Explanation
BACKGROUND:
The Association of University Related Business Parks has estimated there are over 200 research parks housing 4,000 companies, which employ over 225,000 workers in the United States. Research parks in the United States average between 500 - 1,000 acres. With the exception of the 53 acre Scitech campus, Columbus does not have a large-scale research park. This is due in part to a lack of a single, large (over 1,000 acres) developable tract of land within the city. Therefore, our ability to market and attract national and international high-tech companies to Columbus is compromised.
However, Columbus is fortunate to have an incredibly important economic development asset in the intense clustering of world-class educational, research, and knowledge-based companies and organizations located along the State Route 315 corridor. Anchored by The Ohio State University (and its associated research and medical institutions), Battelle Memorial Institute, Scitech, the Business Technology Center, Mt. Carmel and Riverside hospitals and a diverse variety of other high-tech institutions - an internationally important corridor emerges when these assets are combined into one, marketable location. The concept of a Columbus research corridor would promote interaction among community, government, business, industry, and academia whereby quality research and training in higher education institutions is used to develop, attract and retain knowledge-based, high-technology companies, in order to create high paying jobs for Columbus residents. By utilizing our existing resources the City of Columbus and its partners could create a new model for urban research parks - a cluster of linked, interdependent, public and private organizations melded into a seamless corridor located in close proximity to The Ohio State University.
In order to fully explore and develop this concept, Columbus City Council and the City Development Department propose to contract with the Columbus Chamber of Commerce to assess the possibilities associated with developing such a concept. The Columbus Chamber of Commerce is actively involved in the science and technology initiatives in the City of Columbus with the same end goal of job creation and increased investment for the City.
This legislation authorizes the appropriation and expenditure of $138,000 from the Jobs Growth Fund to allow the City to enter into a contract with the Columbus Chamber of Commerce for the provision of providing a Columbus research corridor Master Plan for The Master Plan will include a catalog of the assets of the project area, land analysis of the project area, and a master plan concept. Council member Mary Jo Hudson, chair of the Jobs and Economic Development Committee, deems this science and technology venture an appropriate use of the Jobs Growth Fund.
Emergency Action is requested so that the contract with the Columbus Chamber of Commerce can be executed immediately and they can continue to work to facilitate job growth in Columbus.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The funding for this contract will draw from the $2 million Job Growth Initiative Fund established by City Council in the 2005 budget.
Title
To authorize the appropriation of $138,000 within the Jobs Growth Fund to the Development Department; to authorize the Director of the Department of Development to enter into a contract with the Columbus Chamber of Commerce to provide a master plan for a proposed Columbus research corridor; to authorize the expenditure of $138,000 from the Jobs Growth Fund; and to declare an emergency. ($138,000)
Body
WHEREAS; City Council amended the 2005 budget to create a $2 million Job Growth Initiatives Fund; and
WHEREAS, the City of Columbus is limited in its ability to attract research, knowledge-based, high-tech, companies due to a lack of a master strategy for compiling and developing the physical and "smart capital" resources to create a world-class research park; and
WHEREAS, an intense clustering of world-class research, science and technology institutions and companies exist along the State Route 315; and
WHEREAS, The City of Columbus desires to create more jobs for its residents and desires to attract more research and knowledge-based companies into the city; and
WHEREAS, The City of Columbus would like to explore the possibility of creating a Columbus research corridor to be marketed nationally and internationally; and
WHEREAS, The Columbus Chamber of Commerce has a demonstrated track record in direct in job creation and high-tech business recruitment and can provide master planning services to explore the concept of a Columbus research corridor; and
WHEREAS, the master plan will include a catalog of the physical and research assets in the project area, land analysis of the project area and a master plan concept; and
WHEREAS, Council deems it an appropriate use of the Jobs Growth Fund to support this effort; and
WHEREAS, emergency action is necessary to allow the Columbus Chamber of Commerce to create this master plan in a timely manner; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the Development Department in that it is immediately necessary to enter into the contract with the Columbus Chamber of Commerce to provide a master plan for a potential Columbus research corridor all for the 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 City Auditor is hereby authorized and directed to appropriate $138,000 in the Jobs Growth Fund, Fund 015 to the Development Department, Economic Development Division, Division No. 44-02, Object level One 03, Object level Three 3337, OCA Code 440215.
Section 2. That the Director of the Department of Development is hereby authorized to enter into a contract with the Columbus Chamber of Commerce for the period of July 15, 2005 through October 15, 2005 for the purpose of providing a master plan for a proposed Columbus research corridor.
Section 3. That for the purpose stated in section 2, the expenditure of $138,000 or so much thereof as may be necessary, be and is hereby authorized to be expended from the Department of Development, Economic Development Division No. 44-02, Jobs Growth Fund, Fund 015, Object Level One 03, Object Level Three 3337, OCA Code 440215.
Section 4. That this contract is awarded in accordance with Chapter 329.15 of the Columbus City Codes, 1959.
Section 5. 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 passage and approval by the Mayor, or ten days after passage of the Mayor neither approves nor vetoes the same.