Explanation
Background: The City of Columbus will complete the reconstruction and widening of Lane Avenue from a point 700 feet west of Olentangy River Road to a point 500 feet east of North High Street in the spring of 2005. Initial acquisition funding for this project in the amount of $700,000.00 was authorized pursuant to Ordinance 2280-1999, passed June 5, 2000. Additional acquisition funding in the amount of $1,500,000.00 was authorized pursuant to Ordinance 1251-2001, passed July 16, 2001. As a part of the acquisition-related activities on this project the City Attorney's Office, Real Estate Division filed several eminent domain complaints in the Franklin County, Ohio, Court of Common Pleas. In March 2004 City Council authorized the expenditure of an additional $30,000.00 for court-ordered settlement costs for Parcels 16 and 42 pursuant to Ordinance 0316-2004, passed March 16, 2004. The Real Estate Division has estimated settlement costs for the remaining cases on file with the Common Pleas Court will be approximately $1,000,000.00. This legislation authorizes the City Attorney to expend an additional $1,000,000.00 for settlement of pending court cases on this project.
Fiscal Impact: Remaining eminent domain-related acquisition expenses for the Lane Avenue Improvement Project are currently estimated to be $1,000,000.00. The Transportation Division budgeted $8.76 million in the 2004 Capital Improvements Budget for the Lane Avenue Widening and Improvements project. All of these funds for Lane Avenue are either encumbered or expended on the construction contract. However, funds are available within the Transportation Division's 2004 Capital Improvement Budget in the Morse Road Area Investment project. The Transportation Division budgeted $6 million in the 2004 Capital Improvements Budget for the Morse Road project, but only $4.2 million was needed, leaving the balance for other priority capital projects. This ordinance transfers $1,000,000.00 f...
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