Explanation
BACKGROUND: This Council is being asked to approve the Petition, and the Articles of Incorporation of the Capital Crossroads Special Improvement District of Columbus, Inc., an Ohio not-for-profit corporation organized pursuant to ORC 1710.
The Petition and Articles of Incorporation are on file with the Clerk of the Columbus City Council.
The Council is also being asked to also approve the inclusion of City-owned property as part of the Special Improvement District.
At the request of property owners in the core of Downtown, City Council authorized the creation of the Capital Crossroads Special Improvement District of Columbus, Inc. (Capital Crossroads SID) in 2001 to begin collecting assessments for services in the SID area. The Capital Crossroads SID has operated successfully since its inception and the property owners reauthorized the Capital Crossroads SID in 2006, 2011 and 2016 with Council’s consent. City Council approved the addition of the Transit Services Plan for the Capital Crossroads SID at the request of property owners in 2017.
The property owners now request reauthorization of the Base Services Plan for an additional four-year period (2022-2025) and the Transit Services Plan for an additional five-year period (2021-2025), both with slightly different boundaries.
In reauthorizing the Capital Crossroads SID, property owners are initiating a one-petition process in which property owners representing at least 60% of the frontage of property, per Ohio Revised Code Chapter 1710 (ORC Chapter 1710) within the District, signed a petition approving the Plans for Services to be provided by the Capital Crossroads SID.
This legislation is the first of four actions required by Chapter 1710 of the Ohio Revised code to reauthorize.
Emergency action is requested to allow the Capital Crossroads Special Improvement District of Columbus, Inc. to continue the reauthorization of their Special Improvement District without interruption.
FISCAL IMPACT: No funding is required for this legislation.
Title
To approve the Capital Crossroads Special Improvement District of Columbus, Inc. Petition and Articles of Incorporation; to approve the Base Services Plan and Transit Services Plan in said district and the inclusion of properties of the municipal corporation in said plans; and to declare an emergency.
Body
WHEREAS, Chapter 1710 of the Ohio Revised Code, effective September 29, 1994 provides for the creation of Special Improvement Districts (SIDS), by non-profit corporations governed by trustees elected by the property owners for the provision of special services in designated district; and
WHEREAS, the property owners located in the downtown area have initiated a petition to reauthorize the SID and have filed the petition with the Clerk of the Columbus City Council along with the Articles of Incorporation of the Capital Crossroads Special Improvement District of Columbus, Inc., an Ohio non-profit corporation, created pursuant to Chapter 1710.02 of the Revised Code; and
WHEREAS, Section 1710.02 further excludes the property owned by the municipal corporation unless the municipal corporation specifically authorizes its property to be included in the district; and,
WHEREAS, the Clerk of Columbus City Council finds that the property owners per the signed Petition, if authorized by this Council, represents at least 60% of the front footage of the property located in the SID and to be assessed for the Base Services Plan, all as provided by Section 1710.02 of the Revised Code; and
WHEREAS, the Clerk of Columbus City Council finds that the property owners per the signed Petition, if authorized by this Council, represents at least 60% of the front footage of the property located in the SID and to be assessed for the Transit Services Plan, all as provided by Section 1710.02 of the Revised Code; and
WHEREAS, it has been determined by this Council that the SID is a valuable tool for continuing further economic development and a means of continuing to revitalize the downtown area; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the Department of Development, Economic Development Division, in that it is immediately necessary to approve the petition and the Articles of Incorporation for the Capital Crossroads Special Improvement District of Columbus, Inc., all 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 for the reauthorization of the Capital Crossroads Special Improvement District of Columbus, Inc., the Base Services Plan, the Transit Services Plan, and the Articles of Incorporation of the Capital Crossroads Special Improvement District of Columbus, Inc. now on file with the Clerk of the Columbus City Council, are hereby approved.
Section 2. That the properties of the City of Columbus abutting upon the streets described in the Petition are hereby authorized to be included in the district.
Section 3. That for the reasons stated in the preamble hereto, which is hereby made a part hereof this Ordinance is 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 its passage if the Mayor neither approves nor vetoes the same.