Explanation
BACKGROUND: In 1999 the Capital South Community Urban Redevelopment Corporation, the Greater Columbus Chamber of Commerce, and the Columbus Department of Trade and Development initiated an effort to work with downtown property owners to create a Special Improvement District (SID) in the core area of downtown. Property owners were surveyed and overwhelmingly were in support of creating a SID. In 2000 the Capital Crossroads Special Improvement District of Columbus (the Capital Crossroads SID) was created for a five year term. Due to the success of the Capital Crossroads SID, it was reauthorized in 2006, 2011, and 2016.
The property owners within the Capital Crossroads SID at this time wish to authorize an overlapping “Transit Services Plan” as a plan for improvements and services applicable only to non-residential and non-parking properties within the Capital Crossroads SID. A one petition process has been initiated in which the owners of at least 60% of the front footage within the portion of the Capital Crossroads SID covered by the Transit Services Plan signed that they are interested in having the Transit Services Plan adopted and they approve of the improvements and services to be provided by the Capital Crossroads SID under the Transit Services Plan. This legislation is one of the first actions required by Chapter 1710 of the Ohio Revised Code to authorize the Transit Services Plan.
This Council is being asked to approve a Petition to Adopt the Transit Services Plan (the Petition) (Attached). The Petition is on file with the Clerk of the Columbus City Council.
This Council is also being asked to include the properties owned by the City of Columbus within the Capital Crossroads SID as properties covered by the Transit Services Plan.
Emergency action is required to allow the Capital Crossroads SID to obtain the public improvements and public services described in the Transit Services Plan in a timely manner.
FISCAL IMPACT: No funding is required for this legislation.
Title
To approve the Petition to Adopt the Transit Services Plan for the Capital Crossroads Special Improvement District of Columbus, Inc. and the inclusion of properties owned by the City of Columbus as properties covered by the Transit Services Plan; and to declare an emergency.
Body
WHEREAS, Chapter 1710 of the Ohio Revised Code provides for the creation of Special Improvement Districts (SIDs) and the adoption of plans for public improvements and public services within all or any portion of the area of a SID; and
WHEREAS, the City has created the Capital Crossroads Special Improvement District of Columbus and the Capital Crossroads Special Improvement District of Columbus, Inc. (collectively, the Capital Crossroads SID); and
WHEREAS, pursuant to Chapter 1710 of the Ohio Revised Code, property owners within the Capital Crossroads SID have filed a Petition to Adopt the Transit Services Plan (the Petition) with the Clerk of the Columbus City Council; and
WHEREAS, the Petition requests that the City approve the Transit Services Plan as a plan for public improvements and public services for the portion of the Capital Crossroads SID covered by the Transit Services Plan; and
WHEREAS, Section 1710.06(C) of the Ohio Revised Code states that any real property owned by the City within the area of the Capital Crossroads SID that the City consented to being included within the Capital Crossroads SID is subject to any additional plans for public improvements or public services; and
WHEREAS, the City formerly consented to the inclusion of the City’s real property with in the Capital Crossroads SID; and
WHEREAS, the Transit Services Plan is an additional plan for public improvements and public services under Chapter 1710 of the Ohio Revised Code, and therefore the City’s property within the Capital Crossroads SID will be covered by the Transit Services Plan; and
WHEREAS, the City has determined to authorize the City to sign the Petition; and
WHEREAS, the Clerk of Columbus City Council finds that the real property owned by the property owners who have signed the Petition and owned by the City represents at least 60% of the front footage of the real property located within the Capital Crossroads SID and to be assessed under the Transit Services Plan, all in accordance with Ohio Revised Code Section 1710.06(B); and
WHEREAS, this Council determines that the SID is a valuable tool for economic development and a means of continuing to improve the Downtown area, and that the Transit Services Plan furthers those goals; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the Department of Development in that it is immediately necessary to approve the Petition 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 Petition to Adopt the Transit Services Plan now on file with the Clerk of the Columbus City Council is hereby approved.
SECTION 2. That the properties of the City of Columbus included within the Capital Crossroads SID are hereby authorized to be included within the coverage of the Transit Services Plan, and the Mayor or his designee is hereby authorized to sign the Petition.
SECTION 3. That for the reasons stated in the preambles to this Ordinance, which are hereby made a part of this Ordinance, this Ordinance is declared to be an emergency measure and shall take effect and be in force from and after is passage and approval by the Mayor, or ten days after its passage if the Mayor neither approves nor vetoes the same.