Explanation
BACKGROUND: This Council is being asked to approve and to declare the necessity to implement the Plan of Service, adopted by the University District Special Improvement District (SID) and the necessity to levy special assessments for the respective services set forth in said Plan upon the lots and lands benefiting under the Plan, and to declare an emergency.
The property owners in the SID request reauthorization of the Plan of Service for an additional five-year period (2026-2030).
A one-petition process has been initiated in which owners representing at least 60% of the property frontage within the SID signed a petition approving the reauthorization of the SID and the Plan of Service. This petition was accepted and approved by Columbus City Council by Ordinance No. 1031-2025. Another action required by the Ohio Revised Code is the approval of the Plan of Service ("Plan") which was approved by Council in Ordinance No. 1035-2025.
This legislation is the third of four actions required by Chapter 1710 of the Ohio Revised code to reauthorize.
Emergency action is required to enable the SID to allow the special assessment process to proceed in a timely manner.
FISCAL IMPACT: No funding is required for this legislation.
Title
To declare the necessity to implement the Plan of Service for the University District Special Improvement District and the necessity to levy a special assessment for the improvements and services set forth in said plan upon the lots and lands benefiting under the plan; and to declare an emergency.
Body
WHEREAS, Chapter 1710 of the Revised Code, effective September 29, 1994 provides for the creation of Special Improvement Districts (SID), by non-profit corporations governed by trustees elected by the property owners for the provision of special services in designated district.
WHEREAS, the property owners located in the SID area have initiated a petition to reauthorize the SID and have filed the petition with the Clerk of the Columbus City Council along with Articles of Incorporation; and
WHEREAS, the Plan of Service call for the provision of these services to be funded by special assessments; and
WHEREAS, Section 1710.02 and 1710.06 of the Ohio Revised Code authorizes the participating subdivision to levy special assessments to pay for the costs of the services as set forth in said Plan of Service for the economic development and continued improvement of the SID; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the Department of Development, Economic Development Division, in that it is immediately necessary to implement the Plan of Service and the necessity to levy special assessments for the services set forth in the Plan of Service for the economic development and continued improvement of the SID all for the immediate preservation of public health, peace, property, safety, and welfare; NOW, THEREFORE,
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
SECTION 1. That it is declared necessary to implement the Plan of Service for the University District Special Improvement District.
SECTION 2. That the Council of the City of Columbus finds and determines that 1) the Plan of Service is conducive to the public health, convenience and welfare of this City and inhabitants thereof, and 2) the lots and lands to be assessed as, on file with the City Clerk, are especially benefited by the services set forth in the Plan in amount equal to or greater than the assessed amounts.
SECTION 3. That a portion of the cost of the services set forth in the Plan of Service shall be assessed as per the Plans of Service. The Council of the City of Columbus hereby determines that said assessments for services to be provided per the Plan of Service for all such lots and lands as described in the Plan of Service, on file with the City Clerk, are necessary.
SECTION 4. That the University District Special Improvement District is authorized and directed to prepare and file with City Council in the office of the Clerk of Council an assessment report in accordance with the method of assessment provided for in this Ordinance. Such assessment report shall show the lots and lands assessed and the amount of assessment as to each. When the estimated assessments have been so filed, the Council Clerk, or her designate, shall cause notice of the adoption of this Ordinance and the filing of the estimated assessments to be served in a manner provided by law to the owners of all lots and lands to be assessed.
SECTION 5. That the assessments to be levied shall be paid in semi-annual installments and that the term of assessments shall be for five (5) years from January 1, 2026 through December 31, 2030; and further provided that owner of any property assessed may, at his or her option, pay such assessment in cash within thirty (30) days after passage of the assessing ordinance.
SECTION 6. That the Clerk of Council is directed to certify a copy of this Ordinance to the City Auditor.
SECTION 7. That the assessment to be levied and collected pursuant to this Ordinance may be levied and collected in whole or in part to facilitate the performance of the Plan.
SECTION 8. That the Clerk of Council is hereby directed to post a copy of this Ordinance as provided by law.
SECTION 9. 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 in force from and after its adoption and approval by the Mayor or ten days after adoption if Mayor neither approves nor vetoes the same.