Explanation
Background: This ordinance authorizes the Director of the Recreation and Parks Department modify an existing contract with Stantec Consulting Services to provide professional services associated with detailed design of the Scioto Trail from Fifth Avenue to Trabue Road. The modification amount being authorized by this ordinance is $236,166.00.
Ordinance 1574-2019 authorized the Director of Recreation and Parks to enter into contract with Stantec Consulting Services to do a preliminary alignment study of extending the Scioto Trail from Fifth Avenue to Griggs Park. The study involved extensive public involvement, analysis of seven potential trail corridors, preliminary cost estimating, coordination with key regional trail building agencies within the local area, and a phase one inventory of environmental resources. The results produced a preferred alignment for Recreation and Parks to advance into an intended stage two modification for detailed design. The contract modification was planned in 2019 to continue the engineering once the preferred alignment was determined. Procurement of a separate consultant contract would cost the city additional funds, delays in the project advancement, and would not provide the Department with required cost estimating to apply for grant funding.
The Scioto Trail is a major regional greenway from the south side of downtown in Berliner Park to Fifth Avenue. This nine miles of open trail is one of the City’s most heavily used paths for cyclists, pedestrians, commuters, runners, and special events. Plans call for over 27 miles of trail to be completed from the far northwest side of the City through downtown, to the far south side of Columbus near Lockbourne. This key middle section will tie together regional trail partners such as Hilliard, Upper Arlington, Metro Parks, Upper Arlington, and Marble Cliff. Over 8,000 residents live within a 10 minute walk of this proposed segment. Over 350,000 residents from around the larger area will begin to be connected to downtown, Quarry Trails Metro Park, and the entire 130 mile regional Central Ohio Greenways network.
Principal Parties:
Stantec Consulting Services Inc.
1500 Lake Shore Drive Suite 100
Columbus, Ohio 43204
Brian Hagerty, (614)485-8352
Contract Compliance Number, Tax ID: 000462, 11-2167170
Contract Compliance Expiration Date: July 28, 2023
Emergency Justification: Emergency action is requested as the Department will need to have the consultant team provide a certified cost estimate by January 25, 2023 as a necessary requirement to apply for state grant funding for the project.
Benefits to the Public: This project ties together several years of regional collaboration between public and private trail building partnerships and the public at large with the goals of creating recreational opportunities, as well as providing a car-free means of active transportation. This project will provide connections to parks, downtown, employment centers, retail, entertainment, cultural events, and other destinations.
Community Input/Issues: Several planning documents and studies show extensive benefits and public demand for trail connectivity for the larger northwest corridor of Columbus. The current end of the trail at Fifth Avenue limits thousands of residents from safe access to the trail system. Development of new housing, attractions, and parks within this trail section is moving ahead rapidly.
Area(s) Affected: Citywide (99)
Master Plan Relation: This project will support the Recreation and Parks Master Plan by improving access to trails and greenways corridors while improving the environmental health of the City’s waterways. This project will also improve recreational access to streams and provide long term protection corridors for water quality and trail development.
Fiscal Impact: The expenditure of $ $169,500.00 was legislated for the Scioto Trail Extension Project by Ordinance 1574-2019. This ordinance will provide funding that will modify the previously authorized amount by $236,166.00. $236,166.00 is budgeted and available in the Recreation and Parks Voted Bond Fund 7702 to meet the financial obligations of this contract modification. The aggregate total amount authorized, including this modification, is $405,666.00.
Title
To authorize the Director of Recreation and Parks to modify an existing contract with Stantec Consulting Services to provide professional services associated with detailed design of the Scioto Trail from Fifth Avenue to Trabue Road; to authorize the transfer of $236,166.00 within the Recreation and Parks Voted Bond Fund; to authorize the amendment of the 2022 Capital Improvements Budget; to authorize the expenditure of $236,166.00 from the Recreation and Parks Voted Bond Fund; and to declare an emergency. ($236,166.00)
Body
WHEREAS, it is necessary to authorize the Director of the Recreation and Parks to modify an existing contract with Stantec Consulting Services to provide professional services associated with detailed design of the Scioto Trail from Fifth Avenue to Trabue Road; and
WHEREAS, it is necessary to authorize the transfer of $236,166.00 within the Recreation and Parks Voted Bond Fund 7702; and
WHEREAS, it is necessary to authorize the amendment of the 2022 Capital Improvements Budget Ordinance 1896-2022 in order to provide sufficient budget authority for this and future projects; and
WHEREAS, it is necessary to authorize the expenditure of $236,166.00 from the Recreation and Parks Voted Bond Fund 7702; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operations of the Recreation and Parks Department in that it is immediately necessary to authorize the Director to modify an existing contract with Stantec Consulting Services as the Department will need to have the consultant team provide a certified cost estimate by January 25, 2023 as a necessary requirement to apply for state grant funding for the project, NOW, THEREFORE
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
SECTION 1. That the Director of Recreation and Parks be and is hereby authorized to modify an existing contract with Stantec Consulting Services to provide professional services associated with detailed design of the Scioto Trail from Fifth Avenue to Trabue Road.
SECTION 2. 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 3. 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 4. 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 5. That the transfer of $236,166.00 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 6. That the 2022 Capital Improvements Budget Ordinance 1896-2022 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); $4,160,216 / ($236,166) / $3,924,050
Fund 7702 / P510312-100000; Greenways - Scioto Trail - 5th to Griggs (Voted Carryover) / $0 / $236,166 / $236,166
SECTION 7. For the purpose stated in Section 1, the expenditure of $236,166.00 or so much thereof as may be necessary to pay the cost thereof, be and is hereby authorized from the Recreation and Parks Voted Bond Fund 7702 in object class 06 Capital Outlay per the accounting codes in the attachments to this ordinance.
SECTION 8. That for the reasons stated in the preamble hereto, which is hereby made a part hereof, this ordinance is hereby 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 passage if the Mayor neither approves nor vetoes the same.