Explanation
Background: The purpose of this Ordinance is to repeal Ordinance No. 2059-2025 in its entirety and replace it with this Ordinance. The new Ordinance, contained herein, will clearly authorize the grant agreement to include funding up to the full amount of the grant to be advanced per a predetermined schedule. Ordinance No. 2059-2025, passed by City Council on September 8, 2025, and now this legislation authorizes the Director of the Department of Development to enter into the Grant Agreement with the Hilltop RISE Economic Community Development Corp. (“Hilltop RISE”), a non-profit corporation, providing for the acquisition and related costs of about two parcels located at approximately 3085-3093 West Broad Street and 3095-3099 West Broad Street. The City is now in the process of partnering with the Central Ohio Transit Authority to develop bus rapid transit from Downtown Columbus to Prairie Township along W. Broad Street (the “W. Broad St. BRT Corridor”), and the City is implementing ZoneIn Phase 1 and ZoneIn Phase 2 to allow for mixed-use developments along parts of the W. Broad St. BRT Corridor. The City of Columbus will contribute funds to Hilltop RISE to be used for the acquisition and related costs of about two properties for the purpose of Hilltop RISE renovating them into mixed-use properties that will provide affordable housing units at or below 80% AMI and a total of about 6,112 square feet of commercial retail space serving commuters on the W. Broad St. BRT Corridor. Approval is requested for the advance payment up to the full amount of the grant on a predetermined schedule for acquisition and related expenses incurred prior to the execution of the purchase order starting August 22, 2025.
Emergency Justification: An emergency exists in the usual daily operations of the Department of Development in that it is necessary to authorize the Director of the Department of Development to proceed as quickly as possible with the execution of the Grant Agreement with Hilltop RISE to thereafter immediately provide the funds from the City necessary to allow Hilltop RISE to meet the new closing deadline for the acquisition by mid-November, or such property may not be acquired.
Fiscal Impact: The City is transferring, appropriating, and authorizing the expenditure of $1,200,000.00 deposited within the Old Dublin Road TIF Fund (7467) to Hilltop RISE for property acquisition and related costs pursuant to the Grant Agreement with Hilltop RISE.
Title
To repeal Ordinance No. 2059-2025 in its entirety; to authorize the Director of the Department of Development to enter into the Grant Agreement with the Hilltop RISE Economic Community Development Corp. for one million two hundred thousand dollars ($1,200,000.00) for the purpose of funding property acquisition and related costs to allow Hilltop RISE Economic Community Development Corp. to redevelop about two mixed-use projects located at approximately 3085-3093 West Broad Street and 3095-3099 West Broad Street along the LinkUS West Broad Street bus rapid transit corridor; to authorize the transfer, appropriation, and expenditure of the funds deposited within the Old Dublin Road TIF Fund; to advance payment up to the full amount of the grant per a predetermined schedule; to allow for advanced payment of expenditures incurred prior to the purchase order; and to declare an emergency. (1,200,000.00)
Body
WHEREAS, Ordinance No. 2059-2025, passed by City Council on September 8, 2025, authorized the Director of the Department of Development to enter into the Grant Agreement (the “Agreement”) with the Hilltop Rise Economic Community Development Corp (“Hilltop RISE”) providing for the acquisition and related costs of and guidelines to redevelopment of about two buildings into mixed-use projects that consist of a total of affordable housing units at or below 80% AMI and about 6,112 square feet of commercial retail space located at approximately 3085-3093 West Broad Street and 3095-3099 West Broad Street; and
WHEREAS, as part of the closing conditions of the aforesaid properties, Hilltop RISE has requested if the funding under the Agreement may be advanced up to full amount of the grant prior to closing and for payment of expenditures incurred prior to the execution of the purchase order starting August 22, 2025; and
WHEREAS, this Ordinance shall repeal Ordinance No. 2059-2025 and replace it with this Ordinance for the reasons stated herein; and
WHEREAS, the City is now in the process of partnering with the Central Ohio Transit Authority to develop bus rapid transit from Downtown Columbus to Prairie Township along West Broad Street (the “W. Broad St. BRT”) as the first planned bus rapid transit corridor and these properties are adjacent to planned station areas; and
WHEREAS, the City has implemented ZoneIn Phase 1 and is implementing ZoneIn Phase 2 to allow for higher density residential and mixed-use developments along parts of the W. Broad St. BRT Corridor; and
WHEREAS, the purpose of the Agreement is to provide funding for the acquisition and related costs of about two parcels where affordable housing units and commercial retail space will be redeveloped to support commuters on the W. Broad St. BRT Corridor; and
WHEREAS, the terms and conditions of the Agreement will clarify certain responsibilities and conditions of the City and Hilltop RISE towards the acquisition and related costs of about two parcels, including acquisition and related costs funding from the City and with Hilltop RISE being responsible to redevelop, operate, and maintain said parcels; and
WHEREAS, Ordinance No. 1651-2024 determined that satisfactory provision had been made for the public improvements benefiting the Old Dublin Road TIF properties in order to allow the Old Dublin Road TIF funds to be used in support of offsite urban redevelopment for certain “Urban Redevelopment Public Improvements” as identified in Exhibit B of Ordinance No. 1651-2024; and
WHEREAS, the Urban Redevelopment Public Improvements include the acquisition of real estate in aid of industry, commerce, distribution, research, or residential purposes as well as any on-going administrative expenses related to acquisition including, but not limited to, studies, surveying, engineering, architectural, legal, and other consulting and professional services such as those for the Hilltop RISE projects; and
WHEREAS, this legislation is also transferring, appropriating, and authorizing the expenditure of the funds deposited within the Old Dublin Road TIF Fund (7467) to Hilltop RISE for property acquisition and related costs pursuant to the Agreement; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operations of the Department of Development in that it is immediately necessary to authorize the Director of the Department of Development to proceed as quickly as possible with the execution of the Agreement to thereafter immediately advance up to full amount of the grant from the City to Hilltop RISE the funds to meet the new closing deadline for the acquisition by mid-November, or such property may not be acquired in support of the W. Broad St. BRT Corridor and ZoneIn, all for the immediate preservation of the public health, peace, property, safety, and welfare; NOW, THEREFORE
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
Section 1. That Ordinance No. 2059-2025 passed on September 9. 2025 is hereby repealed in its entirety.
Section 2. That the transfer of $1,200,000.00, or so much thereof as may be needed, is hereby authorized within Fund 7467 (Old Dublin Road TIF Fund), from Dept-Div 4402 (Economic Development), Project 467002-100000 (Old Dublin Rd Expansion TIF) to Fund 7467 (Old Dublin Road TIF Fund), Dept-Div 4402 (Economic Development), Project 441781-100001 (Hilltop RISE) per the account codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
Section 3. 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 ended December 31, 2025, the sum of $1,200,000.00 is appropriated in Fund 7467 (Old Dublin Road TIF Fund), Dept-Div 4402 (Economic Development), Project 441781-100001 (Hilltop RISE), in Object Class 06 (Capital Outlay), per the account codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
Section 4. That the Director of the Department of Development, or his or her designee, is authorized to enter into the Grant Agreement with Hilltop RISE for $1,200,000.00 for the purpose of advancing funds up to the full amount of the grant per a predetermined schedule for the property acquisition and related costs for about two parcels located at approximately 3085-3093 West Broad Street and 3095-3099 West Broad Street to support the W. Broad St. BRT Corridor and ZoneIn and to advance payment up to the full amount of the grant for acquisition related expenditures prior to the purchase order starting August 22, 2025.
Section 5. That, pursuant to the Agreement, the expenditure of $1,200,000.00, or so much thereof as may be needed, is hereby authorized in Fund 7467 (Old Dublin Road TIF Fund), Dept-Div 4402 (Economic Development), Project 441781-100001 (Hilltop RISE), in Object Class 06 Capital Outlay per the account codes in the attachment to this Ordinance.
Section 6. That the funds necessary to carry out the purpose of this ordinance are hereby deemed appropriated, authorized for expenditure to carry out the purposes of this ordinance, and the City Auditor shall establish such accounting codes as necessary.
Section 7. 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 8. That the City Auditor is hereby authorized to transfer the unencumbered balance in a project account or sub fund 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 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.