Explanation
BACKGROUND: The purpose of this ordinance is to authorize the Director of the Columbus Department of Development to apply to the Ohio Department of Development, Clean Ohio Council for redevelopment emergency assistance funding in an amount up to $750,000.00. The requested funding will be used for asbestos removal, demolition and other eligible costs associated with the Dominion Homes Wheatland Avenue Project in the Hilltop Area of Columbus.
The Wheatland Property is situated in the Hilltop Area on the north side of West Broad Street just east of Wheatland Avenue and west of the Ohio Department of Transportation headquarters. The site is 22 acres and was acquired by the City of Columbus from the State of Ohio in 2004 where it formerly served as a Psychiatric Hospital complex.
With input from Hilltop Area residents, the Columbus Department of Development requested and received developer proposals to convert the site to residential use.
Dominion Homes was selected to construct approximately 100 new single-family homes on the site with an average estimated value of $125,000 per home. A recent Phase 2 environmental assessment (approved April 25, 2005, Ord. No. 0594-05) conducted by consultants for the Columbus Department of Development revealed the site will required asbestos removal, structural demolition and soil clean up to prepare the site for redevelopment. This legislation authorizes the application for state grant funding to clean the site.
FISCAL IMPACT: There are no costs to the City of Columbus associated with applying for Clean Ohio emergency
assistance grant funding. If the application is approved by the State, the City of Columbus will receive up to $750,000.00
for asbestos removal, demolition and other eligible costs at the Wheatland Avenue site.
EMERGENCY JUSTIFICATION: This legislation is submitted as an emergency to commence the Clean Ohio emergency grant application immediately.
Title
To authorize and direct the Director of the Columbus Department of Development to apply to the Ohio Department of Development, Clean Ohio Council, for emergency assistance grant funding in an amount of up to $750,000.00 for asbestos removal, demolition and other eligible costs for the Dominion Homes Wheatland Avenue Project; and to declare an emergency.
Body
WHEREAS, the State of Ohio Clean Ohio Program will award $40 million per year, for five years, to communities throughout Ohio for the purpose of clean-up and redevelopment of contaminated or abandoned properties know as "brownfields"; and
WHEREAS, the City of Columbus contains brownfield properties which may qualify for Clean Ohio clean-up and redevelopment grant funding; and
WHEREAS, the Columbus Department of Development has been involved with brownfield redevelopment since 1999 through its administration of the Columbus Brownfield Redevelopment Program and its associated task force; and
WHEREAS, Clean Ohio grant funding will greatly complement the efforts of the Columbus Department of Development in helping to clean-up and redevelop brownfield properties in Columbus; and
WHEREAS, the Columbus Department of Development has identified a brownfield property, which may be eligible for the Clean Ohio emergency grant assistance fund, at Wheatland Avenue, where asbestos removal, demolition and other eligible cost will be required to prepare for site redevelopment; and
WHEREAS, Dominion Homes intends to redevelop the Wheatland Avenue site into approximately 100 single-family homes; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the City of Columbus in that it is immediately necessary to authorize the Director of the Columbus Department of Development to apply to the Ohio Department of Development, Clean Ohio Council, for redevelopment emergency assistance funding, all for the preservation of public health, peace, property, safety and welfare; NOW, THEREFORE:
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
Section 1. That the Director of the Columbus Department of Development is hereby authorized and directed to apply to the Ohio Department of Development, Clean Ohio Council, for emergency assistance grant funding in the amount of up to $750,000.00 for asbestos removal, demolition and other eligible costs for the Dominion Homes Wheatland Avenue Project.
Section 2. That for reasons stated in the preamble hereto, which is hereby made a part hereof, the 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. That this ordinance shall take effect and be in force from and after the earliest period allowed by law.