Explanation
BACKGROUND: This ordinance authorizes the Director of the Department of Development to enter into an agreement with the Clean Ohio Council to accept a $3 million Clean Ohio program grant for brownfield remediation at the former AC Humko site in the Harrison West neighborhood of Columbus. Approval to apply for the grant was given under Ordinance No. 0729-03, passed May 12, 2003. Authority granted under this legislation will help to allow construction to proceed with the AC Humko redevelopment which will include over 300 residential units, totaling over $40 million in new investment. Companion legislation authorizes approval of an agreement between the City and the developers of the AC Humko site, Royal Tallow Holdings Ltd., who will be directly engaged with site clean-up.
FISCAL IMPACT: There are no costs to the City of Columbus. The City will receive $3 million and administer the use of funds for site clean-up in cooperation with the site developers, Royal Tallow Holdings Ltd., at the former AC Humko site. This ordinance will authorize the grant agreement and the appropriation of the grant funds.
EMERGENCY
JUSTIFICATION: Emergency action is requested in order to undertake site clean up and the construction of roadways prior to the start of construction for housing and to utilize the Clean Ohio brownfield remediation grant prior to its expiration in 2006.
Title
To authorize the Director of the Department of Development to enter into a grant agreement with the Clean Ohio Council for a $3 million Clean Ohio program grant for brownfield remediation at the former AC Humko site; to authorize the appropriation of $3,000,000 from the General Government Grant Fund; and to declare an emergency. ($3,000,000.00)
Body
WHEREAS, the State of Ohio, Clean Ohio program will award $40 million per year, for five years, to communities throughout Ohio for the purpose of cleanup and redevelopment of contaminated or abandoned properties know as "brownfields"; and
WHEREAS, the Department of Development has been involved with brownfield redevelopment since 1999 through its administration of the Columbus Brownfields Redevelopment Program and its associated task force; and
WHEREAS, the Department of Development has been awarded a $3 million Clean Oho program grant for brownfield redevelopment at the site known as the former AC Humko site at 525 W. First Avenue and that Royal Tallow Holdings Ltd. has agreed to partner with the City to clean up and redevelop the site; and
WHEREAS, an agreement between the Clean Ohio Council and the City is necessary to receive the $3 million grant award; and
WHEREAS, Columbus City Council has demonstrated its support of efforts to obtain Clean Ohio program grant funding through its passage of Resolution No. 102X-03 on May 12, 2003 and Ordinance No. 0729-03 on May 12, 2003; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the Department of Development in that it is immediately necessary to enter into the aforementioned agreement to accomplish said purpose for the preservation of public health, property, safety and welfare; NOW, THEREFORE,
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
Section 1. That the Director of Department of Development, is authorized to enter into a grant agreement with the Clean Ohio Council for a $3 million Clean Ohio grant for the redevelopment of the former AC Humko site at 525 W. First Avenue.
Section 2. That from the unappropriated balance of the General Government Grant Fund, Fund 220 and from all monies estimated to come into said fund the sum of $3,000,000 is hereby deemed appropriated to the Department of Development, Economic Development Division, Division No. 44-02, as follows:
Project Grant No. Object Level Three OCA Code Amount
443009 443009 3336 443009 $3,000,000
Section 3. That for 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 this ordinance.