1698-78, approved August 3, 1978, authorized the Department of Development to carry out a Community Reinvestment Program, pursuant to Sections 3735.65 to 3735.70 of the Ohio Revised Code, and approved certain administrative procedures for the program; and
WHEREAS, Ordinance No. 2168-2020 created the Far South Community Reinvestment Area ("Far South CRA") and authorized real property tax exemptions within it, as provided per Ohio Revised Code; and
WHEREAS, Ordinance No. 1870-2022 and Ordinance No. 3357-2022 amended the Far South CRA to adopt the revised residential incentive policy codified in Chapter 4565 of the Columbus City Code; and
WHEREAS, the City’s current CRA Housing Council formed by the passage of Ordinance No. 2412-2003 on November 10, 2003, as required by R.C. Section 3735.69, shall serve as the CRA Housing Council for the Far South CRA; and
WHEREAS, the need exists to modify the current geographic boundaries of the Far South CRA to encourage new housing construction and the repair of existing facilities or structures; and
WHEREAS, an updated housing survey (Exhibit “A”) and a map (Exhibit “B”) as required by R.C. Section 3735.66 have been prepared and are attached to this Ordinance; NOW, THEREFORE,
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
Section 1. Council finds and determines that the area within the Far South CRA is one in which housing facilities or structures of historic significance are located and new housing construction and repair of existing facilities or structures are discouraged. An updated housing survey is attached hereto as Exhibit “A” and incorporated herein. Council also finds and determines that amending the Far South CRA is in the City’s best interest and will incentivize the construction or remodeling of affordable housing within this area designation. Hereafter, additions of new language are underlined and deletions are marked as stricken.
Section 2. That Section 2 of Ordinance No. 2168-2020 is amended to include the following geographic area for the Far South CRA as depicted in the Map attached hereto as Exhibit “B” and incorporated herein:
Pursuant to ORC Section 3735.66, the Far South Community Reinvestment Area boundary is hereby established in the following described area:
North: Bounded by Phelps Road from Claude Drive to the intersection with Dolby Drive. Then Dolby Drive from the intersection with Phelps Road to S. High Street. Then Southgate Drive from S. High Street to Parsons Avenue.
East: Parsons Avenue
South: I-270 West: Scioto River
All parcels within the City of Columbus corporate boundary beginning at southeast corner of parcel 510- 129898-00, continuing west along the north side of I-270 to the southwest corner of parcel 010-111594-00, continuing north along the east of the western boundary of parcel 010-111594-00 to the northwest corner of parcel 010-111594-00, continuing west along the north of the southern boundary of parcel 010-112478- 00 to the Scioto River, continuing north along the east side of the Scioto River to the northwest corner of parcel 010-112080-00, continuing east along the north of parcel 010-112080-00 to the southeast corner of parcel 010-066601-00, continuing north along the east side of parcel 010-066601-00 to the northeast corner of parcel 010-066601-00, continuing west along the north of parcels 010-066601-00 and 010-290008-00 to the Scioto River, continuing north along the east of the Scioto River to the northwest corner of parcel 010- 112265-00, continuing east along the north side of parcel 010-112265-00 to the corner of parcels 010- 066601-00, 010-112265-00, and 010-112512-00, continuing north along the east side of parcel 010-066601- 00 to the southwest corner of parcel 010-112104-00, continuing east along the south side of parcels 010- 112104-00, 010-115089-00, and 010-113203-00 to South High Street, continuing north along the east side of South High Street to the southwest corner of parcel 010-104058-00, continuing north along the west side of parcels 010-104058-00 and 010-104050-00 to the eastbound on-ramp to Frank Road, continuing east along the south side of the eastbound on-ramp to Frank Road to Frank Road, continuing east along the south side of Frank Road to the northeast corner of parcel 010-112660-00, continuing south along the west side of parcel 010-112660-00 to the southeast corner of parcel 010-112660-00, continuing to the intersection of South 6th Street and Fornof Road, continuing east along the south side of Fornof Road to the intersection of Fornof Road and South 7th Street, continuing south along the west side of South 7th Street to the corner of South 7th Street and Dering Avenue, continuing east along the south side of Dering Avenue to the northwest corner of 010-115959-00, continuing south along the west side of parcels 010-115959-00, 010-112300-00, and 010-112454-00 to the southwest corner of parcel 010-112454-00, continuing east along the south side of parcel 010-112454-00 to the northeast corner of parcel 010-113845-00, continuing south along the west side of the eastern boundary of parcel 010-113845-00 to the southeast corner of parcel 010-113845-00, continuing to the northeast corner of parcel 010-113844-00, continuing south along the west side of the eastern boundaries of parcels 010-113844-00 and 010-113811-00 to Loxley Drive, continuing west along the north side of Loxley Drive to the northwest corner of parcel 010-113867-00, continuing south along the west side of parcels 010-113867-00, 010-116128-00, 010-112331-00, and 010-301462-00 to the southwest corner of parcel 010-301462-00, continuing east along the south of parcels 010-301462-00 and 010- 111909-00 to Parsons Avenue, continuing south along the west side of Parsons Avenue to the southeast corner of parcel 510-129898-00.
In addition to this description of the boundaries, the Community Reinvestment Area is also approximately depicted as the area on the map marked Exhibit B, attached to this Ordinance, and on the list of parcel numbers marked Exhibit C, both of which are incorporated herein.
In the event that an owner of a parcel within the Community Reinvestment Area combines the parcel within the Community Reinvestment Area with adjoining parcel(s) outside the Community Reinvestment Area, the resultant combined parcel shall be deemed to be within the Community Reinvestment Area only if (1) the parcel that was within the Community Reinvestment Area prior to the parcel combination constitutes at least fifty percent of the total parcel area of the combined parcel; (2) the parcels were combined into a the parcel number listed in Exhibit C to be included in the Community Reinvestment Area at the time of this ordinance; and (3) the parcel(s) that were combined with the parcel inside of the Community Reinvestment Area are all contiguous with and adjacent to the parcel within the Community Reinvestment Area.
Only properties that are residentially zoned pursuant to the Columbus City Codes or are located on a
parcel for which a variance permitting residential use has been granted will be eligible for exemptions under this program. For purposes of ORC Sections 3735.65 to 3735.70, rental housing, including
without limitation rental housing located in a structure containing multiple residential housing units, is classified as residential.
Section 3. All other provisions of Ordinance No. 2168-2020, as amended by Ordinance No. 1870-2022 and Ordinance No. 3357-2022 regarding the Far South CRA, which are not amended herein, remain unchanged and effective as adopted prior to this Ordinance.
Section 4. That the CRA Housing Council shall make an annual inspection of the properties within the district for which an exemption has been granted under R.C. Section 3735.66, and shall hear appeals as required by R.C. 3735.70.
Section 5. Upon passage, the Clerk of this Council is directed to forward a copy of this Ordinance to the Franklin County Auditor for information and reference. The Clerk of this Council is further directed to cause notice of the passage of this Ordinance in a newspaper of general circulation in the City once a week for two consecutive weeks immediately following its passage, as required by Section 3735.66 of the Ohio Revised Code.
Section 6. Upon passage, the Director shall send, by certified mail, one copy of the Ordinance and a map of the Community Reinvestment Area in sufficient detail to denote the specific boundaries of the area, to the State Director of Development.
Section 7. This Council further authorizes and directs the Mayor, the Clerk of Council, the Director of Development and/or other appropriate officers of the City, to prepare and sign all agreements and documents and to take any other actions as may be appropriate or necessary to implement this Ordinance.
Section 8. That this ordinance shall take effect and be in force from and after the earliest period allowed by law.