Explanation
The City of Columbus, Public Service Department, Transportation Division, is engaged in the Morse Road Improvement project. The purpose of this project is to create a gateway into the Northland community by controlling vehicular access and circulation, enhancing landscaping, upgrading lighting and providing pedestrian access to the businesses and amenities located along the Morse Road corridor between Indianola Avenue and Cleveland Avenue. Improvements contemplated by this project are a landscaped median, curb and gutters, street trees, sidewalks, improved streetlights and traffic signals and pedestrian crossing upgrades at intersections. The following ordinance authorizes the City Attorney to contract for professional services to acquire that right-of-way necessary to complete the proposed improvements and to expend the money necessary to pay for acquisition-related expenses for this project.
Acquisition-related expenses are estimated to be $1,000,000.00. Funding for this expense is available in the 1995, 1999 Voted Streets and Highways Fund Economic and Community Development project from the November, 2002, bond sale. This ordinance transfers this $1,000,000.00 to the Morse Road Area Investment project within this same Fund.
Emergency action is requested to allow right-of-way acquisition to begin immediately so that the City can meet current schedules that require the acquisition of all necessary additional right-of-way be completed by May 1, 2004.
Title
To authorize the transfer of $1,000,000.00 between projects within the the1995, 1999 Voted Streets and Highways Fund; to authorize the City Attorney's Office, Real Estate Division, to acquire fee simple title and lesser interests in and to property needed for the Morse Road Improvement project for the Transportation Division; to authorize the hiring of professional services related to the acquisition of the necessary property rights; to authorize the expenditure of $1,000,000.00 or so much thereof as may be needed from the 1995, 1999 Voted Streets and Highways Fund for these purposes and to declare an emergency. ($1,000,000.00)
Body
WHEREAS, the City of Columbus, Public Service Department, Transportation Division, is engaged in the Morse Road Improvement project; and
WHEREAS, the purpose of this project is to create a gateway into the Northland community by controlling vehicular access and circulation, enhancing landscaping, upgrading lighting and providing pedestrian access to the businesses and amenities located along the Morse Road corridor between Indianola Avenue and Cleveland Avenue; and
WHEREAS, preliminary estimates for acquisition-related expenses total $1,000,000.00; and
WHEREAS, monies are available within the 1995, 1999 Voted Streets and Highways Fund to pay for these acquisition-related expenses; and
WHEREAS, these monies must be transferred between projects; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the Public Service Department, Transportation Division, in that it is immediately necessary to authorize the City Attorney to contract for professional services, acquire fee simple title and lesser interests in and to that right-of-way needed for the Morse Road Improvement project and to expend those funds required to pay related acquisition costs for the immediate preservation of 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 transfer of $1,000,000.00 between projects within the 1995, 1999 Voted Streets and Highways Fund, Fund 704, Department No. 59-09, Transportation Division, be and hereby is authorized as follows:
TRANSFER FROM:
Project No. / Project / Object Level One Code / Object Level Three Code / OCA Code
590415 / Economic and Community Development / 06 / 6600 / 644385
Total Transfer From $1,000,000.00
TRANSFER TO:
Project No. / Project / Object Level One Code / Object Level Three Code / OCA Code
530052 / Morse Road Area Investment / 06 / 6601 / 644385
Total Transfer To $1,000,000.00
SECTION 2. That the City Attorney be and hereby is authorized to acquire property and to contract for those professional services necessary to acquire fee simple title and lesser interests in and to property needed for the Morse Road Improvement project.
SECTION 3. That the City Attorney be and hereby is authorized to expend $1,000,000.00, or so much thereof as may be needed from the 1995, 1999 Voted Streets and Highways Fund, Fund 704, Department No. 59-09, Transportation Division, Object Level One Code 06, Object Level Three Code 6601, OCA Code 644385 and Project 530052 to pay those costs related to the acquisition of right-of-way required for the Morse Road Improvement project.
SECTION 4. 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.