Explanation
BACKGROUND: To respond to a petition filed on May 16, 2019 by the Mideast Area Commission Task Force to create the Mideast Area Commission as bounded and described herein, and to establish the Mideast Area Commission as its representative area commission in accordance with Chapter 3109 of the Columbus City Code and with proposed bylaws filed as part of said petition.
FISCAL IMPACT: No funding is required for this legislation. Passage of this legislation will initiate notice procedures by the Department of Neighborhoods regarding various applications involving real property within the proposed area; necessitate additional routine staff work for the Department of Neighborhoods; and require annual funding in an amount to be appropriated by Council.
Emergency Justification: to expedite the election of officers and the creation of the Mideast Area Commission for the preservation of the public health, peace, property, safety and welfare.
Title
To enact new Section 3111.23 of the Columbus City Code in order to create the Mideast Area Commission, and to declare an emergency.
Body
WHEREAS, people interested in the area of Columbus described hereafter joined together to initiate efforts to establish an area commission for their area; and
WHEREAS, a task force was established to consider organizational questions, to choose directions, to prepare and circulate documents required by Chapter 3109 of the Columbus City Code to file such documents with the City Clerk, to notify residents and to serve that area until an area commission is appointed and organized; and
WHEREAS, on May 16, 2019, the task force, through Quay Barnes, the agent for petitioners, filed with the City Clerk a petition for the creation of the Mideast Area Commission together with proposed by-laws and selection procedures for its operation; and
WHEREAS, public notice of such filing was published in the City Bulletin on May 18, 2019, as required by Section 3109.03 of the Columbus City Code and more than sixty days have elapsed since such notice was given; and
WHEREAS, on May 21, 2019, the Task Force notified residents of the proposed area of: (1) the filing with the City Clerk; (2) its general provisions including the area boundaries as set out in the petition; and (3) the method for objecting thereto, as required by Section 3109.03 of the Columbus City Code by notice published in the newspaper, The Columbus Dispatch; and
WHEREAS, no objections filed with the City Clerk, and
WHEREAS, Council finds that the Mideast Area Commission Task Force has complied with the provisions of Chapter 3109 of the Columbus City Code for the creation of a Commission Area and establishment of an area commission and it is reasonable to so provide; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the Department of Neighborhoods in that it is necessary for this area commission to be created as soon as possible so that the process for selection of persons to be nominated for appointment by the Mayor can be expedited for the preservation of 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 Columbus City Code is hereby supplemented by the enactment of new section 3111.23 reading as follows:
3111.23 The Mideast Area Commission created.
There is hereby created in the city of Columbus a Commission Area to be known as the Mideast Area Commission, containing approximately 10.21 square miles, 47,308 housing units and located, bounded and described as follows:
Northern Boundary: The centerline of the Columbus & Ohio Railroad running from the Bexley (W) to Whitehall (E) city boundaries, then following the Whitehall city boundary south and then east to the centerline of the Big Walnut Creek.
Eastern Boundary: The centerline of the Big Walnut Creek running from East Main Street (N), to Interstate 1-70 (S), then west to the centerline of South Hamilton Road and following it south to HWY-270.
Southern Boundary: Following HWY-270 from the centerline of South Hamilton Road (W) to HWY-33, then following HWY-33 to the centerline of Frank-Refugee Expressway and turning west to the center line of Alum Creek.
Western Boundary: The centerline of Alum Creek running north from the centerline of Frank-Refugee Expressway to the Bexley city boundary at Livingston Avenue, and then continuing along the Bexley city boundary north to the centerline of East Main Street, then east to the centerline of James Road, then north to the centerline of East Broad Street, then west to the Bexley City border and following it north to the Columbus & Ohio Railroad right-of-way.
SECTION 2. That the Mideast Area Commission Task Force shall institute its selection procedure for nominations to the Mideast Area Commission and certify the results to the Mayor and to the City Clerk. Pursuant to Section 3109.11 of the Columbus City Code, said Task Force may perform any necessary functions described in Section 3109.14 of the Columbus City Code for the period of time prior to the Mayor's appointment of Commission members and Council's approval. Such period shall not exceed one year.
SECTION 3. That for reasons stated in the preamble hereto, which is hereby made a part hereof, this ordinance is hereby declared an emergency measure and shall take effect and be enforced from and after its passage and approval by the Mayor, or ten days after passage if the Mayor neither approves nor vetoes the same.