Explanation
Background: This ordinance authorizes the Director of the Department of Recreation and Parks to enter into a grant agreement with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) for the Linview Park Project. This ordinance will also authorize the appropriation of grant and matching funds. The grant amount is $46,505.00 and the local match amount is $139,515.00. There is a total of $186,020.00 being authorized by this ordinance.
In June of 2020, the Recreation and Parks Department applied for grant funding through the Ohio Department of Natural Resources NatureWorks Program, as authorized by 0804-2020, to support the Linview Park Project. In December of 2021, the Department received notice that the grant was approved.
This project has been a collaboration between the Recreation and Parks Department and the Department of Public Utilities, through their Blueprint Columbus Program. Blueprint Columbus is an initiative that controls storm water in neighborhoods to prevent sanitary sewer flooding in homeowners’ basements and, as a result of controlling this sewer flooding, to improve the overall water quality in Columbus. As part of these efforts, this project will involve a retention basin to help control storm water in the Linden area. In addition to these benefits, Linview Park will become a 4.9 acre neighborhood park in the South Linden area of Columbus. The property has existing mature trees and a wetland that will be preserved as a part of the natural habitat in this dense urban neighborhood. Park amenities will include a shelter, playground, and outdoor classroom area. These amenities will be utilized by students at the nearby Centenary United Methodist Church and School, as well as the community as a whole.
Principal Parties:
Ohio Department of Natural Resources
2045 Morse Road, Columbus, OH 43229
Timothy Robinson, 614-265-6528, Office of Real Estate Management
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 access to significant open spaces and parks. The timing of constructing a park, in conjunction with the Blueprint Columbus regional storm water facility between Linview Avenue and Denune Avenue, ties directly to the City’s goal of providing a lift to inner city neighborhoods cut off from safe and easy access to outdoor experiences. The scale of construction costs estimated in this project relies upon outside funding assistance, such as the ODNR NatureWorks program, to achieve these goals.
Community Input/Issues: Public engagement meetings, open houses, resident surveys, area commission meetings, key stakeholder meetings, and on site meetings took place in 2019, gathering input for features to be included in the park design. Additional public meetings took place in February of 2022, providing project updates to the storm water portion of the project and in preparation for final design of the park amenities.
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 $46,505.00 in grant funds in the Recreation and Parks Grant Fund 2283. This ordinance will also authorize a grant match of $139,515.00 from the Recreation and Parks Voted Bond Fund 7702. $139,515.00 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 $186,020.00 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 the Department of Recreation and Parks to enter into a grant agreement with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources for the Linview Park Project and accept a grant in the amount of $46,505.00 with a minimum local match of $139,515.00; to authorize the appropriation of $46,505.00 in the Recreation and Parks Grant Fund; to authorize the amendment of the 2021 Capital Improvements Budget Ordinance; and to authorize the transfer of $139,515.00 within the Recreation and Parks Voted Bond Fund. ($186,020.00)
Body
WHEREAS, Ordinance No. 0804-2020 authorized the Director of the the Department of Recreation and Parks to apply for funding through the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) NatureWorks Program and ODNR has awarded the City of Columbus a grant for the Linview Park Project; and
WHEREAS, it is necessary to authorize and direct the Director of Recreation and Parks to accept a grant in the amount of $46,505.00 and enter into an agreement with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources for the Linview Park Project; and
WHEREAS, it is necessary to authorize the appropriation of $46,505.00 to the Recreation and Parks Grant Fund; and
WHEREAS, it is necessary to authorize that the 2021 Capital Improvements Budget Ordinance 2707-2021 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 $139,515.00 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 that it is necessary 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 Ordinance No. 0804-2020 authorized the Director of Recreation and Parks to apply for funding through the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) NatureWorks Program and ODNR has awarded the City of Columbus a grant for the Linview Park Project.
SECTION 2. That the Director of Recreation and Parks is authorized and directed to accept a grant and enter into a contract with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources for the Linview Park Project. The amount of the grant is $46,505.00 and requires a minimum of $139,515.00 in City matching funds. There is a total of $186,020.00 available for this project. Future legislation will be prepared to expend these funds once construction is ready to move forward.
SECTION 3. 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, 2022, the sum of $46,505.00 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 4. 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 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 the transfer of $139,515.00, 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 9. That the 2021 Capital Improvements Budget Ordinance 2707-2021 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. (Voted Carryover); $1,365,092 / ($139,515) / $1,225,577
Fund 7702 / P510926-512000; ODNR - Linview Park Grant Match (Voted Carryover); $0 / $139,515 / $139,515
SECTION 10. That this ordinance shall take effect and be in force from and after the earliest period allowed by law.