Explanation
BACKGROUND: The purpose of this resolution is to support Columbus-Franklin County Finance Authority, in partnership with The Pizzuti Companies, in conjunction with an Ohio Department of Development Brownfield Remediation round 3 grant application of up to $2,032,500 for site cleanup on properties adjacent to Astor Park along the Scioto River in Columbus, Franklin County, Ohio.
The 4.613 acre property consists of three large parcels, 010-303975, 010-303976 and 010-303974. The Pizzuti Companies is proposing to redevelop the site with a five-story wood framed structure with 247 residential apartment homes, a five-story concrete parking garage with 687 parking spaces, and a five-story steel structure housing a 120,000 square-foot office building with 12,000 square feet of ground-floor commercial space and 15,000 square feet of public plaza. Astor Park will provide functional greenspace and recreation areas plus a kayak boathouse and launch.
The subsurface soils and groundwater are impacted by heavy metals, semi-volatile organic compounds, and total petroleum hydrocarbons. The Developer is proposing to remediate the soils and groundwater by the following activities-
1. Establishing an Urban Setting Designation for the property to serve as the groundwater remediation requirement;
2. Establishing the top two feet of the development as a ‘cap’. The cap would be comprised of soil, building slabs, parking lot surface, or concrete pavement structure;
3. Utilizing a full time Soils Management/Oversight strategy, including a Soils Management Plan and Risk Management Plan to either dispose the soils generated during construction off-site or reusing them on-site as applicable;
4. Obtaining a BUSTR NFA for two former underground storage tank areas on-site;
5. Conducting a risk assessment to document acceptable risk for future use of site.
The Pizzuti Companies is ready to move forward with the remediation upon award of Brownfield Remediation grant funding. All remediation activities will be completed by 11/30/2023.
Emergency action is necessary in order to meet Ohio Department of Development Brownfield Remediation round 3 grant application deadline of June 30, 2022.
FISCAL IMPACT: There are no costs to the City of Columbus associated with a resolution of support for the Brownfield Remediation Program grant funding,
Title
To resolve to support Columbus-Franklin County Finance Authority, in partnership with The Pizzuti Companies, in their efforts to obtain Ohio Department of Development Brownfield Remediation grant funding for use in the environmental cleanup and redevelopment of the properties adjacent to Astor Park along the Scioto River and to declare an emergency.
Body
WHEREAS, the State of Ohio Brownfield Remediation grant program will award up to $10 million per project throughout Ohio for the purpose of cleanup, demolition and redevelopment of contaminated or abandoned properties known as “brownfields”; and
WHEREAS, the City of Columbus contains brownfield properties which may qualify for Brownfield Remediation cleanup, demolition and redevelopment grant funding; and
WHEREAS, the Columbus Department of Development has been involved with brownfield redevelopment since 1999, first with the Clean Ohio grant program and now with the Ohio Brownfield Remediation grant program; and
WHEREAS, Ohio Brownfield Remediation grant funding will greatly complement the efforts of the Columbus Department of Development in helping to clean up and redevelop brownfield properties in Columbus; and
WHEREAS, the Columbus Department of Development has identified a brownfield property in the City of Columbus which may be eligible for Ohio Brownfield Remediation grant funding located adjacent to Astor Park along the Scioto River. The Pizzuti Companies has agreed to partner with Columbus-Franklin County Finance Authority to clean up and redevelop the site with residential, office, parking and retail uses; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the Department of Development in that it is immediately necessary to express its support for the application described herein to meet the Ohio Brownfield Remediation grant application deadline of June 30, 2022, all for the preservation of public health, peace, property, safety and welfare; Now, Therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
Section 1. That Columbus City Council hereby supports Columbus-Franklin County Finance Authority, in partnership with The Pizzuti Companies, in their efforts to obtain Ohio Department of Development Brownfield Remediation round 3 grant funding for the purpose of incentivizing the cleanup and redevelopment of properties located adjacent to Astor Park which are contaminated with heavy metals, semi-volatile organic compounds and total petroleum hydrocarbons.
Section 2. That for the reason stated in the preamble hereto, which is hereby made a part hereof, this resolution is hereby declared to be an emergency measure and shall take effect and be in force from and after its adoption and approval by the Mayor or ten days after adoption if the Mayor neither approves nor vetoes the same.