Explanation
BACKGROUND: This legislation authorizes the Director of Public Utilities to enter into an agreement with Ohio State University/Office of Sponsored Programs, a local non-profit educational institute, for professional services for the Blueprint Columbus - Linden Green Infrastructure Monitoring Project. Blueprint Columbus is the approach chosen by Columbus and approved by the Ohio EPA to bring the City into compliance with consent orders regarding sewer overflows. One of the benefits of this plan is that the included green infrastructure (GI) is better for the environment than traditional alternatives. While remaining within the City’s right-of-way, the GI will often be located in neighborhoods and adjacent to residential properties. It is important to understand the various impacts from the installation of GI in a dense, urban, residential environment. The data collected as part of this project will be analyzed to determine 1) to what extent property values increase or decrease as a result of the installation of GI and 2) the value of other ecosystem services that are generated by the GI projects, including habitat, water, quality, health and social benefits, and 3) how the valuation of these services varies with the different attributes of GI.
As a non-profit organization, the Ohio State University/Office of Sponsored Programs will enhance compliance with the City’s commitments to Ohio EPA by measuring the economic, social, and environmental impact of a large-scale GI project on the community in which it is installed. This information will be combined with similar efforts already under way in the Clintonville Blueprint Project Area to improve the design and planning of future projects.
FISCAL IMPACT: Work under this project will begin January 1, 2019, and continue until no later than December 31, 2024. $84,264.00 is needed for year 2019 and is budgeted in the 2018 Stormwater Operating Budget. Years 2020, 2021 and 2023 are anticipated to be con...
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