Explanation
BACKGROUND: This ordinance authorizes the City Clerk to execute and sign a Petition to initiate the creation of The RiverSouth Authority. The petition is required in order to create a new community authority as provided under Ohio Revised Code Chapter 349.
RiverSouth encompasses several square blocks in the core of Columbus' downtown generally bounded by State Street on the North, Third Street on the East, Mound Street on the South and the Scioto River on the West, all to be developed and redeveloped as part of an area characterized by well-balanced and diversified land use patterns to provide facilities for the conduct of commercial, residential, cultural, educational and recreational activities.
FISCAL IMPACT: No funding is required for this legislation.
Title
An ordinance authorizing the City Clerk to execute and sign on behalf of the City of Columbus and the Columbus City Council the Petition for the creation of The RiverSouth Authority; and to declare an emergency.
Body
WHEREAS, in order to create or preserve jobs and employment opportunities and to improve the economic welfare of the people of the City of Columbus, Ohio (the "City"), the Columbus City Council desires to provide for the redevelopment and revitalization of a certain area situated within the corporate limits of the City, being generally the area of the City's downtown bounded by State Street on the North, Third Street on the East, Mound Street on the South and the Scioto River on the West (the "RiverSouth Area"); and
WHEREAS, in October 2000, the City commissioned a study (the "Study") of the Columbus downtown area to identify redevelopment opportunities and the Ohio General Assembly appropriated $ 1.3 million to pay for that Study; and
WHEREAS, based on the results of the Study, Capitol South Redevelopment Corporation ("Capitol South") initiated the process to develop a Strategic Business Plan for Downtown Columbus (the "Downtown Plan"); and
WHEREAS, as part of the process for developing the Downtown Plan, the Columbus Mayor formed a Downtown Task Force (the "Downtown Task Force ") and that Task Force held public hearings for the Downtown Plan; and
WHEREAS, the Downtown Task Force and Capitol South submitted the final proposed Downtown Plan to City Council in May 2002; and
WHEREAS, the Columbus City Council on June 17, 2002 enacted Ordinance No. 122X-02 approving the Downtown Plan and the creation of the Columbus Downtown Development Corporation ("CDDC") to implement the Downtown Plan; and
WHEREAS, the CDDC and its designees have performed the necessary analyses to produce a viable, market-based development program for the area in furtherance of stated revitalization goals; and
WHEREAS, a "developer" within the meaning of O.R.C. Section 349.01(E) (the "Developer") will carry out a "new community development program" for the RiverSouth Area within the meaning of O.R.C. Section 349.01(B); and
WHEREAS, a proposed petition (the "Petition") to create a new community authority under O.R.C. Chapter 349 will be presented to the City Clerk; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in that it is immediately necessary to authorize the City Clerk to execute and sign the aforementioned Petition so that the new community authority may proceed to creation expeditiously in order to permit commencement of improvements and provide financing therefor, all to serve the RiverSouth Area and its future residents and improve the economic health and vitality of that Area and the City's downtown, said immediate approval being in the interest of the City in order to preserve, enhance and protect the public health, peace, property and safety, now therefore;
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
Section 1. That the City Clerk be and hereby is authorized to execute and sign on behalf of the City of Columbus and the Columbus City Council the Petition for the purpose of filing that Petition pursuant to O.R.C. Chapter 349 to create as a new community authority The RiverSouth Authority. The Clerk's signature on that Petition shall indicate the approval of that Petition by the "proximate city" (within the meaning of O.R.C. Section 349.01(M)).
Section 2. That this ordinance is declared to be an emergency measure that shall take effect and be in force from and after passage and approval by the Mayor, or ten days after passage if the Mayor neither approves nor vetoes the same.