Explanation
1. BACKGROUND
This legislation authorizes the City Attorney’s Office, Real Estate Division, to hire professional services and to negotiate with property owners to acquire the various property rights necessary to complete the Pedestrian Safety Improvements-Waggoner Road Shared Use Path project.
The Department of Public Service is currently engaged in the Pedestrian Safety Improvements-Waggoner Road Shared Use Path project, which encompasses constructing a shared use path, including curb ramps, on the east side of Waggoner Road from Broad Street to Chapel Stone Road, located in the Far East Community Planning Area. The Department of Public Service is currently finalizing construction plans and is prepared to authorize right of way acquisition pending passage of this legislation.
Ordinance 1379-2016, passed June 6, 2016, authorized initial acquisition funding for this project, in the amount of $225,000.00. The initial acquisition legislation authorized the City Attorney to contract for professional services and to acquire fee simple title and lesser interests in and to real property necessary to the project, with the understanding that more funding may be required in the future.
It is now necessary that the City Attorney's Office expend an additional $125,000.00 in order to pay for costs relative to the acquisition of right of way necessary to the Pedestrian Safety Improvements-Waggoner Road Shared Use Path project.
2. FISCAL IMPACT
Funds in the amount of $125,000.00 are available for this project in the Streets and Highways Bond Fund within the Department of Public Service 2016 Capital Improvement Budget.
3. EMERGENCY DESIGNATION
Emergency action is requested to provide necessary right-of-way acquisition funding and prevent unnecessary delays in the Department of Public Service’s Capital Improvement Program.
Title
To authorize the City Attorney's Office, Real Estate Division, to contract for professional services relative to the acquisition of fee simple title and lesser interests in and to property needed for the Pedestrian Safety Improvements-Waggoner Road Shared Use Path project; to authorize the City Attorney's Office, Real Estate Division to negotiate with property owners to acquire the additional rights of way necessary to complete this project; to authorize the expenditure of $125,000.00 from the Streets and Highways Bond Fund; and to declare an emergency. ($125,000.00)
Body
WHEREAS, the Department of Public Service is engaged in the Pedestrian Safety Improvements-Waggoner Road Shared Use Path project; and
WHEREAS, this project will construct a shared use path on the east side of Waggoner Road from Broad Street to Chapel Stone Road; and
WHEREAS, initial acquisition funding for this project, in the amount of $225,000.00, was authorized pursuant to Ordinance No. 1379-2016, passed June 6, 2016; and
WHEREAS, this legislation authorizes the City Attorney to contract for professional services and to acquire fee simple title and lesser interests in and to real property necessary to the project, with the understanding that more funding may be required in the future; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the Department of Public Service in that it is immediately necessary to authorize the above actions so that funding can be made available for the necessary right-of-way acquisition for the project, thereby preserving the public health, peace, property, safety and welfare; now, therefore
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
SECTION 1. That the City Attorney's Office, Real Estate Division, be, and hereby is, authorized to acquire fee simple title and lesser interests in and to certain parcels of real estate, to contract for professional services, and to negotiate with property owners to acquire the additional rights of way needed to complete the Pedestrian Safety Improvements-Waggoner Road Shared Use Path project.
SECTION 2. That the expenditure of the sum of $125,000.00, or so much thereof as may be needed, is hereby authorized in Fund 7704 Streets and Highways G.O. Bonds Fund in object class 06 Capital Outlay per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 3. 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 4. 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 5. 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 6. 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.