Explanation
BACKGROUND: Pursuant to ordinance No. 0382-07, passed by Columbus City Council on March 12, 2007, the Department of Development applied for, and was awarded, a Clean Ohio grant of $3,000,000.00 from the Ohio Department of Development to perform environmental clean up at the Former Techneglas property in the Southside Area of Columbus.
The purpose of this legislation is to authorize an agreement between the Columbus Department of Development and the Ohio Department of Development to receive and administer the grant and to authorize the developer, TG707, Inc. to apply the grant funding toward the environmental cleanup at the project site.
The former Techneglas site at 707 Jenkins Avenue, served as one of Columbus' major manufacturing employers for over 60 years until closing its doors in August 2004. With over 1 million square feet of industrial and office space, the 48-acre site remained mostly vacant. Local developer Marvin Katz has recently teamed with local businessman Don Garlikov and Greystone & Co., Inc. of New York to form a partnership; TG707, Inc., to renovate and transform the site into a mixed use complex of commercial office, retail and light industrial space with an employment potential of over 1,500 jobs. There are currently 40 jobs at several small businesses on-site with current negotiations to attract a call center to employ over 500.
Remediation activities will involve clean up of a 1972 oil spill on site along with removal of a small plant electric substation and a buried rail spur.
This legislation is submitted as an emergency to commence the Clean Ohio grant process immediately.
FISCAL IMPACT: Funding for this legislation is provided by a Clean Ohio Revitalizaton Fund grant from the Ohio Department of Development in the amount of $3,000,000.00.
Title
To authorize and direct the Director of the Department of Development to enter into an agreement with the Ohio Department of Development to receive and administer Clean Ohio grant funds in an amount of $3,000,000.00; to authorize the appropriation of $3,000,000.00 from the General Government Grant Fund; to authorize and direct the Director of the Department of Development to enter into an agreement with TG707, Inc. to apply said grant funding for environmental clean up work at the former Techneglas Property in the Southside Area of Columbus, to authorize the expenditure of $3,000,000.00 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 clean up and redevelopment of contaminated or abandoned properties known as "brownfields"; and
WHEREAS, the City of Columbus contains brownfield properties which may qualify for Clean Ohio clean up and redevelopment grant funding; and
WHEREAS, the Columbus Department of Development has been involved with brownfield redevelopment since 1999 through its administration of the Columbus Brownfield Redevelopment Program and its associated task force; and
WHEREAS, Clean Ohio grant funding will greatly compliment the efforts of the Columbus Department of Development in helping to clean up and redevelop brownfield properties in Columbus; and
WHEREAS, the Columbus Department of Development has identified a brownfield property, which is eligible for the Clean Ohio grant assistance fund, at the Former Techneglas property where environmental clean up is required before redevelopment can occur; and
WHEREAS, the City was successful in its application to the State of Ohio for a Clean Ohio Revitalization Fund grant of $3,000,000.00 to perform cleanup work at the former Techneglas property; and
WHEREAS, Agreements with the Ohio Department of Development and TG707, Inc. are required in order for the City to receive, administer and apply the Clean Ohio grant of $3,000,000.00 and;
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the City of Columbus in that it is immediately necessary to authorize the Director of the Columbus Department of Development to enter into agreements with the Ohio Department of Development and TG707, Inc., for Clean Ohio funding in order to commence the Clean Ohio grant process immediately, all for the 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 the Director of the Columbus Department of Development is authorized to enter into a grant agreement with the Ohio Department of Development to receive and administer Clean Ohio Revitalization grant funds in the amount of $3,000,000.00 for environmental clean up at the former Techneglas property.
Section 2. That the sum of $3,000,000.00 be and is hereby appropriated from the unappropriated balance of the General Government Grant Fund, Fund 220, Grant 447025, and from all monies estimated to come into said fund from any and all sources and unappropriated for any other purpose during the fiscal year ending December 31, 2007, to the Department of Development, Economic Development Division, Division No. 44-02, Grant 447025, Object Level One 03, Object Level Three 3336, OCA Code 447025.
Section 3. That the Director of the Columbus Department of Development is authorized to enter into an agreement with TG707, Inc. in the amount of $3,000,000.00 for environmental clean up work at the former Techneglas property.
Section 4. That for the purpose stated in Section 3, the expenditure of $3,000,000.00 is hereby authorized from the General Government Grant Fund, Fund 220, Grant No. 447025, Department of Development, Economic Development Division, Division No. 44-02, Object Level Three, 3336, OCA Code 447025.
Section 5. That for reasons stated in the preamble hereto, which is hereby made a part hereof, the 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.