Explanation
BACKGROUND: This Council is being asked to approve the Petition and the Articles of Incorporation of the Discovery 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.
This ordinance is the first of four actions required by Chapter 1710 of the Ohio Revised code to reauthorize.
Emergency action is required to allow the Discovery Special Improvement District of Columbus, Inc. to continue the reauthorization of their Special Improvement District in a timely manner.
At the request of property owners on the east side of Downtown, City Council authorized the creation of the Discovery Special Improvement District of Columbus, Inc. (Discovery SID) in 2006 to begin collecting assessments for services in the SID area. The Discovery SID has operated successfully since its inception and the property owners reauthorized the Discovery SID in 2010 and 2015 with Council’s consent. The property owners now request reauthorization for an additional five-year period (2021 to 2025) with slightly different boundaries (map attached).
A one-petition process has been initiated in which owners representing at least 60% of the property frontage within the District signed that they are interested in reauthorizing the SID and they approve of the plan for improvements and services to be provided by the SID.
A companion resolution is being presented simultaneously that approves the Plan for Services of the Discovery SID.
FISCAL IMPACT: No funding is required for this legislation.
Title
To approve the Discovery Special Improvement District of Columbus, Inc. Petition for re-authorization and Articles of Incorporation and the inclusion of the properties owned by the City of Columbus in said district; and to declare an emergency.
Body
WHEREAS, Chapter 1710 of the 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 Discovery Special Improvement Development 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 Discovery 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, represent at least 60% of the front footage of the property located in the SID, 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 Discovery Special Improvement District of Columbus, Inc., all for the immediate preservation of the public health, property, safety and welfare; and NOW, THEREFORE,
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
Section 1. That the Petition for the reauthorization of the Discovery Special Improvement District of Columbus, Inc. and the Articles of Incorporation of the Discovery 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.