Explanation
1. BACKGROUND
This legislation authorizes additional acquisition funding in order for the City Attorney's Real Estate Division to hire professional services and to negotiate with property owners to acquire the various property rights necessary to complete the public improvements in the vicinity of North Broadway and Olentangy River Road, in Community Planning Area 9, West Olentangy.
The City of Columbus, Department of Public Service, is engaged in the OhioHealth Redevelopment Project. The project involves a major redevelopment of existing public right-of-way as portions of State Route 315 right-of-way will be reconfigured, including the removal of an existing northbound interchange ramp and the addition of a new southbound ramp. Pavement, sidewalks, shared use paths and utilities will be constructed on Olentangy River Road, West North Broadway, Thomas Lane, and two local roadways that connect Olentangy River Road to West North Broadway through the development area.
Ordinance 2667-2017, passed by Council on October 23, 2017, authorized initial acquisition funding for this project in the amount of $250,000.00. 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 that the City Attorney's Office expend an additional $150,000.00 in order to pay for costs relative to the acquisition of right of way necessary to the OhioHealth Redevelopment Project.
The Department of Public Service is currently finalizing construction plans and is prepared to authorize right of way acquisition pending passage of this funding legislation.
2. FISCAL IMPACT
Funding in the amount of $150,000.00 is available for this project within the Streets and Highways Bond Fund within the Department of Public Service for the aforementioned project expenditure. An amendment to the Department of Public Service 2017 Capital Improvement Budget is necessary to establish sufficient budget authority for the project.
3. EMERGENCY DESIGNATION
Emergency action is requested to provide necessary right-of-way acquisition funding and prevent unnecessary delays in the Department of Public Service’s capital improvement program.
Title
To amend the 2017 Capital Improvement Budget; to authorize the City Auditor to transfer cash and appropriation within the Streets and Highways Bond Fund; to authorize the City Attorney’s Real Estate Division to contract for professional services relative to the acquisition of fee simple title and lesser interests in and to property needed for the OhioHealth Redevelopment project and to negotiate with property owners to acquire the additional rights of way; to authorize the expenditure of up to $150,000.00 from the Streets and Highways Bond Fund; and to declare an emergency. ($150,000.00)
Body
WHEREAS, the City of Columbus, Department of Public Service, is engaged in the OhioHealth Redevelopment Project; and
WHEREAS, this project involves a major redevelopment of existing public right-of-way as portions of State Route 315 right-of-way will be reconfigured, including the removal of an existing northbound interchange ramp and the addition of a new southbound ramp. Pavement, sidewalks, shared use paths and utilities will be constructed on Olentangy River Road, West North Broadway, Thomas Lane, and two local roadways that connect Olentangy River Road to West North Broadway through the development area; and
WHEREAS, initial acquisition funding for this project, in the amount of $250,000.00, was authorized pursuant to Ordinance No. 2667-2017, passed by Council on October 30,2017; and
WHEREAS, this legislation authorizes 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; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the Department of Public Service in that it is immediately necessary to authorize the above actions so that funding can be made available for the necessary right-of-way acquisition for the project, preventing a delay in the construction schedule, 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 2017 Capital Improvements Budget authorized by ordinance 1124-2017 be amended as follows to establish sufficient authority for this project:
Fund / Project / Project Name / C.I.B. / Change / C.I.B. as Amended
7704 / P590417-100001 / Project Diagnosis - Roadways (Voted 2016 Debt SIT Supported) / $1,062,252.00 / ($150,000.00) / $912,252.00
7704 / P441759-100001 / Ohio Health - ROW Purchase (Voted 2016 Debt SIT Supported) / $0.00 / $150,000.00 / $150,000.00
SECTION 2. That the transfer of $150,000.00, or so much thereof as may be needed, is hereby authorized within Fund 7704 (Streets and Highways Bond Fund), from Dept-Div 5912 (Division of Design and Construction), Project P590417-100001 (Project Diagnosis - Roadways), Object Class 06 (Capital Outlay) to Dept-Div 5912 (Division of Design and Construction), Project P441759-100001 (Ohio Health - ROW Purchase), Object Class 06 (Capital Outlay) per the account codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 3. That the City Attorney's Office, Real Estate Division, be, and hereby is, authorized to acquire fee simple title and lesser interests in and to certain parcels of real estate, to contract for professional services, and to negotiate with property owners to acquire the additional rights of way needed to complete the OhioHealth Redevelopment project.
SECTION 4. That the expenditure of $150,000.00, or so much as may be needed, is hereby authorized in Fund 7704 (Streets and Highways Bond Fund), Dept-Div 5912 (Division of Design and Construction), Project P441759-100001 (Ohio Health - ROW Purchase), in Object Class 06 (Capital Outlay) per the account 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.