Explanation
1. BACKGROUND
This legislation authorizes the City Attorney's Office, Real Estate Division, to hire professional services and to negotiate with property owners to acquire the various property rights necessary to complete the Operation Safewalks Joyce Avenue Phase 3 project.
The City of Columbus, Departments of Public Service and Public Utilities, are engaged in the Operation Safewalks Joyce Avenue Phase 3 project. Improvements include: taking Joyce Avenue from two to three lanes and adding curbs, gutters, street lights, street trees, upgraded storm sewer system, and American with Disabilities Act compliant curb ramps. Sidewalks will be added on the east side of Joyce Avenue and an 8-foot shared use path will be added on the west side of Joyce Avenue. Traffic signals and roadway signage will be upgraded. A stormwater detention facility will be installed to help alleviate drainage issues in the area.
The project limits are 1,084.5 feet north of Seventeenth Avenue to 130.5 feet north of Kenmore Road (approximately 3,690 feet, 0.69 miles) along Joyce Avenue, located in Community Planning Area 14.
Ordinance 2320-2011 passed January 23, 2012, authorized the City Attorney's office, Real Estate Division, to expend $620,450.00 for preliminary acquisition activities associated with this project. The project received an additional $363,185.00 in authorized funding due to the passage of ordinance 2109-2013 on September, 16, 2013 and an additional $125,780.00 in authorized funding due to the passage of ordinance 1572-2014 on September, 14, 2014.
The initial acquisition legislation authorized the City Attorney to contract for professional services and to acquire fee simple title and lesser interests in and to real property necessary to the project, with the understanding that more funding may be required in the future. It is now necessary to authorize the City Attorney's Real Estate Division staff to expend an additional $150,000.00 in order to pay for costs relative to the acquisition of right of way necessary to the Operation Safewalks Joyce Avenue Phase 3 project.
2. Fiscal Impact
Funds in the amount of $50,000.00 are available for this project in the Streets and Highways Bond Fund, Fund 7704 within the Department of Public Service, and funds in the amount of $100,000.00 are available for this project in the Storm Sewer Bonds Fund, Fund 6204 within the Department of Public Utilities. A transfer of funds is necessary as a temporary funding source until the 2016 bond sale proceeds are received.
3. Emergency Justification
Emergency action is requested to provide continued right-of-way acquisition for said projects so as not to delay the Departments’ Capital Improvement Program.
Title
To amend the 2016 Capital Improvement Budget; to transfer funds and appropriation between projects within the Streets and Highways Bond Fund; to authorize the City Attorney's Office, Real Estate Division, to complete acquisition of the rights-of-way needed for the Operation Safewalks Joyce Avenue Phase 3 project from the Street and Highway Bonds Fund and Storm Sewer Bonds Fund; to authorize the expenditure of $150,000.00 or so much thereof as may be necessary; and to declare an emergency. ($150,000.00)
Body
WHEREAS, the City of Columbus Department of Public Service and Department of Public Utilities are engaged in the Operation Safewalks Joyce Avenue Phase 3 project; and
WHEREAS, this project will construct traffic lanes on Joyce Avenue and add curbs, gutters, street lights, street trees, upgraded storm sewer system, and Americans with Disabilities Act compliant curb ramps. Sidewalks will be added on the east side of Joyce Avenue and an 8-foot shared use path will be added on the west side of Joyce Avenue. Traffic signals and roadway signage will be upgraded and a stormwater detention facility will be added; and
WHEREAS, Ordinance 2320-2011 authorized the City Attorney's office, Real Estate Division, to expend $620,450.00 for preliminary acquisition related activities associated with this project. The project received an additional $363,185.00 in ordinance 2109-2013, passed September, 16, 2013, and $125,780.00 in ordinance 1572-2014, passed September, 14, 2014; and
WHEREAS, this ordinance authorizes the City Attorney's Office Real Estate Division to expend $150,000.00 or so much thereof as may be necessary to hire professional services and to negotiate with property owners to acquire the various property rights necessary to complete the Operation Safewalks - Joyce Avenue Phase 3 project; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the Department of Public Service and Department of Public Utilities in that it is immediately necessary to authorize the City Attorney's office to complete acquisition of rights-of-way for said project so as not to delay the Departments’ Capital Improvement Programs, thereby preserving 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 2016 Capital Improvement Budget authorized by ordinance 0960-2016 be amended as follows to establish sufficient authority for this project:
Fund / Project / Project Name / Current / Change / Amended
7704 / P590105-100042 / Pedestrian Safety Improvements - COTA Sidewalks Phase 2 (Voted Carryover) / $75,000.00 / ($39,028.00) / $35,972.00
7704 / P440005-100000 / UIRF- Urban Infrastructure Recovery Fund (59-12) (Voted Carryover) / $1,320,395.00 / ($10,973.00) / $1,309,422.00
7704 /P590955-100017 / Operation Safewalks - Joyce Avenue Phase 3 (Voted Carryover) / $0.00 / $50,001.00 / $50,001.00
Fund / Project / Project Name / Current / Change / Amended
7704 /P590955-100017 / Operation Safewalks - Joyce Avenue Phase 3 (Voted 2013 Debt SIT Supported)/ $6,200,000.00 / ($39,028.00) / $6,160,972.00
7704 / P590105-100042 / Pedestrian Safety Improvements - COTA Sidewalks Phase 2 (Voted 2013 Debt SIT Supported) / $440,000.00 / $39,028.00 / $479,028,.00
SECTION 2. That the transfer of $50,000.00, or so much thereof as may be needed, is hereby authorized between projects within Fund 7704 Streets and Highways G.O. Bond Fund per the account codes in the attachment to this ordinance:
SECTION 3. That the City Attorney's Office, Real Estate Division, be and is hereby authorized to acquire those rights-of-way needed for Operation Safewalks Joyce Avenue Phase 3 project.
SECTION 4. That for the purpose of paying the cost of this contract the sum of up to $150,000.00 or so much thereof as may be needed, is hereby authorized to be expended from the Streets and Highways Bond Fund, Fund 7704 and the Storm Sewer Bonds Fund, Fund 6204 per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 5. That the funds necessary to carry out the purpose of this ordinance are hereby deemed appropriated and the City Auditor shall establish such accounting codes as necessary.
SECTION 6. That the City Auditor is authorized to make any accounting changes to revise the funding source for all contracts or contract modifications associated with this ordinance.
SECTION 7. That the City Auditor is hereby authorized to transfer the unencumbered balance in a project account to the unallocated balance account within the same fund upon receipt of certification by the Director of the Department administering said project that the project has been completed and the monies are no longer required for said project.
SECTION 8. 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.