Explanation
Background: This legislation authorizes an amendment to Ordinance No. 0406-2025, passed by Columbus City Council on February 25, 2026, to allow for an adjustment to the total tillable acreage and subsequently the annual rent associated with the City’s farm lease with JRS Writsel Farms, GP.
Ordinance No. 0406-2026, passed by Columbus City Council on February 25, 2026, authorized the Director of Development to execute those documents necessary to further amend the Agreement for Lease of Real Property for Agricultural Purposes with JRS Writsel Farms, GP, dated December 1, 2016.
After ordinance passage an adjustment was required to the total tillable acreage to be leased that would also change the annual rent to be received by the City. The total tillable acreage now associated with this lease is 241 acres and the annual rent would be $44,585.00.
Emergency Justification:
Emergency action is requested to allow the Lease to be executed as soon as possible so that the Tenant does not miss the 2026 planting window.
FISCAL IMPACT: No funding is required for this legislation
Title
To amend Ordinance No. 0406-2026, passed by Columbus City Council on February 25, 2026 to allow for an adjustment in the total tillable acreage to 241 acres and annual rent to be $44,585.00 associated with the City’s farm lease with JRS Writsel Farms, GP; and to declare an emergency. ($0.00)
Body
WHEREAS, Ordinance No. 0406-2025, passed by Columbus City Council on February 25, 2026, authorized the Director of Development to execute those documents necessary to further amend the Agreement for Lease of Real Property for Agricultural Purposes with JRS Writsel Farms, GP, dated December 1, 2016; and
WHEREAS, after ordinance passage an adjustment was required to the total tillable acreage to be leased that would also change the annual rent to be received by the City. The total tillable acreage now associated with this lease is 241acres and the annual rent would be $44,585.00; and
WHEREAS, the Director of Development requests that Ordinance No. 0406-2026 be amended in order to correct the total tillable acreage being leased and the annual rent; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the Department of Development in that it is immediately necessary to amend Ordinance 0406-2026, passed by Columbus City Council on February 25, 2026, to prevent further delays and allow the lease amendment to be executed by the City as soon as possible, all for the immediate 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 Section 1 of Ordinance No. 0406-2026 is hereby amended as follows, with additions in underline and deletions in strikethrough:
SECTION 1. That the Director of Development, or authorized signatory, be, and hereby is, authorized to execute those documents as prepared and approved by the Department of Law, Real Estate Division, necessary to the Agreement for Lease of Real Property for Agricultural Purposes, dated December 1, 2016, and as amended by that First, Second and Third Amendment to Agreement for Lease of Real Property for Agricultural Purpose, by and between the City of Columbus and JRS Writsel Farms, GP, to adjust the size of the Leased Premises by 184.26 241 acres and the associated annual rent is decreased from $73,056.50 to $44,585.00.
SECTION 2. That existing Section 1 of Ordinance No. 0406-2026 and all references in the Background section and recitals of Ordinance No. 0406-2026 inconsistent with this ordinance are hereby repealed.
SECTION 3. That all provisions of Ordinance No. 0406-2026 not expressly repealed herein shall remain in full force and effect.
SECTION 4. That for the reason 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.