Explanation
1. BACKGROUND
This legislation authorizes the Director of Public Service to enter into an agreement with the Short North Alliance, Inc. (SNA) to contribute funding for various public parking initiatives within the Short North Parking Benefit District.
The City of Columbus, Department of Public Service, in order to facilitate additional parking and mobility options, partnered with the Short North Alliance, Inc. to implement parking and mobility programs. These programs increase access for all user groups and support the growth and development of the Short North. These programs include visitor parking validation, employee mobility benefits, marketing and communication, transit focused incentives and administration.
The visitor validation program meets the goal of increasing occupancy at off-street garages in the Short North and maximizing off-street parking supply. The employee mobility benefits fund provides a pool of funds that are used to provide mobility benefits to employees and reduce parking demand and traffic congestion in the Short North, specifically within the neighborhood and on permit streets. The Short North Marketing & Communications program advocates for and educates the public on transportation and parking options through print and online media and in the form of signage on-street. The SNA will administer programs related to parking and mobility for the Short North Parking Benefit District. The SNA will administer a program providing free fares for transit trips on COTA buses. This program will dedicate funds to employees, visitors, and residents to provide a free month of transit trips. A study will be conducted on the Mobility Options in order to find solutions that will increase walking, biking, and use of public transit within the Short North.
2. FISCAL IMPACT
This ordinance authorizes the expenditure of $300,000.00 in the Mobility Enterprise Fund, Fund 6500, subfund 650001.
3. EMERGENCY DESIGNATION
Emergency action is requested to allow the Department of Public Service to facilitate the execution of the contribution in early 2026 so necessary funds are available to sustain these programs in 2026 and to prevent unnecessary delays in the implementation of the parking mobility programs.
Title
To authorize the Director of the Department of Public Service to execute a contribution agreement with the Short North Alliance, Inc. to provide funding for various public parking initiatives within the Short North Parking Benefit District in 2026; to authorize an expenditure in an amount up to $300,000.00 from the Mobility Enterprise Operating Fun; and to declare an emergency. ($300,000.00)
Body
WHEREAS, this legislation authorizes the Director of Public Service to enter into a contribution agreement with the Short North Alliance, Inc. (SNA) to contribute funding for various public parking initiatives within the Short North Parking Benefit District; and
WHEREAS, the Department of Public Service, in order to facilitate additional parking and mobility options, partnered with the Short North Alliance, Inc. to implement parking and mobility programs; and
WHEREAS, the Department of Public Service recognizes the public benefit of those improvements to and has agreed to contribute up to $300,000.00 toward the completion of those improvements; and
WHEREAS, this legislation authorizes the execution of a contribution agreement between the aforementioned entities; and
WHEREAS, it is necessary to authorize the expenditure of $300,000.00 from the Mobility Enterprise Fund;
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the Department of Public Service in that it is immediately necessary to authorize the Director to enter into a contribution agreement with SNA to allow the Department of Public Service to satisfy its financial commitment as soon as reasonably practicable so as to prevent unnecessary delays in the completion of planned improvements, 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 the Director of Public Service be and hereby is authorized to enter into a contribution agreement with Short North Alliance, Inc. (SNA) to contribute funding for various public parking initiatives within the Short North Parking Benefit District.
SECTION 2. That the expenditure of $300,000.00, or so much thereof as may be needed, is hereby authorized within Fund 6500 (Mobility Enterprise Fund) from Dept-Div 5906 (Division of Parking Services), in Object Class 03 (Services) 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.