Explanation
Ordinance 0448-2007 provided for the grant acceptance and appropriation of funds to the Recreation and Parks Grant Fund to purchase future parkland known as "Big Walnut Creek South Corridor Protection" grant ($596,100) from the State of Ohio, Ohio Public Works Commission, Project CCDAA. This amendment is to adjust the contract amount from $596,100 to $670,100. The City of Columbus' share went from $210,000 to $235,440. The total contract amount is changed from $806,100 to $905,540. The increase in the grant amount is necessary to acquire parkland for the Clean Ohio program.
The increase in the grant amount will provide additional funding to complete acquisition of property in the Big Walnut Creek corridor to preserve high quality habitat and vernal pools, to preserve the natural buffer in the floodplain, and to aid in flood abatement. This grant will also help complete the Big Walnut Creek Greenway.
From a functionality standpoint, maintenance of the floodplain is important to prevent no loss of flood storage function or habitat, to insure forested vernal pools are preserved, and so the wooded buffer/trees are protected so as to assist in air filtration and flooding. In addition, corridor acquisition supports trail development, which has the highest rating recreational activity in the CRPD 2003 survey. Clean Ohio grant programs preserve valuable greenspace in communities and aids sustainability.
Stream corridor preservation is also a core function of the department and has been a main concern since the 1974 Waterways Corridor study. Recreation and Park is part of the Central Ohio Greenways program and preserving river corridor is a priority for this group. The parcel that will be acquired relative to this amendment is identified for preservation in the Big Walnut Creek Watershed Action Plan submitted to the OEPA. The Natural Resource Assistance Council for the Clean Ohio program in Franklin County has approved the increase in th...
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