Explanation
Background: The NDC has contracted with the City to provide enhanced services to five of the six NCR areas. Since entering into the contract, additional services have been proposed for the Hilltop NCR area. It is necessary to amend the NDC contract to include these additional services and to extend the contract term to allow time to complete the services.
The street trees planted as part of the Hilltop NCR streetscape improvements in 1987 are Ash trees and most have been infected by the Emerald Ash Borer. All being in a state of decline, the City Forester determined that the trees must be removed to avoid limbs falling on pedestrians or parked cars. All infected trees were removed (cut down and root ball ground down) in the fall of 2014. New trees cannot be planted in existing tree pits due to the existence of a 25-year-old root system that stretches under the sidewalk and the street. To eliminate any trip hazards, new concrete pads will be poured this summer where trees were removed until it can be determined what improvements can enhance this commercial strip outside of complete reconstruction.
A nearby improvement project on West Broad Street between Highland and Terrace (the eastern half of the NCR district known as Highland West) will construct new streetscape elements in that 5 block area. This will include new street trees because the root network will be destroyed during sidewalk demolition. The same treatment can be considered for the western half of the NCR district but the cost of $3 million+ may be prohibitive. The NDC has agreed to gather consensus from Hilltop stakeholders on other options for streetscape improvements for the western half of the NCR district.
Fiscal Impact: No funding is necessary for this modification.
Emergency Justification: Emergency action is requested so that planning can start now in order to have a streetscape design solution in place by summer 2016 when capital funds will become available for design and construction.
Title
To authorize the Director of Development to modify the scope and term of a contract with the Neighborhood Design Center to allow for the provision of additional services to the Hilltop Neighborhood Commercial Revitalization district; and to declare an emergency. ($0)
Body
WHEREAS, the Neighborhood Design Center (NDC) has contracted with the City to provide enhanced services to five of the six NCR areas; and
WHEREAS, additional services have been proposed for the Hilltop NCR area; and
WHEREAS, it is necessary to amend the NDC contract to include these additional services and to extend the contract term to allow time to complete the services; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the Development Department in that it is immediately necessary to modify this contract all for the immediate preservation of the public health, property, safety and welfare, now, therefore,
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
SECTION 1. That the Director of the Department of Development is hereby authorized to modify Contract #EL015928 with the Neighborhood Design Center by increasing the scope of services to be provided and by extending the term of the contract to August 31, 2016 to allow ample time to provide such services.
SECTION 2. That this contract modification is made pursuant to the relevant provisions of Chapter 329 of City Code.
SECTION 3. That it is further agreed that in all other aspects, this contract remains unchanged.
SECTION 4. That for 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.