Explanation
Background:
The City currently owns the property commonly known as Gowdy Field. The Riverfront Vision Plan recommended that Gowdy Field's use should include recreation and green space. Columbus Urban Growth Corporation ("CUGC") has proposed to the City that it purchase Gowdy Field from the City for purposes of redeveloping the land with office buildings and developing the remainder as an active recreational park; thus, providing a usable park on the site, creating economic development opportunities by creating jobs and employment opportunities, improving the economic welfare of the people of the City, and increasing the real and personal property tax and income tax revenues of the City. CUGC's purchase price would be its obligation to build the park satisfactory to the Recreation and Parks Commission and City Council and to provide funds to the City for a certain number of years for the operations and maintenance of the park. Prior to the sale of Gowdy Field, environmental assessments must be undertaken to determine to CUGC's satisfaction that the proposed redevelopment of Gowdy Field is feasible and economical. CUGC is willing to initially pay the costs of the environmental assessments and be reimbursed by the City.
Fiscal Impact: Up to $50,000 to pay costs of environmental assessments.
Title
To authorize the Executive Director of Recreation and Parks to enter into option agreement with Columbus Urban Growth Corporation to convey by quit claim deed the property commonly known as Gowdy Field; to grant Columbus Urban Growth Corporation access to Gowdy Field for the purpose of conducting environmental assessments; to authorize the Development Director to reimburse Columbus Urban Growth Corporation up to $50,000.00 for the costs of said environmental assessments; to waive the Land Review Commission provisions and the competitive bidding provisions of the Columbus City Codes; and to authorize the expenditure of $50,000.00.
Body
WHEREAS, the City of Columbus desires that a park be developed on a portion of the property known as Gowdy Field; and
WHEREAS, the City desires to promote economic development by creating jobs and employment opportunities and improving the economic welfare of the people of the City by redeveloping a portion of Gowdy Field with commercial development;
WHEREAS, Columbus Urban Growth Corporation ("CUGC") is willing, if feasible and economical, to acquire Gowdy Field for redevelopment and to develop Gowdy Field by constructing a park to be dedicated to the City and constructing, or providing for the construction of, office buildings; and
WHEREAS, CUGC is willing to provide funds for a number of years to pay costs of the operations and maintenance of the park constructed at Gowdy Field; and
WHEREAS, CUGC is willing initially to pay costs of environmental assessments to determine whether such development is feasible and economical; and
WHEREAS, the City is willing to permit CUGC to have the environmental assessments performed and to reimburse CUGC for the costs of those studies; now, therefore
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS;
Section 1. That the Executive Director of Recreation and Parks is authorized to permit CUGC to enter upon Gowdy Field for the purpose of conducting environmental assessments of Gowdy Field.
Section 2. That the Development Director is hereby authorized to reimburse Columbus Urban Growth Corporation up to $50,000.00 for the environmental assessments set forth in Section 1 of this Ordinance.
Section 3. That for the purposes of paying the costs set forth in Section 2 of this Ordinance that the expenditure of $50,000.00, or so much thereof as may be necessary, is hereby authorized from Fund No. 742, Project #440104, Miscellaneous Economic Development, OCA Code 643106, Object Level 3 - 6680.
Section 4. That the Executive Director of Recreation and Parks is authorized to convey to CUGC by quit claim deed the property known as Gowdy Field subject to the satisfaction of the following conditions precedent:
a) CUGC designs a park satisfactory to and approved by the Recreation and Parks Commission and City Council to be located on Gowdy Field; and
b) the purchase agreement for the sale of Gowdy Field provides for the obligation of CUGC to construct the park approved by Recreation and Parks Commission and City Council and provides for the obligation of CUGC to fund amounts to pay costs of the operation and maintenance of that park, which amounts and number of years of that funding are satisfactory to and approved by Recreation and Parks Commission and City Council .
The purchase price for the acquisition of Gowdy Field shall be the obligations of CUGC set forth above in this Section.
Section 5. That this Council has determined that it is in the best interest of the City of Columbus to allow the transfer of Gowdy Field without following provisions of the Land Review Commission, Chapter 328 and the competitive bidding procedures of the Columbus City Codes, Section 329.26, are said provisions are hereby waived with respect to the conveyance of Gowdy Field to Columbus Urban Growth Corporation.
Section 6. That this ordinance shall take effect and be in force from and after the earliest period allowed by law.