Explanation
1. BACKGROUND
This ordinance declares City Council's determination that the City proceed with the process of levying special assessments for the purpose of acquiring, constructing, installing, equipping, and improving the streetscape along North High Street from 54’ north of West Starr Avenue to 57’ south of King Avenue/7th Avenue in the Short North area of Columbus, known as the Short North SID - High Street Improvements Phase 3 project, hereafter, the “Project”, which was completed in the fall of 2022. A portion of the Project costs will be subsidized by levying special assessments on the Benefitted Parcels within the Project limits described in the Petition attached to Resolution No. 0406X-2018.
Resolution No. 0406X-2018 was passed by Council on January 14, 2019, declaring the necessity to construct and approve plans, specifications, estimates and profiles for the Project, as required by Section 166 of the City Charter for purposes of establishing the method of assessment, the mode of payment, the number of annual installments, and the portion of the cost to be borne by the City.
The Special Assessments will be collected over 20 years in an amount estimated to be $1,245,939.21.
The total estimated cost for design, construction, and inspection of the improvements is $11,724,332.19.
The City issued individual notices to each property owner informing them of their estimated assessment in accordance with Section 170 of the City Charter. Property owners were notified by certified mail sent out on January 18, 2019. Public notices were published in the City Bulletin on January 19, 2019, and January 26, 2019. There were no objections received for the Project Special Assessments.
2. FISCAL IMPACT
No funding is required for this ordinance.
3. EMERGENCY DESIGNATION
Emergency action is requested to facilitate the submission of the levy ordinances and subsequent administrative actions required for the special assessments to be certified to the Franklin County Auditor before the second Tuesday in September for addition to the 2023 property tax bills.
Title
To declare the determination of City Council to proceed with the process of levying special assessments for the purpose of acquiring, constructing, installing, equipping, and improving the streetscape along North High Street from 54’ north of West Starr Avenue to 57’ south of King Avenue/7th Avenue in the Short North area of Columbus; and to declare an emergency. ($0.00)
Body
WHEREAS, City Council previously adopted Resolution No. 0406X-2018 (the "Resolution of Necessity") on January 14, 2019, which declared the necessity of constructing streetscape improvements along North High Street from 54’ north of West Starr Avenue to 57’ south of King Avenue/7th Avenue, known as the Short North SID - High Street Improvements Phase 3 project (the “Project”), and levying special assessments on Benefitted Parcels in the Short North Special Improvement District (the “District”); and
WHEREAS, the Resolution of Necessity declared the necessity of levying Special Assessments on the Benefitted Parcels within the District in proportion to the special benefits conferred upon such parcels as Assessed Parcels in order to pay for a portion of the cost and expense of the Project which is estimated to be $1,245,939.21; and
WHEREAS, property owners in the District were notified of the Special Assessments through certified mailings sent out on January 18, 2018, and public notices through the City Bulletin on January 19, 2018, and January 26, 2018, and there were no objections thereto; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the Department of Public Service in that it is immediately necessary for this Council to declare the determination that the City proceed with the process of levying special assessments for the purpose of acquiring, constructing, installing, equipping, and improving the aforementioned streetscape in order to facilitate the submission of the levy ordinances and subsequent administrative actions required for the special assessments to be certified to the Franklin County Auditor before the second Tuesday in September for addition to the 2023 property tax bills; now therefore,
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
SECTION 1. That capitalized terms not otherwise defined herein shall have the meaning assigned to each term in the Petition attached as Appendix A to the Resolution of Necessity No. 0406X-2018.
SECTION 2. That it is the determination of the City Council that the City proceed with the process of levying special assessments for the purpose of acquiring, constructing, installing, equipping, and improving streetscape as part of the Short North SID - High Street Improvements Phase 3 project, as declared necessary within Resolution No. 0406X-2018 passed January 14, 2019, in accordance with the Plans, Specifications and Profiles identified as Drawing No. 3385 E, on file in the office of the Director of Public Service.
SECTION 3. That the estimated Special Assessments totaling $1,245,939.21 shall be assessed in accordance with the Resolution of Necessity, and such Special Assessments shall be assessed in the manner set forth in the Resolution of Necessity in proportion to the special benefits conferred upon the Benefitted Parcels as Assessed Parcels.
SECTION 4. That the City's share of the cost of the improvements is inclusive of design, construction, and inspection services.
SECTION 5. 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