Explanation
1. BACKGROUND
The following ordinance authorizes the City Attorney's Office, Real Estate Division to enter into contracts for the provision of ,professional services (e.g. surveys, title work, appraisals, etc.) and to negotiate with property owners to acquire the various property rights necessary to complete the Roadway - Multimodal - Mt Vernon Avenue Phase 1 in the Near East Planning Area (56).
The Department of Public service is engaged in the Roadway - Multimodal - Mt Vernon Avenue Phase 1 project. This project includes roadway improvements to the Martin Luther King Jr/Mount Vernon Avenue corridor from Hamilton Avenue to North Champion Avenue. Improvements include adding on-street separated bike paths with an added concrete median, floating bus islands at various locations, repaving the full width of the roadway and sidewalk repairs.
The cost to acquire the right-of-way needed to complete the project is estimated at $150,000.00. If the cost to acquire the needed right-of-way should exceed this estimate, additional legislation will be submitted to Council requesting the needed funding.
The Department of Public Service is currently finalizing construction plans and is prepared to authorize right-of-way acquisition pending passage of this funding legislation.
Ordinance 0688-2023 authorized the Director of the Department of Public Service, on behalf of the City of Columbus, to prepare and submit a Safe Routes to School Application to the Ohio Department of Transportation; to authorize the Director of Public Service to enter into grant agreements with ODOT, accept and expend grant funds, and issue refunds if necessary after final accounting is performed.
2. FISCAL IMPACT
Funds in the amounts of $150,000.00 are budgeted and available for this project in Fund 7704, the Streets and Highways Bond Fund. An amendment to the 2024 Capital Improvements Budget and a transfer of funds is necessary for the purpose of providing sufficient spending authority for the aforementioned project expenditure. Funds are appropriated.
3. EMERGENCY DESIGNATION
Emergency action is requested to provide hire and acquire funding so that the Department of Public Service can commence Right-of-Way acquisition activities as soon as possible and meet the requirements for the Safe Routes to School funding award from ODOT to avoid penalty and to ensure the safety of the traveling public.
Title
To amend the 2024 Capital Improvement Budget; to authorize the City Auditor to transfer funds between projects within the Streets and Highways Improvements Bond Fund; 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 Roadway - Multimodal - Mt Vernon Avenue Phase 1 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; and to authorize the expenditure of $150,000.00 from the Streets & Highways Bond Fund; and to declare an emergency. ($150,000.00).
Body
WHEREAS, the Department of Public Service is engaged in the Roadway - Multimodal - Mt Vernon Avenue Phase 1 project; and
WHEREAS, this project includes Roadway improvements to the Martin Luther King Jr/Mount Vernon Avenue corridor from Hamilton Avenue to North Champion Avenue. Improvements include adding on-street separated bike paths with an added concrete median, floating bus islands at various locations, repaving the full width of the roadway and sidewalk repairs.; and
WHEREAS, successful completion of this project necessitates the City acquire fee simple title and lesser interests in and to various properties located along the project corridor as additional rights-of-way; and
WHEREAS, right-of-way acquisition cost, including professional services (e.g. surveys, title work, appraisals, etc.), staff and land costs, have been estimated to total $150,000.00; and
WHEREAS, this ordinance authorizes funding in the amount of $150,000.00 for that purpose; and
WHEREAS, it is necessary to authorize an amendment to the 2024 Capital Improvements Budget for the purpose of providing sufficient spending authority for the aforementioned project expenditure; and
WHEREAS, it is necessary to authorize a transfer of funds within Fund 7704, the Streets and Highways Bond Fund, to establish sufficient cash to pay for the project; and
WHEREAS, this ordinance authorizes the City Attorney's Office Real Estate Division to expend $150,000.00, or so much thereof as may be necessary, to hire professional services and to negotiate with property owners to acquire the various property rights necessary to complete the Roadway - Multimodal - Mt Vernon Avenue Phase 1 project; and
WHEREAS, emergency action is requested to provide hire and acquire funding so that the Department of Public Service can commence Right-of-Way acquisition activities as soon as possible and meet the requirements for the Safe Routes to School funding award from ODOT to avoid penalty and to ensure the safety of the traveling public, 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 the 2024 Capital Improvements Budget authorized by ordinance 1907-2024 be amended as follows to establish sufficient authority for this project:
Fund / Project / Project Name / Current / Change /C.I.B. as Amended
7704 / P440104-100040 / Miscellaneous Developments- Vision Zero Action Plan Implementation (Voted Carryover) / $2,140,035.00 / ($150,000.00) / $1,990,035.00
7704 / P531025 - 910002 / Roadway - Multimodal - Mt Vernon Ave Phase 1 (Voted Carryover) / $0.00 / $150,000.00 / $150,000.00
SECTION 2. That the transfer of $150,000.00, or so much thereof as may be needed, is hereby authorized within Fund 7704 (Streets and Highways Bond Fund), from Dept-Div 5912 (Design and Construction), Project P440104-100040 (Miscellaneous Developments- Vision Zero Action Plan Implementation), Object Class 06 (Capital Outlay) to Dept-Div 5912 (Design and Construction), Project P531025-910002 (Roadway - Multimodal - Mt Vernon Ave Phase 1 project), Object Class 06 (Capital Outlay) per the account codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 3. 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 (e.g. surveys, title work, appraisals, etc.), and to negotiate with property owners to acquire the additional rights of way needed to complete the Roadway - Multimodal - Mt Vernon Avenue Phase 1 project in an amount up to $150,000.00.
SECTION 4. That the expenditure of $150,000.00, or so much thereof as may be needed, is hereby authorized in Fund 7704 (Streets and Highways Bond Fund), Dept-Div 5912 (Design and Construction), Project P531025 - 910002 (Roadway - Multimodal - Mt Vernon Ave Phase 1), in Object Class 06 (Capital Outlay) per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 5. That funds are hereby deemed appropriated and expenditures and transfers authorized to carry out the purposes of this ordinance and the City Auditor shall establish such accounting codes as necessary.
SECTION 6. 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 7. 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 8. 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.