Explanation
BACKGROUND: This legislation authorizes the Director of Development to enter into an agreement with the Columbus Regional Airport Authority and Franklin County in which the City will grant up to $940,000 to the Columbus Regional Airport Authority towards the construction of a transportation related enhancement at Rickenbacker. The enhancement is an apron (i.e., ramp) that will provide access to the street and highway system for the airfield and an adjacent development site, and will allow delivery trucks to load and unload cargo and materials from aircraft. Construction of the apron will induce AirNet Systems, Inc. to relocate its growing flight and maintenance operation from Port Columbus to Rickenbacker. The grant agreement will require future annexation of the AirNet site to Columbus. Relocation of AirNet from its existing site will benefit Port Columbus by freeing space for future terminal expansion. By relocating to Rickenbacker, AirNet will gain the space it needs to expand its flight and maintenance operations. Columbus will benefit by retaining AirNet's 430 jobs and annual payroll of $17.7 million, by the creation of 40-50 new jobs, and by the addition of a new 131,000 square feet facility with an anticipated value of $9.1 million. Rickenbacker will benefit in that the apron will improve access to the street and highway system for the airfield and will allow the airport to better meet the needs of private sector industry. Participation by Columbus will leverage approximately $2.96 million in funding assistance for the apron from Franklin County ($460,000) and the State of Ohio ($2.5 million). The Columbus Regional Airport Authority will provide additional funds to complete the apron, if necessary. The total cost of the apron construction is estimated to be $4.2 million. FISCAL IMPACT: The expenditure of up to nine hundred and forty thousand dollars from the Department of Public Service, Voted Streets and Highways Fund ($940,000).Emergency action is requested in order to expedite construction of a transportation improvement to attract the relocation and retention of a business expansion project.
Title
To authorize the Director of the Department of Development to enter into a grant agreement with the Columbus Regional Airport Authority and Franklin County for up to $940,000 to help fund construction of a transportation related enhancement at Rickenbacker International Airport; to authorize the expenditure of $940,000 from the Voted Streets and Highways Fund. ; and to declare an emergency. ($940,000).
Body
WHEREAS, the Columbus Regional Airport Authority is the owner and operator of Rickenbacker International Airport (Rickenbacker); and
WHEREAS, Rickenbacker is a commercial airport and industrial center converted from military air-base use and transportation infrastructure improvements will be needed for Rickenbacker to better meet the needs of private sector industry; and
WHEREAS, AirNet Systems, Inc., currently located at Port Columbus International Airport, needs room to expand and is willing to build a new facility at Rickenbacker contingent on the addition of an apron (ramp) to provide access for the development site and airfield to the surrounding network of streets and highways; and
WHEREAS, the relocation of AirNet Systems, Inc. to Rickenbacker will result in the annexation of the AirNet site to Columbus, the retention of 430 jobs (annual payroll of $17.7 million), the creation of 40-50 new jobs, and the investment of $9.1 million to construct a new 131,000 square foot facility; and
WHEREAS, the State of Ohio and Franklin County are willing at this time to invest a total of approximately $2.96 million towards construction of the apron at Rickenbacker, contingent on participation of the City in the funding; and
WHEREAS, the City desires for Rickenbacker's transportation infrastructure to be improved, for AirNet Systems, Inc. to locate its business expansion at Rickenbacker, and for the proposed AirNet site to be annexed to Columbus; and
WHEREAS, it is necessary at this time to authorize the Director of Development to enter into an agreement with the Columbus Regional Airport Authority and Franklin County in which the City will grant up to $940,000 to the Columbus Regional Airport Authority for construction of an apron at Rickenbacker, and to authorize the expenditure of up to $940,000; and
WHEREAS, the matter herein constitutes an emergency in that it is immediately necessary to authorize the Director of Development to enter into an agreement with the Columbus Regional Airport Authority for the construction of a transportation related enhancement at Rickenbacker, thereby preserving the public health, peace, prosperity, safety and welfare; NOW, THEREFORE,
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
Section 1. That the Director of Development is hereby authorized to enter into an agreement with the Columbus Regional Airport Authority and Franklin County in which the City will grant up to $940,000 to the Columbus Regional Airport Authority for construction of a transportation related enhancement (apron) at Rickenbacker.
Section 2. That the expenditure of $940,000, or so much thereof as may be necessary, from the Department of Public Service, Voted Streets and Highways Fund, for the aforesaid purpose is hereby authorized as follows:
Department Fund No. OCA Code Project Level Three Amount
59-09 704 590704 590415 6621 $940,000
Total: $940,000
Section 3. That for the 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. That this ordinance shall take effect and be in force from and after the earliest period allowed by law.