Explanation
Background: This ordinance authorizes the Director of Recreation and Parks to enter into two grant agreements with the Ohio Public Works Commission (OPWC) for the 2021 Clean Ohio Conservation Fund (Round 15) - Cherrybottom Park Expansion Project. This ordinance will also authorize the appropriation of grant and matching funds. The total grant amount is $659,520.00, and the total local match amount is $256,480.00. There is a total of $916,000.00 in grant and matching funds being authorized by this ordinance.
Ordinance No. 0330-2021 authorized the Director of Recreation and Parks to apply for funding through the Ohio Public Works Commission (OPWC) Clean Ohio Trails Fund. In February of 2021, the Department applied for Clean Ohio Conservation Funds towards fee simple acquisition of three sites in Columbus, including one along Big Walnut Creek in the Northeast area of the city and two along Mason Run, in the city’s Mideast Community. In May of 2021, the Department received notice that the grants were approved. This ordinance involves two grants that involve the expansion of Cherrybottom Park. The sites involved are Capitol City Baptist and the Venice Club.
Big Walnut Creek is considered one of the highest quality major waterways in Central Ohio. For several years, acquiring and preserving valuable riparian corridor along the north segment of the river has been a focus of the Recreation and Parks Department. This project will acquire two adjacent properties which would add 7.3 acres to Cherrybottom Park, a significant 90 acre parkland between Morse Road and State Route 161. The first site, known as Capitol City Baptist, is a 3.25 acre tract of natural land along the top of a ridge overlooking Big Walnut Creek. The second site, known as the Venice Club, is a 4.1 acre tract of land directly along Big Walnut Creek, including 450 feet of stream frontage, 750 feet of forested cliff side, and two high quality wetland areas. Acquiring these sites provides substantial long term preservation for water quality, forest preservation, protection of habitat, and future new public access for the neighborhoods along Sunbury Road.
Principal Parties:
Ohio Public Works Commission
Clean Ohio Conservation Fund, District 3
65 East State Street, Suite 312
Columbus, OH 43215
Emergency Justification: Emergency action is requested as the Department is in negotiations for the sites and the funds need to be available to acquire the property.
Benefits to the Public: This project will help protect the city’s high quality waterways, greenway corridors, ravines, and urban forests. These sites are within rapidly urbanizing areas of the city and preservation of key natural sites is one of the main missions of the Recreation and Parks Department. Conservation of these sites relies heavily upon outside funding assistance to achieve these benefits.
Community Input/Issues: During the past decade, residents in these communities, and the city at large, have expressed a strong priority for more protected stream corridors, headwater tributaries, access to nature, walking paths, and urban forest conservation.
Area(s) Affected: Rocky Fork-Blacklick (33)
Master Plan Relation: This project will support the Recreation and Parks Master Plan by protecting the environmental health and resilience of the city’s waterways. It will provide long term protection corridors for walking, biking, and outdoor experiences. Improved and equitable access to trails and greenways will also be achieved.
Fiscal Impact: This ordinance will authorize the appropriation of $659,520.00 in grant funds in the Recreation and Parks Grant Fund 2283. $195,840.00 of this grant total is for the Capitol City Baptist site and $463,680.00 is for the Venice Club Site. This ordinance will also authorize grant match funding in the amount of $256,480.00 from the Recreation and Parks Voted Bond Fund 7702. $76,160.00 of this grant match total is for the Capitol City Baptist site and $180,320.00 is for the Venice Club Site. $256,480.00 is budgeted and available from within the Recreation and Parks Voted Bond Fund 7702 to meet the financial obligations of these grant matches. There is a total of $916,000.00 available for these projects. $272,000.00 is the total available for the Capitol City Baptist site and $644,000.00 is the total available for the Venice Club Site. Future legislation will be prepared to expend these funds once the acquisitions are ready to move forward.
Title
To authorize the Director of Recreation and Parks to enter into two grant agreements with the Ohio Public Works Commission for the Cherrybottom Park Expansion Project; to authorize the Director of Recreation and Parks to accept two grants in the amount of $659,520.00 with a minimum local match of $256,480.00; to authorize the appropriation of $659,520.00 in the Recreation and Parks Grant Fund 2283; to authorize the transfer of $272,804.64 within the Recreation and Parks Voted Bond Fund; to authorize the amendment of the 2020 Capital Improvements Budget Ordinance; and to declare an emergency. ($932,324.64)
Body
WHEREAS, Ordinance No. 0330-2021 authorized the Director of Recreation and Parks to apply for funding through the Ohio Public Works Commission (OPWC) Clean Ohio Trails Fund and OPWC has awarded the City of Columbus two grants for the 2021 Clean Ohio Conservation Fund - Cherrybottom Park Expansion Project; and
WHEREAS, it is necessary to authorize and direct the Director of Recreation and Parks to accept a grant in the amount of $659,520.00, with a minimum local match of $256,480.00, and enter into an agreement with the Ohio Public Works Commission for the 2021 Clean Ohio Conservation Fund - Cherrybottom Park Expansion Project; and
WHEREAS, it is necessary to authorize the appropriation of $659,520.00 to the Recreation and Parks Grant Fund; and
WHEREAS, it is necessary to authorize the amendment of the 2020 Capital Improvements Budget Ordinance 2521-2020 in order to provide sufficient budget authority for this legislation and future projects; and
WHEREAS, it is necessary to authorize the transfer of $272,804.64 within the Recreation and Parks Voted Bond Fund; 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 sign the grant agreement and accept the funding as the Department is in negotiations for the sites and the funds need to be available to acquire the property, all for the preservation of 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 authorized and directed to accept two grants and enter into contracts with the Ohio Public Works Commission for the Cherrybottom Park Expansion Project. The amount of the grant is $659,520.00 and requires a minimum of $256,480.00 in City matching funds. There is a total of $916,000.00 available for these projects. Future legislation will be prepared to expend these funds once the acquisitions are ready to move forward.
SECTION 2. That from the unappropriated monies and from all monies estimated to come into said fund from any and all sources and unappropriated for any other purpose during the fiscal year ending December 31, 2021, the sum of $659,520.00 is appropriated to the Recreation and Parks Grant Fund 2283 per the account codes in the attachment to this ordinance. Appropriation effective upon receipt of executed grant agreement.
SECTION 3. That at the end of the grant period, any repayment of unencumbered balances required by the grantor is hereby authorized and any unused City match monies may be transferred back to the City fund from which they originated in accordance with all applicable grant agreements.
SECTION 4. That the funds necessary to carry out the purpose of this ordinance are hereby deemed appropriated, and the City Auditor shall establish such accounting codes as necessary.
SECTION 5. That the City Auditor is authorized to make any accounting changes to revise the funding source for all contracts or contract modifications associated with this ordinance.
SECTION 6. That the City Auditor is hereby authorized to transfer the unencumbered balance in a project account to the unallocated balance account within the same fund upon receipt of certification by the Director of the Department administering said project that the project has been completed and the monies are no longer required for said project.
SECTION 7. That the transfer of $272,804.64 or so much thereof as may be needed, is hereby authorized between projects within the Recreation and Parks Bond Fund 7702 per the account codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 8. That the 2020 Capital Improvements Budget Ordinance 2521-2020 is hereby amended as follows in order to provide sufficient budget authority for this ordinance and future projects.
Fund / Project / Project Name / Current / Change / Amended
Fund 7702; P513000-100000; Acquisition - Misc. (SIT Supported); $1,102,241 / ($272,805) / $829,436
Fund 7702; P510923-513000; OPWC - Cherrybottom Park Expansion - Capital City Baptist Grant Match (SIT Supported) / $0 / $76,160 / $76,160
Fund 7702; P510924-513000; OPWC - Cherrybottom Park Expansion - Venice Club Grant Match (SIT Supported) / $0 / $180,320 / $180,320
Fund 7702; P517000-100000; Opportunity Projects - Misc. (SIT Supported) / $368,144 / $16,325 / $384,469
SECTION 9. 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.