Explanation
Background: This ordinance authorizes the Finance and Management Director to acquire property located at 1465 Oakland Park Avenue as a future site for Fire Station 16. The City’s Fire Station 16, located 1130 E. Weber Road, was dedicated on June 14, 1953. Due to changes in Fire/EMS practices, equipment , and vehicles, the existing station is nearing the end of its useful life as a fire station. The present site is too small to allow for expansion of the existing building and cannot accommodate an adequate number of parking spaces to meet operational needs.
The City has looked at numerous properties in the service area over the past several years in an attempt to find a suitable location for a replacement fire station but none proved to be viable. A site has been identified, located at 1465 Oakland Park Avenue, Franklin County Tax Parcel 010-075666, that meets the location criteria of the Division of Fire and is of adequate size to accommodate construction of a modern Fire/EMS facility to serve the North Linden neighborhood.
This legislation authorizes the Director of Finance and Management to execute those documents necessary to purchase that real property from Ricardo’s Restaurant, Inc. and to expend up to $600,000.00 for the acquisition, all associated due diligence testing costs, and closing costs. Purchase contingencies include satisfactory review or completion of: Environmental Site Assessments (Phase I ESA and if necessary, Phase II) and geotechnical assessments of soil conditions.
Fiscal Impact: The Department of Finance and Management and Department of Public Safety has determined that funding for this project is available within the 2016 Public Safety G. O. Bond Fund.
Emergency Justification: Emergency action is requested to allow this acquisition to proceed without delay to allow for timely design, construction, and occupancy by the Division of Fire at the earliest feasible date.
Title
To authorize the City Auditor to transfer funds within the Public Safety G. O. Bond Fund; to authorize the Director of Finance and Management, on behalf of the Department of Public Safety, to execute those documents necessary to purchase that real property located at 1465 Oakland Park Avenue, identified as Franklin County Tax Parcel 010-075666, for the construction of a new fire station; to authorize the expenditure of up to $600,000.00 from the Public Safety G. O. Bond Fund, and to declare an emergency. ($600,000.00).
Body
WHEREAS, the City of Columbus, Department of Finance and Management, on behalf of the Department of Public Safety, desires to enter into a purchase contract between the City and Ricardo’s Restaurant, Inc. for the purchase of that real property located at 1465 Oakland Park Avenue, further identified as Franklin County Tax Parcel 010-075666; and
WHEREAS, the site is within the geographic service area of Fire Station 16 and is of sufficient size to accommodate the construction of a new fire station with sufficient parking to meet operational needs; and
WHEREAS, the purchase of this real property will allow for the construction of a modern, efficient, Fire Station 16 to support the mission of the Division of Fire to serve the community; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the Department of Public Safety in that it is immediately necessary to authorize the Director of Finance and Management to execute those documents necessary to purchase that real property from Ricardo’s Restaurant, Inc. to construct a new fire station at the earliest feasible date thereby providing for the immediate preservation of the public health, peace, property, welfare and safety; now, therefore:
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
SECTION 1. That the Director of Finance and Management, on behalf of the Department of Public Safety be, and hereby is, authorized to execute those documents, as approved by the Department of Law, Real Estate Division, necessary for the purchase of that real property located at 1465 Oakland Park Avenue, Columbus, Ohio, and identified as Franklin County Tax Parcel 010-075666.
SECTION 2. That the transfer of $600,000, or so much thereof as may be needed, is hereby authorized between projects within Fund 7701 Public Safety G. O. Bond Fund per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance. See attachment “Ordinance 1156-2017 Funding”.
SECTION 3. That the expenditure of $600,000.00, or so much thereof as may be necessary, be and is hereby authorized in Fund 7701 Public Safety G. O. Bond Fund in Object Class 06 Capital Outlay per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance. See attachment “Ordinance 1156-2017 Funding”.
SECTION 4. 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 5. That the City Auditor is authorized to transfer the unencumbered balance in a project account to the unallocated balance account of 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 6. 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 7. 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.