Explanation
1. BACKGROUND:
The City of Columbus, Department of Public Service, Division of Design and Construction, is engaged in the Alum Creek Drive Improvement Project. Alum Creek Drive serves as a major connector route between Rickenbacker International Airport, I-270, State Route 104 and I-70 and the proposed improvement will serve several commercial truck terminals and warehouse/distribution facilities located within the project corridor.
This project consists of the widening and reconstruction of approximately 2.07 miles of Alum Creek Drive from Williams Road northward to Performance Way/Refugee Road South. The project has been designed to include the addition of curb and gutter, a closed drainage system and street lighting, as well as 2,275 feet of widening and reconstruction on Williams Road and 850 feet of widening and reconstruction on Watkins Road.
Pedestrian generators and destinations impacting this project include older established residential neighborhoods, newer subdivisions, apartment homes, senior residential facilities, churches, schools, day care facilities, and neighborhood oriented retail shops including fast food establishments and gas stations within the project corridor. Also included within the design of this project are the installation of 8 foot wide shared use paths on both sides of Alum Creek Drive within the project limits; installation of 6 foot wide sidewalks on those portions of each side street within the project limits; and the construction or reconstruction of handicap ramps at appropriate locations including intersections, service drives and driveways.
Successful completion of this project requires that the City acquire fee simple title and lesser interests in and to various properties located along the project corridor and that the City participate in the relocation of existing utilities along these roadways. This is a Federal/State/City participation project with 80% of the total right-of-way acquisition and utility relocation costs being paid for with Federal/State funds and 20% of the total costs being paid from City funds. Right of way acquisition costs for this project are estimated to be $ 4,881,947.50 and utility relocations costs are estimated to be $750,000.00 for a total of $5,631,947.50. Ordinance 0386-2007, passed April 23, 2007, authorized the City Attorney's Real Estate Division to hire professional services and to expend $1,200,000.00 on preliminary right-of-way acquisition for this project.
2. FISCAL IMPACT:
It is now necessary to increase the City Attorney's expenditure authority from $1,200,000.00 to $4,881,947.50 so that right-of-way acquisition can continue. The City share of the funds necessary for these acquisition expenses was authorized within Ordinance 0386-2007, passed April 23, 2007. It is now necessary to appropriate and authorize the expenditure of the additional funds needed for these acquisition activities. Funding for this activity will be accounted for within the Fed-State Highway Engineering Fund. As these funds are expended by the City Attorney's Real Estate Division the Department of Public Service will seek reimbursement from ODOT for 80% of the total dollars spent.
3. EMERGENCY DESIGNATION:
Emergency action is requested to allow the City Attorney's Real Estate Division to continue their efforts to acquire the additional rights-of-way needed for this project so that utility relocation and construction of this improvement can proceed as currently scheduled.
Title
To authorize the City Attorney's Real Estate Division to continue their efforts to acquire the additional rights-of-way needed for the Alum Creek Drive Improvement project; to appropriate an additional $3,681,947.50 to increase the City Attorney's expenditure authority from $1,200,000.00 to $4,881,947.50 from the Fed-State Highway Engineering Fund for acquisition related expenses; and to declare an emergency. ($3,681,947.50)
Body
WHEREAS, the City of Columbus, Department of Public Service, Division of Design and Construction, is engaged in the Alum Creek Drive Improvement Project; and
WHEREAS, Alum Creek Drive serves as a major connector route between Rickenbacker International Airport, I-270, State Route 104 and I-70 and the proposed improvement will serve several commercial truck terminals and warehouse/distribution facilities located within the project corridor; and
WHEREAS, this project consists of the widening and reconstruction of approximately 2.07 miles of Alum Creek Drive from Williams Road northward to Performance Way/Refugee Road South; and
WHEREAS, the project has been designed to include the addition of curb and gutter, a closed drainage system and street lighting, as well as 2,275 feet of widening and reconstruction on Williams Road and 850 feet of widening and reconstruction on Watkins Road; and
WHEREAS, pedestrian generators and destinations impacting this project include older established residential neighborhoods, newer subdivisions, apartment homes, senior residential facilities, churches, schools, day care facilities, and neighborhood oriented retail shops including fast food establishments and gas stations within the project corridor; and
WHEREAS, also included within the design of this project are the installation of 8 foot wide shared use paths on both sides of Alum Creek Drive within the project limits; installation of 6 foot wide sidewalks on those portions of each side street within the project limits; and the construction or reconstruction of handicap ramps at appropriate locations including intersections, service drives and driveways; and
WHEREAS, successful completion of this project requires that the City acquire fee simple title and lesser interests in and to various properties located along the project corridor and that the City participate in the relocation of existing utilities along these roadways; and
WHEREAS, this is a Federal/State/City participation project with 80% of the total right-of-way acquisition and utility relocation costs being paid for with Federal/State funds and 20% of the total costs being paid from City funds; and
WHEREAS, right of way acquisition costs for this project are estimated to be $4,881,947.50 and utility relocations costs are estimated to be $750,000.00 for a total of $5,631,947.50; and
WHEREAS, Ordinance 0386-2007, passed April 23, 2007, authorized the City Attorney's Real Estate Division to hire professional services and to expend $1,200,000.00 on preliminary right-of-way acquisition for this project; and
WHEREAS, it is now necessary to increase the City Attorney's expenditure authority from $1,200,000.00 to $4,881,947.50 so that right-of-way acquisition can continue without delay; and
WHEREAS, monies to pay 100% these costs are budgeted and available in the Fed-State Highway Engineering Fund; and
WHEREAS, as these funds are expended by the City Attorney's Real Estate Division the Department of Public Service will seek reimbursement out of Federal/State funds for 80% of the total dollars spent; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the Department of Public Service, Division of Design and Construction, in that it is immediately necessary to increase the City Attorney's expenditure authority from $1,200,000.00 to $4,881,947.50 so that right-of-way acquisition can continue without delay so that utility relocation and construction of this improvement can proceed as currently scheduled thereby preserving 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 Attorney's Real Estate Division be and is hereby authorized to continue right-of-way acquisition related activities for the Alum Creek Drive Improvement project.
Section 2. That the sum of $3,681,947.50 be and hereby is appropriated from the unappropriated balance of Fund 765, the Federal State Highway Engineering Fund, 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, 2009 to Dept-Div. 59-12, the Division of Design and Construction as follows:
fund / grant number / grant / O.L. 01-03 Codes / OCA / Amount
765 / 597015 / Alum Creek Drive / 06-6601 / 591294 / $3,681,947.50
Section 3. That the monies appropriated in the foregoing Section 2 shall be paid upon order of the Director of Public Service and that no order shall be drawn or money paid except by voucher, the form of which shall be approved by the City Auditor.
Section 4. That the City Attorney's Real Estate Division expenditure authority be and is hereby increased from $1,200,000.00 to $4,881,947.50 for the Alum Creek Drive Grant as follows:
fund / grant number / grant / Object Level 01-03 Codes / OCA / Amount
765 / 597015 / Alum Creek Drive / 06-6601 / 591294 / $3,681,947.50
Section 5. That the City Auditor is authorized to make any accounting changes to revise the funding source for all contracts or contract modifications associated with this ordinance.
Section 6. 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 its passage and approval by the Mayor or ten days after passage if the Mayor neither approves nor vetoes the same.