Explanation
This Ordinance repeals and replaces certain sections of Ordinance No. 1507-2021 and Ordinance No. 1890-2022 to modify the boundaries of the existing Southeast Community Reinvestment Area ("Southeast CRA") and extend real property tax exemptions for residentially zoned parcels within the existing boundaries. There is a need to re-affirm the current outer boundaries and to incorporate newly annexed parcels within the outer boundaries into the Southeast CRA, to encourage new housing construction and the repair of existing facilities or structures. All exhibits referenced in this Ordinance are on file with the City Clerk’s office.
Title
To repeal certain sections of Ordinance No. 1507-2021 and Ordinance No. 1890-2022 for the Southeast CRA to include newly annexed parcels within the outer geographic boundaries of the Southeast CRA; to provide that the City’s existing Community Reinvestment Area Housing Council shall serve as the Housing Council for the Southeast Community Reinvestment Area, as amended herein.
Body
WHEREAS, the City of Columbus has established a goal of fostering private sector investment to build mixed income neighborhoods dispersed throughout the City; and
WHEREAS, Ordinance No. 1698-78, approved August 3, 1978, authorized the Department of Development to carry out a Community Reinvestment Program, pursuant to Sections 3735.65 to 3735.70 of the Ohio Revised Code, and approved certain administrative procedures for the program; and
WHEREAS, Ordinance No. 1507-2021 created the Southeast Community Reinvestment Area ("Southeast CRA") and authorized real property tax exemptions within it, as provided per Ohio Revised Code; and
WHEREAS, since the creation of the Southeast CRA in Ordinance No. 1507-2021, the boundaries of the Southeast CRA have been amended by Ordinance No. 1890-2022; and
WHEREAS, Ordinance No. 1890-2022 amended the Southeast CRA to adopt the revised residential incentive policy codified in Chapter 4565 of the Columbus City Code; and
WHEREAS, the City’s current CRA Housing Council formed by the passage of Ordinance No. 2412-2003 on November 10, 2003, as required by R.C. Section 3735.69, shall serve as the CRA Housing Council for the Southeast CRA; and
WHEREAS, the need exists to include newly annexed parcels that are located within the outer geographic boundaries of the Southeast CRA, into this CRA, to encourage new housing construction and the repair of existing facilities or structures; and
WHEREAS, an updated housing survey (Exhibit “A”) and a map (Exhibit “B”) as required by R.C. Section 3735.66 have been prepared and are attached to this Ordinance; NOW, THEREFORE,
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
Section 1. Council finds and determines that the area within the Southeast CRA is one in which housing facilities or structures of historic significance are located and new housing construction and repair of existing facilities or structures are discouraged. An updated housing survey is attached hereto as Exhibit “A” and incorporated herein. Council also finds and determines that amending the Southeast CRA is in the City’s best interest and will incentivize the construction or remodeling of affordable housing within this area designation. Hereafter, additions of new language are underlined and deletions are marked as stricken.
Section 2. That Section 2 of Ordinance No. 1507-2021 is repealed and replaced with the following geographic area for the Southeast CRA as depicted in the Map attached hereto as Exhibit “B” and incorporated herein:
All parcels (1) located in the area bound by Hamilton Road to the west, Winchester Pike, Blacklick Creek, and Refugee, Long, and Motts Place Roads to the north, the City of Columbus boundary to the east, and Lehman Road and US Route 33 to the south, as reflected on the map attached hereto, and (2) that are part of the City of Columbus as of the date of the passage of this Ordinance. A full list of the parcels that are part of the Southeast Community Reinvestment Area is also attached hereto.
In addition to this description of the boundaries, the Southeast Community Reinvestment Area is also approximately depicted as the area on the map marked Exhibit B, attached to this Ordinance, and on the list of parcel numbers marked Exhibit C, both of which are incorporated herein.
In the event that an owner of a parcel within the Community Reinvestment Area combines a parcel within the Community Reinvestment Area with an adjoining parcel(s) outside the Community Reinvestment Area, the resultant combined parcel shall be deemed to be within the Community Reinvestment Area only if (1) the parcel that was within the Community Reinvestment Area prior to the parcel combination constitutes at least fifty percent of the total parcel area of the combined parcel; (2) the parcels were combined into a the parcel number listed in Exhibit C to be included in the Community Reinvestment Area at the time of this Ordinance; and (3) the parcel(s) that were combined with the parcel inside of the Community Reinvestment Area are all contiguous with and adjacent to the parcel within the Community Reinvestment Area.
Only properties that are residentially zoned pursuant to the Columbus City Codes or are located on a parcel for which a variance permitting residential use has been granted will be eligible for exemptions under this program. For purposes of ORC Sections 3735.65 to 3735.70, rental housing, including without limitation rental housing located in a structure containing multiple residential housing units, is classified as residential.
Section 3. Section 5 of Ordinance No. 1890-2022 is repealed and replaced with the following:
That the CRA Housing Council formed by City Council by the passage of Ordinance No. 2412-2003 on November 10, 2003, and any subsequent amendments thereto, including re-appointments and new appointments of members as authorized by that legislation, is appointed as the CRA Housing Council for the Southeast CRA to fulfill the duties required by R.C. Section 3735.69. That a Community Reinvestment Area Housing Council shall be created, consisting of two members appointed by the Mayor of the City of Columbus, two members appointed by the Council of the City of Columbus, and one member appointed by the Planning Commission of Columbus. The majority of those members shall then appoint an additional member who resides within the CRA. Terms of the members of the Council shall be for three years. An unexpired term resulting from a vacancy in the Council shall be filed in the same manner as the initial appointment was made for the remainder of the term of the vacated seat. Pursuant to R.C. Section 3735.66, Council designates the City’s Development Director as the Housing Officer as defined in R.C. 3735.70.
Section 4. All other provisions of Ordinance No. 1507-2021, as amended by Ordinance No. 1890-2022 regarding the Southeast CRA, and as amended herein, which are not repealed or replaced herein, remain unchanged and effective as adopted prior to this Ordinance.
Section 5. That the CRA Housing Council shall make an annual inspection of the properties within the district for which an exemption has been granted under R.C. Section 3735.66, and shall hear appeals as required by R.C. 3735.70.
Section 6. Upon passage, the Clerk of this Council is directed to forward a copy of this Ordinance to the Franklin County Auditor for information and reference. The Clerk of this Council is further directed to cause notice of the passage of this Ordinance in a newspaper of general circulation in the City once a week for two consecutive weeks immediately following its passage, as required by Section 3735.66 of the Ohio Revised Code.
Section 7. Upon passage, the Director shall send, by certified mail, one copy of the Ordinance and a map of the Community Reinvestment Area in sufficient detail to denote the specific boundaries of the area, to the State Director of Development.
Section 8. This Council further authorizes and directs the Mayor, the Clerk of Council, the Director of Development and/or other appropriate officers of the City, to prepare and sign all agreements and documents and to take any other actions as may be appropriate or necessary to implement this Ordinance.
Section 9. This Ordinance shall take effect and be in force from and after its approval by the Mayor, or ten days after passage if the Mayor neither approves nor vetoes the same.