Explanation
BACKGROUND: This ordinance authorizes the Director of the Columbus Department of Development to petition the Director of the Ohio Development Services Agency for an amendment to the certification of an area designated within the City of Columbus (City) as a Community Reinvestment Area (CRA). CRAs have been designated by Columbus City Council under the general guidelines of Ordinance 1698-78. Such areas allow for the granting of real property tax incentives to encourage industrial, commercial and residential growth. This designated area, known as the Easton Square Place CRA, number 049-18000-15, was authorized by Council by Resolution 0110X-2007, adopted on July 16, 2007 and certified by the State of Ohio on December 12, 2007.
This amending ordinance as permitted in Sections 3735.65 to 3735.70 of the Ohio Revised Code will authorize the expansion of the existing Easton Square Place CRA and will continue to provide the City the ability to offer real property tax exemptions for parcels within the expansion area shown on Exhibit A.
The Columbus City School District and the Westerville City School District have been advised of this proposal.
Emergency action is requested to facilitate further development of real estate within the Easton Square Place CRA.
FISCAL IMPACT: No funding is required for this legislation.
Title
To authorize the Director of the Department of Development to amend the existing Easton Square Place Community Reinvestment Area and to petition the Director of the Ohio Development Services Agency for an amendment to the certification of the Easton Square Place Community Reinvestment Area; and to declare an emergency.
Body
WHEREAS, City Council desires to pursue all reasonable and legitimate incentive measures to assist in encouraging housing maintenance and community development; and
WHEREAS, Ordinance 1698-78, approved by City Council on August 3, 1978, authorized the Columbus Department of Development to implement a Community Reinvestment Program, pursuant to Sections 3735.65 to 3735.70 of the Ohio Revised Code, and approved certain administrative procedures for the program; and
WHEREAS, the proposed area and its immediate vicinity have been surveyed and has been found to meet the criteria for designation of a Community Reinvestment Area; and
WHEREAS, on July 16, 2007, City Council adopted Resolution 0110X-2007 designating the Easton Square Place CRA as a community reinvestment area as established by Sections 3735.65 to 3735.70 of the Ohio Revised Code; and
WHEREAS, the opportunity exists to modify the boundaries of the Easton Square Community Reinvestment Area to include parcels within the expansion area shown on Exhibit A (the Expansion Area); and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the Department of Development in that it is immediately necessary to designate the amended Easton Square Place Community Reinvestment Area to facilitate further development of land within the Easton Square Place Community Reinvestment Area, 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 Easton Square Place area has successfully met the criteria for designation as a Community Reinvestment Area.
Section 2. That the boundaries of the Easton Square Place Community Reinvestment Area as proposed to be amended are described and shown on Exhibit A (the Expansion Area) attached hereto and incorporated herein by reference.
Section 3. Except as amended hereby, the original CRA Resolution, Resolution 0110X-2007, shall remain in full force and effect.
Section 4. That reference is hereby made to Resolution 0110X-2007, adopted by City Council on July 16, 2007, as to the designation of the Housing Officer and establishment of a Community Reinvestment Area Housing Council for the amended Easton Square Place Community Reinvestment Area.
Section 5. That a copy of this ordinance shall be forwarded by the Housing Officer to the Director of the Ohio Development Services Agency within fifteen (15) days of its passage and to the Franklin County Auditor, and a copy of this ordinance shall be published in a newspaper of general circulation in the City once a week for two consecutive weeks immediately following its passage as described in Section 3735.66 of the Ohio Revised Code.
Section 6. That for the reasons stated in the preamble hereto, which 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.