Explanation
BACKGROUND: This ordinance authorizes the Director of the Columbus Department of Development to petition the Director of the Ohio Department of Development for an amendment to the certification of a designated area within the City of Columbus (City) as a Community Reinvestment Area (CRA). Community Reinvestment Areas 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 Rickenbacker CRA number 049-18000-14, was authorized by Columbus City Council (Council) by Resolution 0090X-2007, passed on June 11, 2007 and certified by the State of Ohio on July 14, 2007.
This ordinance will amend the existing Rickenbacker CRA to include 32.5 acres resulting from a boundary adjustment from the Village of Obetz, comprised of parcels 495-287286 and 495-287287.
The Columbus City School District has been advised of the proposal as required under State law.
Emergency action is requested to facilitate further development of land within the Rickenbacker CRA.
FISCAL IMPACT: No funding is required for this legislation.
Title
To authorize the Director of the Department of Development to amend the existing Rickenbacker Community Reinvestment Area as established by the Ohio Revised Code to include 32.5 acres transferred from the Village of Obetz; 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 economic and community development; and
WHEREAS, Ordinance 1698-78, approved August 3, 1978, authorized the Department of Development to implement a Community Reinvestment Program, pursuant to Section 3735.65 to 3735.70 of the Ohio Revised Code, and approved certain administrative procedures for the program; and
WHEREAS, the proposed site and its immediate vicinity have been surveyed and has been found to meet the criteria for designation of a Community Reinvestment Area; and
WHEREAS, the City of Columbus and the Village of Obetz authorized the petition to transfer approximately 32.5 acres from Obetz into the City of Columbus by Ordinance 0234-2008, approved by City Council on February 11, 2008; and
WHEREAS, the opportunity exists to extend the Rickenbacker Community Reinvestment Area by an additional 32.5 acres annexed from the Village of Obetz and known as parcels 495-287286 and 495-287287; 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 Rickenbacker Community Reinvestment Area to facilitate further development of land within the Rickenbacker CRA, all for the preservation of the the public health, peace, property, safety and welfare; now, therefore:
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
Section 1. That the Rickenbacker area has successfully met the criteria for designation as a Community Reinvestment Area.
Section 2. That the boundaries of the Rickenbacker Community Reinvestment Area as proposed to be amended are described in "Exhibit A" attached hereto and incorporated herein by reference.
Section 3. That within the Rickenbacker Community Reinvestment Area tax exemption for improvements to real property as described in Section 3735.67 of the Ohio Revised Code will be granted for the following periods:
a. 100% abatement not exceeding 15 years for the construction of every nonretail, nonhotel and nonresidential business or industrial structure as described in Section 3735.67 of the Ohio Revised Code. For purposes of clarification, eleemosynary structures are not considered to be commercial or industrial.
b. Tax abatements may only be granted for projects entailing new construction and/or renovation, with no set date for completion of the new construction and/or renovation following the effective date of this ordinance.
Section 4. That reference is hereby made to Resolution 0090X-2007, adopted by City Council on June 11, 2007 as to designation of the Housing Officer and establishment of a Community Reinvestment Area Housing Council for the amended Rickenbacker Community Reinvestment Area.
Section 5. That a copy of this resolution will be forwarded to the Franklin County Auditors by the Columbus City Clerk for information and reference and will be published in a newspaper of general circulation once a week for two consecutive weeks following its passage and approval.
Section 6. That City Council reserves the right to re-evaluate the designation of the Rickenbacker Community Reinvestment Area after December 31, 2012, at which time Council may direct the Housing Officer not to accept any applications for exemptions as described in Section 3735.67 of the Ohio Revised Code.
Section 7. That for reasons stated in the preamble hereto, which is hereby made a part hereof, this Resolution is hereby declared to be an emergency measure and shall take effect and be in force from and after its adoption and approval by the Mayor, or ten days after adoption if the Mayor neither approves nor vetoes the same.