Explanation
Background: This ordinance authorizes the Director of Recreation and Parks to execute and acknowledge any documents or agreements, as approved by the City Attorney, to amend, release, modify, or enter into new Environmental Covenants involving City owned real property located near Rocky Fork Creek, and to grant a sewer easement to the City of New Albany for a new public park (Taylor Farm).
The City of Columbus is the owner of a 42 acre protected natural area in the City’s northeast area. The property is generally located east of Hamilton Road and south of State Route 161, with the Rocky Fork Creek flowing along the eastern boundary. The property is subject to an Ohio EPA Environmental Covenant (EC), recorded as Instrument Number 200710120179039. Immediately east of the Property, the City of New Albany is building a new 98 acre public park and wetland restoration area, as well as a section of the Rocky Fork regional greenway. New Albany has approached the Columbus Recreation and Parks Department to request the granting of a sanitary sewer easement that is approximately 25 feet by 50 feet along the south Property line of the EC, along Old Dublin-Granville Road, to service a new visitor center at the park. The Columbus Recreation and Parks Department has reviewed the request and examined its location. The Department agrees that granting the easement creates minimal environmental impact to the property during construction and creates no long term impacts. The Ohio EPA has agreed to amend the EC to allow for the sanitary sewer to connect to a manhole on the Property. The Columbus Recreation and Parks Department supports amending the EC and granting the sanitary easement to another governmental agency at no cost, given that it will allow the public park to be developed.
Principal Parties:
City of New Albany
99 West Main Street
New Albany, Ohio 43054
Adrienne Joly, (614) 855-3913, ajoly@newalbanyohio.org
Emergency Justification: Emergency action is requested as there is urgency to allow for the easement to be granted for the new park to finish construction in 2023, prior to inclement weather.
Benefits to the Public: The far northeast area of Columbus, in the Hamilton Road Corridor, is one of the City’s fastest developing areas, and City of Columbus property surrounds this new park on three sides. Having a new 98 acre park, natural area, and trail developed in this underserved area provides significant benefits for over 3,000 Columbus residents within a 10 minute walk to the site. New Albany and Columbus have been partnering for several years on development of greenspaces and trail connectivity along their 3 mile shared Rocky Fork Creek boundary. This project will become an anchor park and trail head for the community.
Community Input/Issues: Significant public input was involved in the development planning for the site, including trail accessibility, visitor amenities, wetland restoration, and educational interpretive facilities.
Area(s) Affected: Rocky Fork-Blacklick (33)
Master Plan Relation: This project will support the Recreation and Parks Master Plan by providing high quality, accessible parks within a 10 minute walkshed of all Columbus residents.
Fiscal Impact: No fiscal action is required at this time.
Title
To authorize the Director of the Recreation and Parks Department to execute and acknowledge any documents or agreements, as approved by the City Attorney, to amend, release, modify, or enter into new Environmental Covenants involving City owned real property located near Rocky Fork Creek; to grant a sewer easement to the City of New Albany for a new public park (Taylor Farm); and to declare an emergency. ($0)
Body
WHEREAS, it is necessary to authorize the Director of the Recreation and Parks Department to execute and acknowledge any documents or agreements, as approved by the City Attorney, to amend, release, modify, or enter into new Environmental Covenants involving City owned real property located near Rocky Fork Creek; and to grant a sewer easement to the City of New Albany for a new public park (Taylor Farm); and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operations of the Recreation and Parks Department in that it is immediately necessary to authorize the Director to execute and acknowledge any documents or agreements, as approved by the City Attorney, to amend, release, modify, or enter into new Environmental Covenants involving City owned real property located near Rocky Fork Creek, and to grant a sewer easement to the City of New Albany for a new public park as there is urgency to allow for the easement to be granted for the new park to finish construction in 2023, prior to inclement weather, all for the preservation of the public health, peace, property, safety, and welfare and, 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 execute and acknowledge any documents or agreements, as approved by the City Attorney, to amend, release, modify, or enter into new Environmental Covenants involving City owned real property located near Rocky Fork Creek; and to grant a sewer easement to the City of New Albany for a new public park (Taylor Farm).
SECTION 2. That for the reasons stated in the preamble hereto, which is hereby made a part hereof, this ordinance is hereby declared to be an emergency measure and shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage and approval by the Mayor, or ten days after passage if the Mayor neither approves nor vetoes the same.