Explanation
Background: This ordinance authorizes the Director of Recreation and Parks issue a nonexclusive sewer easement to the Village of Galena for installation of a subsurface sanitary sewer to provide services to their Miller Farms development.
The City of Columbus will offer the Village of Galena a nonexclusive subsurface sanitary within 0.058 acres of the City’s real property in Delaware County at 2795 Old 3C Highway, Galena, Ohio 43021, (Delaware County Tax Parcel 417-430-07-009-000) which is managed as the Hoover Nature Preserve by the Recreation and Parks Department (“Property”). The Village of Galena is requesting a nonexclusive 0.058 acre subsurface sanitary sewer easement, under, across, within and through the Property, and specifically under the Big Walnut Creek, for the installation of two ten (10) inch force main sanitary sewer lines encased within a thirty (30) inch pipe. The easement will provide the sanitary service for the Village of Galena’s expansion on the east side of Big Walnut Creek. The easement is part of the service for the Miller Farms development, which is a 214 acre development serving approximately 1,156 residents. Without the easement, there would be multiple connection points for the force main sanitary sewer, and therefore additional impacts to the surrounding properties creating concerns for water quality impacts and indirect impacts to the Hoover Nature Preserve.
The purpose of the easement is to limit the impact to a single crossing of the Big Walnut Creek, thereby decreasing potential water quality impacts, erosion, and further degradation to the Big Walnut Creek or the Hoover Nature Preserve. The easement will be entirely subsurface with the pipe being installed by jack and bore methods. There will be no impacts to the surface of the Hoover Nature Preserve. As part of granting an easement, the City of Columbus will require the Village of Galena develop and maintain a plan for operation and maintenance for the two force mains along with an overflow emergency response should sanitary sewer overflow occur into the Big Walnut Creek as a result of a force main failure.
The Nature Preserve Advisory Council, the Recreation and Parks Commission, and the Director of the Recreation and Parks Department, the Department of Public Utilities, and the Department of Finance and Management have all reviewed the easement request. They have collectively determined that, while constructing infrastructure that does not directly improve the nature preserve and is generally prohibited under City Code 919.27, the City is offering the easement to the Village of Galena because the alternatives pose a greater risk of harm to the Hoover Nature Preserve and the public drinking water reservoir. The value of the easement has been set at one hundred seventy five thousand dollars ($175,000.00). The Recreation and Parks Department supports granting the 0.058 acre easement in consideration if the Village of Galena: (i) pays the $175,000.00 (ii) restores all of the easement area to conditions aesthetically compatible with the residue servient estate according to the City’s written specifications and approval; (iii) develops a jack and bore contingency plan (iv) develops a force main operations and maintenance and overflow emergency response plan for crossing the Big Walnut Creek and (v) is responsible for any costs associated with the easement’s design, construction, maintenance, and repairs, before, during, and after the construction.
Principal Parties:
Village of Galena
109 Harrison Street, PO Box 386
Galena, Ohio 43021
Jill Love, Mayor
Benefits to the Public: The easement will allow the Village of Galena to move forward with development plans while offering water quality protection for the City of Columbus and adding protections for the Hoover Nature Preserve.
Community Input/Issues: The Village of Galena has hosted community meetings regarding the project and the Nature Preserve Advisory Council has been involved in the project.
Area(s) Affected: Citywide (99)
Master Plan Relation: This project will support the Recreation and Parks Master Plan by expanding municipal partnerships and adding water quality protection measures.
Fiscal Impact: No fiscal action is required at this time. The Village of Galena will pay the City of Columbus $175,000.00 dollars for the easement once completed and the funds will be deposited into the Recreation and Parks Waterways Nature Preservation Special Purpose Subfund 222347.
Title
To authorize the Director of the Recreation and Parks Department to issue a nonexclusive sewer easement to the Village of Galena for installation of a subsurface sanitary sewer to provide services to their Miller Farms development. ($0.00)
Body
WHEREAS, it is necessary to authorize the Director of Recreation and Parks to issue a nonexclusive easement, covering 0.058 acres, to the Village of Galena for installation of a subsurface sanitary sewer to provide services to their Miller Farms development; and
WHEREAS, it has become necessary in the usual daily operations of the Recreation and Parks Department in that it is necessary to authorize the Director to grant this easement; NOW, THEREFORE
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
SECTION 1. That the Director of Recreation and Parks is hereby authorized to grant a nonexclusive easement, covering 0.058 acres, to the Village of Galena for installation of a subsurface sanitary sewer to provide services to their Miller Farms development.
SECTION 2. That this ordinance shall take effect and be in force from and after the earliest period allowed by law.