Explanation
Background: This ordinance authorizes the Director of Recreation and Parks to enter into a grant agreement with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) for the 2020 Clean Ohio Trails Fund Alum Creek Trail - Mock Road Connector Project. This ordinance will also authorize the appropriation of grant and matching funds. The grant amount is $485,000.00 and the local match amount is $121,250.00. There is a total of $606,250.00 being authorized by this ordinance.
In February of 2020, the Department applied for Clean Ohio Trail Funds, as authorized by Ordinance No. 0426-2020, to build a trail connection to the Alum Creek Trail from Mock Road in the near Northeast area of Columbus. In March of 2021, the Department received notice that the grant was approved. The Alum Creek Trail - Mock Road Connector will become a direct 1.2 mile connection for the near Northeast Community to the City’s regional trail system. The connector will be a 10 foot wide paved path from the Alum Creek Trail at Sunbury and Mock Road, heading west. It will connect directly to the City’s new Hudson Street Greenway, opening a seamless 3.5 mile east/west trail from Interstate 71, near the proposed Community Sports Park, to the Alum Creek Trail. By linking these two east/west projects, over 6,000 residents of the Arlington Park, Woodland Holt, Brittany Hills, Argyle Park, and East Linden neighborhoods will be within 10 minutes of walking and biking connectivity to parks, churches, schools, retail, and jobs.
Principal Parties:
Ohio Department of Natural Resources
2045 Morse Road, Columbus, OH 43229
D’Juan Hammonds, 614-256-6417, Division of Real Estate
Contract Compliance Number, Tax ID: 005089, 31-1334820
Expiration Date: N/A (State of Ohio Agency)
Benefits to the Public: The near Northeast area of Columbus lacks safe, significant open spaces and parks. The timing of constructing a greenway trail along Mock Road and Parkwood Avenue ties directly to the City’s goal of providing a benefit to inner city neighborhoods cut off from safe, easy access to greenways and outdoor experiences. The scale of construction costs estimated in this project relies heavily upon outside funding assistance being provided by the Clean Ohio Trails Fund to achieve these goals.
Community Input/Issues: Letters of Support for this project were received from non-profit organizations, residents, a school principal, and the Central Ohio Greenways Board. Further public engagement will be underway during the Fall of 2021 as the project team holds open houses, online survey(s), social media, and key stakeholder meetings.
Area(s) Affected: Northeast (41)
Master Plan Relation: This project will support the Recreation and Parks Master Plan by providing equitable and safe access to the City’s trail system for underserved communities.
Fiscal Impact: This ordinance will authorize the appropriation of $485,000.00 in grant funds in the Recreation and Parks Grant Fund 2283. This ordinance will also authorize a grant match of $121,250.00 from the Recreation and Parks Voted Bond Fund 7702. $121,250.00 is budgeted and available from within the Recreation and Parks Voted Bond Fund 7702 to meet the financial obligations of this grant match. There is a total of $606,250.00 available for this project. Future legislation will be prepared to expend these funds once construction is ready to move forward.
Title
To authorize the Director of Recreation and Parks to enter into a grant agreement with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources for the 2020 Clean Ohio Trails Fund Alum Creek Trail - Mock Road Connector Project and accept a grant in the amount of $485,000.00 with a minimum local match of $121,250.00; to authorize the appropriation of $485,000.00 in the Recreation and Parks Grant Fund 2283; to authorize the amendment of the 2020 Capital Improvements Budget Ordinance; and to authorize the transfer of $121,250.00 within the Recreation and Parks Voted Bond Fund. ($606,250.00)
Body
WHEREAS, Ordinance No. 0426-2020 authorized the Director of Recreation and Parks to apply for funding through the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Clean Ohio Trails Fund and ODNR has awarded the City of Columbus a grant for the 2020 Clean Ohio Trails Fund Alum Creek Trail - Mock Road Connector Project; and
WHEREAS, it is now necessary to authorize and direct the Director of Recreation and Parks to accept a grant in the amount of $485,000.00 and enter into an agreement with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources for the 2020 Clean Ohio Trails Fund Alum Creek Trail - Mock Road Connector Project; and
WHEREAS, it is necessary to authorize the appropriation of $485,000.00 to the Recreation and Parks Grant Fund; and
WHEREAS, it is necessary to authorize that the 2020 Capital Improvements Budget Ordinance 2521-2020 be amended in order to provide sufficient budget authority for this legislation and future projects; and
WHEREAS, it is necessary to authorize the transfer of $121,250.00 within the Recreation and Parks Voted Bond Fund; and
WHEREAS, it has become necessary in the usual daily operations of the Recreation and Parks Department to authorize the Director to sign the grant agreement and accept the funding in order to move this project forward, all for the preservation of public health, peace, property, safety, and welfare and, NOW, THEREFORE
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
SECTION 1. That the Director of Recreation and Parks is authorized and directed to accept a grant and enter into an agreement with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources for the 2020 Clean Ohio Trails Fund Alum Creek Trail - Mock Road Connector Project. The amount of the grant is $485,000.00 and requires a minimum of $121,250.00 in City matching funds. There is a total of $606,250.00 available for this project. Future legislation will be prepared to expend these funds once construction is ready to move forward.
SECTION 2. That from the unappropriated monies and from all monies estimated to come into said fund from any and all sources and unappropriated for any other purpose during the fiscal year ending December 31, 2021, the sum of $485,000.00 is appropriated to the Recreation and Parks Grant Fund 2283 per the account codes in the attachment to this ordinance. Appropriation effective upon receipt of executed grant agreement.
SECTION 3. That at the end of the grant period, any repayment of unencumbered balances required by the grantor is hereby authorized and any unused City match monies may be transferred back to the City fund from which they originated in accordance with all applicable grant agreements.
SECTION 4. 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 5. 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 6. 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 7. That the transfer of $121,250.00 or so much thereof as may be needed, is hereby authorized between projects within the Recreation and Parks Bond Fund 7702 per the account codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 8. That the 2020 Capital Improvements Budget Ordinance 2521-2020 is hereby amended as follows in order to provide sufficient budget authority for this ordinance and future projects.
Fund / Project / Project Name / Current / Change / Amended
Fund 7702; P512000-100000; New Development - Misc. (SIT Supported); $4,522,402 / ($109,516) / $4,412,886
Fund 7702; P512002-100000; Blueways Development (Voted Carryover) / $11,734 / ($11,734) / $0
Fund 7702; P510921-512000; Alum Creek Trail - Mock Road Connector Grant Match (Voted Carryover) / $0 / $11,734 / $11,734
Fund 7702; P510921-512000; Alum Creek Trail - Mock Road Connector Grant Match (SIT Supported) / $0 / $109,516 / $109,516
SECTION 9. That this ordinance shall take effect and be in force from and after the earliest period allowed by law.