Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. [Music] Council member Baradia, would you please lead us in the pledge? I aliance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. This evening, council's uh grateful to have pastor Timothy Ligins of Bethl AM Church to pray with us. Pastor, welcome back to council. Hey, Commissioner Thank you. Good evening to everyone. Let us pray. Eternal God, our heavenly father, we come to you in prayer first thanking you for the love for your love and your mercies. We thank you for the love that you have for the residents of this great city. And we thank you for these civil servants who have responded to the call that you have placed in their hearts. We thank you for how you have orchestrated it for them to be in the position they are in for such a time as this. Oh God, there are many challenges that stand before us, but that is why we look to you first. For every problem has a solution and you are able to divinely lead and guide into all wisdom. Oh God, our faith tells us that nothing is too hard for you. It tells us that you are able to work all things together for good. And it tells us that you know the plans that you have for the residents of this city. Plans for our good and not for evil. So God bless this meeting. Father bless these your servants. Grant them divine wisdom, guidance, and courage. Give them a heart that is after your heart that they too will want to do justice and love mercy. And bless all who will take part this evening. Let love and patience rule in these proceedings. We are believing for great outcomes for this city by way of this meeting. And Lord, for all of your blessings and all of your grace, we are careful to give your name all the glory and all the praise. In the matchless name of our Lord and Savior, we pray. Let everyone say, "Amen." Amen. Amen. Thank you, pastor. Cler, please call the role. Bankston Barosa, de Padilla, Dorren's favor, Remy, President Harden. Any person who takes any action to obstruct or interfere with the conduct of tonight's meeting may be charged with disturbing a lawful meeting pursuant to Columbus City Code 2317.12. Any person who enters those areas of city council chambers reserved for city officials or invited guests may be charged with criminal trespass pursuant to Columbus City Code 2311.21. Can I get a motion to dispense with the reading of the journal? Cler, please call the role. Bankston, Bar Roa de Padilla Dorne's favor. Remy, President Harden, are there any additions or corrections to the journal hearing? None. The journal is approved. This week's communications received by the city clerk's office are listed on the agenda and will be published in the city bulletin. Are there any other communications to be read to the record? None received. Thank you. We will now go around the dis for um resolutions or updates from council members. Starting with council member Bangston. Thank you, council member Bros Padilla. Thank you. Um I just we want to thank folks who came out. It was a busy week last week for the first immigrant migrant refugee town hall and also for uh the pay equity workshop. We had a great turnout at both. I just want folks to mark their calendars for April 19th. That is a I thought I had it in my notes and I don't. Give me one second. That is a Wednesday. Um we'll be having our second immigrant migrant refugee town hall. We are calling them immigrants make Columbus. And you can find out more information and um RSVP at immigrantsmakecolus.com. That's all for me this evening. Thank you. Thank you, Council Member. Uh, Council Member Adorn, Council Member Favor. Thank you, Council President Harden. The month of April is second chance month. In the United States, one in three American adults has a criminal record, which limits their access to education, jobs, housing, among other things necessary for a productive life. Even after they have completed their sentences and have been released from prison, these men and women face more than 44,000 documented legal restrictions in add in addition to widespread social stigma. This is sometimes called the second prison. This all occurs against the backdrop of the criminal justice system's stark racial imbalances. People of color, particularly black Americans, are disproportionately represented at every stage of the US criminal justice system, from arrest to reintegration. Now more than ever, it is crucial that we raise awareness about the challenges men and women face upon re-entry as they seek health care, housing, and employment. Second Chance Month, spearheaded by the Prison Fellowship in 2017, aims to raise awareness and improve perceptions of people with a criminal record, encourage second chance opportunities, and drive momentum for policy change throughout the country. Myself and my colleagues here on Columbus City Council remain committed to helping justice involved residents lead successful lives through innovative ideas such as opportunity port supporting local organizations working with returning citizens and more. We continue to learn and pass progressive polit policies to support all Columbus residents. This month, I encourage you to engage in conversation, learn, and participate in ways to support returning citizens in our community. Additionally, the last week of April, and the last week of April, our community will celebrate National Re-entry Week. This week will provide an opportunity to reflect on and educate Columbus on the importance of equitable restorative re-entry practices and the need for smart justice measures at all parts of the criminal justice continuum. This year, Central Ohio's re-entry partners will host a variety of events, including professional development webinars, a community resource fair, a multidisciplinary art exhibition, an advocacy training at the state house for community members with lived experience, and a communitywide event featuring internationally acclaimed author and antiviolence expert Danielle Serid. Details for these events will be highlighted on council social media channels and those interested in learning more can visit www. central Ohio re-entryweek.com. I now have the honor of presenting resolution 0043x-2023 to designate April 2023 as national fair housing month within the city of Columbus. I'd now like to invite Melissa Benson with Columbus Legal Aid to the podium. National Fair Housing Month celebrates the passage of the Fair Housing Act of 1968. The Fair Housing Act was created to put an end to inequities within the housing system and eliminate racial segregation in American neighborhoods. Historical legacies of discriminatory housing policies are still evident within Ohio with 33% and 31% of black and Hispanic renters respectively experiencing severe housing problems compared to only 233% of white renters. The city of Columbus aims to increase awareness of fair housing issues, eliminate intolerance and bias behavior among individuals and groups working within the housing space. As chair of city council's housing committee, I am proud to have passed the housing for all legislative package, which included source of income discrimination, renters's choice security deposit, and rentals receipt to protect our tenants rights. Earlier this month, we also shared council's 2023 housing initiatives, where we will dig deeper and pass more policies to protect residents and promote fair housing. City Council remains committed to securing equal opportunity for all as well as providing encouragement to those whose housing needs have yet to be realized. Melissa Benson, I'll turn the podium over to you now. Thank you, Council Member Favor, and thank you to all of city council for inviting me to be here today as you recognize April as Fair Housing Month. All of the residents of the state of Ohio in the city of Columbus are protected by fair housing law and deserve to rent, purchase, and finance their housing free of discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, familial status, disability, and military status. Further, in the city of Columbus, additional protections are recognized on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, and source of income. Through our partnership with the city of Columbus, LAC works to enforce fair housing rights for residents of the area. Through our work with the Department of Housing and Urban Development, we enforce those rights throughout the region. In the past year, we have assisted more than 100 Columbus residents facing housing discrimination. This is just the tip of the iceberg. We have filed complaints on behalf of Columbus residents with the Ohio Civil Rights Commission for fair housing violations, including race and disability discrimination and sexual harassment by landlords. We have raised fair housing violations in defense of eviction actions and proposed subsidy terminations, ensuring that Columbus tenants do not lose their homes due to discrimination. We have obtained numerous reasonable accommodations uh for disabled Columbus residents so that they may fully use and enjoy their rental housing. And most recently, we were pleased to partner with the city of Columbus to preserve the housing voucher to preserve the housing for 61 voucher holder tenants at a north side complex when their landlord sent them a notice that their vouchers would no longer be accepted in violation of the city's source of income discrimination ordinance. Among these tenants were veterans, senior citizens, people with disabilities, and immigrants. Many had lived in the complex without issue for over a decade before being told that their vouchers would no longer be accepted. One resident, a 68-year-old Army veteran, told the Columbus Dispatch, "I'm so frustrated right now. I just don't understand where they get the idea that they can do this and they don't have to answer to the law." Thanks to our partnership with the city of Columbus to enforce fair housing laws, we were able to advocate for these tenants with the city attorney's office and hold the complex accountable to the law. The city responded quickly sending a letter to the complex which prompted the withdrawal of the notice preserving the tenencies of 61 vulnerable Columbus residents who were asked to move out simply because part of their income came from section 8. We look forward to continuing to partner with the city to create a robust enforcement mechanism for source of income discrimination and the other protections guaranteed under fair housing law and the housing for all legislative package. We will continue to expand our fair housing work, help to educate the community about fair housing rights, and we'll create a testing program to better protect all Columbus residents from discrimination in housing. In today's housing market, the most vulnerable Columbus residents, racial and ethnic minorities, single mothers, people with disabilities, immigrants, they face many, many challenges in finding safe, stable housing. Discrimination should not be among them. We must work to enforce the fair housing protections that exist in our city in order to create a stronger, more diverse, and more stable Columbus for all who live here. Thank you. Thank you so much, uh, Miss Benson, and we truly do appreciate, uh, the work and the advocacy and partnership, uh, that comes from the Legal Aid, uh, Society of Columbus. You all continue to do great work. We're incredibly excited to have um, now extended our partnership to include this fair housing um, element. And you know, the reality is that we can pass all of the uh progressive housing policies that we want to, but if there are not measures in place to ensure uh that individuals that are experiencing discrimination have a way to report those um uh those uh instances and then those instances be investigated. Uh then this makes all of the work for not, right? Um so thank you for the work that you all continue to do. Are there any uh questions or comments by my colleagues? Seeing none, I'd move for adoption. Second clerk please call the role. Bankston Barosa de Padilla Dorne's favor. Reie President Harden. Thank you. [Applause] All right. Next, I have uh resolution 0056x-2023 to designate April 10th through the 14th, 2023 as National Community Development Week in the city of Columbus. The city of Columbus is a participant in the Community Development Block Grant or CDBG, Home Investment Partnerships, Emergency Solutions Grant, and Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS programs. These critical community development programs provide funds from the Department of Housing and Urban Development for public infrastructure, economic development, and housing programs in our community. Through this partnership, Columbus has dedicated resources to secure housing or shelter for our most vulnerable populations, including low to moderate income and those experiencing homelessness. During the week of April 10th through the 14th, we observe National Community Development Week to give special recognition to all participants whose hard work and devotion to the neighborhoods and their residents help ensure the quality and effectiveness of the community development programs. Uh with that, I'd like to hand it over to Director Stevens to provide some additional remarks. Uh thank you, President Harden, Chair Favor, members of council. I'd actually like to introduce my colleague Rita Pereice who's our housing division administrator who runs these programs and give us a little more insight on the importance of community development and uh what we'll be recognizing that week. So I will hand it over to Rita who I can hear coming up now. Good evening President Harden and Chair Favor. Um, while we recognize the work that we do, sometimes it feels like it's never done. And we recognize that there is a lot more to accomplish, we are going to take an opportunity for community development week to take a breather and pat ourselves on the back a little bit for the good work that we've done. We thank the mayor and city council for the tremendous support that we have had in accomplishing many goals with many more yet to come. Um we are actually doing um an event on the 13th where we are going to be inviting elected officials to join us to have discussion around the whole affordable housing realm and the work that goes into it and the housing strategy and also do a tour of some of our multifamily projects in the Franklin neighborhood. Uh we're really excited about this. Um clearly all council members have been invited. We would love to see you join us and or your aids if they can. Um, but it is going to be a great week for us to actually celebrate a little bit for the work that we've done and be thankful for the great team that we have to to get us there. Thank you so much, Miss Parice. Uh, Miss Marice Soore, Director Stevens, if uh folks want to learn a little bit more about Community Development Week, uh, is there a place for them to go? Director? Uh, yeah. If you go to columbus.govdevelopment, we have information on the week there. Wonderful. Any questions or comments by my colleagues? Yes, Council Member Bangston. No, I just wanted to just reiterate how great of a week this is to um to celebrate. Um you know, often when we think about development, we think about the bricks and sticks of the work, right? Which is the easy part that we can see. Uh but community development really centers people. uh in our families. Uh and so it's messier. It's harder to explain sometimes and a little bit wonkier. Um but it is the transformation that you see in places like Franklin and Hilltop, the one lending community plan that come to life when uh community uh and government and private sector stack hands and say that we want to make a change in our neighborhood. Thank you um uh deputy I mean director and thank you to our housing administrator for all the work that you've done through the years in helping to transform our neighborhoods and the lives of so many people. So thank you and congratulations. Thank you council member and he's absolutely correct. This work does center people. Uh so we appreciate the work that department does uh to help support um our our various partners across the the the city uh that are doing great work to serve our residents. Uh, with that I'd move for adoption. Second. Clerk, please call the role. Bankston Barrosa Deadia Dorne's favor. Reie, President Harden. Adopted. [Applause] I got to get 10,000 steps today, so this is helping me out. Uh, and last but certainly not least, uh, Council President Harden, with your permission, I have one resolution I'd like to introduce from the floor. Uh, at this time I'd like to invo in invite uh Dorian Windgard and Jessica Roach to come forward to the podium to introduce resolution 0061X-2023 to designate April 11th through April 17th as Black Maternal Health Week in the city of Columbus and recognize Restoring Our own through transformation for their ongoing efforts to raise awareness for black maternal and infant health. The US has the highest maternal mortality rates in the developed world with 32.9 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2021. And this number is even more shocking for black women. In 2021, the maternal mortality rate for black women was 69.9 deaths per 100,000 live births, 2.6 times the rate for non-Hispanic white women. This phenomena has numerous root causes, including gaps in health care, social determinance of health, economic disparities, and racism, as evidenced by the fact that black women are disproportionately more likely to suffer from perinatal mood and anxiety disorders like postpartum depression without access to the healthc care resources necessary to address it. Further gaps in access to basic reproductive health care like STI screenings and abortion, contraception access and counseling leaves black women at higher risk for health implications from pregnancy. And a cornerstone of any plan to address these inequities involves recognizing blackled doula and midwifeery care as a sound evidence-based form of health care for black women and birthing people. providing lifesaving services and reducing the mortality rates among these vulnerable populations. Black Maternal Health Week is celebrated annually to uplift the voices of black women and birthing people through advocacy efforts to ensure they retain their fundamental right to bodily autonomy and safety. Restoring our own through transformation is a Columbus-based organization led by black women who are dedicated to raising awareness for black maternal and infant health through doula services and training, research, education, and consultation. With that, I'd now like to turn uh the podium over to Miss Roach and Mr. Wingard to say a few words on this resolution. Thank you so much, Council Member Favor. We really appreciate that. Council President Harden, Council members, thank you for having us today. We appreciate the acknowledgement of Black Maternal Health Week 2023. My name is Jessica Roach and I'm the chief executive officer of Restoring Our own through Transformation and this is my partner and COO Dorian Windgard. Root provides comprehensive fullsp spectrum perinatal support doula services that draws a distinction in that because we are there with the family through family planning throughout the entire prenatal period through labor and delivery and through extended postpartum. We're there for all aspects of the black family in order to make sure we can create healthy environments. Root also engages on a national level public health policy, advocacy, research, and education of interdisciplinary professionals because we know that it is important and is necessary in order to be able to change the spectrum of care how as it to how it impacts us as black families. Black Maternal Health Week was created six years ago by the Black Mama's Matter Alliance to raise awareness around the black maternal health crisis in this country. Root as the first kindred partner of the Black Mama's Matter Alliance has utilized our platform and the shared responsibility in the relationship that we have developed with the Black Mamas Matter Alliance over these years to elevate the message and care of black mothers, black fathers, and black children. The black maternal mortality rate nationally has increased significantly over the last few years. Specifically from 2019 to 2021, Council Member Favor quoted those um stats for us. We've seen a 40% increase in black maternal mortality over these last few years. And despite the abysmal rates that we see even reflected in our own city, Root as an organization has maintained a 0% black maternal and infant mortality since its inception in 2017. [Applause] Root understands the key to having healthy black infants is to ensure the health and well-being of the black family. The black maternal mortality and morbidity rate is intricately tied to our birth outcomes. So it is no surprise that our black infant mortality rates continue to rise. Both are caused by medical misinformation, neglect, obstetric and systemic racism. There is no biological or genetic basis for our health outcomes. Black race is not a behavioral health risk. Obstetric racism is the mortality rate of our infants and families is utilized nationally as a public health indicator. Therefore, it is a reflection of our city. And while the mayor's discussed in the state of the city address infant vitality, we still as a city have failed to address the infant mortality issue that we have. While this resolution recognizing Black Maternal Health Week is sincerely appreciated and in particular council members Bankston and Favor for champion championing the work that we do at root, it must be understood that it will take more than a week of awareness to be able to address and ensure the safety and well-being of black families. True health equity will only be achieved by supporting the community-based organizations that have proven their effect their efficacy in these initiatives. We thank you very much for your time and we appreciate the acknowledgement. Absolutely. Thank you so much for the work that you all do every single day. Um this is I know a labor of love. See that pun I did that labor birthing. Y'all got it. Uh it it's truly a labor of love. Uh and I mean this uh with all sincerity. Um you all truly meet the family uh where they're at and it is individualized care. Uh you have a model that works and we are incredibly grateful uh for the work that you continue to do uh and and meeting uh parents, families, loved ones where they're at. Um this is going to take a lot of work for us to chip away at these numbers and they have only gone up uh for 2022 and so it is time for us to get loud uh and aggressive as we can to tackle uh this this problem at hand. Um I know Council Member Bankston probably has something he'd like to say as well. Um, well, first off, uh, to Dorian and Jessica, thank you for all you do in this community. Uh, you all said it best and and said it well. Uh, I know me and you have had lengthy conversations about this and it is about, yes, saving our black babies, but we also have to save our black mamas. Um, and in order to do that, we're going to continue to raise awareness. Um but it is my hope that one day in our lifetime uh we will celebrate this week not as a week of awareness but as a week of triumph triumph over systemic racism and systemic issues that have plagued our country and our city for way too long particularly in the healthc care sector uh because this is an issue that is urgent uh it is a matter that it is literally life or death uh and I've seen the work that you all have done firsthand uh and that is what makes the difference uh not only being with someone through the health aspects of their pregnancy, but empowering women and empowering families to be able to stand up and know what is happening in those uh doctor's offices and in uh the birthing process. Having a plan in place, that's what truly makes a difference and that's what you're doing every single day. Uh we can't do it at scale just yet, but we're working on it. Uh and so in the meantime, thank you for what you're continuing to do. Thank you for continuing to be an advocate and an activist in this space. Uh, and we celebrate this week, unfortunately, for what it is for, but we want to continue to raise awareness and and we're celebrating ahead of time because we don't have a council meeting next week, but we want to make sure that folks know that it's coming uh down the pipeline and so that they can get prepared uh and attend events accordingly. Uh, Council Member Remy. Okay. Anyone any other council members have any thoughts at this time? I just I just wanted to echo our council members and just say thank you. I think um I'm doulas. My children aren't even that old, but doulas were not something that was common place. And I remember looking looking very hard to try to find a doula and try to find a culturally competent doula was even harder. And so I went without that at a time where it was incredibly scary. And when you have complications and having someone who can truly be an advocate for you and for your family um is life-changing, literally. And so I just wanted to acknowledge and thank you for your work and thank you for elevating this for all of us because I think every time we do a month or a week. It's never about that time. It's about amplifying and raising the volume, but it's an ongoing effort 365 days of the year. So thank you. Absolutely spot on. Uh if folks want to learn more about Black Maternal Health Week, where can they go? They can go to our website at www.rootwitht's rj.org. And they can also check out our Instagram page and our Twitter page which is also root two T's RJ. And then our Facebook page is actually just root by itself. Um and that again is with two T's. And if I could just have a moment and say thank you again for for your comments and and for the support. It is very obvious for us in the way in which we have our model and being clear about how it is that we need to address black families that that is a consistent theme in the success of being able to make sure that we are addressing the black maternal mortality and infant mortality rate. And so it is incredibly important for us to be very focused in a health equity way to make sure that our families are at the center and that everyone in that family is honored in that process. Thank you so much. Uh with that I'd move for adoption. Click please call the role. Bankston Barrosa de Padilla Dorne's favor. Reie President Harden adopted. [Applause] I believe that is all for me. Council President. Thank you. Thank you, Council Member. Uh, Council Member Remy. Thank you very much, Council President. I have one announcement, one resolution this evening. This past Saturday, I hosted the second annual Cleaner Columbus Citywide Cleanup, and we had a wonderful time with the weather before it got to be 60 mph winds. That turn It turned out to be a great day though to pick up litter. And our preliminary numbers continue to grow. But as of 5:00 today, we had 338 volunteers pick up in 48 40 areas of town. That's almost 680 hours of volunteer time. There were 802 bags of litter. That's over 12,313 pounds of litter out of our neighborhood. So, congratulations to our city for a day's worth of effort. And it was just a a good opportunity as I drove through town seeing people throughout every intersection. There were people in yellow vests. It was really great. So, thank you to everyone who came out for this day of action to kick off Earth Month. If you want to join in on the action this month, you can reach out to Keep Columbus Beautiful or Green Columbus for more information. So, speaking of Earth Month, I'd also like to invite our guests from Keep Columbus Beautiful and Suco up, Ari Alex, and Joe Lombardi to the podium as I introduce Resolution 50X 2023 to recognize April 10th through the 16th, 2023 as Food Waste Prevention Week in the city of Columbus. It is estimated that as much as 40% of the food supply in the United States goes uneaten and almost 95% of wasted food is disposed in landfills or in incinerators where it represents the largest component of disposed municipal solid waste. Food waste disposed of in landfills emits methane a potent greenhouse gas that contributes to climate change. The natural resources used to produce food such as energy, land, and water, also are wasted when food is thrown away. We know that 13% of Columbus adults and children are food insecure and therefore do not have a reliable source of food to support a healthy and active lifestyle. In fact, the average American family wastes an average of approximately $1,800 worth of food per year. The city of Columbus' climate action plan has a goal of reducing 95% of organic material going to the landfill by 2050. The Columbus and Franklin County local food action plan identifies the prevention of food related waste through increased consumer education, household composting, technical assistant to food businesses and regulatory updates that support food waste diversion. Reducing the amount of food going to waste and diverting it from disposal mitigates climate change. conserves natural resources, feeds hungry Columbus residents, saves money, and produces beneficial products such as soil amendment and energy. Now, therefore, it be it resolved by the city council of the city of Columbus that this council does hereby declare its commitment to reducing food waste as part of the city's climate action plan and recognizes the week of April 10th through the 16th, 2023 as food waste prevention week in the city of Columbus, Ohio. Thank you so much. And I'm excited to have Ari Alex, sustainability manager and keep Columbus beautiful executive director and Joe Lombardi, the executive director of solid waste authority of central Ohio to speak on this resolution. Ari Joe, this floor is yours. Thank you. Uh good evening, President Harden, uh President Prom Doran's, uh Chair Rei, and council members. Thank you for this opportunity to speak about food waste prevention week that begins next Monday, April 10th. My name is Ari Alex and I have the privilege of working on our city's food waste efforts with the Department of Public Service and Division of Refuge Collection. Reducing Food Waste has the power to feed people rather than landfills, save money, and conserve resources. Our goal is to raise awareness and inspire people to reduce food waste in their homes, workplaces, and communities. Up to 40% of food in the United States is wasted, contributing to extensive extensive environmental, economic, and societal impacts. There's an estimated 51,000 tons of edible food from our city's waist stream that goes to the landfill every year. By reducing the amount of food that is thrown out, Columbus can make progress towards climate and sustainability goals. By rescuing surplus food, we can address address food gaps in our communities. The city of Columbus has an aggressive yet achievable goal of carbon neutrality by 2050 with our city's climate action plan. To achieve that goal, we must have a 90% reduction in organic waste that goes to our landfill. When reached, this will result in saving over 133,000 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions and make a significant contribution towards our climate goals. To help meet those goals, the city has developed a partnership with Suco's Save More Than Food campaign that will educate residents how to reduce, rescue, and recycle food to save resources and ensure healthier communities. I'm also excited to highlight that with grant funding from Suco, Columbus will launch its first ever food waste pilot program this year. Residents will be able to collect and drop off their food waste at five different sites at two new waste and reuse convenience centers and three food waste dropoff sites at recreation centers in our city. We are excited to launch this program later this year and more details will follow. Thank you so much for your time and continued support of these efforts and I will hand it over to my friend and partner Joel Lombardi from Suco. Thanks, Ari, President Harden, Council Member Remy, and other members of council. It's great to be back in this chamber to discuss a very important issue of our region. I am pleased that Columbus City Council is recognizing food waste prevention week with this resolution. I'm joined this evening by Scott Perry, assistant executive director, and Jane Bow, food waste programs administrator for Suco. Most of us have probably are familiar with the national statistics about the amount of food being wasted in America. But food waste isn't something just happening in other communities. Wasted food is the single largest source of landfill material in central Ohio. In fact, the county landfill receives nearly a million pounds of food waste each day. While in our community, one out of five residents are at risk of food insecurity. There is also an economic impact as millions of dollars are lost every year due to food waste. Those are sobering statistics when you consider all the impacts throwing away the food from our dinner plates has on our environment, our community, and our economy. To address this issue, Suco and the Central Ohio Food Waste Initiative launched an awareness campaign regarding the impact of food waste known as Save More Than Food. While there is no single solution to solve this complex issue, but as we have recently shared with NBC Nightly News and has been reported by the New York Times, Suco is working with many partners to tackle this issue on several fronts. As Suco's largest customer and with a population that continues to grow in central Ohio, we must all work together to ensure Columbus's activities will have a big impact on our regional efforts to become more sustainable. We applaud the thoughtfulness of the Columbus climate action plan and the bold initiatives by the administration and Columbus City Council toward addressing climate change, which will undoubtedly benefit all of us. As your regional partner, Suco can help. We appreciate our partnership with the city of Columbus and look forward to building up on our many efforts together to enhance recycling, including capturing more hard to recycle materials at convenience centers, as well as creating opportunities to divert food waste from the landfill through a new grant program. As already talked about with the Columbus Recreation and Parks, only by working together will be will we be able to take care of our environment and enhance the quality of life in our community. For more information about the Save More Than Food program, please visit save more thanfood.org. Thank you again for this resolution and the opportunity to speak in support of it. Thank you very much for your ongoing efforts in raising awareness for this important issue. It's it's critical that we do something to to start making an impact and I'm looking forward to having and promoting these uh food waste drop off centers which will be so integral in our work towards the climate action plan. So thank you again. I move for adoption. Sir, please call the role. Bankston Barrosa de Padilla Dorne's favor. Remy President Harden adopted. [Applause] And that is all I have this evening. Thank you, council member Remy. Are there any comments by other elected officials, city attorney, city auditor, city treasures office? Seeing none, at this time I request the following ordinance to be removed from the consent portion of the agenda. We have techn technology ordinance 0887-2023 public service and transportation uh ordinance 0760-2023 housing ordinance 0917-2023 health and human service ordinances 0759-2023 0866-2023 and 1021-2023. Are there any other requests by members of council for the removal of an ordinance on the uh on the consent portion of the agenda? Hearing none, may we now have a motion to wave reading of titles of 30-day legislation. Clerk, please call the role. Bankston, Marosa de Padilla, Dorne's favor, Remy, President Harden. Thank you, madam clerk. Will the clerk now read to the record or number of 30-day legislation on tonight's agenda? Technology Committee Ordinance 729 Ordinance 807904-2023 Public Service and Transportation Resolution 42X-20223 Ordinances 423 68863 874 937-2023 Recreation and Parks Ordinance 755-2023 Public Utilities Ordinance 551 564 599 691 1 697 744 745 761 797 826 957-2023 Building and Zoning Policy Ordinance 0870-2023 Housing Ordinance 784 871-947-2023 Public Safety Ordinance 121-2023 Environment Committee Ordinance 873-2023 Administration 846 and 928-2023. Finance Committee Ordinance 802822 923 9 955-2023. Thank you, Madame Clerk. Uh, the following appear on our agenda as consent actions. Will the clerk read those into the record? There we go. Uh resolution 49X, 52X, 55X, 47X, 45X, 53X, and 54X-2023. Economic Development Resolution 46X-2023. Ordinance 792, 794, 795, 796, 800, 803, 804, 806, 808, and 974-2023. Public Service and Transportation Ordinance 653-2023 686 689 742 743 793 799 816-2023 Neighborhoods and Immigrant Refugee and Migrant Affairs Ordinance 912-2023 Recreation and Parks Ordinance 98 434 435 437 441 751 757 7 and 938-2023. Public Utilities ordinance 726, 764, and 801-2023. Housing Committee, Ordinance 823, 864, 930-2023. Criminal Justice and Judiciary, Ordinance 769, 770, 771, and 778-2023 or 788-2023. Health and Human Services Ordinance 715 829 857-2023 Public Safety Ordinance 382705 paper stuck uh 737 790 798 837 860 and 953-2023 Environment Committee Ordinance 964-2023 administration ordinance 694695 5, 696, and 776-2023. Finance Committee Ordinance 3237-2022. Ordinance 675, 682, 692, 781, 845, and 867-2023. Appointments from the mayor, uh, A103, A104, A105, A106, and A107-2023. Thank you, Madame Clerk. We have one speaker on the consent portion of the agenda. Uh Fel uh Felina Farley is on WebEx. Felina Farley. Yes. All right. Welcome to council. if you would um uh state your name and if you represent any organization and you'll have three minutes to speak. It look like you're speaking on uh ordinance 0953 in public safety. Welcome to council. Thank you. Thank you very much. Um hello. I'm Felina Farley, uh the National Black Caucus, uh media co-chair of the Green Party, and um I'm here to talk about uh police accountability and reflect on the media biases of injustices and black and black issues. Um, so we call for an end to police brutality, immunity, and abuse of power. Over the past few decades, there has been numerous videotaped excessive force crimes against and killings of black Americans at the hands of white officers or other law enforcement. Um, and we do endorsed a proposed congressional resolution that calls for the end to racial disparities in the application of US police practices and shift towards public safety and security that is community oriented. Um, it is necessary that a just society recognizes that all people have equal access to resources. Police need to be held accountable to end racism. Community-based policing ensures that law enforcement agencies reflect the racial makeup of their communities and are democratically controlled. And we need to see these changes. We need to see an accountability model that eliminates the ability of police unions to defend officers accused of misconduct. And that is essential to finally putting an end to the killing of unarmed black men, women, and children by police. So I we do endorse this community police patrol as long as it also includes patrolling the police. Thank you. Thank you uh Miss Farley. Are there any comments or questions for uh Miss Farley? All right. Thank you for being with us at council. Are there any other questions or comments about the consent portion of the agenda hearing? None. May I have a motion for approval of these items? I please call the role by voice. No, just by call the roll then. Bankston, Bar Roa, de Padilla, Dorne's favor. Remy, President Harden. Passed. Uh, we will now proceed with the second reading of 30-day postponed and emergency legislation. The first committee coming before council is that technology committee chaired by council member Bangston. Council member, the floor is yours. Thank you, uh, President Harden. We have one item on, uh, second read in the technology committee. It's ordinance 0887-2023 found on page 11 in our agenda to authorize the director of the department of technology to enter into an agreement with Ornet/OSU for VMware software licensing, maintenance, and support uh pursuant to Columbus City Code sections relating to nonforprofit service contracts to authorize the expenditure of $46,689.34 from the Department of Technology Information Services Operating Fund and to declare an emergency. I move to postpone this ordinance until the April 24th meeting. Clerk, please call the RO. Bankston, yes. Barosa de Padilla, yes. Dorren, yes. Favor. Remy? Yes. President Harden? Yes. Ordinance is postponed. Thank you. That's all I have in my committees this evening. All right. Next committee coming before council is the public service transportation committee chair by council member uh Lord esposa deia council floor is yours. Thank you. Ordinance 09322023 to authorize the finance and management director to establish purchase orders and contracts with multiple vendors for the purchase of various traffic management and control commodities for the department of public service to author the authorize the expenditure of up to $1,600,000 from the street construction maintenance and repair fund for the purchase of various traffic management and control commodities and to declare an emergency. The Department of Public Service, sorry, uh utilizes pavement marking materials, sign manufacturing materials, school fl school flashers, traffic signal commodities, and a variety of traffic management and control commodities throughout the city. These supplies and materials are necessary to ensure traffic safety throughout the city of Columbus. Do any of my colleagues have questions or comments? Great. Seeing none, I move for passage. Second clerk, please call the row. Bangston, Barrosa, Deadia, Dorne's favor. Remy, President Harden passed. Thank you. Thank you. And if we could go back to the consent agenda page 12, uh, ordinance 07602023 to authorize the transfer appropriate of appropriation within the streets and highways bond fund to authorize the director of public service to reimburse various utilities for utility relocation costs incurred in conjunction with the Columbus traffic signal system phase F project to author authorize the expenditure of $250,000 from the streets and highway bonds fund to pay for the utility relocation costs and to declare an emergency. I would like to move to amend to 30-day legislation. Claro Bankston saying Barosa de Padilla. Yes. Dorren, yes. Favor, yes. Remy, yes. President Harden, yes. Amended. Thank you. Uh, can I move on to veteran senior and disability affairs? Please. Uh, we have one ordinance today. It's 062023 to authorize I got you to authorize and direct the appropriation and transfer of $532,489 from the recreation and parks operating fund to the recreation and parks grant fund to support central Ohio area agency on aging programs that help older adults and individuals with disabilities remain safe and independent in their homes and to declare an emergency. The CEO AAA housing assistance program focuses on keeping older adults out of the shelter and preventative efforts to reduce eviction, displacement, and homelessness. The spark partnership between the Columbus Division of Fire and COA began in 2018 to connect high volume users of emergency medical services, so EMS to consistent medical care and supportive services. Along with the REACT pro uh along with REACT, Spark has served the city's has served as the city's first alternative crisis response. Spark Social Workers and Columbus Fire Department paramedics conduct follow-up visits, resource navigation, and wraparound support services to residents in crisis. Do my colleagues have any questions or comments? Seeing none, I move for passage. Second. Is there a second? Clerk, please call the role. Bankston Barosa de Padilla Dorne's favor. Remy President Harden passed. Thank you. That's all for my committees this evening. Thank you, Madam Chair. The next committee to come before council is the uh veteran, sorry, the uh recreation and parks committee uh chaired by council member Dorance today. Thank you, council president. uh in recreation parks by ordinance 0436-2023 to authorize the director of recreation parks to enter a contract with Orchard Hilts and Mcclint for the Marian Franklin and total swimming pool replacement design project to authorize the appropriation of $420,000 within the CDGB fund in accordance with draft fiscal year 2023 annual action plan as approved by council to authorize the transfer of $1,555,699 within the recreation uh recreation and parks vote bond fund to authorize an amendment of the 2022 capital improvement budget to authorize the expansure of $1,975,699 from the CDGB fund and the recreation and parks voted bond fund and declare an emergency. After serving the city of Columbus for more than 50 years, the pools at Mary and Franklin and Tuttle Parks uh need to be replaced in order to function at an efficient and safe manner. Uh both pools will be more inclusive to persons with various abilities and meet the requirements obtained by the public outreach activities which were part of the Columbus Recreation Parks aquatics capital improvement plan uh with the intent of the design to increase the capacity for programming and increase attendance at the pools. Uh emergency action is being requested so that design can be completed by December 2023 allowing for the opportunity for construction of the pools to be built um with minimum impact swimming lessons in 2024. Do my colleagues have questions or comments? Seeing none, I move for passage. Clerk, please call the role. Bankston Barosa de Padilla Dorne's favor reie president Harden. Pass. Thank you. Next we have ordinance 0439-2023 to authorize the director of recreation parks to enter into a contract with writer company for the Champions Bridge superructure replacement the Alen Creek uh stream bank stabilization project to authorize the transfer of 1,600 $672,960.98 within the recreation and parks voted bond fund to authorize the amendment to the 2022 capital improvements budget to authorize expensure of 1,675,320 from the recreation and parks vote voted bond fund and declared emergency. Uh Champions Bridge is located along Allen Creek Trail between Eastn Soccer Fields and the Seventh Hole in the Champions Golf Course. In 2015, when the false decking was removed from the bridge, the the deck deflated, leaving an uneven ride and feeling over the bridge. At the time, an investigation was performed and was determined that the bridge had to had to load had a load posted, which was prohibited emergency vehicles from crossing uh the bridge. is determined to be safe for pedestrians remained open but closed to vehicular traffic. The bridge however does not function per its intended design. An error in the design design of the bridge is the sole cause for the deflections and movement of the structure when in use. The city attorney's office along with the defense legal council been working for several years to mitigate the issue. Uh for the safety of all trail users, it was decided the bridge need to be mitigated and that the damages we be pursued concurrently with construction activities uh perhaps after completion. Uh emergency action is requested in the interest of public safety as it is the imperative the bridge behed to accommodate emergency vehicles access to the Alen Creek trail in that area. Do my colleagues have any questions or comments? Seeing none, I move for passage. Clerk, please call the role. Bangston Barrosa Deadia Dorren Remy favor Dorne favor reie. President Harden pass. Thank you. Next we have 0748-2023 to authorize and direct the director of recreation parks to enter an agreement accept a grant from the Ohio Department of Education in the amount of $2,500,000 for the 2023 summer food program to authorize the appropriation of $2,500,000 from the recreation parks grant fund to enter an agreement with Columbus City Schools in the amount of two $2,300,000 for the preparation delivery of meals for the summer food program to authorize expansion of up of $2,300,000 from the recreation and parks grant fund and declare an emergency. Uh the summer food program is administered by the US Department of Agriculture through this through the Ohio Department of Education. Uh the program provides uh nutritionally balanced breakfast, lunches, and snacks to qualified children in need during the summer months at no cost. Uh the program will serve near nearly 100,000 breakfasts, 150,000 lunch meals, and 20,000 snacks. Uh thousands of children will be served throughout the program at the 100 to 150 sites throughout the greater Columbus area. Emergency action is being requested to ensure timely provision of free meals uh for the program which begins on June 1st. Do my colleagues have any questions, comments? Seeing none, I move for passage. Clerk, please call the role. Bankston Barosa Deadia Dorne's favor. Remy President Harden passed. Thank you, Council President. Like to move on to public utilities, please. Thank you. Uh first we have ordinance 0598-2023 to authorize the direct public to use annual construction contract with complete general construction company for Lynen neighborhood storm water system improvement phase 2 project in amount of up to $2,628,93066 to authorize the appropriation of expansure of up to 2,628,93066 from the water Ohio water development loan loan fund to authorize expansion of up to $2,000 from the storm water GO fund uh to amend the 2020 capital improvement budget to authorize the transfer of cash and the appropriation within the storm water um storm water bond fund and declare an emergency. Uh this project will mitigate street flooding and yard flooding and reduce uh roadside drainage problems within or near the north lynon area of Columbus. Do my colleagues questions or comments? Seeing none, I move for passage. Please call the row. Bang. Stimberia Dorne's favor. Remy President Harden pass. And finally, we have ordinance 0613-2023 to authorize a director of public utilities to enter a contract for maintenance and repair services for WQAL Instruments with Allegian Technologies, Inc. to wave competitive bidding provisions of Columbus City codes and authorize the expansion of up to $60,914 from the 2023 Division of Water Operating Fund. Um the department of public utilities water quality analysis lab has various scientific instruments that require maintenance and repair as serviced by this manufacturer. Um the equipment is used to analyze and collect water samples as ne as uh necessary for regulatory compliance with clean water laws. My colleagues questions comments seeing none and move for passage. Cler please call the role. Banks per roa deodia dorne favor reie president Harden pass. Thank council president all I have this time. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Next committee coming for council is the housing committee. That committee is chaired by council member favor. Council member floor is yours. Thank you, council president Harden. Tonight in the housing committee, we have ordinance 901-2023 to authorize the director of the department of development to modify a grant agreement with rebuilding together central Ohio doing business as modcon in an amount up to $500,000 to authorize the appropriation and expenditure of up to $500,000 from the neighborhood initiative sub fund to allow for advanced payments to the organization in order to pay for reimbursement of costs starting September 1st, 2022. 2 and to extend the agreement term to June 30th, 2024 and to declare an emergency. On June 6, 2022, Columbus City Council passed Ordinance 1513-2022 to enter into a grant agreement with Rebuilding Together Central Ohio doing business as ModCon in an amount up to $300,000 in support of two of the organizations home repair programs. Safe at Home, which is a citywide program that provides emergency home repair and modification services at no cost to vulnerable senior, veteran, and andor disabled residents. And the second program is a neighborhood specific home repair program in the Southfield, Marian, Franklin areas. This ordinance authorizes the director of development to modify the grant agreement in an amount up to $500,000 in support of the continuation of funding for these two home repair programs. Director Stevens, would you like to add any additional remarks at this time? Thank you, President Harden, Chair Favors, member of council. uh this is falls under our housing strategy on preserving uh affordability and keeping people in their homes and so these home repair programs are critical and appreciate the support. Thank you very much. Are there any questions or comments by my colleagues? Thank you, Madam Chair. Just very supportive of of this ordinance. Um we are re-upping basically this uh relationship with ModCon because we've seen that it works. Um uh I'm very happy to join council members and council staff out as we uh worked on a house in the Southfield area. Um and um they are running through their resources and so as uh director said we see this as part of the preserve uh plank of the housing strategy and thank you for your leadership. Um and the truth is we hope that we can think about these types of programs through uh in other targeted neighborhoods throughout the city. Um but um thank you for your leadership and asking for support. Absolutely. And just a reminder that anyone in our community uh can have access to these tools. And so if you're in need of uh doing some repairs, I need to get out there in that lawn. They've got all of those um those tools out there for you to rent uh and and to use uh as see fit. Uh with that, I'd move for passage. Clerk, please call the role. Bankston Barrosa Padilla. I apologize. I think there's a speaker. Oh, my apologies. I We do have a speaker this evening. Uh, Mr. Nate Wilkins. Thank you. Welcome back to council. 1612 Arlington Avenue. Mr. Leanne George Wilkins. Um, I'm gonna be in support of this uh because my mother stayed in Mila Grogan at the time and I tried to uh get her house fixed and I would love to see more money through the state of Ohio with this. Um, I I just want to say a few things. My my mother had lived up until 71 years old before she passed away. And um I was tried to fix her house and um before she passed, you know, I tried to give her some help. She didn't want no handouts or nothing like that, but I wanted to request uh $3.5 million. Before I lost my mother's house, I had to uh put some new windows in the house and um I no longer have that house on Peters Avenue, but I would love to see $3.5 million for this. And because we have a lot of aging people that's in their houses, older can't fix things, windows, roof, gutters, side and windows, porches, and things and stuff like that. Um, I would love to see this statewide through licking counties, through small counties. Um, what I would suggest is something to be put in place beginning in 2022 to 2035. Like I said again, I want to see this money be analyzed for the senior population, the disability, and the older population. And also the hear and hear. That's what I don't see enough of with people that's visually impaired and multi-handic, especially in wheelchairs. Um, like I said again, I'd like to see this money, $3.5 million, and this will be over the next 30 to 35 years. Thank you for your time. Thank you for your continued advoc advocacy, uh, Mr. Wilkins, in the housing space. We truly do appreciate that. Um, if there are no additional questions or comments at this time, I'd move for, uh, passage. Second Bankston Barrosa de Padilla Dorne's favor reie president President Harden. Thank you. Next we have ordinance 939-2023 to authorize the director of the department of development to implement the loan forgiveness policy associated with the housing division homeowner services program on loans closed on behalf of the city of Columbus and to declare an emergency. The city of Columbus's housing division has operated programs focused on stabilizing lowincome homeowners since at least 1986. These programs provide critical and emergency home repairs such as roof replacements, water heat replacement, foundation stabilization, and home modifications. These services are a critical tool to ensure that residents are not faced with homelessness or additional financial hardship. Historically, the programs have been funded by both local and federal funding sources in the form of both grants and loans. Recognizing that there is a limited useful life of the home improvement and value for the city's investment as well as the importance of ensuring that the city's programs do not perpetuate inequitable outcomes or limit wealth building opportunities for those who have faced a legacy of systemic disinvestment. The Department of Development will implement a loan forgiveness policy for its homeownership services. Home repair is a key solution to Columbus's housing crisis. By preserving existing housing stock, we ensure that more safe and habitable units stay in our community and families are able to keep and build generational wealth. However, home repair assistance should never be the reason a family cannot put food on their table, pay their bills, or be burdened with debt. If we can support residents to repair and maintain safe and healthy homes, we can positively impact families for generations to come. This lean forgiveness legislation is an important step in addressing inequities created by redlinining and other discriminatory practices and preserving wealth-b buildinging opportunities for more black and brown homeowners. This legislation authorizes the Department of Development to establish and implement the loan forgiveness policy associated with the Housing Division of Homeowner Services Programs on loans closed on behalf of the city of Columbus. This is really an exciting uh policy that is rolling out. I applaud the mayor, mayor Gimther, as well as the department of uh development, director Stevens, and his team uh for really uh working hard on um this legislation u for the last uh two years or so. Director Stevens, uh do you have any additional remarks you'd like to make at this time? President Harden, chair favors, member of council, thank you for the support on this. This is an exciting opportunity to really impact over 500 of our residents um who have these leans in place on home improvements that were done over 10 years ago. It's not going to have a negative budget impact because we don't budget this program and this income from these loans as any type of program income. So, we'll be able to help people stay in their homes, preserve that affordability, uh and really help address our housing. Thank you. Uh so just a technical question uh director uh do residents need to reach out to the department to to know if they qualify for this uh lean forgiveness program? No, we won't once um council approves this tonight, we will go back and and look through the um individuals who are in our portfolio who meet the qualifications. We will notify them and we will then move forward with the process of waving the leans. Wonderful. Once again, very exciting uh policy that is rolling out. um truly taking a a comprehensive approach to addressing our housing crisis. Uh it's more than just putting a shovel in the ground, right? Um and also passing tenant protections, but also understanding those historic inequities that we talk about. Um they truly are baked into every step of the home buying process. Uh and this is one way to write that wrong, if you will. Are there any additional comments from my colleagues at this time? See, seeing none, uh, once again just want to give a, um, round of applause to Mayor Gther, director Stevens for the work that you've done. I'd move for passage. Second. Please call the role. Thanks, Deen. Barosa de Padilla, Dorne's favor, Remy, President Harden. Thank you. Next, I'll move to ordinance 951-2023 to authorize the appropriation and expedential of up to 1.25 25 million of 2021 and 2022 home investment partnership program grant funds from the US Department of Housing and Urban Development to authorize the director of department of development to enter into a commitment letter, loan agreement, promisary note, mortgage and restrictive covenant with poplar finace LLC for the poplar fin project and to declare an emergency. Poplar Finnface will be placed on a 6.4 4 acre site on Chatteran Road in southeast Columbus. The proposed three-story building provides 44 one-bedroom units of permanent supportive housing prioritized for individuals over the age of 55 who meet the state of Ohio's permanent supportive housing policy framework. Of the 44 units, 35 will prioritize individuals who meet the HUD definition of homelessness and the remaining nine units will be targeted for use by individuals who have a severe mental health diagnosis. Community Housing Network, the developer of Poplar Finn Place, has been providing affordable housing to individuals experiencing homelessness, mental illness, addiction, and trauma related issues since 1987. CHN will utilize rent subsidies for all 44 units in the property, which will allow residents with incomes below 30% of the area median income to afford this housing. It is estimated that eight units will be supported by home funds. CHN's on-site staff will orient tenants to living in a supportive housing program, assist them with housing related issues, and provide crisis intervention, conflict resolution, and daily assistance. In addition, residents will also be referred to other agencies for medical and dental needs, material needs, and legal assistance. CHN will also enter into an annually renewable contract with national church residents support permanent supportive housing services to provide accredited supportive services at the new facility. Poplar's Finn Place building amenities will include occupational therapy, physical therapy room service, uh service partner offices, laundry room, community room with full kitchen, and a medical suite within with an exam room. Uh once again, this is a really great project um that is helping uh some of our individuals that fall into that deep uh low income um area median income that we talk about uh that is often challenging to uh to develop and so we appreciate the work of a community um housing network that does great work in our community. Director Stevens, anything additional you'd like to add at this time? President Harden, chair favor, members of council, this legislation advances three pillars of our housing strategy. Building more units, investing in projects where the market typically does not, and including all our residents and housing opportunities. We continue to focus on housing those individuals experiencing homelessness in our community. And this ordinance is this ordinance advances those efforts by helping to fund the construction of 44 permanent supportive houses. Thank you. Thank you. Uh with that I would move for passage. Second. Cler please call the row. Bankston Barosa de Padilla Dorne's favor. Remy President Harden pass. Thank you. Uh council president May please go back to uh consent page 15 ordinance 917-2023. Please. Uh, we have to authorize the appropriation and expedential of up to $760,000 of the 2021 and 2022 home investment partnerships program entitlement grant from the US Department of Housing and Urban Development and to enter into a commitment letter, loan agreement, promisary note, mortgage and restrictive covenant with the Healthy Rental Homes 7 LLC to construct single family and duplex rental homes in an amount up to $760,00 000 and to declare an emergency. At this time, I'd ask uh I'd like to postpone to April 24th. Second. Cler, please call the role. Bankston abstain. Barbosa Deodia, yes. Dorren, yes. Favor, yes. Remy, yes. President Harden, yes. Postpound. Thank you. May I move on to criminal justice and judiciary, please? Uh tonight in criminal justice and judiciary we have ordinance 876 uh-uh 2023 uh to authorize and direct the city attorney to settle the lawsuit known as Serena Jackson versus Joe Richard at all. Case number 221 CV0574 pending in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio to authorize the expedential of the sum of $225,000 and 0 in the settlement of this lawsuit and to declare an emergency. This ordinance is submitted to settle the lawsuit known as Serena Jackson versus Joe Richard at all uh in the excuse me in that's located in the Southern District of Ohio case number 221 CV0574 on February 5th 2021 the plaintiff Miss Serena Jackson refiled a lawsuit in the Court of Common please of Franklin County Ohio against Joe Richard and the city of Columbus in which claimed that Joe Richard sexually harassed and assaulted her while she employed as was employed as a cadet with the city of Columbus division of fire. She alleges the city knew or should have known about Richard's conduct and failed to stop. On February 9th, 2021, the lawsuit was removed in the United States District Court for the Southern District Ohio. Uh tonight, we are joined by Deputy City Attorney Laura Baker Morris. Uh do you have any additional remarks you'd like to make at this time? Thank you, Council Member Favor. Uh just wanted to add in addition to the remarks that I've already you have already made regarding this particular settlement. Um that after evaluating the claims and the risks of continued litigation against the city that the settlement in the amount of $250,000 of which the city will pay $225,000 and Joe Richard will pay the remaining $25,000 was deemed acceptable by the city of Columbus Department of Public Safety. The settlement will also release the city of Columbus and its employees, including former employee Joe Richard. And uh the last comment I wanted to make is that this was a a title 7 of of the Civil Rights Act of 1991 claim that was made. Thank you for that. And um I'll also provide an opportunity for public safety department to make any remarks they'd like to at this time. Thank you, President Harden, Cher Favor, members of council. Allow me to underscore that the city of Columbus does not and will not tolerate sexual harassment in any manner. We have written policies and trainings that are designed to keep harassment from happening. We have policies and trainings designed to inform our employees how to report allegations of harassment. And should allegations be made, we have trained investigators who will immediately initiate uh an investigation. In fact, as soon in this case, as soon as complaints were brought forward, the division of fire leadership elevated them to the safety director's office. Swift action was taken to remove Joe Richard from the training academy, and a thorough investigation was initiated. The investigation made clear his actions were unacceptable and incompatible with the values and mission of Columbus Fire. Victims should never suffer in silence. The director's office wants to hear directly from any employee who believes they're experiencing sexual harassment. And that's why in 2019, the safety director created the assistant director of equal employment opportunity compliance dedicated solely to EOC issues. The creation of this position allows employees to bypass the chain of command and come directly to the office of the safety director. I also want to underscore that in this court case, we refuse to represent or provide an attorney to Mr. Richard for his legal defense. Therefore, Mr. Richard, who is no longer employed by the city, had to pay for his own attorney and litigation expenses out of his own pocket during the pendency of this lawsuit. Moreover, Mr. Richard is now contributing monies out of his own pocket for the settlement of this lawsuit. On behalf of the Department of Safety, I want to express my deep remorse and apology to the pliff. Moreover, I want to express to any employee of any employer that if you are being harassed, please promptly notify your employer. And for any person who harasses another, be forewarned of the grave consequences. Professional harm, personal, family, relationship harm, financial harm. On behalf of safety, I recommend approval of this settlement. Thank you. Thank you very very much for those comments this evening. Are there any additional uh questions or comments by my colleagues this evening? Well, we we do appreciate um uh the action that has been taken by uh department of uh public safety as well as our city attorney's office uh to uh try to bring uh restitution uh as quickly as possible uh to to the victim um in this case. Um and um we can't underscore enough uh that if any employee uh should be um on the receiving end of of um this type of behavior um that there are measures in place uh to ensure uh that we get to to the bottom it of it excuse me as quickly as possible. Uh with that I will move for passage. Clston Bar Roa de Padilla Dorne favor reie president Harden passed. Thank you. And last but certainly not least, may I please uh go back to the Health and Human Services Committee for consent, please. Uh thank you. Uh tonight, uh in the consent, we have uh ordinance 759-2023, and I will turn the podium over to uh my fellow colleague, Council Member Barosa Deadia. Thank you, Chair Favor. Uh, ordinance 07592023 to authorize the board of health to modify an existing contract with the Ohio State University for the provision of technical assistance services for the period of September 30th, 2022 through September 29th, 2023 to authorize the expenditure of $45,000 from the health department grants fund to pay the coster of and to declare an emergency. Um, I would like to move to postpone this for the April 24th agenda. Second. Cler, please call the role. Bankston, yes. Barrosa Deodia, yes. Dorren, yes. Favor. Remy? Yes. President Harden? Yes. Postponed. And then I'd like to go back to page 17. I'm going to hand it back over to chair favor. Thank you. Uh, we have ordinance 866-2023 to authorize the board of health to enter into a contract with the research institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital for the provision of services allowable under the grant for persons with HIV or AIDS in central Ohio to authorize the board to modify the budget of this contract for the sole purpose of reallocating funds amongst the vendors in the same program without the need for additional legislation to authorize the exponential of 86 $6,29 from the health department grants fund to pay the cost thereof and to declare an emergency. At this time, I'd like to move to postpone to April 24th. Cler, please call the role. Bankston, Rosa de Padilla, yes. Dorren, yes. Favor, yes. Rey, yes. President Harden, yes. Postpone. I believe that is all I have in my committee. Uh, there's one more. I believe that. Yep. I'm I was wrong. So, you want to kick it back over to me? I I kick it back over now. And this is this should be their last one. Ordinance 20110212023 to authorize the appropriation and expenditure of an amount not to exceed $230,000 from the neighborhood economic development fund to authorize the appropriation and expenditure of an amount not to exceed $35,000 from the general fund neighborhood initiative sub fund to authorize the director of the development of direct department of development or designate to execute a grant agreement with the Tony R. Wells Foundation doing business as the Wells Foundation in an amount not to exceed $265,000 to provide a one-time cash payment and furniture directly to east each lease holder that was displaced from the latitude 525 apartment complex on December 25th, 2022 and to pay for expenses incurred before the purchase order was approved and to declare an emergency. So, we'll talk a little bit more about this when it comes back onto the agenda. But I do want to Director Stevens if there is anything that you want to say today and then we'll talk a little bit more about this when we bring it back onto another agenda. Uh, thank you. I have nothing to add this evening. Thank you. So, we're going to move to postpone this for our agenda on the 24th of April. Second. Cler, please call the role. Bangston? Yes. Rosa De Padilla? Yes. Dorren, yes. Favor. Abstain. Remy? Yes. President Harden? Yes. Postpone. That is all for health and human services. Chair favor. I'll give the floor back to you. All right. Um why don't we go ahead and you want to go? Next committee coming before council is public safety committee chair by council Remy. Council member, floor is yours. Thank you very much, Council President Harden. I have three ordinances in public safety. First one's ordinance 120 to author 120 2022 23 to authorize the director of finance and management, director of public safety on behalf of the division of fire to enter into a contract for the purchase of consumable supplies and preventative maintenance agreements respectively with Striker Sales Corporation for Striker Power Load CS beriatric CS and Lucas devices for use in daily emergency services and emergency medical services to wave the com the competitive bidding provisions of the Columbus City Code to authorize the expenditure of $104,028 65 from the general front and to declare an emergency. Striker power load CS are purchased on a continuing basis for installation in all new build emergency medical squads and striker consumable parts, pads, straps, batteries, etc. are purchased at regular intervals to due to the normal daily utilization of these CS. The division of fire purchases these CS and supplies directly from Striker versus a resale provider which allows the division to secure the lowest pricing available. As the division of fire has standardized on the striker load cop product, it is critical for the division to be able to maintain a stock of both this equipment and consumable supplies. Striker sales corporation LLC is sold manufacturer distributor and authorized service agent for the Striker Power Load CS. Um, director, could you speak just to the waiver, the competitive bidding on this contract, please? Uh, chairman Remy, it was about 5 years ago through a competitive process, we chose the striker CS. So for uniformity and standardizations we we simply uh purchase additional parts uh and supplies and CS each year. This is simply that uh that con standard contract uh bidding is waved because we get it cheaper directly through the manufacturer as opposed to going out to distributors. Thank you very much director. Are there any questions or comments from my colleagues? Seeing none I move for passage. Cler please call the role. Bangston Barrosa de Padilla Dorne favor. Reie President Harden pass. Next, I have ordinance 735203 to authorize a city auditor to appropriate 50,000 $53,182 within the general government grants fund project to authorize the director of finance and management to associate general budget reservations resulting from this ordinance with the appropriate universal term contract purchase agreements with George Buyer Suns Inc. on behalf of the Department of Public Safety, Division of Fire, for the purchase of a light duty truck or sport utility vehicle for REACT operations to authorize the expenditure of $53,182 from the General Government Grants Fund 2020 2220 and to declare an emergency. The Department of Public Safety, Division of Fire requests approval to purchase a light duty truck or sport utility vehicle for use with the city's rapid response emergency addiction crisis team, REACT. REACT is an innovative outreach service operated by the Division of Fire to actively address the opioid crisis. REACT Outreach includes firefighters, paramedics, crisis intervention teams, certified peace officers, a substance use case manager, a registered SUD nurse, a family case manager, and a trauma specialist. Team members assess immediate health needs, provide resource referrals, and create opportunities for users and family household members to link with harm reduction supplies, treatment programs, trauma services, and social benefit supports. Are there any questions or comments for my colleagues? Seeing none, I move for passage. Clerk, please call the role. Bankston, Barosa de Padiva, Remy, President Harden. Pass. Finally, I have ordinance 778 2023 to authorize the director of public safety on behalf of the division of police to modify the current contract with Proto Inc. for the continuation of towing management services to authorize an expenditure 1,800,000 from the general fund and to declare an emergency. The Division of Police is responsible for the safety and welfare of the traveling public on all public streets, state routes, interstates, and waterways, as well as those endangered by parking violations, accidents, or abandoned vehicles and watercrafts within the metropolitan Columbus area, as well as on city- owned land. In an effort to improve the transportation network and access innovative technology, the city sought a smart solution to towing management services. Are there any questions or comments from my colleagues? Seeing none, I move for passage. Please call the row. Bankston Barrosa Deadia Dors favor. Reie President Harden passed. Thank you. That is all I have this evening. Thank you, Mr. Chair. Is there a motion to uh recess? Cler, please call the role. Bankston, Barrosa, Deadia, Dorne's favor, Remy, President Harden. We are in recess. We will start zoning in five minutes. [Music] Come on everybody. Don't stop. Do it like this. Do it like this. Do it like this. [Music] [Music] [Music] back. 1 2 3 [Music] Like I do like this. [Music] 1 2 3 clap Hang back. Hang back. Hang [Music] on. Like this. [Music] Do it like this. Do it like this. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] [Music] Hey. [Music] [Music] Hey. Hey. [Music] Hey, hey, hey. [Music] [Music] Hey, [Music] hey, hey. Uh-huh. [Music] [Music] [Music] Hey everybody. [Music] [Music] Baby, [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] [Applause] [Music] Hey, [Music] hey, [Music] hey. [Music] legislation are legally considered impacted parties and therefore are permitted to speak before council on variances based on the advice of the city attorney's office. Speakers that do not meet these qualifications are not permitted to speak again pursuant to the advice of the city attorney's office and speakers will be asked under penalty of perjury to confirm their status as an impacted party prior to giving testimony to council for variance. As a reminder, this requirement does not apply to speaking before council on a res on reszoning legislation. Representatives of area commission applicants are always able to speak on an ordinance and do not need to fill out a speaker slip. On the advice of the city attorney's office, I will now swear in city staff. Please stand and raise your right hand. Do you swear or affirm that the testimony you're about to give shall be the truth and nothing but the truth as usually answered under the pains or penalty of perjury? If so, please say I do. I do. Thank you. Please let the record reflect that Tim Dietrich from the Department of Building Zoning Services and Dan Blushment from the Department of Public Service have been sworn in. First, we have ordinance 0855-2023 to reszone 2480 Walcott Road being 3.21 21 acres located on the southeast corner of Walcut Road and Roberts Road from R1 residential district and C3 commercial district to CPD commercial plant development district. The applicant of Skil and Go Development LLC care of Andy Richland. Uh proposed use a fuel sales convenience store and eating and drinking establishment. Today's recommendation is approval. Uh the development commission's recommend is approval 40. Um the far westside area commission's recommendation is is also approval 70. Uh we did have a speaker to speak in favor of this ordinance, Mr. Josh Miller. However, he at this time has removed his speaker slip. Um do my colleagues have any questions or comments? Seeing none, I move for passage. Verosa Deadia Dorne's favor. Remy President Harden pass. Thank you. Next we have ordinance 0859-2023 to reszone 650 tussing road being 46.68 68 plus acres located on the north side of Tussing Road 900 plus feet east of Bryce Road from CPD commercial plant development district and LM limited manufacturing district to LM limited manufacturing district. The applicant is 93 uh OHRPT LLC care of Jill Tangeman. The proposed use of limited manufacturing industrial development cities park recommendation is approval. Development commission recommendation is approval. Farius area commission recommendation is also approval. Uh do I colleen? Thank you. Next we have ordinance 0879-2023 to reszone 1095 West 3rd Avenue being 31 plus acres located on the southeast corner of West Thirdrd Avenue and Oxley Road from N manufacturing district to AR1 apartment residential district. The applicant is Roby Development uh care of Dave Perry agent proposed use a multi-unit residential development city's department recommendation is approval. Development Commission's recommendation is approval 50. Uh fifth by Northwest area commission's recommendation is approval 41. Do you want my colleagues questions, comments? Seeing none, I move for passage. Cler, please call the role. Rosa de Padilla. Dors favor. Remy President Harden pass. Thank you. Next we have ordinance 0913-2023 to reszone 7480 Small Road being 1.86 86 plus acres located on the east side of Sawmill Road 215 plus feet north of Hard Road from CPD commercial plan development district CPD commercial plan development district. The applicant of Skil and Gold Development LLC care of Drew Miller proposed use fuel sales convenience store and eating and drinking establishment. Cities Park recommendation is approval. The development commission's recommendations approval 40. The far northwest coalition's uh recommendation is approval 42. Um do my colleagues any questions, comments? Seeing none, I move for passage. Just call the roll. Rosa de Padilla, Dorne's favor. Remy, President Harden, pass. Thank you. Next, we have ordinance 0740-2023 to reszone 2870 Allen Creek Drive being 4.17 plus acres located the east side of Allen Creek Drive, 740 plus feet north of Watkins Road from PUD8, Plan Development District to AR12 apartment residential district. The applicant is homeport care of lo Laura comarmac attorney proposed use a multi-unit residential development cease part recommendation is approval development commission's recommendation is approval 41 far south Columbus area commission's recommendation is approval 90 colleagues have any questions comments seeing I move for passage clerk please call the role barosa de padilla dorne's favor reie president Harden pass thank you next we move into the council variances of of our agenda first we have ordinance 0835-2023 three to grant ad variance provisions of section 3332.035 R3 residential district 3332.05 A4 area district lot with requirements and 3332.13 R3 area district uh requirements in Columbus city codes for the property located at 1334 21st Avenue to permit a two-unit dwelling for the reduced development standards in the R3 residential district. The applicant is Healthy Home, I'm sorry, Healthy Lyndon Homes, care of Emily Long Ra Rayfield proposed use a two-unit dwelling. See department recommendation is approval. South Lynon Air Commission recommendation is also approval. We do have one public speaker signed up to speak in favor of this project. Mr. Charles Lester. Is Mr. Lester here with us? Mr. Leser, you wouldn't mind raising your right hand. Do you swear affirm the testimony you're about to give shall be the truth and nothing but the truth as you shall answer the pains or penalty of perjury? If so, please say I do. I do. Thank you. And again, just a reminder earlier on our uh requirements for folks to be an impacted party. But floor is yours, sir. Good evening. Um my name is Reverend Charles Lyster. I'm a senior pastor at New Beginning Christian Center and I'm our member our congregation is a member of the bread organization and uh the purpose of us speaking on behalf of this variance and of uh the efforts of the Nationwide Children's Hospital uh is to support the legislation. I believe there's like 12 variances this evening uh related to the Lynen area and providing the goal of which is to provide affordable and safe housing through the nationwide children's hospital healthy neighborhoods healthy families. As a member of the bread steering committee for families first and housing now uh our campaign, we are grateful to have been working with uh council member Faber uh on behalf of affordable housing over a number of years uh because of the extreme need for affordable housing and not only affordable housing but safe uh stable and secure housing for our citizens. We are encouraged by significant initiatives that have been announced by the administration in Mayor Ginther's state of the city address and city council harden uh u initiatives recently announced uh concerning the need for affordable housing and initiatives to address that. We also are working with Mayor Ginther's administration and Franklin County Commissioners to allocate one-third of the American Rescue dollars available in the county and city for affordable housing. We support council member Doran's initiatives and collaboration with Nationwide Children's Hospital uh to recommend this legislation resulting in variances for the lended community to provide not only affordable but healthy homes for our citizens that their families especially those making less than 30,000 a year annual income uh to afford healthy safe and stable home environments are not only impact the adults within each home but especially their children. The anxiety, worry and stress produced by a home environment that is not healthy, not safe and not stable contribute to violence, verbal and physical abuse, crime, low educational achievement and behavioral issues not only for the adults but especially the children in school. This impacts the achievement of those individuals potential and their future. Therefore, we support the efforts of council member Dorren and the nationwide children's hospital initiative on these matters. As a religious leader in our community, may I conclude with this fact? The phrase the poor appears 639 times in scriptures. This reflects the significant concern of the heart of God for those that are poor and are marginalized in our community. May I in conclusion reflect on these two passages from Proverbs. The rich man's wealth is his strong city. The destruction of the poor is their poverty. He who oppresses the poor to increase his riches, and he who gives to the rich will surely come to poverty. I encourage you, council, to consider that in your plans for our community and ask for wisdom in decisions we make on behalf of all of our citizens for their common good. Thank you. Thank you, pastor. I appreciate you being here tonight and certainly Brad's advocacy on this topic. And I think uh the series of uh variances with the healthy homes program is a great demonstration of when things are working well in our community. This is what it looks like. So thank you for being here tonight. Thank you. Um do my colleagues have any questions or comments? Seeing none, I move to accept the entire staff report in new evidence as an exhibit. Second. Cler please call the role. Barrosa de Padilla Dorne's favor. Remy President Harden accept it. Thank you. I next move to adopt the findings of staffs, the findings of councel. Second. Cler please call the row. Barrosa de Padilla Dorne's favor. Reie President Harden. Adopted. And finally, I move for passage. Clerk, please call the role. Barbosa de Padilla Dorne's favor. Reie, President Harden, pass. Thank you. Next, we have ordinance 0836-2023 to grant advance of provisions of section 3332.035 R3 residential district 3332.05 A4 area district lot with requirements and 3332.13 R3 area district requirements. the Oklahoma City codes for the property located at 1340 21st Avenue to permit a two-unit dwelling with reduced development standards in the R3 residential district. The applicant has healthy Lynen homes care of Emily Long Rayfield proposed use a two-unit dwelling suit recommendations approval south Lynon Air Commission's recommendation is also approval. I first move to accept the entire staff report into evidence as an exhibit. Second clerk, please call the role proposed Dorne's favor. Remy President Harden accept it. I next move to adopt the finance of staffs the fines of councel. Cler please call the role. Barosa de padilla dorne's favor reie president Harden adopted and I finally move for passage. Clerk please call the role. Barrosa de padilla dorne's favor reie president Harden passed. Thank you. Next we have ordinance 0838-2023 to grant advance provisions of section 3332.035 R3 residential district 3312.49 C minimum number of parking spaces required 3332.05 05 A4 area district lot with requirements and 3332.13 R3 area district requirements of Columbia City codes. It's a property located at 1477 uh-1481 uh 26th Avenue to permit a two unit dwelling on each parcel with reduced development standards in the R3 residential district. Uh at this time a due to a revised site plan uh city staff is requesting pro postpone this ordinance until our next zoning uh committee meeting in two weeks. If there's no objections I move to postpone this ordinance till April 17th 2023. Cler call the role. Provosa de Padilla Dorne's favor reie president Harden postpone. Thank you. Next we have ordinance 0839-2023 granted variance provisions of section 3353.03 3 C for permitted uses 3309.14 Height District of the Columbus City Code. So property located at 2337 Kimberly Parkway East to permit a multi-unit residential development to produce development standards in the C2 commercial district. The applicant is W Cooper Company's Inc. care of Dave Perry agent proposed use a multi-unit residential development. Cart recommendations approval. Misy's area commission's recommendation is also approval. I first move to accept the entire staff report into evidence as an exhibit. Clerk, please call the role. Barosa de Padilla Dorne's favor. Remy President Harden. Accept it. Next, I move to adopt the findings of staff as the fines of councel. Clerk, please call the role. Barbosa Deadia Dorne's favor. Reie President Harden. Adopted. Thank you. And finally, move for passage. Clerk, please call the row. Barbosa Deadia Dorne's favor. Reie, President Harden. Pass. Thank you. Next, we have ordinance 0840-2023 to grant advance provisions of section 3356.03 3 C4 per permitted uses and 3309.14 height districts of the Columbus City codes of the property located at 4323 East Point Drive to permit a multi-unit residential development reduced development standards in the C4 commercial district. The applicant's WA Cooper Companies Inc. care of Day agent proposed use of a multi-unit residential development city park recommendation is approval. M East area commission recommendation is also approval. I first move to accept the entire staff report into evidence as an exhibit. Second. Clerk, please call the ro. Barrosa de Padilla, Dorne's favor. Reie, President Harden, accept it. And next move to adopt the fine of staff, the pines of council. Second. Clerk, please call the role. Barrosa de Padilla, Dorne's favor. Reie, President Harden, adopt it. And finally, move for passage. Clerk, please call the role. Barrosa de Padilla, Dorne's favor. Reie, President Harden, passed. Next we have ordinance 0854-2023 to grant a um to grant a variance provisions of section 3332.38HH private garages 3332.21 building lines and 3332.38G parking garage the Columbus City DOA property located at 51 East 4th Avenue to permit uh habitable space above a detached garage with reduced development standards in the R4 residential district. The applicant is Julia Bulock. Proposed use of the habitable space above detached garage. C department recommend recommendation is approval. Italian village commission recommendation is also approval. I first move to accept the entire staff report into evidence as an exhibit. Second clerk, please call the row. Barosa de Padilla Dorne's favor. Reie President Harden. Accept it. I next move to adopt the finds of staffs find of councel. Clerk, please call the role. Barbosa de Padilla. Dorne's favor. Reie President Harden. Adopt it. And finally, I move for passage. So, please call the role. Barosa de Padilla, Dorne's favor. Reie, President Harden, pass. Thank you. Next, we have ordinance 0881-2023 to grant a variance uh from provisions of sections 3333.02 AR12 ARLD and AR1 apartment residential district use 3309.14 height districts 3321.05 05 B2 vision clearance 3333.15 base of computing area 3333.18F building lines 3333.255 perimeter yard of the Columbus City Counc Avenue permit a 5-unit apartment building and a 4-unit dwelling on the same lot with reduced development standards in the AR1 apartment residential district. The applicant is Roby Development Care of Dave Perry agent proposed use a multi-unit residential development. C's park recommendations approval fifth by Northwest area commission's recommendation is also approval for one. Uh we have a one public speaker to sign speak against this ordinance. So at this time we'll have staff provide a presentation for the ordinance. Mr. Dietrich, floor is yours. Chair Dorne, President Harden, members of council, the applicant has received a recommendation of approval from staff and the development commission for a concurrent resoning to the AR1 apartment residential district. The applicant proposes a 5-unit apartment building and a 4-unit dwelling on the same lot. Variances for building arrangement, building height, vision clearance, lot coverage, building line, and perimeter yard are included in the request. Staff finds the requested variances to be supportable as they will allow the site to be redeveloped with a multi-unit residential development that is consistent with the emerging development pattern along West Third Avenue and with the other residential redevelopment proposals in the area. And therefore, our recommendation is approval. Thank you, Mr. Dietrich. Um, want to invite our public speaker that signed up to speak against this ordinance, Mr. Robert Mcnes. Hi. Good evening. Um, would you mind raising your right hand and I will swear you in. Do you swear or affirm the testimony you're about to give shall be nothing but the truth as you shall answer under uh pains or penalty of perjury? So, please say I do. I do. Floor is yours, sir. Could I get some clarification? I'm 5T south of this property line and I submitted all the proper paperwork to Pete to speak publicly and I'm here representing a lot of people in the neighborhood who are against this. I want to make sure it's okay for me to speak is so I can bring in the city attorney's office. because it's a variance uh and council's operating in a quasi judicial capacity and and our um our decisions here can be appealed to a court. Um it's limited on who's actually defined legally as an impacted party, which is anyone who owns property within 125 ft feet of this parcel that's the subject of the of the variance. Um so I don't I don't know if that answered your question. If you own property within 125 ft um of the subjected property, you qualify as an impacted party and therefore you can testify before the body. So if you qualify as that, you can speak before the body. I'm 5T south of that. So I'm outside of who was notified. However, there was a misunderstanding because the people who were impacted um were kind of using me as the filter and didn't realize or else they would have signed up to speak. So, I was wondering if you would like to hear from the neighborhood if you can make an exception for me to speak today. So, I'm going to defer to the city attorney's office because the capacity that we're operating in um it matters what evidence gets presented in front of us. So, unfortunately, it's not me deciding to make an exception. It's whether or not um we make it we have other neighbors here that could speak what I wrote. So, Mr. Mc Mr. Mcnite, are you representing them in a representative capacity? Are you an attorney or are you their agent? No, I'm not. Okay. And you yourself are your property is where in relationship to the property that's currently before council. I am exactly one property south of outside of the 125 ft line. So I am one property I'm sorry. Are you adjacent? No. Are you an adjacent property? Is there a property between you and the property that's the subject of the variance? I am adjacent to a property that is affected by this. So you're adjacent to an adjacent property? Yes. Yes. I was not I was not notified as an impacted party five feet south. And do you can you articulate for the record uh the manner in which your specific property would be impacted by the specific request for variance? um all of the exact same ways that the other six part I'm asking though are you able to articulate how your property your personal property would be impacted or not impacted by the requested variance that's before council um I think I could you know if if you're able to articulate how your property specifically would be impacted yes then you would be able to speak but you have to it's not about whether or not it's going to impact quote unquote the neighborhood It's whether or not the specific thing that they are asking for would impact the value of your property. And this is the legal standard. It's not value. It's it's it's in yeah it's negative impact upon the value of your property, the ability to resell your property or the value of of keeping it in that particular way or its use or its use or uh an impact to negative impact upon its use. Aren't there parts in the code that say um public safety, health, and welfare welfare is subject to interpretation? But I didn't think it was specifically limited to value. Those are the things that council can consider in granting the variance or not. But if you're talking about whether or not you have standing to speak as an adjacent property owner, that's a different standard from what the standard that uh council is addressing when they're making a quasi adjudicatory decision about whether or not the variance fits within those particular factors. The question is your standing, not not their decision. I guess if I were to answer that, I would say yes. I don't have a way to back that up, but you have to be able to articulate that and that that's the basis for the particular objection. So, it can't just be we're not in favor of it. It has to be it's going to actually negatively impact my property. If you're able to make an assertion of that on the record, then you can speak to it. If you're not able to make an assertion that it'll personally impact your property, then it would not be proper in a quasi adjudicatory hearing because this is not a legislative act. It's an it's a quasi judicial quasi judicial act. I think I can articulate that. Okay. So to be clear, you have to in order for you to have standing, what the city attorney is telling you is that you have to articulate it here because if this is on the record for purposes of if if in fact someone were to appeal our determination, it would need to be included in sort of the forum that is happening right now. So when she says you need to articulate it on the record, unfortunately we mean we need you to articulate it right now before us in order to qualify because you're outside of the 12 25 ft. Um so we're going one step further and saying is there a way for you to articulate this? And again that that's not me saying hey you know I need extra from you. You need to be able to say hey this variance um that's contemplated in this legislation would impact my property negatively. Therefore I qualify. I know this is unusual and not what you were expecting to walk up here and I apologize about that but that's sort of again we're trying to comply with the requirements for for for this body. Mr. Chair, if you don't mind. Uh sir, did you say that there were there are representatives in the room that are within the 125 ft barrier, but they just weren't they sorry this is loud. They did not fill out the proper Yes. because it was so and this isn't what we'll do. Um, so, um, I'm actually gonna have a two-minute recess to confer with the city attorney's office real quick and then we'll jump right back into this. Okay. So, uh, I'm going to move for a, uh, two-minute recess. Second. Cler, please call the role. Barosa de Padilla, Dorne's favor. Remy, President Harden, recess. [Music] [Music] [Music] Second clerk, please call the role. Rosa de Padilla, Dorne's favor. Remy, President Harden, we are reconvene in zoning committee. Thank you, council president. Um, so at this time, um, we just had a prior discussion around who was permitted under the under the the variance rules to speak before council. We do have an impacted party who received notice of this uh in chamber. So, at this point, I'm going to call Rebecca Perkins uh to the podium. Miss Perkins, welcome to council. Um, would you mind raising your right hand? Sure. Uh, do you swear or affirm the testimony you're about to give shall be the truth, nothing but the truth, as you shall answer in a pain or penalty of perjury? If so, please say I do. I do. And Miss Perkins, um, so we just had a discussion around folks being impacted party. So, I just want to ask on the record, uh, you received notice of, um, of of this meeting tonight and you own property within 125 ft of the lot that's the subject of this variance. Is that correct? Yes. Okay. Um, and that that lot is you are adjacent property owner across the street just it's up the alley from it. Okay. And you were within the 125 ft. And just saying again, you received notice of this. Yes. Okay. M. Perkins, the floor is yours. I even have a copy with me if you want. Okay. Well, you're under you've been sworn in. We we'll trust you. Okay. And again, I wasn't planning on this, so I did send a letter to Mr. Rose, which I'm just going to go ahead and read. Um Rob had some great notes and we really trusted him, but um I'll go ahead with this if that's okay. So I just wanted to say that um we are in opposition of the building proposal from Mr. Roby at 1095 West 3rd Avenue 43212. My husband and I have lived in our home on Holly Avenue since 1994. During our time on Holly Avenue, we have seen the property have various businesses. It also was abandoned for a while before the former AAA auto shop took over the property and the place was filled with stray cats along with various vermin. As neighbors, we are happy to see the property become residential. We have no problem with the proposed five residential buildings on the north side of the property along Third Avenue. It is the south side with an additional four residences that give us concern. With the renovation and extension on the original building on the site on the east side along with the nine condos, the site would be very dense. We as neighbors met immediately when we heard of the present plans for the property. One neighbor, Mr. McKinnis, reached out to Mr. Roby, about five of us meeting him with our concerns, hoping he would work with the neighborhood. The meeting kept getting postponed for a few weeks. When we did finally meet and shared specific concerns, our concerns were brushed off. Mr. Roby promised us addresses of other construction sites, but we never received them. We later found that most of his new builds are huge homes that he rents as Airbnbs. The neighborhood has never been behind the complete project. As I understand, Mr. Roby stated in the last meeting in front of city council. Our concerns are where will visitors to the owners of the condos park. Both Holly and Oxley Road are barely AC can barely accommodate parking for the homes there as it is. Where is the green space? Fifth by Northwest has this as a requirement for building, but it was cast aside when they approved these plans. What about garbage pickup? The alley on the south side that separates Grand View from Columbus will not be able to have a Columbus City garbage truck fit along with the huge green garbage cans that Columbus uses. What if there's a fire? This is our biggest concern. What if there's a fire? If you could see how how dense that property is, how does a fire truck get in there to provide services? It will not fit behind the alley either. It would be along Third Avenue for those. But what about the other residences that are on the south side? I would like to strongly suggest to anyone who's involved in the process of approving these building plans, please visit the site. You will be able to see from the neighborhood perspective how ominous, overwhelming, and crowded the site will be. And as I wanted to uh follow up on what Mr. McKinnis had, it's like, you know, it's very tall. Why not reduce the height and provide a basement? It's close to the property line. Why not reduce the units down from 3,000 square feet per unit? I think that's what that means. SF. That's the surround neighborhood is on averageundred 1,200 to,500 square feet per single family home and it's too dense. Why not reduce the number of units as I already suggested? Thank you, Miss Perkins. Do my colleagues have any questions for Miss Perkins at this time? She attend um Miss Perkins, did you attend the area commission meeting that this was voted on? No. Okay. Thank you. Were you aware? Yes. I wrote a letter at that time, too. I couldn't make it. I was in the Grand Cayman's. Okay. Any other questions for Miss Perkins? Thank you very much. At this time, I would invite uh Mr. Dave Perry, the um attorney for the applicant, to come forth for welcome back to council, Mr. Perry. Allow me to correct the record. Mr. Perry is appearing as an agent for the applicant, not the attorney. Um, Mr. Perry, let me swear you in real quick. Raise your right hand. Do you swear or affirm the testimony you're about to give shall be the truth and not make the truth as you shall answer in a pain or penalty of perjury? If so, please say I do. I do. Floor is yours, sir. Members of council, you'll note that um this application comes to you with city staff recommendation for approval. Um area commission recommendation for approval, development commission recommendation for approval. And I'd like to read I want to give you a little history, but also I'd like to read read the area commission response other than their vote which has already been noted. The chair of the area commission noted on the response form commission finds variances reasonable taking into account vocal citizen input of of Grand View Heights residents, especially resistance to setback on alley side of property. There was a lengthy discussion of the project and and the variances and the commission vote was for approval but um it is significant that the chair wrote on the comment form commission finds variances reasonable. In um prior to about August of 2022 uh this was a different project. It included the whole block from Holly to Oxley. The uh east end of the site adjacent to Holly is developed with the former AAA building and the rest of the block an outside storage yard. It has a chain link fence around it. Um I I believe there's barb wire on some of the outside storage. So um the development proposal that uh I initially submitted an application for for Mr. Roi was the whole block and then he decided to keep the AAA building, remodel it, expand it and so on for his um company offices. The fifth by Northwest plan recommends uh redevelopment of West Third with multif family and office uses. We're hitting we're hitting both buttons on this with the plan with the office and and the multif family. office given the M zoning did not require um reszoning or variances and that um that remodeling is probably done by now or if not will be shortly. So when the project changed and part of the block dropped out of the development um I reddrafted the application for Mr. Roi and uh Rob McInness and I know each other from other development business. Um he's an architect with Ford architecture and um I've done business from time to time uh with Ford architecture. So um I knew there were concerns about the previous proposal. I reached out to Rob to say, "Let's meet with the the neighbors to the south again Grand View Heights." and he he welcomed welcomed the um welcomed reaching out and so on. And in in August uh September of 2022, we met at the site and then there's been additional correspondence with uh with Rob since then at the um I I don't recall it being um uh we have different recollections of arranging that meeting versus um Miss Perkins. I don't recall it being postponed numerous times or difficult to meet. Uh Mr. Roby, the project architect, Carrick Cheryl, and I met with uh uh neighbors at the site for about an hour and a half on a on an evening in September. Here are the things, the primary things that came out of that meeting. Reduced height on the south building. Rec residents requested no height variance on the south building and this was in particular their primary request. um eliminate the decks facing south towards Grand View Heights and uh could we make architectural design changes to the south building to reduce the mass and that was done. Those items were all done. This um in time we moved on to the to the area commission. The result of that was as as I stated the commission did not find either the development or the variances to be objectionable. Uh the development commission vote was for approval. The planning staff has found this project to be um in compliance with the fifth by Northwest plan. So we are here before you tonight. And with that um I request your approval. We have also um one other thing we have also done the city's preliminary engineering process called preliminary site compliance plan. It's a technical review of many of the city offices and um there were there were minor items as is typically the case but there was no objection from the fire department. So thank you Mr. Perry. Do I my colleagues have any questions for Mr. Perry at this time? Council member Remy. Um Mr. Perry, the I'm just trying to All I have is just a schematic. Not really on on the um Got to find it again. The parking situation. Do they have garages underneath the town homes? And then I saw the 20 foot asphalt um down the middle of it. Is that will there be parking there? It's not obviously wide enough, but uh there there is an internal driveway accessing the attached garages of each unit. That that driveway is 20 ft wide. There will not be parking on that driveway, but parking parking fully meets code requirement and um it's accessed on that internal driveway. Okay. And that's uh twocar garages for each unit or Okay. And then um just tell me how refu is going to be handled in that complex. This is for for refuge purposes. This is considered multif family, the refuge code. And so there are two options. You design refuge to meet city pickup standards with a dumpster and bulk pad and so on. Or you use private hauler and this would use private hauler. Each each resident will have a 90-gallon can for their garage and an entity other than the city will pick it up. Okay. Thank you. Any other council member? Thank you, Mr. Perry. Yep. Thank you. Um, so Mr. Dietrich, I just wanted to underscore so because again, one of the speakers talked specifically around concerns around fire access. So again, that is one of the approvals that come through this process is that our division of fire reviews projects and science off. Is that correct? They're typically part of the site compliance review which typically occurs after zoning is approved. Um, excuse me. The site compliance review that Mr. Perry was referencing, the fire department um is part of that review and they are typically done after zoning is completed. Okay, Mr. Perry. Um, briefly I can I can add to that. Um, Mr. Dietrich may not have been um intimately involved with our preliminary site compliance plan review, but um but at the end of the day, the fire department is is part of the building permit review process, site compliance plan and building permit review process. So, we believe this complies, but if we're wrong, Mr. Roby doesn't get a building permit. Yep. It's as simple as that. Great. Thanks. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Any other questions by council members for the department? Thank you. Um, appreciate the public comment here tonight. Uh, as Mr. Perry shared, portions of this project were changed based upon neighborhood feedback. This has had full approvals from all approving bodies at this point. Again, the issues that I think were brought up have been part of the staff review of this project. Um, so therefore, uh, I'm comfortable with moving forward. So, first I move to accept the entire staff report into evidence as an exhibit. Closa Deadia Dorne's favor. Remy President Harden accepted. Next move to adopt the fines of staff as the fines of councel. Clerk please call the role. Barrosa de padilla dorren favor. Remy president Harden adopted. And finally move for passage. Clerk please call the role. Barrosa de padilla dorren favor reie president Harden pass. Thank you. Next we have ordinance 0884-2023 to grant adance for visits of section 3332.035 R3 residential district 3332.05 05 A4 area district lot with requirements 3332.13 R3 area district requirements city codes for property located at 1375 23rd Avenue to permit a two-unit dwelling with reduced development standards in the R3 residential district. The applicant is uh healthy Lynon Homes Care of Emily Long Rayford. Uh the proposed use of two dwelling semen is approval. South Lynon Air Commission's recommendation is also approval. First move to accept the entire staff report and new evidence as an exhibit. Clarosa de Padilla Dorne in favor. Remy President Harden accept it. Next I move to adopt the fines of staff as the fiance of councel. Second cler please call the ro. Barrosa de padilla. Dorne's favor. Remy uh president Harden. Second. Yep. Uh and next I move for passage. Clark please call the row. Barosa de padilla. Dorne's favor. Remy President Harden. Pass. Next we have ordinance 0885-20238 to grant advance provisions of section 3332.035 035 R3 residential district 3312.49 minimum number of parking spaces required of the Columbus city codes. The property located at 1278 East 9th East 19th Avenue to permit a two-unit dwelling produce development standards in the R3 residential district. The applicant's healthy Lynen homes care of Emily Long Rayford proposed use a two-unit dwelling. City department recommendation is approval. South Lindon Air Commission recommendation is also approval. I first move to accept the entire staff report new evidence as an exhibit. Please call the row. Barrosa de Padilla Dorne's favor reie president President Harden accept it. Next I move to adopt the fiance of staffs defiance of councel second. Clerk please call the role de padilla dorren's favor reie president Harden adopt it. Finally I move for passage. Please call the role. Barosa de padilla dorne's favor reie president Harden passed. Next I we have legisl or ordinance 0886-2023 to grant advance provisions of section 3332.035 R3 residential district 3332.05 05 A4 area district lot with requirements 3332.13 R3 area district requirements and 3312.449 minimum number of parking spaces require the Columbus city goes to property located at 1333 uh-1335 East 18th Avenue to permit a two-unit dwelling for reduced development standards in the RR R3 residential district. The applicant is a healthy Lynen homes care of Emily Long Ray for proposed use a two-unit dwelling. Cart recommendations approval. South Lindon Air Commission's recommendation is also approval. I first move to accept the entire staff report into evidence as an exhibit. Second clerk, please call the role. Perosa de Padilla Dorne's favor. Remy President Harden, accept it. I next move to adopt the fiance of staffs, the fines of councel. Second. Cler, please call the role. Barrosa de Padilla, Dorne's favor. Remy, President Harden, adopt it. Next, I move for passage. Clerk, please call the RO. Barosa de Padilla. Dorne's favor. Remy, President Harden, passed. Thank you. We have Next, we have ordinance 088-2023 to grant a variance provisions of sections 3332.035 035 R3 residential district 3332.05 A4 area district lot width requirements and 3332.13 R3 area district requirements of Columbus City codes. The property located at 1085-1087 East 18th Avenue permit a two-unit dwelling with reduced development standards in the R3 residential district. The applicant is healthy linted homes care of Emily Long Rafer proposed use two-unit dwelling. City department recommendation is approval. South Lindon Air Commission's recommendation is also approval. I first move to accept the entire staff report into evidence as an exhibit. Clerk, please call the role. Provosa de Padilla Dorne's favor. Reie President Harden. Clerk, please call the um accepted. I next move to adopt the finance of staff as the defiance of councel. Second. Clerk, please call the row. Provosa de Padilla Dorne's favor. Reie President Harden. Adopt it. And finally move for passage. Second. Clerk, please call the ro. Barbosa de Padilla. Dorne's favor. Reie President Harden. I passed. Thank you. Next we have ordinance 099 or I'm sorry 0900-2023 grand variance provisions of section 3332.035 R3 residential district 3332.05 A4 area district lot with requirements 3332.13 R3 area district requirements Columbus city codes for the property located at 1535 um 25th Avenue permit a two-unit dwelling with reduced development standards in the R3 residential district. The applicant is healthy Lynen Homes care of Emily Long Ray for proposed use a two-unit dwelling. City's department recommendation is approval. South Lindon Air Commission recommendation is also approval. Uh we do have a speaker slip this evening uh to speak against this ordinance. Therefore, we will have a staff presentation. Mr. Dietrich, the site consists of one undeveloped parcel in the R3 residential district. The requested council variance will permit a two-unit dwelling to be constructed on the site. A council variance is required because the R3 district permits only single-unit dwellings. Variances to reduce the lot width and lot area are included with the request. The site is within the boundaries of the South London land use plan, which recommends medium density residential land uses at this location, which is consistent with the proposal. Columbus citywide policy design guidelines recommend that the design and character of new development including homes, additions, and garages be appropriate and reflect the nearby structures in terms of height, width, setback, lot coverage, and roof pitch. The guidelines also call for call for front porches, parking located to the rear, open space, street trees, and landscaping. Staff finds that the proposal is consistent with the plan's land use recommendations, C2P2 design guidelines, and development pattern in this neighborhood. As the proposal fits within the larger development pattern of this neighborhood, the request does not introduce an incompatible use to the area and city departments recommend approval. Thank you. Um, want to invite Miss Don Brown to the podium. Miss Brown. Miss Brown, welcome to councel. If you could uh raise your right hand. Um, do you swear affirm the testimony you're about to give shall be the truth and nothing but the truth as you shall answer the pains or penalty of perjury? If so, please say I do. I do. Thank you. Floor is yours, ma'am. I am opposing the um project that is uh by way of the nationwide children's program. I didn't grasp everything, but I'm opposing it because it does change the uh community in which I've been part of since the mid60s. It changes things. Um I listened to one other speaker mention uh the affordable housing for families that make $30,000ish. uh so that they can afford housing. What I'm looking at as a person who is a veteran of this community, what I am looking at is sometimes we have different values and just because the housing is affordable doesn't mean that though that that uh affordable housing makes good neighbors because the values are different. So, if this person over here is getting up, going to work every day, working two jobs, they want to go to bed at night. They don't want to hear your kids. They don't want to see all those toys all over the place, chalk all in the street. They don't want to see that. I know I don't, and I'm tired of it. Uh, and then you have the the parents or the guardians of this mindset. They're not going to bed. They're having people come over with loud music all in the middle of the night. This is a community. So, I say this, 43211 has definitely changed since the 60s. Uh, when my father bought this house, we were in company of the Robux as in Sears and Robu. Uh, it has changed. I get that part. but just accepting programs and a place. This is not doing anything for our um I can't think of the term right now, but this this is a an old neighborhood that deserves to be revamped. We deserve uh respect in our neighborhoods. So, I say move some of these programs to zip code 43085. move them to Murefield. Let's try some of that. Everything, every experience doesn't have to be with the London area. And also, one of my concerns is if this is some program from nationwide, it may be I'm retired military. It may be funded for under this Lynen home healthy program for a little while, but I see it as an extension of downtown and as an extension of Nationwide Children's Hospitals possibly being in the future a campus where their doctors can be a complete community to upgrade the hospital, which is fine, but don't put us out. Don't put us out. And I listened to another speaker or or someone about the parking in the back that was approved. The city of Columbus is actually finding people for parking in the back over there. So why is it okay under a program, but it's not okay for people who's been there since the 60s? Get it together. One accord. Do any of my colleagues have any questions or comments for Miss Brown? Council member Favor. So, um, just a just a question of whether you're familiar with the healthy homes initiative on the south side. No, ma'am, I am not. I'm just learning about this today. Okay. Wonderful. It's it's actually a really great initiative that um Nationwide in partnership with Healthy Homes um embarked on to address the blight that was uh has occurred on the south side uh and put those properties back into good use uh by making them affordable. And I think sometimes the word affordable uh gets a really bad rep because we think of folks who might not be working, but they're they average on medium targeting around the 60% to 80% of the area median income, which is really around that 60,000ish range uh when we're talking about families. Uh so it's working individuals uh that that are, you know, working in the hospitals or they might be teaching in our classrooms. Um, but it it it is been a proven model that has worked uh fairly well on the south side and I think that um as we've been talking about different programs and other affordable housing initiatives, I just wanted to share just that little bit of information about what's happened on the soft side too and thank you for your advocacy and being here this evening. Absolutely. Um, if if we're if we're if we're talking about the average income, 40, 50, $60,000 a year, they don't need a program. They just need to work on their credit, honey. They don't need a program. Any other questions or comments for Miss Brown? Thank you for your service. Thank you. Yeah. Thank you. Thank you for being here tonight. Thank you. Um, I have nothing else. Listen, I have nothing else. I'm afraid to go. Yep, you are. Thank you for being here. Um, Miss, uh, Emily Rayfield is from, um, the pro from Healthy Lyndon Holmes is also here. I want to pause if do any of my colleagues have any questions for Miss Rayfield. Seeing none, I think we're probably good to to move on at this point. So, Miss Rayfield, thank for thank you for making yourself available. Um, as we've talked about, what this program does is really bring workforce affordable housing into neighborhoods that are in desperate need of it. I appreciate Miss Brown for being here this evening. Um, but this program has proven um to be a real value ad for many families in Columbus already and the variances that are being requested here tonight seem appropriate to allow this to move forward. So, at this time, I move to accept the entire SE report into evidence as an exhibit. Second. Clerk, please call the role. Rosa de Padilla. Dorne's favor. Remy President Harden accepted. I next move to adopt the fines of staffs and defiance of councel. Clerk, please call the role. Rosa de Padilla. Dorne's favor. Remy President Harden. Adopted. And finally, move for passage. Clerk, please call the row. Provosa de Padilla Dorne's favor. Remy President Harden. Pass. Thank you. Next, we have ordinance 0902-2023 to grant advance provisions of section 3332. 035 R3 residential district 3332.05 05 A4 area district lot with requirements for uh 3332.13 R3 area district requirements 3312.49 minimum number of parking space required for Columbus of the Columbus city codes are property located at 12921294 East 18th Avenue permitted to dwelling reduced development standards in the R3 residential district. The applicant is healthy Lynon Homes care of Emily Long Rafford. Uh the proposed use a two-unit dwelling city recommendations approval. South Lynon area commission's recommendation is also approval. I first move to accept the entire staff report and do evidence as an exhibit. Provosa de Padilla Dorne's favor. Remy President Harden. Thank you. Next move to adopt the fiance of staff as the fiance of councel. Second. Provosa de padilla. Dorne's favor. Remy president Harden. Next move to amend as submitted to the clerk. Provosa de padilla. Dorne's favor, reie, president Harden. Finally, I move for passage. Verosa de Padilla Dorne's favor, reie president Harden. Thank you. Next, we have ordinance 0925-2023 to grant advance provisions of section 333 2.035 R3 residential district 333 2.05 A4 area district lot with requirements 333 2.13 R3 area district requirements and 331249 minimum number of parking space required for the Columbus City Coast. for the property located at 1249 East 16th Avenue to propand a two-unit dwelling with reduced development standards in the R3 residential district. The applicant is healthy lynen homes care of Emily Long Rayfield proposed use a two-unit dwelling city department recommendation is approval. South Linda Air Commission's recommendation is also approval. I first move to accept the entire staff report into evidence as exhibit Padilla Dorne's favor rei president Harden accepted. I next move to adopt the fiance of staff as the fiance of councel. Clerk please call the role. Provosa de padillaia dorren's favor reie president Harden adopt it. And finally move for passage. Please call the row. Provosa de padilla dor in favor reie president Harden pass. Thank you. Next we have ordinance 0926-2023 to grant adance provisions of section 333 2.035 R3 residential district 3332.05 05 A4 to area district lot with requirements 3332.13 R3 area district requirements and 3312.449 minimum number of parking spaces required for the Columbus City Coast for property located at 155026th Avenue to permit a two-unit dwelling with reduced development standards in the R3 residential district. The applicant is healthy Lynon Homes Care of Emily Long Rayfield proposed use as a two-unit dwelling. City department recommendation is approval. South Lynon Area Commission's recommendation is also approval. I first move to accept the entire staff report into evidence as an exhibit. Frosa de Padilla Dorne's favor. Remy President Harden. Next move to adopt the fiance of staff as the fiance of councel fosa de padilla dorne's favor reie president Harden and finally move for passage. Proa de padilla dorne's favor reie president Harden passed. Thank you. Next we have ordinance 0927-2023 to grant a variance provisions of section 3332.035 R3 residential district 332.05 A4 area district lot with requirement 3332.13 R3 area district requirements of Columbus city codes for property located at 1457 24th Avenue to permit a 2-unit dwelling with reduced development standards in the R3 residential district. The applicant is healthy Lindon homes care of Elmy Long Rayfield propose use a two-unit dwelling city department recommendations approval south lynon area commission's recommendations also approval. I move to accept the entire staff report into evidence as an exhibit. Barosa de Padilla Dorne in favor reie president Harden. Next move to adopt the fines of staff as the fines of councel provos de padia dorren's favor reie president Harden. Finally I move for passage proposal day padilla dorren's favor reie president Harden. Thank you. Next we have variance uh 0929-2023 to grant a variance provisions of section 3332.039 R4 residential district 3312.449 MIM number parking space is required 3332.0 uh 005 A4 area district lot with requirements 3332.15 R4 air disc district requirements 3332.19 fronting 3332.26 26 C1 minimum sideyard permitted in 3332.27 rear yard by the Columbus City Code property located at 317 Tapen Street to permit a two single unit dwelling on one lot with reduced development standards in the R4 residential district. The applicant is Juliet Bulick architect proposed use is a two-unit dwelling on one lot. City department recommendation is approval. The Victorian Village uh commission's recommendation is also approval 70. We have two public speakers to speak against this project this evening. So we will now have a staff presentation. Mr. Dietrich, floor is yours. The site consists of one parcel in the R4 residential district developed with a single unit dwelling. The requested council variance will permit a singleunit dwelling above a rear detached garage. The council variance is necessary because the R4 district permits up to four units in one building, but does not permit two single unit dwellings on one lot. The request includes variances to lot width, lot area, fronting, side and rear yards, and a parking space reduction from four required to two provided parking spaces. The site is located within the boundaries of the Victorian Village Commission, which does not include a land use recommendation, but will require a certificate of appropriateness for the final design of the proposed carriage house. staff supports the requested use and variances as the proposal preserves the original contributing structure, is located within a walkable neighborhood, and is consistent with similar requests in the area, and therefore we recommend approval. Thank you, Mr. Dietrich. Um, the first speaker we have to speak on this ordinance is Mr. Jeff Long. Mr. Long, welcome to council, Mr. Long. If you wouldn't mind raising your right hand to be sworn in, sir. Do you swear affirm the testament you're about to give shall be the truth and nothing but the truth as you shall answer to pains or penalty of perjury. If so, please say I do. I do. Mr. Long, the floor is yours. Uh, thank you for the opportunity to speak to this issue this evening. Um, I've lived on the streets since the early 70s, was involved in the R4 resoning effort during that period. also the historic district and sat on the Victorian Village Commission for a number of years. I object to this variance for several reasons. Number one, there is no historical basis for this building to be put on this alley. Number two, the zoning is inappropriate. R4 requires 2400 square ft per unit. This lot is only 3,000 square ft. Now, for those of you who weren't here in the 70s, this area was a very dilapidated, torn area. A large part of the problem in Victorian Village at that time, was density. We had too many people, too many units, a large number of absentee owners, including those who owned absentee single families. Shortly after I got there, the department of development and the society together decided that the way to correct the problem was to reduce density. And in regard to that, we began working on the R4 project at that point to blanket reszone the entire area west of Neil south of First Avenue. The area to the east is zoned ARLD, which is a compatible zoning pattern. The idea was to reduce density and encourage single family owner occupied properties and that was passed by council supported by the department of development during that period of time. The success of the program I think is apparent at this point. Victorian Village is quite successful now. Is essentially an owner occupied single family area. Very valuable in that respect. In addition to the R4 resoning at that point to give the commission additional leverage, we did the historic district again to protect the properties and again to reduce density. and the commission was formed to guide that development in the area. The proof of all these efforts for the last 50 years is there today in the value of these properties and in the community itself. The third point I want to make is what concerns me more than anything else than the increased density is the precedent we're setting. If this is passed, then other people will attempt to increase density as well. This lot does not have the square footage necessary to support two units. Who is to say that the man with 3,200 square ft, 3,400 square ft is any less able to increase density on his property. The other problem, of course, is absentee ownership. That has been a problem over the years and one of the things we moved toward was to reduce the absentee ownership in the area and that again has been very successful. I think to jettison the R4 program which is what this does. It opens the door to more and increased dense usage. to jettison the R4, which has been very good for us, is a mistake because it allows the possibility that others will come in to increase density on their lots, too, and some more justifiable than 3,000 square ft. The precedent is important because lacking the necessary footage. We need to keep density low there to retain value and the strength of the community. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Long. Do my colleagues have any questions for Mr. Long at this time? Thank you. Um, the next speaker to sign up before council is Mr. Justin Ferman. Mr. Ferman, welcome to councel. Wouldn't mind raising your right hand and I will swear you in, sir. Uh, do you swear affirm the testimony you're about to give shall be the truth and nothing but the truth as you shall answer to pains or penalty of perjury? If so, please say I do. I do. Floor is yours, sir. Thank you. Um, I just would like to speak to kind of the usage of the property now. Um, the property now is being used as an Airbnb and with this extra dwelling, I think it's safe to assume that it would be used as an Airbnb as well. So, you know, I'm I'm not opposed to the, you know, the the the current um Airbnb there or a garage or if the resident, you know, would put that in, but just seems like putting another unit in to be another Airbnb is just kind of kind of a, you know, not what the variance or excuse me, not what the zoning of the of the uh neighborhood is, you know, you know, for and it just seems like it would be kind of a backdoor um commercialization of the property if you will from you know taking it from a residential and it just just seems a bit excessive and I just kind of oppose that. I mean as I think a lot of their neighbors do which they signed a petition um which Mr. Long u did did uh go around the neighborhood and get uh quite a few signatures on which I appreciate his efforts on that. And um just kind of in closing I just like to say um as far as the historical commission I did not receive any notice from them. I'm not actually sure um how they notify residents of anything. I didn't get any letters um of that. So we it was kind of kind of surprised that you know it came up with the historical uh commission otherwise we would have you know gone before that body as well and and opposed this uh this variance. So thank you. Thank you Mr. Firm. Do my colleagues have any questions for Mr. Ferman at this time? See none. Thank you. Thank you. Um, next I'd allow the applicant's agent to speak to the this project. Um, Miss Julia Bulock, welcome back to council. Mind raising your right hand and I will swear you in. Do you swear from the testimony you're about to give shall be the truth? Nothing but the truth as you shall answer pains or penalty of perjury. If so, please say I do. I do. Floor is yours. Okay. Um my name is Julie Bulock and I'm the architect on the property. So I've been working with the homeowner develop to develop this accessory unit. Um their plan is to use it for personal use um and as a home office on occasion. Both of their parents are out of town and they also work downtown and they have a residence in Delaware. So this is kind of a stopping point for them. So that's the intention. Um this is a very diverse part of Victorian Village. Um, I drove through the neighborhood this weekend and there are within the two blocks that this is located, including the block to the south, we have multifamily residential, apartment buildings, duplexes, single family, and even a fairly new carriage house that is just four units down. So certainly the precedent has already been set for carriage houses in this area. Um, Victorian village homes date back to the 1880s have commonly included carriage houses options. very few if any of the homes in neighborhood meet the requirements of the R4 district as it stands right now just simply because it's an urban neighborhood you know lot size lot coverage etc so I think that's why we have this process because you know the houses don't meet the requirements and whenever we um provide or propose something new we we also retroactively um ask for variances on the existing house as well so that's included in this variances um I think the variance requests are actually fairly minimal. Um, our lot coverage is um, 1337 square ft, which is 40% of the actual lot area. When I'm looking at these projects for my client, you know, the city of Columbus says 50% is a reasonable development cover. Um, and so we're well below that. So, I feel like the lot coverage is reasonable for our request. Um, I think these, um, carriage houses are a great solution for urban neighborhoods and historic neighborhoods. They allow you to maintain the integrity of the existing historic home. Main view maintain views to the backyard for the original home while still allowing the homeowners to add to the property by combining the parking and the space above. It also maintains green space. I truly believe that this is the best solution for historic properties such as these. Um, Victorian Village is a great urban neighborhood and as such the values of the homes have skyrocketed. Allowing these types of units provides a more cost-effective housing unit and allows homeowners who might not otherwise be able to afford taxes and upgrade their homes to do so. We need housing in Columbus. We need cost effective housing Columbus and these type of units working within the existing neighborhood context are a great solution to this issue. Victorian Village heard these arguments at their meeting. It was also posted, you know, the city of Columbus now requires us to put a sign in the yard. Um, and they still voted 7 to zero to approve it. Um, I trust their viewpoint. I think they're good stewards of the neighborhood and the commission understands. They don't just rubber stamp carriage houses. They look at the context and I think when they looked at the context of this neighborhood, there was a lot of discussion. The fact that there are already carriage houses, that there's an apartment building on this alley down on the corner is the reason that they approved it unanimously. Thank you. Do I my colleagues have any questions uh at this time? Council member Favor, so much a question, just a remark just in general, not even directed towards you, but I I would say that just to acknowledge that um city council did roll out its uh housing initiatives that it will prioritize for 2023. Part of that is uh the roll out of um an accessory dwelling unit pilot initiative uh which does seek to provide additional um housing units in the city of Columbus. We have uh significantly been underbuilding uh for many years and this is a response to providing a different type of product um in the housing market uh for residents in the city of Columbus. Um so you know that will be one of the reasons why I will be supportive of this legislation this evening. I do appreciate the two uh gentlemen that did provide uh their feedback uh this evening, but as we really do look to tackle this housing crisis um in many different ways, we do have to think outside of the box about how we could um address these issues. Thank you. Uh thank you, chair. Any other comments or questions from council members? Thank you, Miss Bulock. Thank you. Um again, want to thank the folks that came down this evening. It's rare to have someone who's intimately involved going back 40 plus years in in zoning matters in the city to come before us to share that. I think that historical context I think um what maybe was true in the 1970s that I think dubtales right into council member Faver's point of we talk a lot about density around council right now because density means the ability to produce more units within areas that are connected to transit, connected to job centers, connect, you know, right outside downtown. And um of the nine uh priorities that council articulated when it looked at u when I took over this zoning committee, one of them was appropriate density within neighborhoods, especially if it's connected to to transit and job opportunities nearby. This project checks those boxes. Um it's been approved by city staff, Victorian Village Commission, which um you know provides additional scrutiny on many projects that come comes through passed 70. Uh therefore I feel comfortable uh supporting this ordinance and therefore first move to accept the entire staff report into evidence as an exhibit. Second please call the rosa de padilla dorne's favor reie president Harden. Next I move to adopt the findings of staffs the findings of council second call the ro propos de padillaia dorren's favor reie president present harden and finally move for passage proposal de padilla dorne's favor reie president present harden and finally in the zoning committee we have ordinance 0741-2023 to grant advance provisions of section 3333.18 building lines of the Columbus city coast of property located at 2870 Alen Creek Drive to permit a reduced reduced building line in AR12 apartment residential district for multi-unit residential development. The applicant is homeport care of uh Laura Comc attorney proposed use a multi-unit residential development. Cities department recommendation is approval. Far south far south air commission recommendation is also approval 90. I first move to accept the entire staff who do evidence as an exhibit. Verosa de Padilla Dorne's favor reie president President Harden next move to adopt the fiance of staffs the fiance of councel verosa de padillaia dorren reie dorne's favor reie president Harden next move to amend submit to the clerk verosa de padilla dorren's favor reie president Harden and finally move for passage verosa de padilla dorne's favor reie president Harden thank you council president that's all we have in the zoning agenda Tonight the zoning committee. Is there a motion to adjurnn? Is there a second? Second. Clerk, please call the role. Rosa de Padilla. Dorne in favor. Remy President Harden. Meeting is adjourned. [Music] [Music] [Music] I don't know. [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] Tell me. [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] You You love [Music] [Music] Dorne's favor. Remy President Harden. Meeting number 16 is reconvene. We are in the finance committee and I chair the finance committee. Tonight in finance, we have a total of 14 or ordinances. The first is 0786-2023 is to authorize the director of the department of finance and management to enter into contract with the Greater Columbus Arts Council, Inc. for the purposes of fostering and sustaining arts and cultural services that enrich the Columbus community and to authorize expenditure of $7,924,000 from the Hotel Motel Excise Tax Fund in accordance with sections 371.02 of the Columbus City Code and to declare an emergency. A portion of all the funds from hotel and motel stays in the city of Columbus and are set aside for cultural programming and supporting artists. These funds will help support local artists and engaging programs that enrich our community and keep Columbus a top cultural destination. Do any of my colleagues have any questions or comments? Seeing none, I move for passage. Cler, please call the role. Banks Barosa de Padilla Dorne's favor. Remy President Harden pass. The remaining 13 ordinances are um all authorize various city departments to issue bond sales. This is an important funding tool that allows us to invest in major projects. I'm going to turn the floor over to the finance team. Um I see Chris is here to talk a bit about the bond process and what these ordinances will do. Good evening, President Harden, President Prom Dorans, members of council. Um so tonight uh beginning with ordinance 0889 through uh ordinance 0899 these all represent a series of ordinances which seek city council approval to issue municipal bonds. These would provide funding for the 2022 capital improvement budget which was authorized and adopted by city council last summer. Uh the ability to issue these municipal bonds will provide approximately $421 million of capital funding that the city can then use to implement capital improvement programs around such program areas as safety and health, affordable housing, public utility infrastructure projects, recreation and parks projects, as well as public service, including roadway improvements, uh resurfacing and sidewalks. um related but slightly different uh President Harden is ordinances 0907 and 0908. These two ordinances seek the ability to refund certain existing debt that the current the city currently holds. There are occasions where market conditions prove favorable for the city to essentially refinance existing debt at lower rates. So this just provides blanket authority for the city auditor uh to move forward and and the finance director in that capacity. Um, thank you for your consideration. Happy to answer any questions. Thank you so much, sir. I want to um commend the finance team and the auditor's office for their tremendous work. Last week, we talked about um the city being awarded again our AAA bond rating from Moody's. Um and that's a recognition of our strong fiscal management. So, just thank all of the folks from the auditor's office, from finance team, um for allowing us to be here. and that allows us to sustainably invest in projects like those funded by the bonds up for authorization tonight. With that, I'm going to introduce the ordinances. Uh, first ordinance is 0889-2023 authorizing the issuance of unlimited tax bonds in the amount not to exceed $32,545,000 for health, safety, and infrastructure related projects to authorize the appropriation and expenditure of $4 million from the special income tax fund for cost of in issuance and to declare an emergency. If there are no questions or comments, I move for passage. Clerk, please call the role. Banks Barosa de Padilla Dorne's favor. for me. President Harden passed. Next is ordinance 0890-2023 authorizing the issuance of unlimited tax bonds in the amount not to exceed 66,240,000 for recreation and parks related projects and to declare an emergency. If there are no questions or comments I move for passage please clerk please call the row. Bankston Barrosa de Padilla Dorne's favor reim president Harden pass. Next ordinance is 0892-20223 authorizing the issuance of unlimited tax bonds in amount not to exceed $123,585,000 for public service related projects and to declare an emergency. If there are no questions or comments I move for passage clerk please call the row. Bankston Barbosa de Padilla Dorne's favor. Remy President Harden pass. Next ordinance is 0893-2023 authorizing the issuance of unlimited tax bonds in an amount not to exceed $19,500,000 for neighborhood development related projects and to declare an emergency. If there are no questions or comments, I move for passage. Clerk, please call the role. Bankston Barosa de Padilla Dorne's favor. Remy President Harden pass. The next ordinance is 0894-2023 authorizing the issuance of unlimited tax bonds in an amount not to exceed 102,35,000 for public utility related projects and to declare an emergency. If there are no questions or comments, I move for passage. Clerk, please call the row. Bankston Barrosa de Padilla Dorne's favor. Remy President Harden. Next is ordinance 0895-2023 authorizing the issuance of limited tax bonds in an amount of not to exceed $5 million for the office of the city auditor related projects and to declare an emergency. If there are no questions I move for passage. Clerk please call the role. Bankston Barosa de Padilla Dorne's favor. Remy President Harden pass. Next we have ordinance 0896-2023 authorizing the issuance of limited tax bonds in amount not to exceed 10,6990,000 for construction management related projects and to declare an emergency. If there are no questions or comments, I move for passage. Cler, please call the role. Banks timber roa de padia adorns favor. Reie present. Harden passed. Next is ordinance 0980897-2023 authorizing the issuance of limited tax bonds in an amount not to exceed 5,960,000 for information services related projects and to declare an emergency. If there are no questions or comments, I move for passage. Cler, please call the role. Bankston Barrosa Deodia adorn's favor. Remy present harden pass. Next ordinance is 0898-2023 authorizing the issuance of unlimited tax bonds in an amount not to exceed $800,000 for fleet management related projects and to declare an emergency. Are there any questions or comment? Seeing none, I move for passage. Cler, please call the row. Bankston Barrosa de Padilla Dorne in favor. Reie President Harden. Next is ordinance 0899-2023 authorizing the issuance of limited tax bonds in the amount not to exceed $54,425,000 for the economic community development related projects and declare an emergency. Are there any questions or comments? Seeing none, I move for passage. Cler, please call the row. Banks Rosa Padilla Dorne in favor reie. President Harden pass. Next is ordinance 0907-2023 authorizing the issuance of unlimited tax general obligation bonds in one or more series in an amount not to exceed $350 million for the purpose of providing funds to refund certain outstanding general obligation bonds of the city and to declare an emergency. Are there any questions or comments? Seeing none, I move for passage. Cler, please call the role. Bankston Barrosa Padilla Dorne in favor president Harden. Uh pass. Uh, finally, I have 0908-2023 authorizing the issuance of limited tax general obligation bonds in one or more series in an amount not to exceed $150 million for the purpose of providing funds to refund certain outstanding general obligation bonds of the city and to declare an emergency. Are there any questions or comments? Seeing none, I move for passage. Cler, please call the row. Banks Barosa de Padilla Dorne in favor. Reie, President Harden. That concludes tonight's finance agenda meeting. Seeing no further business before council, I move to adjurnn. Just just a reminder, we do not have council next meeting. So we will see you again on the 17th, I believe. Cler, please call the role. Banks rose to deor's favor. Read me. President Harden, we are journed.