Heat up here. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Hey everybody. Hey, hey, hey. Regular meeting number 33 will now come to order. Please stand for the playing of the national anthem. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Council member White, will you 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 is grateful to have pastor Bismar Akamea here to pray with us. Pastor from Jesus power assembly of God. Pastor, welcome. >> Thank you very much, Mr. President. And it's a privilege to invite me to be here and I'm so happy. Go. Let's have a prayer. Almighty God, our heavenly father, we welcome you to in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, the redeemer, the one who died to save us. We come to you as your believing people, your representative on earth, the agent of your government on earth. We lift up this nation of yours, United States, this state of yours, state of Ohio, and the city of Columbus and many, many people in this nation into your hands as today we gather together for the a sitting or a meeting for the city council. Lord, we pray for your grace and your hands to be upon our gathering. Lord, we pray for wisdom for our president and the members of the Columbus City Councils that our gathering shall be in peace. It shall be very um presented. It shall be good and understanding that whatever we gather to discuss shall be a successful. Father, we thank you for your blessing over this city. We pray for protection of this city and let your hand be upon this city. We ask you in the name of our Lord Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. >> Amen. Thank you so much, pastor. Clerk, please call the role. >> Thanks. Tim Rosa de Padilla de Akaw Lawrence Green Remy Ross, Vice 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 spend with the reading of the journal? >> Cler, please call the role. >> Thanks. Temper roa de padilla de a dor screen remy ros president Harden. >> Are there any additions or corrections to the journal? Hearing none other journals approved. This week's communications received by the city clerk's office are listed on the agenda and will be published in the agenda. Are there any other uh communications be read into the record? >> Not at this time. >> Thank you, madame clerk. We'll go around the dis for updates and hopefully no resolutions. >> Starting with council mayor Banks. >> Thank you uh council president. Just one announcement and no resolution this evening. Uh I am proud to announce that next week the city uh in partnership with several community partners are set to launch the idea collection phase of the our voice our choice budget. I am really excited about this effort. Uh for those who may be unfamiliar, the Our Voice Our Choice budget is the city's first participatory budgeting process where community members will directly decide how to spend $1 million uh of capital improvements uh in their individual districts. So, please keep an eye out on council's social media pages this week uh for additional details on how to participate in getting involved. This is really a historic moment for our city and I want to thank again the steering committee of residents who really drove this process. This is really a process for Columbus residents by Columbus residents. Uh and so thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you again to all the residents that have been involved at this point and really looking forward to the ideas that will come out of this next phase of this participatory budgeting exercise. So again, our voice, our choice budget is going live next week and we are really excited about it. Uh, council president. >> Thank you, council member. Council member Rosado. >> Thank you, council president. So, I know a number of my colleagues will also talk about the uh extreme temperatures that we were or we are going to be experiencing in the coming weeks. So, I just wanted to give everyone a reminder from a transportation uh perspective that Kota will suspend fairs systemwide. So that is um fixed routes mainstream and Kota plus for June 30th, July 1st and July 2nd due to the heat advisory in Franklin County, but Kota has issued a policy that in extreme weather situations, Kota will be fair free. So they did this in the winter and they will do this in the summer. So folks can check the Kota website, they can set social media channels um and the transit app. If you don't have it, you should get it um to see when Kota might be fair free if you that is in question for you. Um secondly, I do have a statement that I would like to read um about the events this past weekend. Uh over the weekend, TPS was revoked for both our Syrian and Haitian immigrants here in Columbus. The Supreme Court ruled that federal government is legally allowed to end temporary protected status from people from Haiti and Syria. The decision is putting families, their livelihoods, and our local economy here in Columbus at risk. Refugees and immigrants have been the backbone of essential industries across our city and have fueled Ohio's growth. And while we understand that there was always a temporary part of temporary protection status, when you have had folks on temporary protection status for more than a decade without some sort of off-ramp or without giving them appropriate time for them to make decisions that are good for them or their families and when you are essentially sending them back to conflict zones, this is not a policy that is rooted in humanity. This decision places thousands of people nationwide and many families in Columbus under immediate uncertainty. It threatens to destabilize workplaces that rely on TPS holders, threatens to tear families apart, and sends a chilling message to immigrant communities who already navigate fear and vulnerability. Columbus has long prided itself on being a welcoming city and a place where people from every corner of the world can build a future. That commitment does not waver because of a court ruling. We will continue working with local partners, legal advocates, community organizations, and our own commission on immigrant and refugee affairs to ensure that affected families have access to information, resources, and support. To our Haitian and Syrian neighbors, you are not alone. This council will continue to advocate for humane and just immigration policies that reflect the dignity of every person who calls Columbus home. This week, we will be meeting with our resettlement organizations and leaders in both communities to discuss next steps and how we can continue to support communities and families. Um, I welcome any additional comments, questions, or concerns that community members may have. They can direct them to my office. I also just want to thank my colleagues for your continued support of uh our communities and families. Thank you, Council President. That's all for me. >> Thank you for your leadership. Um Council Member Council Deakau, sorry. >> Thank you, Council President. I would like to start this evening by inviting Columbus Recreation Parks Director Bernita Ree up to the podium to present a report from the M McCoy Park Work Group. A couple months ago, council passed legislation to fund construction of an NWSL training facility at McCoy Park. An ordinance that I voted against, but which was significantly improved thanks to the hard work of my council colleagues. One such improvement was an amendment requiring the director of reckon parks to form a working group aimed at replacing the land and programming lost with McCoy Park. This work group has been meeting weekly for the past 60 days and they worked diligently to meet the mandate and put together a report on their work which the director will now present to council. It is my plan to hold a public meeting to engage with this report further as the finer details get worked out and I look forward to diving deeper into this report in the coming weeks along with my council colleagues and community members. With that, director, the floor is yours. >> Thank you. Good evening, President Harden, Chair Deawkower, members of council. On tonight, we will present the final report from the Southwest Working Group, which each of you have received a copy. This report reinforces our commitment to continue pursuing additional parkland opportunities as we continue building an even stronger park system for the Southwest community. The working group consists of ownership partners, city council staff, city administration, city departments, and southwest area commission leaders. I'd like to personally thank Liz Reed, the president of the South Southwest area commission, and Leah Young, the fiscal officer. At this time, I will ask Liz Reed to come and speak as a community leader. Thank you, Council Member Day Alire and Director Ree, Council President Harden and members of council. Just over two months ago, the passage of ordinance 11126, I stood before you in disbelief. I did not want I did not believe that a working group could find solutions with expedited timelines to fulfill what was envisioned for McCoy Park. Leah Young and I attended each working group. We did so relying on the advisement of dedicated community members, members like Derek Bergman who detailed everything envisioned for McCoy Park and ensured that we addressed tree by tree, acre by acre, amenity by amenity everything that was envisioned at McCoy Park. Franklin members who continued to expect new solutions for a storm water basin. Inspiring stories from Leverne Dodson, Jennifer Craraven, Amanda and Iris, and CD Aiden help keep us charged to fulfill the true needs of the community in the Southwest area. Due to the direct efforts of many city staff, including Morgan Wade, Brad Wesall, and Craig Murphy, we are pleased to present the working group report. During our first hearing on this topic, I asked the attendees to picture a therapeutic park with specially designed pickle ball, softball, soccer space to benefit community members with physical disabilities, mental health conditions, and chronic illnesses. A park where children of all abilities could take part of a splash pad. a park with sheltered picnic tables and restrooms so families can gather and enjoy outdoor space. Then imagine the same park that allows for fishing and paths for rolling and strolling. The park also that I asked you to envision also included a community center with accessible elevators and restrooms. Then I asked you to imagine this park created in one of the lowest income neighborhoods in Columbus with the lowest life expectancy in the state of Ohio. Today, I'm excited to report the new path, the new plan fulfills this vision and more. It connects additional park amenities to ne a nearby elementary, intermediate, and middle school whose students and families currently have no accessible park. The report provides the solutions, the framework, the timelines that will allow the city to complete the park projects along the same timelines as the original plan. The solutions provided are not a listing from which to select, but all are required to be completed to make this community whole. We have commitments from the NWSL franchise ownership group to become invested neighbors in our community and to help ensure that these solutions are realized. We have new commitments from the mayor to follow through in whole. 60 days ago, we began a journey. The submission of this thoughtful, community-engaged anddriven report represents a major milestone on this journey. Meeting this milestone required representatives of the working group and our supporting teams to see both the details and the vision for what's possible. It took honest and frank communication, building of trust, determination, allocation of resources and resolve. In the end, we landed at this milestone successfully. And with this, it is a celebratory moment for us all. Today is but one of many milestones. We look forward to this continued journey as the city and the ownership group continues to fulfill the solutions arrived at through the working group as detailed in this report. Thank you so much. >> Thank you, Chair Reed. Your leadership has just been so integral to the this whole process and I really appreciate your efforts and that of your colleague Leah Young. And now back to the director for more details. >> Thank you. The solution in this report received unanimous support from the working group. Together we developed a solution, one that creates three recreation sites across the Southwest community. McCoy Park, a new neighborhood community park featuring therapeutic recreation amenities to include splash pad, playground, pickle ball, and other amenities. Green Leaf Park, creating a new neighborhood park for families and residents, which consists of a shelter, walking loop, multi-purpose field, and other amenities. Berliner Sports Park with a new adaptive softball field that expands opportunities for athletes for all abilities. Three recreation destinations allow us to bring opportunities closer to residents that improve access and make an even greater investment in the Southwest community than originally envisioned. The working group didn't simply look for a replacement, but we looked for the best possible solution for this community. And I believe that's exactly what we found. As we continue to engage the community, the first phase of work is still on the original timeline, preparing design and construction to begin this year. Thank you for your partnership and your continued commitment to the Southwest community. We're excited to get started and bring these parks and recreation spaces to life. I'd be happy to answer any questions at this time. I also want to make mention just one other thing. For updates and current events that will take place within that community, visit columbusparts.com/southwest area. that's spelled out southwest area. >> Director, could you give us just um like a light timeline of what can we should be expecting as the next steps >> within your reports? You do have a timeline that is in there. What will take place is we will start immediately on our design um for the parks, all three park sites, and then we'll start construction. As you can look on screen, you see the timelines that are designated out. we will make sure if you don't have this that you have this information. So we had already started design. We will continue with that design to finalize design and move forward. Thank you director. I appreciate the community's participation um recently at the the meeting where they got to provide their input on amenities that they would like to see. Um, for the public, those of you who have never participated in the creation of park, you have no idea how what an accomplishment it is to in 60 days um find a new location start making those plans. This was a huge heavy lift and it is to the credit of you, Director Ree, and your amazing staff that so much has been accomplished in such a short period of time. And I really I want to thank those who worked on the workg group because you really did work. and um members, we had members from um representation from council, from the mayor's administration, um from the NWSL team owners group, and of course your incredible staff who worked really hard um to do that heavy lift. And so, thank you very much. And you'll mark your calendars for a hold sometime um soon. we will be able to provide a public meeting where you can hear details about what more we will be doing um as we have those finer details um put together. And while you're up here, director, um it's it's hot and so could you provide us with information on the cooling centers um that people can expect um during this heat wave? >> Sure. Thank you, Chair Deokau. Um, today was the first meeting countywide to discuss cooling centers um and cooling plan. And so, right away, recreation and parks, we have always been able to serve the community with pools that have been free during this time. We will start tomorrow with free pool admission um at all of our pool sites. Uh our splash pads are free. And then I want to make sure that our cooling centers, Dodge, Driving Park, Glennwood, Lynon, Marian, and Franklin centers will open from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. beginning tomorrow. Um on Tuesday, uh once again, that's Dodge, Driving Park, Glennwood, Lynon, and Marian Franklin. uh Dodge and Dorian Green will be closed due to the Red, White, and Boom um event that will take place on July 3rd and 4th. So, that's our plan for our cooling centers, but we wanted to make sure that we roll this out and soon as possible. >> Chair, I do have a quick question. Uh director, I know uh pools are free, but do folks still need a leisure card? And if they do, can you just walk them through the process if they don't already have one? So the process for a leisure card is $1 fee. Um we try to make sure that we know who's in the pool um just for instances that may take place. And so um they just need to have their leisure card. Please still bring it. We will scan you in um for free activity and provide you with a cool down within that pool area. Um but if you don't have a leisure card, please just sign up for it when you come. But that leisure card can be used at all of our centers as well as pool any of our facilities >> and they can get them in any rec center, right? Rec center. Before you could only get it at some, but now you can get it at any correct. >> Yes, ma'am. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Thank you so much. >> Thank you so much. >> And council president, I have um one other announcement this evening. Um, want to remind residents uh to come celebrate Fourth of July downtown at the America 250 Ohio Homecoming and Picnic. Um, this day starts with a bang at 11:00 a.m. Literally a bang. It's going to be with a cannon. Um, and there are free events um and entertainment. The Ohio Theater will have free film screenings and performances at both of these locations. There are events and entertainment from 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. And then the day ends at the Columbus Commons with a free Columbus Symphony Celebrates America concert at 8:00 p.m. followed by fireworks. And that's all for me this evening. Council President, >> thank you. Council member Preso Tim >> Council member Green. >> Council member Remy. >> Nothing for me. >> Council member Ross. >> Nothing for me. >> Council member White. Wow, that was good. Um, my only announcement that obviously this is our last meeting before break and council will re reconvene uh after recess starting August 24th and although we will not have council meetings during recess, council members will continue to play an active role in the community working alongside community leaders, constituents uh and uh to serve our city. So, uh look forward to seeing you out there just not in here for the next six weeks. Uh are there any uh comments from our elected officials offices? All right. The at this time I request the following ordinance to be removed from the consent action portion of the agenda. Uh in the housing homelessness and building committee we have ordinance 0813-2026. Are there any other resolutions by members of council for the removal of an ordinance? May we now have the motion to wave readings of t titles of 30 legislation tonight? Clerk, please call the role. >> Banks timber roa de padia de aar dors green remy ross vice president Harden. >> Thank you madam clerk. Will the clerk now read to the record the ordinance to numbers of 30 legislation on tonight's agenda for first reading. and economic development and small and minority business committee. We have ordinance 1957-2026 and ordinance 2058-2026. Neighborhoods recreation and parks committee ordinance 1738 1948 and 1959-2026. In workforce education and labor committee we have ordinance 2034-2026. Public Safety and Criminal Justice Committee, Ordinance uh 1859-2026. Public Utilities and Sustainability Committee, we have ordinance 1865-2026. And policy, I'm sorry, rules and policy committee, we have ordinances 1486 and 20 and ordinance 2020-2026. >> Thank you, Madam Clerk. Uh the following ordinance appear on our agenda as consent action with the clerk, and I'll read those into the record. Resolutions of expression resolution 152, 150, 151, and 154X-2026. And finance and governance committee, we have ordinances 16 uh 63, 1801, 1850, 1863, 1965, and 2040-2026. Economic development and small and minority business. We have resolution 146x-2026 and ordinances 1648, 1651, 1652, 1694, 1761, 1766, 1815, 1831, 1886, and 2056-2026. Public Service and Transportation Committee. We have ordinance 1494, 1623, 1709, 1711, 1773, 1837, 1875, and 1985-2026. Neighborhoods Recreation and Parks Committee. Ordinances 1725, 1728, 1729, 1730, 1732, 1733, 1735, 1737, 1741, 1749, 1808, 1830, and 1891-2026. Workforce Education and Labor Committee Ordinances 1568, 1941, 1963, 1973, 1984, and 2035-2026. Health, Human Services, and Equity Committee ordinances 1633, 1848, 1901, 1967, 1979, 1980, and 1981-2026. Public Safety and Criminal Justice Committee Ordinances 1327, 1675, 1828, 1840, 1841, 1844, 1845, 1878, 1898, 1937, and 2009-2026. Um, housing, homelessness, and building committee. We have ordinances 1698, 1713, 1770, I'm sorry, 1760, 1888, 1934, 1936, 1964, and 2008-2026. Public Utilities and Sustainability Committee ordinances 1323, 1490, 15646, 1551, 1552, 1580, 1585, 1659, 1669, 1679, 1703, 1827, 1940, 1954, 1961, 1972, and 2006-2026. and rules and policy committee. We have appointments A132, 133, 134, 135, 136, 137, 138, and 139-2026. >> Thank you, Madame Clerk. I actually skipped over. I think we have a speaker on the first reading uh portion of our agenda, Sarah Lucas, speaking in support of um ordinance 1486-2026. I apologize for that. Welcome to council. Looks like you're representing organization. If you just tell us and you have three minutes. >> Hello. Thank you city council members for this opportunity to speak today. My name is Sarah Lucas. I live in the Old North neighborhood and I'm the communications chair for Transit Columbus. I am here today in support of ordinance 1486. As a cyclist and pedestrian, I strongly support the mobility initiatives listed as eligible for the fund. Funding things like tactical urbanism projects, trafficcoming measures, pedestrian and cycling infrastructure will literally save the lives of people like me and contribute to vision zero, a important goal. However, more specifically, I'm testifying today as a recipient of the city's ebike subsidy program. I got my ebike in last year in August of last year with the city's help. And I initially thought that I would be using it for simple short errands around my neighborhood, library, grocery store. However, I rapidly expanded to visiting friends in German Village, seeing a show downtown, or attending events like Comfest. My bike is not a cargo bike, but I've hauled groceries, a whiteboard, and even a weed whacker. I want to emphasize something. I work from home. I don't have a commute. But despite that, since getting my bike last August, I have biked the equivalent distance between Columbus and Orlando, about 800 miles. That is all from running errands, visiting friends, and generally running around town. I am experiencing Columbus in new ways, whether stopping at local businesses since parking is no longer an issue. Shout out Buckeye Donuts. Submitting 311 tickets for issues that are more noticeable when I'm on a bike than in a car. And connecting with my community as I ride through neighborhoods. Zooming past standill traffic, which I did today, uh while in the bike lane is a new hobby, and it feels incredible. Because of this subsidy, I have now been able to go car light, a longtime goal of mine. I'm only driving around three times a week and at most and have saved hundreds, if not thousands on gas, car insurance, maintenance, savings that only increase as the cost of living and gas prices skyrocket. I'm positive I have repaid the city my subsidy multiple times over already. I am one less vehicle in traffic. Each mile I bike less in my car is not added to the city's noise is not adding to the city's noise pollution, wearing down our already crowded roads, or further choking the air with carbon emissions. We all know that our region is growing rapidly, and with more residents come more cars. Ebikes are a fantastic money-saving tool for both the residents and the city by decreasing traffic and wear on our roads while simultaneously toing many health benefits and reducing greenhouse emissions. When I ride my ebike, I feel empowered, joyous, and connected to the world around me. It has been life-changing, and I cannot even be begin to imagine what a game changer it would be for someone who has limited or no access to public transit or a car. It is because of this that I'm strongly favor in favor of the ordinance. Thank you. >> Thank you so much, uh, chair. >> Good to see you again, Sarah. Thank you for coming out. Thank you for writing out here today. Um, we're very excited about this fund. I We'll talk about it in a little bit, so I'm not going to spend a lot of time talking about it now, but I think that as an investor in the city, this is what your investment means. You're getting that back and three-fold. And so, I really appreciate you coming out and talking about how you use your ebike. We've heard this from many of our ebike users that, you know, they think it might be for recreation or that they're going to use it sometimes and it becomes their main mode of transportation. So, I appreciate you uplifting that and how you use that and I'm glad that it has worked out for you as it has for the over 600 people we've been able to provide with subsidies. So, thank you. >> Thank you very much. >> Thank you so much. Um All right. Um now, um may I have a motion for approval of these uh items and we're talking about the consent agenda. Uh designated consent by voice. >> Please call the role by voice. >> Bankston. >> Yes. Barbosa Deodia, >> yes. >> Deakau, >> yes. >> Dorren, >> yes. >> Gra, um, I vote yes on all ordinances except for ordinance 1648-2026, for which I'm voting no. >> Remy, >> yes. >> Ross W, >> yes. >> President Hard, >> yes. Consent agenda items are passed with the noted exceptions. We'll now proceed with the second reading of 30-day postponed and emergency legislation. We will go out of order this evening and start with ordinance 2005-2026 in the policy the rules and policy committee and I chair that committee and um I as I start to read this I would like to welcome uh Assistant Chief Pototts and Dr. Jones uh up to the podium only if you'd like. Dr. Jones I saw that look that said maybe Chief Pototts got it. Um, I have ordinance 20 2005-2026 to amend chapter 2319 of the Columbus City Codes to repeal and replace sections 2319-30 and 2319 uh 31 to provide technical corrections to enact new sections to strengthen the provisions and enforcement of minor curfews laws and parental responsibility and to provide for delayed enforcement of certain penalty provisions until January 1st, 2027. Uh tonight we are considering legislation to modernize Columbus' juvenile curfew and parental responsibility ordinances. And I want to begin by saying that this conversation was not about any recent or one-off event that may have made headlines. This work began more than a year ago when leaders across our city and the juvenile justice system came together to ask a broader question, which is how do we support young people while improving public safety for everyone? Over the past year, I've met with the city attorney's office, Franklin County Prosecutor Shayla Favor, juvenile court judges, Columbus Division of Police Officers, including Assistant Chief Pots and Chief Bryant, Columbus City School Superintendent Chapman, nonprofit organizations working in youth violence prevention and intervention, uh, parents, and just as importantly, young people themselves, uh, through several roundt discussions, and one message came through consistently. Our current curfew ordinance is outdated and should be updated to reflect today's realities. The legislation before us makes a straightforward change. It updates curfew hours to 9:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. for children under 12 years old uh and 10:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. for a youth aged 13- 17. It also maintains common sense exemptions for young people who are with a parent or guardian who are traveling to or from work, school, religious service, community activities, entertainment event, or responding to an emergency. Just as important as curfew hours themselves is how this ordinate ordinance will be implemented. This is designed to begin with education, engagement, and warnings, not punishment. officers first priority will be connecting with young people and connecting them with their parents and guardians when appropriate and referring them uh referring families to diversion programs. The goal is to establish expectations and strengthen family engagement not to criminalize. That is why the citation provisions of this ordinance will not take effect for 6 months until 2027. That gives us time to pilot the approach, work with the division of police, evaluate what is working, listen to community feedback, and make adjustments if necessary before next summer. Finally, I want to emphasize that this ordinance is only one piece of a much larger effort to improve youth safety. We are also examining issues like truency, school safety, and expanding positive opportunities for young people, including working with my colleagues, Council Member Deakau, uh, and the work that she is doing leading around youth summer programming. There is no single ordinance that will solve youth violence or keep every child safe. If we are serious about protecting our kids, our babies, we have to be willing to look at every tool available and work together. That means partnering with parents, schools, faith leaders, community organizations, law enforcement, judges, prosecutors, and youth themselves. This legislation is just one step forward, and I look forward to continuing that work together. Um, I'm going to turn it over to Chief Pots to discuss the need for this legislation. Uh, I want to thank you for the the partnership and and leadership of you and Chief Bryant, uh, in helping to craft this, uh, legislation. But, uh, I want to turn the floor over to you. Good evening. Thank you, Council President Harden, um, and all the distinguished, uh, council members. Uh, I also want to acknowledge the many conversations that the division has had that taken place in a community with advocates, parents, stakeholders throughout this entire process. While there may be differing opinions on the ordinance itself, I believe we all share the same goal, and that's to keep our youth safe. I want to be very clear about the intent of this ordinance. It is about prevention and not punishment. This ordinance is designed to create opportunities for intervention before a young person becomes involved in violence or someone committing a crime. It is another tool that allows our officers to engage our youth and families during the hours when our data tells us the risk of victimization and criminal activity is the greatest. We also understand the concerns expressed by community regarding how this ordinance will be utilized. We have taken a thoughtful approach to this. We've had many conversations not just with leadership but also with our police officers and we understand that we don't want to create a avenue where criminalization occurs. That is why the pilot program is so important. It will allow us in real time to see how this works. But what we cannot do is to continue to do what we've always done. We understand that looking at 26 major cities, Columbus was dead at last in our ordinance. We have to do something. We have to hold our parents accountable, but we also have to make sure that we create policy and procedures that keep our people safe. Additionally, what the division will do to track is create a field interview position in our P1. This will accurately monitor how this ordinance is being used, evaluate trends, and make informed decisions moving forward. That is precisely why we were okay with the ordinance, the citation taking effect six months later, because we want time for our officers to get familiar with the process, but also to educate the community on what the new laws that take effect will be. I believe that this is just one tool in a tool belt, one of many. as we continue to look at how we eradicate juvenile violence and implement this order in a manner that builds trust, promotes accountability, and most importantly, it helps to keep our youth safe. >> Thank you so uh much, Chief, and thank you for your work, Dr. Jones. Thank you. I know that this is I I keep saying that if this were all we were doing to engage youth violence and of course I would be open to so much more criticism but this is part of a much larger conversation and initiatives um that we think that in a whole can uh curb youth violence and I a lot of folks think that this is about protecting the community from young people. It's as much about protecting young people from the streets. Uh, and I think that if if by if if safety is our city's top priority, then the safety of our young people has to be at the top of that safety list. And so that's why we're bringing this uh this conversation forward, this legislation forward. And I'll open it up for any conversations or questions from my colleagues. >> I have a couple questions, >> please. Um, Chief Pototts, you talked about tracking um the officer's experience during this pilot, the six-month pilot phase, and you mentioned adding a field interview to P1. Now, I know what P1 is. Can you explain what P1 is to folks? >> It's our reporting system that we currently use. Um, we do field interviews for adults. We're just simply adding a column for juvenile. So when that officer encounters a juvenile um as going to be instructed by us that first contact as long as there are no other mitigating factors um the goal is to educate not only the juvenile but also the parents within that six so the way I understand the legislation six months until it's imple until it will be enforced. If you are going through the pilot process between now and the 6 months and you have a contact with a young person between now and those six months, will that contact be held against that young person or are we talking clean slate at 6 months in post? >> So for us um if we have multiple uh violations for us the law would kick in for citation. Okay. Um but we're hoping that because the moratorum for the the judges is 6 months that we use this for time to education. But what we can't do is continue to pick up our juveniles over and over again even during the six months period. >> Sure. >> And let me just explain. So the way the the ordinance is written, the first citation wouldn't count until like the third or fourth contact with us. And so I want to be clear that they get at least three bites before we even issue a citation, which we would normally do on the first contact if they're a juvenile curfew violator. >> AC Pods, appreciate you being here and walking through this. Obviously, I've shared my concerns with the legislation. One of the pieces that I was somewhat concerned with is in order for us to give multiple chances, we have to track those youth. What happens to their data? Is it in your system forever? Does it go away at any point in time, assuming nothing else ever occurs with that young person? >> That's a really great question. So, we have policies that dictate when we get rid of data. Um, and so we will follow the same policies and procedures that we normally do um when we collect data. Um, in order for us to pilot it correctly though, we would have to keep that information at least for the duration of the time that we're looking to evaluate the data. >> So, as we are trying to keep kids out of the system, we're going to put them in the system. >> Well, they're in our system. They're not in the juvenile system. >> Correct. >> Go ahead. Unless you're done. >> No, I wasn't. Thank you. >> Okay. Um, we talked a lot about in in conversations when you were presenting potential pilots for this legislation, uh, the importance of who is enforcing curfew law and how they are trained to engage with our young people. Can you talk a little bit about the work that you are currently doing, have been doing with the officers to ensure that folks who are engaging with our young people, particularly as it relates to this curfew law, are are trained to do it appropriately. >> Absolutely. So, our officers over the last five years um have been really involved in community engagement. It has been led by Chief Bryant from the top down. And so, I believe the agency that you have now is not the same agency that you have 5 years ago. And so, these officers are committed to engagement. We see it every day on social media. This is just another tool for them. I can assure you the officers of this division will not abuse this. and we have a tracking mechanism to ensure in real time if we do see abuses, we will handle them accordingly like we do every other abuse. >> Just to follow up, can you talk a little bit about specific training as it relates to engagement with young people? >> So there really is no specific training as it relates to juvenile curfew. What it is is training on bystanderism. It's training on professionalism. Um these are the things that and interactions with uh during traffic stops. These are the training our officers receive during police academy and then during inservice training. And so when we talk about training for curfew ordinance, it really is just another it's almost like if an ordinance came for writing a traffic ticket. What our expectations are and what we've said very openly and honestly is that we want that first contact to be educational. That is a mandate coming down from Chief Bryant. Something that we will uphold, something that our officers don't seem to have a problem with. I brought officer Lutz here who has been instrumental um in building our our juvenile database and he does it with intentionality, professionalism and he's very empathetic and so he's been sitting at these roundts. We've had conversations with him about input. This is not something that we did in a vacuum. We've talked to our community stakeholders and we understand that the reasons why there are concern. I get it. I understand it. which is why that we have these checks and balances in place for us to look at it in real time. >> One more question. I'm going to lead you into this answer just a little bit. I do understand and I know officers get training a ton. There is specific training as it relates to juveniles. >> Correct. >> Yes. For their brain. Yes. Absolutely. >> Can we can we talk about that just a little Thank you. >> So there is training in how you interact with juveniles as far as their brain development. However, it's not specifically geared towards curfew, right? It is just how you interact with a juvenile in any circumstances, right? And we also our officers are well trained in that as well. >> Awesome. And then talk a little bit about trauma-informed training. Is every officer receiving trauma-informed training that comes through the division? >> Yes. Okay. They also have received um what we consider the bystander um that if a officer is getting you know overworked uh overwhelmed that officers are mandated by policy to interact and tell that officer take a breather let me handle and so we've been intentional with our trainings as well as our policies to ensure um that we are creating a well-rounded police agency and I'm very confident standing here that the policies and procedures that we have in place will ensure that we don't have the issues that I know community is concerned about and if we do we will address them like we've addressed every other issue. >> Um AC pots, can you talk a little bit about what the program evaluation looks like? Like you know we've had questions around the effectiveness of a curfew. We've had also I just want to preface this by saying as a kid who grew up in Columbus I mean I remember when I was a kid we talked about curfew. This is not new. We have a curfew in place now. I think I'm a little I think as a youth worker I'm a little I I have some concerns about how this program works and I think um knowing that we have some trusted sources that have been part of a coalition of how we think about um I mean at the curfew hearing we talked a little bit about this and I know that I've talked to some of our community partners about what their concerns are and I think their buyin has helped me feel a little bit more comfortable about about the direction that we're moving in. Understanding that we have to take some sort of action, but what that looks like, but I want to understand a little bit about how do we evaluate it? How do we say is this working? Is it not working? How do we make changes? And what does that look like? Aside from just the if someone is not doing what they're supposed to be doing or not fit to be part of this, we remove them. But how do we know that this is even being effective? >> So, we'll look at our data. Um just to give you an example of the crime that's occurring for juveniles. Just looking um from May of last year to this year, um juvenile offensive remain heavily concentrated between uh 700 p.m. and 1:00 a.m. in the morning. Um what we found is Tuesday through Thursday continues to be the highest offense volume and then Friday remains the lowest. What it tells us is that our youth more often than not are getting in trouble on those late night hours and not just in trouble but becoming victims as well. And I want to make this point, the juvenile curfew ordinance is one piece of a larger puzzle. We are actually building out a juvenile violence reduction plan and this is in not intended, the juvenile curfew is not intended to solve every challenge. nor have Chief Brian nor myself have said that that it would um what this will do is help us tie data to what we're seeing in the streets. It'll help us to tie parenting to having parental responsibility. We cannot hold parents accountable if we don't educate them on what the law is and then be able to say that we've spoken to you several times before ordinance is issued. If you look across the country, we are not the only city facing this issue. Um, and I will tell you, we've been very intentional with making sure that even on the punishment side of things, we have been thoughtful as it relates to the finances of our families. Um, the fact that we had exemptions that other cities don't have, and the fact that we're looking at what ways can we educate before we enforce. And so I think that we've been intentional with the leadership of this team to make sure that this ordinance has been thoughtful, that it's going to be proactive, and that we'll save more lives and not it be punitive. >> No, and I appreciate that. And I think the one thing that I want to um elevate is uh and we talked about this during the hearing is just that family support because I think that we're seeing that more and more and hearing more and more from you know parents who are tapped out you know they're working second shift there. I mean, you know, full disclosure, I was a kid who broke curfew, who snuck out of the house because my mom was working second shift, third shift, and I got driven home and scared put into a scared straight program from my parents. But, um, calm down here. Calm down, uh, council member. But um so I I I think that I understand I I think it's important for folks to understand what the all the interventions are that we're really helping a family unit and understanding like how do we provide that support not just for young people but also especially when you look at what the data is and we're talking about a certain subset of young people. Absolutely. I think you know and I know that council member W and I have talked about this around some of the concerns. I think that we had some shared concerns. I think, you know, the continued evaluation of what we're doing and how we're doing it and how we're caring for people and intentionality around that is what I'm most concerned about because I do understand that we're at a tipping point and we have to do something. But ensuring that we are thinking about this as a collective, that we are providing support for young people, that we are providing support for families and for communities. um just you know I think in continued work with young people when they are given options good options and not so good choices right we're putting them in a driver's seat where they can really change the trajectory of their lives and this is every young person it doesn't matter what family what community what income you come from one bad decision can change the course of your life and so um so I appreciate that we're thinking of the whole picture and look forward to our continued conversations about how this rolls out and and how we're continuing that care for community. >> Absolutely. I just want to say this conversation started with council about a year ago, but it actually started within the the division about two and a half years ago as we start really looking at the trends of our juveniles. And so we've been intentional with slow rolling this and making sure that as a division we're proactive in making sure that our community feels first that we have police legitimacy before we introduce any new uh ordinance, but also that our officers understand their role in community is not just enforcement. And I I believe over the last 5 years we've proven that. Um there's no perfect system. There's no perfect ordinance that will solve everything that's going on um in the country. This is one piece of a puzzle. The bigger, larger picture when it's unveiled, we'll talk about holistically how we're trying to heal families but also educate them on their responsibilities because what I can tell you is our officers cannot police parenting. We cannot. And we're doing our parts. We need parents to do their parts and we need our children to understand that sometimes we're saving them from themselves. I would rather you be mad at me about a curfew violation than me knocking on your parents' door to tell them you didn't make it. And so that's where my heart posture is. >> Thank you so much, Chief. And just earlier today, someone uh said this I think it's a stupid phrase soft on crime and we were but I know this is smart on safety. One of the the reasons why I trust you, your leadership and the division to manage this is because you were so thoughtful. It was the division who pushed back and said we should it was the division and the the county prosecutor that said we should have an education period on this. Would you just talk hit that one more time? Why this six months? Why why not the citation starting immediately like the enforcement will? AB: >> Absolutely. So what we wanted this ordinance to do is to reduce opportunity. Opportunity to be a victim and opportunity to commit a crime that you can't walk away from. We thought it was important that our community has a grace period. Um and so we want to do PSAs. We want to make sure that every family knows exactly what the ordinance entails, what the ramifications if you violate it, but also the responsibility is still on parents to be parents. And I take into account the multiple jobs. Um, as a as a mother, my mom was a single parent raising two young kids and we violated curfew as well. But I will tell you, we also had horror stories that we would not have had our butts been in the house at a reasonable time. And so I understand the fear, but I also understand what it's like to have to tell a parent that their child was at a party that they didn't know they were at and they were shot unjustly. And so I also know what it's like because I visit prisons too on a regular and talk to young men who tell me that they wish at seventh grade, eighth grade, ninth grade that they were held accountable and they wouldn't be sitting in prison for the rest of their lives. And so we took all of that information into account. Um, and I have to thank Dr. Jones and I think Melissa Thomas St. Clair is here. We've been spearheading this um in prisons using data to affect how the division crafts some of our messaging. And I will tell you that young men, especially young men of color, wish they would have had some ordinances and some ramifications for their decision-m that they wouldn't be sitting in prison now at 16 and 17 years old for 40 plus years. And so as a black woman first, because I think people forget that I'm a woman of color as well, I don't ever want my name to attach to something that disparangely treats people of color, which is why we were so intentional and methodical about how we rolled this out. >> Thank you so much, Chief. With that, I want to bring up um uh we have three speakers on this uh ordinance. Um the first uh being someone who uh is um no stranger to to all the issues uh keeping our young people safe, Miss Melissa Stlair. Miss Melissa, would you come forward? Thank you so much, Chief. >> Uh Officer Ludson, Dr. Good evening. Good evening, President Harden, members of council, and members of our community. My name is Melissa Thomas Sinclair and I'm the founder and CEO of Mothers of Murdered Columbus Children, a Columbus City School Educator for nearly 30 years and a mother whose 22-year-old son um along with my husband Michael Stlair. Anthony Stlair was murdered after being stabbed. I stand before you today with mothers who have turned their pain to purpose every single day. Together, we have chosen advocacy over anger and prevention over silence. I also want to acknowledge my husband, Michael Stlair, his lodge brothers, our co-founder, Carla Harris, and the dedicated leadership of Mothers of Murder Columbus Children. We are here because we are community that cares, a community that shows up, and a community that believes every child deserves to come home safely. Mothers of Murder Columbus Children are publicly has publicly supported the enforcement of Columbus's youth curfew since May of 2021 following the tragic violence at Bsentennial Park where Olivia Curts who was 16 years old lost her life. Our position hasn't changed. We have consistently called on our city to use every reasonable tool available to prevent violence before another family receives the phone call that changes their life forever. Today's proposal does not create a youth curfew. It updates the one we already have. I won't go through the ordinance because it was already stated, but clearly stating exact times provides clear language that we all can speak. It allows the community to speak the same language across their households. Now, you've heard and I concur. This ordinance is not the fix. It is another tool in our toolbox. That's our theme of this ordinance. Across our country, cities have updated their youth curfew laws as community needs have changed. Columbus should continue evaluating what works, making improvements, and using everyday available strategies to protect our children, and which are your children. One thing this discussion has revealed is that many residents didn't even know Columbus has a curfew ordinance. That tells us that awareness must improve. If this ordinance passes, if the updates in this ordinance passes, it should be followed by citywide education campaign so that parents, youth, schools, recreation centers, faith communities, and neighborhoods understand the law before accountability is expected, which you've heard so clearly stated. I've heard concerns that the ordinance won't be enforced by the community. Well, if enforcement hasn't been if enforcement has been inconsistent, the answer is not to abandon the law. We enforce fairly and consistently. But enforcement can't just be law enforcement. The first line of defense should be us, the community. I've heard concerns that these consequences won't stop young people. Consequences alone rarely change behavior. Trust me, I'm a seventh grade teacher. I know this very well. Relationships change behavior. Mentorship changes behavior. Opportunity changes behavior and accountability. This ordinance creates another opportunity to intervene before a young person becomes the next victim or another family becomes the lifelong journey that we all face. Our first line of defense will always be parents and guardians. At the same time, we recognize many families face real challenges. Parents working second shift, as we've heard, third shift, grandparents raising grandchildren or caregivers doing the best they can. Now, those uh realities do exist, but it doesn't mean abandon the law. I love the fact that you said we are going to modernize it. That's exactly what we're doing. We're going to become innovative parenting, innovative caregivers, and a stronger community partnerships. Before I close, I want to remind us that we all have a role to play. City officials cannot parent our children. Parents and guardians must do that. Law enforcement cannot determine guilt or impose sentences. The jud the judicial system does that. Elected officials cannot personally enforce the ordinance. Law enforcement, we the community and parents do that. Schools cannot raise children alone. Community organizations cannot replace families. Churches cannot reach every child by themselves. If we want this city we all deserve, we must move from complaining about problems to creating solutions. Then each of us must do our part to ensure those solutions work. I will not give you the countless ways Mothers of Murder Columbus Children does that. You see for yourself. Last year, Columbus remained under 100 homicides. We should celebrate that progress while continuing to strive to become the safest big city in Ohio for our children. The best part about this ordinance is that it can continue to evolve as our city evolves and as the needs of our youth changes. Good public policy grows with community that it serves. 5 years ago, Mothers of Murder Columbus Children asked Columbus to enforce the youth curfew law that was already on the books. Today, we respectfully ask you to modernize them, pass the ordinance. For those reasons, we respectfully urge city council to vote yes on the proposed changes. Thank you. >> Thank you, Miss Melissa, and thank you to all the moms. Thank you for your advocacy. Miss Melissa, you I think were at almost all of our uh community meetings on this ordinance and I think helped to shape uh it as well. it and it changed uh from what we started talking about last year to what we are we'll be voting on tonight. So, thank you so much. Are there any questions or comments, council member? >> Yeah, I would just like to thank you for coming down today and highlighting a lot of the things that are so important to your organization, of course, all parents around the the city. Um, you said something that I think is really worth highlighting and that's the fact that we all need to be speaking the same language and I think we agreed on that in the meetings that the importance of making sure that our teachers, our faith leaders, our neighborhood leaders, our parents are all of us are saying the right things and the same thing so that it is a consistent message that this is a value that this community has and demands and this is what we're going to do as part of the entire, you know, toolkit to make sure that our our youth stays safe. So, I I thank you for that. And for the people that had no idea we had a curfew, I didn't know we had a curfew cuz 12:00 to 4:30 is not a cur curfew. So, I'm excited to be able to support this and thank you for coming. >> Thank you so much, Mr. Mothers. >> Thank you. >> The next speaker to come before council is Avis Skinner. Welcome to Councilman Skinner. Um, first, uh, I want to say thank you to the moms and acknowledge the work that they do in the community. Um, and the police representative, like we appreciate what they do. >> Sure. Um, I am a little bit concerned about extra police stops. >> As Ohio celebrates America's 250th, I'd like to remind the council of an African proverb. A child who is not embraced by the village will burn it down to fill its warmth. And can I tell you what that means to me? Communal care is non-negotiable. We have to be diligent in protecting and nurturing our youth. And I hear everybody when we say the curfew enforcement will be informative. And I want to believe that. But the reality is the collective black experience is that police interactions are not safe for our community. In Donald Trump's America, the officers who identify as white are hyper vigilant when policing black communities. At Kroger's, I work with kids from 16 to 22, and the ones that are over 18 still look like teenagers to me. I'm afraid that officers will be actively looking for hidden dangers even when no real threat exists. I worry about the young people in my family. That's what hyper vigilance is. It's Casey Goodson Jr., Tamir Rice and Tyreek King. Its racial trauma reminiscent of the black codes during the reconstruction and Jim Crow eras. Respectfully, the curfew enforcement sounds like just another reason to stop and search young black people. And now we're witnessing another generation bearing the burden of being constantly viewed as a threat thanks to social engineering by unscrupulous tech billionaires. We will not lose another generation to the prison industrial complex. As the city prepares to set its budget for 2027, I urge the council to remember the young people of Columbus. It is your responsibility to invest in the future of our city. And that means investing in creative ways to engage, educate, inspire, and uplift the next generation of leaders and entrepreneurs. And to the council member, you're a prime example and we're going to inspire those leaders. One day, one of those youngsters could be right here on council. Thanks. >> Thank you, Miss K. and and don't don't walk away because I think that you hit on a lot of the underlying um sentiments of a lot of folks in this conversation. I never uh wanted to rush this conversation or afraid of any parts of it. Um and so I I I appreciate you being here. Uh I have friends and family and and truthfully, if this was the division of police of 2020, I would not be bringing this ordinance forward. We have different leadership. We've had different changes that have happened within this department over the last five, six years that and that give me trust that one u we can hold them accountable that uh there is a built-in uh evaluation period to track and see how this is being implemented. Uh but but those underlying historical um concerns are not lost, I think, on on anyone on in this and I appreciate you giving voice to it as we still move forward. And I would say this last, Council Member Bro, Deputy and I were talking about this. This is a yes and if this was a yes and we need to invest more in youth programming. Uh and so so I do I I I see it in your face. this is not you're not coming down here to grandstand or to have a political conversation. There are concerns and I see that I hear that and that is the expectation and and trust that we the expectation that we have for this division as they learn and enforce this over the next six months. >> Thank you. >> Thank you so much for being here. The last speaker to come before council was Aaron Hathaway, an inpic youth. Good evening, Council President Harden and Council members. Um, my name is Aaron Hathway. I'm the executive director and co-founder of Epic Youth. Joining me this evening are the members of the Epic Youth Council. Um, with me as Linux, Chelsea, Claire, Sloan, Jasmine, R.J., Anthony, Riley, and Jayla. There are a few others who are not with us this evening who are part of council. Um their responsibility is to serve our organization and be a youth voice um for our organization to make sure that we are in the right direction as far as building our programs to make sure that it it is directly impacting them. Um and they are also representing just the city and youth in general. I will say I had some remarks, but I think the conversations that's come before me has kind of raising a emotion in me and has kind of have changed what I've wanted to say. Um, but on Friday, Council Member Ross um got a chance to visit our retreat. Um, and we got a chance to share the proposed curfew ordinance with the members of our Epic Student Council. Um, and we sat together with Council Member Ross and all of her um, knowledge and of of law and she was able to read we were able to read the amendment line by line. Um, and what follow was one of the most thoughtful conversations I've had with young people about public policy. Um, what I will say is after hearing some of the sentiments that's come before me, um, there were concerns. Um, and this conversation that we had, um, the questions that they brought up about this ordinance, um, let me know that there was a gap of understanding and knowledge. And though I support the curfew, they were concerned about the policing. what does this mean for their day-to-day life and their activities and how do they live? Um there was also concerns about their interaction with law enforcement um and how it determined whether um their concerns weren't whether determined whether they were in violation or not. And their concerns weren't about avoiding accountability. They just wanted clarity, fairness, and understanding. And so as a um founder and or a leader in this community of youth, I wear a lot of weight of what's happening with our youth in our city. And I will say that this ordinance I feel is the responsibility of the community and our village to have a communication and message and a policy so we can be unified. And I think that this curfew will allow us to be on the same page. And I've said this over and over. We need to be like a two parent household that has the same expectation of our youth because when you have a two parent household that is divided, the children are divided and they can play the card of where they want to go. And I think that this gives us language to withhold a standard so that our youth can um can be safe in our community. So it's our nonprofits, our our police department, our schools, our community leaders, if we all have the same tools under our belts, we can have a safer community. And so I do support this ordinance and I do um with their agreement um I told them that I was supported, but they we we voted there as well. And so they did not agree um on the hours, but they all agreed that there was a need for something to be safe in place. And so I do I'm going to go back to my notes cuz I had to had to go off for a second. But um I we all know that um with collective efforts um this is not a loan. This is just one tool. And so we must also continue to invest in our nonprofits and the organizations serving. Um we can have policies, but it does require relationships. Oh, is that for me? >> You're good. >> Okay. I hadn't seen that. I've been here a couple times. I hadn't seen that. But, um, we know that, um, we know that we, it's it's the commit, it's the investment in our organizations and prevention and programs along with tools like the curfew that supports. And so I hope that we can minimize interaction with police by building this message and this communication so that this policy is ringing enough that the nonprofits and the educators and the people who work with youth can install what is right in them before there is too many interactions with the police. So I'm hoping and I'm looking forward to receiving communication on how this is going to roll out and the strategy so that I can install what the city expects in them to them before the interaction. And I'll say a lot of our youth, they participate in these activities. They've gone to Fontfest. They said it on Friday. They were at Funfest and didn't know it was a team take over, a teen takeover. So, it's the awareness that that needs to accompany this strategy. And so, I'm glad to support this ordinance and I know that the strategy will come with it so we can unroll it into our communities. Thank you. >> Thank you so much, uh, Erin. And I will say the advocacy that you gave at both of the uh engagements uh that that we sat down with you on this piece of ordinance was very clear um around using the city's engagement with youth serving providers to educate. And so I would ask the administration both Reck and Parks and neighborhoods that's that fund uh all the numerous youth service programs to help us come up with a communication that can be delivered to those providers who are receiving city dollars to work with our young people that we would give them this information to share down that uh pipeline so that we all all uh working through the same information and that was that was a clear clear advocacy from you. So thank you. Sure. >> I just wanted to say um in full transparency, Erin is one of my partners in good. We do uh the Day of the Girl conference every year and one of the reasons that um we chose Epic Youth was because of the proximity that you have to young people and because how you uplift the voices of young people and ensure that they are heard and that they're brought in they're understanding what's happening in their community. And so I would be remiss if we did not acknowledge all of you who are here today and the work that you do with with Epic Youth because it is so important. I think in this council chambers repeatedly, we make decisions for people that don't always get to show up here. Young, old, black, white, Haitian, whatever you may be, right? We're making those decisions on behalf of people every day. And so it's important that y'all feel like you're part of the conversation always because we can't just make decisions for you without you being part of the decision. And so I just want to applaud you for um for being part of Epic Youth, for being here today, for taking time out and standing here today, for pushing back on us so we do better for you um and create a better city where you feel safe, you feel a sense of belonging, and you feel seen, and you feel heard. And I think um you can judge the health of a community by its young people. And so if we're not doing right by you, if if if our young people are hurting, we're not doing our jobs. And so I just wanted to acknowledge that. And thank you for continuing to push. And this is what I was talking about earlier, like having you here, having your young people here, having Melissa here. That's the thing that makes me feel better about the work that we're doing here because I can't negate the voices that I'm hearing from our community. And again, just wait to see what this looks like because we're talking about one small piece of a much larger puzzle. And you are I mean, I have teenagers at home. You know, they don't have a place to go that they always feel safe. And I feel like if we do not as a community continue to invest in safe places for our young people to go and for them to feel like they can be full citizens in their own city, then um you know again I I think we're failing them and I think that we're at a critical time where we all need to take a hard look and as we make tough choices about resources and where and policies and other things, it has to be rooted in the young people that are here today. >> Council member, >> this is what happens when you talk after council member Rosa Padilla. She takes all your talking points and you don't have nothing to say. Um, but I I just just spent some time with each and every one of you and certainly thank you and you did not call me to speak to them about the curfew law. We organically got into talking about that. Um, but I thank you for giving me things to consider. And we talked a ton about making sure that we are not creating policy and creating laws about people without the people that we are creating the laws that Right. I see some period. Exactly. Talked a ton about that. I want to make sure that the top concerns that you all brought to me are brought to this council as a whole. So Erin, if we could just go through kind of the specifics of what were brought to um the forefront by this group of young people just so that the entire council can hear it. Um so one, we were we were in agreement that there should be a curfew. We were not necessarily in agreement on the times, right? Like there was like, can I get one more hour? Right. Right. Right. Okay. Right. Can I get one more hour? What if this? What if that? And we talked a little bit about the exceptions. The other thing was where do we go? >> Right? So like in the event that we are out after curfew and we do not fit within any of these exceptions, where is it that we can go? And right now I think we were talking about very little resources for young people particularly available to the public that are free and accessible for those times in which the curfew hours are applicable. Is that am I I got that right too? >> Okay. And then also like I want to make sure we're not missing anything else. If we if we're talking about establishing a curfew, we need to also clearly be talking about programmatic efforts to make sure there are places and spaces for these young people to go that are safe spaces that are open to the public so that if I am an officer and I am trying to enforce this law, I have a place that is safe for this young person to stay until we have contacted their parent or their legal guardian. Is that is that right? And I'm not looking at your hitch. I'm going to look at you, but I'm also going to look at you all. Right. Okay. Is there anything else that we are missing? >> No, >> I think I think you hit it. It was it was the spaces to be because remember the conversation was about um the my life, my lifestyle, what do I do, my activities I'm involved in, I need time to do this, can I not be here, where can I be? Um so it was about the spaces and where they choose to hang out. Um and if the curfew law had a certain time, can I be in this safe space? That was their concern. >> Um was there any other concerns? It was the interaction um with the police um that was a concern and then the last one was >> do you all remember >> how how it's communicated? They were concerned with how um that information will be communicated to their peers. >> Mhm. >> Well, we look forward actually to probably using youth voices to help communicate this. I think that you probably are the most credible uh messengers uh in this conversation. And so as we work with the division uh and our community partners to message uh this over the next six months um I really hope that we're able to to uh center youth voices in this conversation um as we go forward. >> The Can I add one more thing? It was also the marketing as well. They they expressed how they um with our communication and our conversations being so public on social media, these are conversations that they're privy to as well um when adults are having conversation online. And so that's a concern for me as well is how these things are communicated, the words that are being used about youth and their safety and then how it's communicated online and the debates that are happening online. They see that and they have access to it. And so they're they're forming their judgment and their place in our community as well because of how we are talking. And so I just think the the the language is important as well. >> And and to that point, we talked a lot about data like what data was being used to determine what times these curfews were being established. And I think it was a young lady right directly behind you that said, "I don't know like we're not seeing and you also we are not seeing that data on the platforms in the spaces that we use to get our news." Correct. And so when we talk about PSAs and I know we mentioned um the division mentioned wanting to do PSAs and wanting to have this robust communication plan, which we all agree with, but we want to make sure that communication plan is in spaces that you all are in. And you all are getting your news from like Tik Tok. And I told you Tik Tok stresses me out and I don't so I'm not on it. But we need to make sure it gets to Tik Tok. Correct. Because that's how you figure out your news. >> Okay. >> The last thing I was I just want to say is something that you just said, Aaron. And for those people who are watching, we have a responsibility to use social media responsibly as well. And so we are not being ro role models for our children. Like I think we need to think about that because young people see things and that's how they feel as a whole. And so the way that we talk about our young people is a responsibility we all have. And so these are not just words. So for all the folks who are being keyboard warriors about whatever, just know and understand that young people feel like you were talking about them. You were talking about every young person. And if that's the what you're putting down for the world to see, that means that that's how you're going to show up in the world. And so I just I think when we talk about responsibility and community responsibility, we have to talk about that because we say one thing to our kids and then we act totally different and they do see that. And that's what I mean by a sense of belonging. They're not going to feel like they belong at Red, White, and Boom. They're not going to feel like they belong at the arts festival. are not going to feel like they belong wherever they go because people are literally telling them that. And so I I I just want to say when we think about responsibility for folks to think about that as well. >> Thank you so much. Thank you Aaron. >> Thank you all. >> Um with that uh if there is no further conversation. Yes, please. >> So I agree with the concept, right? The baby should be in the bed. My own kids, they follow a similar nighttime routine every day, regardless of if it is during the school year or in the summertime. This has the potential to go left almost immediately. And it does. I mean, I'm happy to hear that they are going to be doing internal tracking. They're going to be holding folks accountable. If Chief Pototts and Chief Bryant can be in leadership at CPD for the next 20 to 40 years, okay, then let's get on board. But the reality is there may be new leadership and other people will want to see this enforced differently. There's concerns here. We It's hard for us to say yes, we're adding a tool. It's hard for us to say yes and when an easy circumstance could be opening up safe third spaces for our teens. It is absurd that our rec centers close at 8:00 in the summertime. It's not even dark outside. You're not giving these kids a chance to even congregate in a safe space to do something productive. In DC, they hold late night events for teens from 7 to 11:00. Come have a pool party. Come to the local rec center. These are things that we could be doing. If it was a holistic approach, I could see getting behind this, but this is just a punitive approach only. and it has the potential to go left. >> So, I'm assuming that's enough. So, we'll we'll call the Do you have final comments? >> Yeah. I just want to open the dialogue a little bit and just say that I I agree with you wholeheartedly. Leadership matters and when that leadership changes, that is that could potentially be a problem. But on the other hand, it's our responsibility, this body's responsibility to be watching and making sure that when those things change that we're ready to act and the and the further thing is you are spot on about these rec centers. This city should be investing in keeping those things open late and that should be a top priority for the administration and for us as a city. The fact that they're not is a problem. The fact that we don't use our shelters for cooling centers and warming centers is a problem. And until we get that all taken care of, I couldn't agree with you more with that. Uh, is there a motion to approve? >> Cler, please call the role by voice. >> Bankston. >> Yes. >> Fasa de Padilla. >> Yes. >> Deakau. >> Yes. >> Dorren, >> yes. Grain. Um, I just want to say, u, Council Member White, I I share your concerns. I I'm going to vote in favor of this. Um, but I'm I'm really going to be focused on the next year when we come back to sort of evaluate implementation and just, you know, as we're putting together the standard operating procedures for how this is going to be, you know, disseminated and trained across the police force. um you know interested in better understanding that process and how we can um you know also be in in tune and in step with with putting good guard rails in place to prevent some of those future issues. Um but for now, yes, absolutely yes. >> Remy, >> yes. >> Ross, >> I will also say that I agree with your sentiments, Council Member W. And I think that, you know, any law has the ability to go left and it is important for us to remain in in this oversight function to ensure that the laws that we pass are laws that are actually working and that if there isn't a need to repeal and replace just as we are doing tonight, we are going to do that. Um, I think to your point, we create laws and we create guardrails in laws to be able to withstand leadership changes, right? And so we will we have done I think we have done that. Um, and I am supportive of this law because of because of the promises made with regard to an uplift in programming, an uplift in infrastructure, and ensuring that we have better safe spaces and places for our young people to be so that we don't have to lean on a curfew law so that we don't have to come out and and enforce something that feels right that feels hard to digest and to accept. And I will say this too to the division. It is important that we are training our officers to be able to engage with young people appropriately. Let me say this to the department as well. It is important that officer Lutz is not the only person who understands how to build rapport with young people and the relationship appropriate to be able to make this work. We will continue to have oversight. we will continue to ensure that this is a law that is actually meeting the need of our young people in this community. And if it is not, we have that same ability that we have today to change it. Um, and I'm committed to working with all of our safety partners and our community partners and our department of neighborhoods and our department of wreck and parks, right? And in addition, our department of development because safety is comprehensive. people need to have access to housing, to food, to all of these things in order for this to work out. Um, and so I am supportive of this particular piece of of legislation. Um, with the caveat that we will continue to have oversight, um, ensuring that it is working as we intend it to do. >> Yes. >> W. >> And honestly, I hope we do not lose any young people in the process of figuring out what this looks like. No, >> that was a motion to amend. >> No, this is this is Yes, we're still Yes. from the first. >> Yes. Uh, yes. Amended. >> Okay. >> Uh, is there a motion to approve? >> Second. >> Cler, please call the role. >> My voice. >> My voice. >> Bankston, >> yes. >> Barrosa de Padilla, >> yes. >> Deakau, >> Dorren, >> yes. >> Green, >> Remy, >> yes. >> Ross, >> yes. Weiss. >> No. >> President Harden. >> Yes. Motion is approved. >> We're going to do uh staying in rules and reference ordinance 2020-2026 is to enact the new chapter 20 236 of the Columbus city codes defining the membership organization and duties of the community crisis response advisory board and to request uh to wave second reading. Just two months ago, nearly 77% of Columbus voters approved issue five, making clear that they support building a community crisis response system that ensures people experiencing a behavioral health crisis, substance use emergency, homelessness, or other non-violent crisis receive the right response from the right professional. That charter amendment called for a community advisory board to help guide and advise the city in that work. This ordinance sets up that board and fleshes out how it will operate, who will serve on it, how members will be appointed and how and what responsibilities they will have as they help guide the implementation of this historic initiative. The board will have a total of 15 members, nine community members uh in their personal capacities and six professional in their official capacities. The next step is that that council will work with the administration to launch an open application process. We'd like to have this board meet for the first time by or in October. I want to thank the Columbus Safety Collective, the administration, our community partners and advocates who helped shaped this initiative. The voters uh spoke and now it is our responsibility to faithfully implement what they have approved. Are there any questions or comments from my colleagues? Hearing none. I move to approve. I move for approval. Is there a second? Second, cler. Oh, first I move to wave second reading. Second. >> Cler, please call the role. >> Banks Rosa de Padilla de Aar Dors Green Remy Ross Vice President Harden. >> Waved and move for passage. >> Cler, please call the row. >> Bankston Barrosa de Padilla de Aower Dorne Green Remy Ross Vice President Harden. >> Pass. Can I get a motion to uh recess for uh Zony? Cler, please call the RO. Banks Barosa Deia de A Dorne Screen. Remy Ross, Vice President Harden. Me in recess. Hey. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Hey, hey, hey. down. Down. Heat. Heat. down. Down. Hey everybody, data. Yeah, a a Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Come on. Hey. Hey. Heat. Heat. up. Down. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Hey, hey, hey. No, no, no. Heat. Heat. Yeah, I feel Heat. Heat. N. Heat. Heat. Check it out. Hey, hey, hey. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Hey, heat. Hey, heat. Hey, hey, hey. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Hey, hey, hey. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. N. Heat. Heat. N. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Oh yeah. Yeah. Okay. Woo. Heat. Heat. la. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Hey, hey, hey. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. N. Heat. Heat. Hat. Bankston Barros Padilla De Akar Dorren Green Remy Ross White President Harden. >> Can I get a motion to assist with the reading of the journal? >> Clerk, please call the role. >> Bankston Barrosa Deadia De Aar Dorren Green Reie Ross White President Harden. >> Are there any additions or corrections to the journal? Hearing none, the journal is approved. We'll now go to the zoning committee. Chair Dorance chairs this committee and all member ser is yours. >> Thank you, council president. As always, I'll briefly explain our rules speaking before a council on reszonings and variances. We only hear a staff presentation for ordinances that have a disapproval from a recommending body or if we have a public speaker to sign to speak against an ordinance. We permit three speakers on each side, three proponents, three opponents. We ask those speakers limit their remarks to three minutes for the standard rules council. All speakers in the council variance, including city staff, area commissioners, applicants, and members of the public will be sworn in before they give testimony. A representative of an area commission is always able to speak on an ordinance who do not need to fill out a speaker slip, but we do ask you alert city staff of your intentions to speak at this committee hearing. Representatives of a civic association do need to fill out a speaker slip because civic associations are not formally recognized under Columbus City Code. Uh this evening we do have eight public speakers signed up to speak on legislation and I I'm aware of at least two area commissioners that will be representing their organizations here this evening. On the advice of the city attorney's office I will will now swear in city staff. Please stand and raise your right hand to be sworn in. Do you swear or affirm the testimony you're about to give shall be the truth nothing but the truth as you shall answer under pains of penalty of perjury. If so please say dude. I do. >> Thank you. Please let the record reflect that Tim Dietrich from the department of building services. Mark Jervilis from the division of planning. Daniel Bleshman from the Division of Traffic Management in the Department of Public Service and Deputy Director for Housing Strategies Aaron Proer of the Department of Development have been sworn in. Uh first we have ordinance number 1284-2026 to reszone 1695 Dwey Avenue being 2.29 plus acres located in the south side of Dwey Avenue at the southern terminus of Key West Avenue from M manufacturing district and R1 residential district to LM limited manufacturing district. Um this ordinance was postponed last week. Uh so I'm going to ask for staff presentations again from city staff for any updates u from them and we'll allow the applicant to provide additional updates and then again we will get to our speakers who have sp sign signed up to speak on this ordinance as well. Just as a reminder this site consists of one undeveloped parcel which is splitzoned. A portion of it is zoned M manufacturing district and another portion of it zoned as R1 residential district. The requested reszoning will allow the site to be developed a limited office use and less obje objectionable manufacturing uses. The proposal has approved from city staff, the development commission, but a disapproval from the north central area commission. Due to that disapproval, we'll now hear staff report. Uh starting with Mr. Tim Dietrich. Mr. Dietrich, floor is yours. >> Chair Dorans, President Harden, members of council, the 2.29 acre site consists of one undeveloped parcel splitzoned in the M manufacturing district and R1 residential district. The requested LM manu limited manufacturing district will allow the site to be developed with office type uses and limited less objectionable manufacturing uses as listed in the permitted uses section of the submitted limitation text. North and west of the site are single-unit dwellings and undeveloped parcels in the R3 residential district. South and east of the site is a recycling center in the M manufacturing district. The submitted limitation text establishes appropriate use restrictions limiting the subject site to office uses and limited less objectionable manufacturing uses. Additionally, the limitation text include supplemental development standards addressing building and parking setbacks, site access, mounding, screening, graphics, and specific landscaping commitments both regarding the perimeter of the site and the proposed parking area. with the limited proposed uses and commitments to increase landscaping, mounting, and screening from adjacent residential uses. City department's recommendation is for approval. >> Thank you, Mr. Dietrich. Uh, you mentioned that there has been some change to the plan since we heard this last. So, there's an amendment that was submitted in response to some of the concerns we heard last week. Can you just briefly again you I think you touched on in your testimony, but just again highlight those changes that have been made based upon the the I think discussion we had at council last week. Yeah, they um did include specific commitments regarding um the number of new trees. I believe the number was more than 40. Um they had some mounding uh outlined on the site um to screen them from residential uses. Um I think they also had some maintenance commitment in there to make sure that the landscaping was all taken care of and healthy. Um so they did submit about six items uh today. And I know we had up on the screen earlier. Um, so there's a limited less objectionable usage from a manufacturing standpoint. So we had on the screen what is allowed within those and I know that uh folks from our zoning office here at council were able to provide those to uh folks at the air commission and and residents just to make sure that everyone is very clear about what is allowed at that site and what is not allowed at the site. The other question I have for you for Mr. Dutri and this is similar one I asked you last week. So again, this parcel in particular split zone between a portion of it is currently zoned for residential use and another portion of it is zoned for for manufacturing. So our M district um generally what can go in that M manufacturing district? >> Correct. So the northern half of the site is R1 which is a very restrictive district allowing a single unit dwelling. The southern half of the parcel is M which allows pretty much anything except residential. So any type of commercial, any type of manufacturing, industrial use is currently allowed on that southern half of the property. >> And currently when you mention that residential zoning, so that would literally only allow for one dwelling unit to be built on that property >> on the on the front half. Correct. So, if we're thinking about a map here, we've got one portion of this parcel that is zone M manufacturing that could have all kinds of manufacturing, commercial, industrial uses, many of which um you know would have a heavy impact on the neighborhood. And then right next to it, the the residential zoning is for literally basically one house to be built on it. Like that's the situation as we sort of, you know, compare and contrast the two different zoning districts in the same >> Yeah, that's a fair assessment. Yeah. >> Thank you. Uh any questions to my council colleagues for Mr. Dietrich at this time? Seeing none, uh we will move on to Mr. Dillis uh in the division of planning. Mr. Dis floor is yours. Chair Dorren, President Harden, members of council, uh Mark Derillis with the planning division planning is supportive of this request. Uh we note the proposed use is consistent with the Columbus growth strategies. Land's recommendation of industrial and warehouse at this site. This is pretty fresh land's recommendation as you know the Columbus growth strategy was adopted earlier this year. Um and as noted the back end of the site that this land use recommendation is at least you know partially if not primarily based in the existing M zoning that exists in the back of the site. It's also adjacent to a rumpkey facility that sort of touches the southwest corner of the site. So it's sort of a transition from an industrial area to the residential. And what was really important for planning was the commitments to uh the limitation on the uses um as well as the landscaping and screening. So that the front you we we had asked for uh looks at the building elevations and the landscaping plan itself. Initially our our ask was for more information. We saw that information on our review is that the building and the proposed landscaping is consistent with the design guidelines from the growth strategy and will provide a a reasonable phase to the development. Um, happy to answer any questions. >> Uh, any questions for Mr. Dillos? So, uh, one question I have and I we talked a little bit about this last week. So, again, we're sort of in a unique situation where again this proposal is is, um, overlapping both an M manufacturing district and an R1. So two extremes. We've got one extreme on the end manufacturing side that will allow you to do everything a junkyard, a dump, all basically all kinds of different commercial or industrial development within that. And then right next to it, we have the most limited residential district which which allows you basically to build one house on it. Um we've heard a lot from the neighbors around wanting to see more residential development within within American edition. I think a lot of the opposition that we've heard from folks to be fair is to say, hey, we don't really want to have additional sites be turned over to things that aren't residential. Um, now again, I think my view of this is is similar to yours when you talk about from the transitional standpoint of there are existing manufacturing uses that are that are nearby. So if we were here um sort of saying we were actually going to look at sort of expanding the residential aspect of this, you know, how how would sort of the folks that look at this from a planning standpoint sort of approach that kind of situation considering you know we have a lot of industrial uses that are right there and you know the approach of adding more residential up to them like from a you know city planning standpoint, right? >> How do you like how do you approach that? >> Yeah. uh Chair Dorren, I mean it's it's a challenging situation and it's not unique in the city is because there's um you know legacy industrial in different parts of the neighborhood and indeed phase two of the the growth strategy and zone in is to try to define um you know what is appropriate for industrial, what is appropriate for residential and kind of draw the line and and differentiate. As as noted, this is one property owner, one piece of property that has both zonings on it. there's not an alley in be if there was an alley in between and we could say you're here and you're here that would be helpful I think in our case Dwey becomes sort of the boundary if you will dewy itself and again that landscaping and screening of Dwey becomes the important factor in saying we're residential to the north and then we're transition to the industrial and again with the use limitations this is not a heavy industrial proposal um it's going to be it's new construction production. It's not legacy industrial. If it's mounded with the trees and so forth and limitations on the uses, it it allows us to uh define that transition, if you will. >> Thank you. And again, I want to go back to Mr. Dietrich on this point as well. So, I think something we heard from residents, which is why we wanted to make sure they had a full listing of the allowable uses within this facility. So let's say this would move forward and I think a very valid question that I've heard from folks well let's say they start doing something at this um you know facility that is not on that list. Well what happens then? >> Yeah. So these um commitments and limitation texts are enforceable by our city code officers and so it would be um a zoning complaint and a violation of their zoning and um they would have to cease operations or you know deal with that process >> and if they didn't then the city would take them to environmental court and basically seek enforcement of the zoning restriction within court. >> Correct. because there is this the way this is laid out in the limitation text is very clear what's allowed and what's not just like any other type of a district um has allowable uses this does as well >> okay thank you any questions from my council colleagues at this time seeing none I'll invite the applicants representative forward and I think the applicants with uh him as well welcome back council gman >> thank you Mr. Chairman and council on Joe Clay's plan for land. >> Ali Beah Alli and I uh Oh, thank you. Appreciate it. Alli and I uh spent some time uh taking a look at net zero and what that really means and we uh we really appreciate the uh the dialogue with u with the neighborhood uh area commission. Um I'm going to zoom through the presentation because you heard a lot of that and I really appreciate staff support and and their comments as well. Um the notion is uh we looked at what we could do on site to try to accomplish net zero uh within the framework. There's nothing within zoning code that stipulates this is what you have to do. Um but we tried to be very respective of what it is uh nationwide uh and what the efforts have been. Uh so to take a look at that um the one thing that we could do uh was we could plant trees. So um the uh the coverage that we've identified of 40 trees is an increase from three. Uh we had originally indicated three trees as a minimum for the parking lot aisles. We had depicted four on the drawing. Uh a minor difference, but the the goal there was to to try to work with the framework of of what you uh you have in your code. Um the goals and intent of net zero as we understood them is to uh decrease the hardcape uh effects of sun and and heat and residual. Best thing we can do is cover the site with a tree canopy. Uh so we've got a combination of evergreens uh out of respect for some of the privacy comments as well as deciduous trees within that 40 and that's in addition to the shrubs that were already identified. Um I also wanted to reiterate um we had a continued commitment for a uh for a uh seven board privacy fence on both the eastern and western side of the site to try to screen the site from neighboring properties. Um I did want to indicate we uh we added an aerial photograph just to kind of give a little perspective some of the discussion that we had last week. U the uh the west side is Rumkey. This red dot is the the property uh that's identified. This side of Dwey also has Mount Zion Church uh further west and uh then there's a uh a larger uh recycling facility that's located to the east as well. Um we're uh we're talking about screening for some of those mainly because of the perspective off of Dwey, not because of the immediate neighbors to both sides, but to make sure that that um there's there's also a screening off of those roadways. So, um this helps to identify at least the proximity and the railroad tracks to the south um and why a lot of the discussions been those residents residential properties to the north. Uh and as you can indicate on here, um I know that there's plans to build further homes within that neighborhood. uh but there are a couple existing ones and we tried to be respectful with the setbacks that were proposed uh in respect to them. So um but the the other item that we could do beyond trees, we talked about that last time. Uh we wanted to dig a little bit further and see what else we could do. Uh there's a retention basin that's proposed on site and did a lot of uh research into what we could do with the retention basin to help with net zero as well. Um we're recommending a 10-foot uh bank uh naturalization zone. uh and that would allow for additional water filtration and it also allows for uh um a lightened impact of the of the waterway. So uh we won't see mode manicured uh space down to the the water um as a residual that creates an environmental positive for the neighborhood as well. Um everything else in net zero uh as was explained in the plans within the building. I think those frameworks, they're going to take it to heart, but not knowing what building's going on this site specifically yet, um, we didn't feel comfortable that would be be fitting in the zoning code itself or the limitation text. So, um, we're happy to bring those to you and we really appreciate the, uh, the ongoing dialogue. If, uh, there's any questions, we're happy to address those. And I don't know if you had something specific for today, but, um, I figured I'd pass it back. >> Uh, yes. Um I just want to say that um last week here um I tried to listen again to to the members and and see what they wanted. I think one of the members uh mentioned um pollution. They mentioned um um Joyce Avenue traffic. They mentioned um uh security. They mentioned um I think one of the residents mentioned they would like to see a park. um uh they like to see a residential zone. Um we feel like even though we can't give them a park and a and a residential zone, but we can give them a lot of trees to to combat some of that pollution um and do what we can to to try to blend in. >> Uh any questions from my council colleagues for the applicant or the represent? Customer Ross, >> I have a question. I've um met with some representatives from the community that talked a lot about concern with the type of businesses that might end up leasing from your building. Are there asurances that can be made with regard to traffic and the times in which there might be increased traffic? So, when you're thinking about quality of life, traffic in and out of Dewey after 1000 p.m., per se, um, seems like something that could be built into lease contracts that could be monitored by you all. Is that something you're willing to do? >> Yeah, absolutely. Um, just like you don't get a guarantee with residential where you get a bad neighbor, that could be terrible. You know, with the with the commercial, same thing. you could get a bad tenant. But but all that is written into the lease saying that if you are disrespectful, if you're doing making too much noise, too much this, too much that, you got to go. >> And are you willing to define what too much noise looks like? Are you willing to define active hours in which there can be traffic in and out just to assure that there's peace in the in the neighboring residential? Yeah, given that these are individual offices, individual renters, we can't restrict them during hours just because, you know, they they forgot their phone or purse or whatever. We can't tell them they can't go back in. Uh and and um we don't know what type of businesses are coming in. We we haven't gotten that far yet, but um as far as hours, I don't see how you could limit somebody just to 8 to 5, you know. Um, so I would say more about the nature of the uh the type of business that's attracted to this. Um, this is a rental space. It's not something that they own. And in regards to that, um, they're typically coming in because they're trying to expand business. Uh, and that's why it's not necessarily a 24-hour operation. It's not um, but uh, a lot of times people are stopping in after hours. It's it's not the type of traffic flow that you would see from a traditional workplace, though. uh the this is one or two employees per per unit in most situations. Uh and they're coming and going very casually. So, as we noted, the 10 units are kind of the equivalent of maybe a couple single family residences on a trip generation basis on a daily basis. Usually get 12 trips per day from a single family home. You're talking 10 tenants and it's usually in and out a couple times. So if I'm correct and and community members can correct me if I'm wrong when they when they have an opportunity to speak if I am interpreting what you are saying correctly is you don't anticipate so say we are talking about real estate agents who have materials in which they need to drop off you are not anticipating that that type of heavy drop off pickup activity is going to happen after hours. >> No that's correct. I I kind of think about what I do and and I don't have regular office hours. If I have a move in on the first of the month, I might be in my office till 10:00, but during the week, I might leave at 3:00. So, there's just no set hours that that uh I'm committed to my office space. But the the use limitations that were put in place were heavily geared toward this flex space and the idea that you're we're not attracting somebody running a landscaping business, bringing equipment in and out. Okay. Um that's not the geared toward the the use limitation that's there. It's more office warehouse use. uh somebody that's typically coming in to sort or distribute uh goods or or uh services, not uh somebody that's uh coming in to uh to run a full-fledged outfit where they have a secondary site offsite. >> Okay. >> Uh any other questions, council members? Thank you. I'll invite you all back up for any additional comments after public testimony. I did want to pause. I did skip over uh Dan Pleshment from our division of uh traffic management. Um you guys are good to go. Um, just speaking about the question of traffic. Um, Mr. Bushman, if you could just speak and summarize your report from last week. I apologize for skipping over you there. >> Sure. Um, yes. Thank you, Chair Dors, President Harden, and members of council. Uh, in regards to our review of this application, please be advised that with regards to the size of the site and the specific limitations of uses that are present within the limitation text of this proposed ordinance, there are no specific current concerns with the proposed traffic volumes to be generated by this proposed development site. In other words, uh, if this site were to be developed with a residential uh, use, it would be a comparable amount of traffic as the proposed uh, office warehouse use. Um, this proposed development site will be required to be limited to one access point to Dwey Avenue. That would be anticipated to be in line with the intersection of Key West Avenue. Um, with these comments noted, uh, we have no further concerns with the application. I'd be happy to answer any questions. Thank you. Any questions from my colleagues for traffic? Seeing none, we will move into public testimony. Our first speaker is our Commissioner Williams from North Central Area Commission. Commissioner, welcome back to council. Good evening everyone. >> Evening. >> Um, so as you know, this is near and dear to our heart and our community. um had the pleasure to speak with Council Member Ross to kind of discuss this and work through um what our community wants. Um it was a resounding no to be honest from both the civic as well as the area commission for this particular project as you know. Um and I believe did everyone receive a handout with what's around and surrounds our community? Um, as you see, American edition, we do have Rumkey. However, they have been an excellent community partner where they worked with us throughout the process to actually build this project. All of their um work is done with inside their facility. So, it's contained and it's on the east side. So, it's not no it's not on the side that is closest to the residents on Dwey. We were able to work and negotiate that out. Um, so I kind of want to make sure that you look at this. As you see across the street directly from Dwey on Joyce, there are the two um warehouses that are both over well over 200,000 square feet. And we have two junkyards further down Joyce as well as the smart truck transportation um smart truck semi truck uh business. And I'm asking that we give a little bit more time if you're deciding on moving forward with this so that we could go through and work out a good neighbor agreement because we tried in the past to work with various businesses um particularly the semi-truck business smart truck to have a good neighbor agreement and they have been in environmental court and it has been very very difficult over the last three years to get things enforced. So I do not to be honest want to go forward without us having a solid good neighbor agreement in place. Um but ultimately the community does not want this project. This is a neighborhood that is four and five generations strong. It was a neighborhood of just families and we want to continue to keep it that way. When we purchased our homes, we were I was sold on the fact that it was going to be completely residential. Homeport was building out this project. We were going to have over 125 homes. We're still working on that. We have homes that are going to be built right on Key West, like I reiterated last week, as well as Puritan. Um the church is also looking at building two additional homes on Dewey for community members. Um, in regards to the air quality, the air quality right now at my house, which is down the street, is reading at a 59, which is increasing to harmful. And as we spoke with the members from Morpy, they told us as the heat continues to go up and the the particles fly around more, which is not necessarily good for breathing. I mean, today is bad across the board with the heat, but that is also a concern. Um, I had something pre prepared. However, when you get up here and you want to speak from the heart on what is going on with our neighbors, we're fighting for our community. We bought our homes. We love our community. We've done so much along with city partnership to make American Edition a better home for residents. And honestly, with the increased traffic, I think that's going to be an issue. Yes, we've been able to try to we're talking about working some things out, but I would like if this is going to go forward to be able to go a little further, dig a little deeper um and come up with a package that if it's going to happen, that would be acceptable to the community. We're not anti-development. We want things to come to our community and neighborhood and we want it to grow. We want to be able to work with people. However, again, the traffic is definitely going to be an issue. When I left the city council meeting last week, there was a accident with injuries on Joyce right in front of Smart Truck where police officers had to be on both sides of the street because there were cars knocked out. And now that we have that barrier on Joyce, it's even more. If you even pull the stats, I'm pretty sure there's at least an accident every other week between Dewey and 17th in Joyce. It's been consistent. We've had area commissioners, I believe the East area commissioner was in a really bad accident on Joyce and Woodford a couple months ago. Um Joyce and 17th, another area commissioner was in an accident on I mean and outside of just regular residents. But it's the traffic flow that I think is going to be a problem. If we can hanker down some business hours, if we can really we want it to be residential. That's what our community plan supports. But as a community, we're not anti-development, but this is not residential. So, I mean, excuse me, this is not for building housing. So, I do not feel that a vote necessarily has to take place today. Um because as you say, we need housing. We're trying to build housing, but most people, even if it's affordable housing, they're not going to want to live next door to this. And that's just the honest truth. So, and just because you need affordable housing, doesn't mean you don't want quality or good housing. Everybody deserves to have a good, safe community to live in. And that's what we're trying to build in American Edition. We're a tight-knit community. We love our neighbors. We try to take care of our people. And ultimately, I'm thinking about the health and well-being of all of our residents and neighbors. We're not saying anti- business. I just don't think that this is necessarily the best business that we can put in place for our neighborhood. >> Thank you, Commissioner. Any questions or comments from my colleagues? Councor Dakar, >> I would like to actually affirm your concerns about traffic in district two built pro places like this are common. Almost 90% of my district is industrial, manufacturing, warehouse, logistics, and commercial. Excuse me. I drive by properties like this every day, and there's cars there. It's not the oh occasionally one or two people are going to drive in. There will be traffic on on Dwey. >> If this project were adjacent to this community and could be accessed through Joyce, I would find that acceptable. But to put a development like this inside a residential neighborhood and turning that residential road into one for commercial traffic. Um it does not serve the residents. Quite frankly, I nobody wants nobody suggests putting things like this in Thornapple or Chesapeake Farms. Why would it be acceptable to put it in this particular community? Um, I'm I was very disappointed when the attorney for the client called me and pretty much said, "This development is next to Rumkey. There's all this other stuff there. So, what difference does it make?" Kind of like, "If you're next to Rumkey, why should you care if you now have like manufacturing inside your residential community?" The level of disrespect was quite frankly disgusting. And so I want you to know that I hear your community. >> Chair shar. >> Um so it's interesting because anytime there's a zoning issue that comes before us, >> anytime there's a zoning issue that comes before us, I think about, >> you know, I think about where I live. I think about different parts of the city. I think about the impact. And it's interesting. I um live on the east side along Fifth and Cassidy. Uh I don't know, there's a chicken and an egg. There's a large um uh business park where there's a lot of semis. And actually what it required us to do was do a road widening project on Cassidy Avenue because we were having so many challenges with the semis that were coming through there. Um which is actually against a lot of our vision zero principles. And so it's challenging because as I think about the development of that particular community, it's really hard uh when you have something that is in place that's difficult to eradicate, right? You can't move things that essentially become monuments like once we build something then we don't want to remove it. We want to think about another use for it. We want to think about what we do with it. And so, um, this was a difficult one for me because I think there are nuances in the zoning decisions that we have to make sometimes. And this was a nuance. I think to your point, council member, it's challenging because new edition, new edition, American edition, >> sorry, it's been a long day already. American edition was already there and then industrial built around it. So at some point we had predecessors or other folks who allowed this to happen. And when I think about communities and when I think about businesses around communities and where folks want to live, I also hear you right cuz again I think about my neighbors on Fifth Avenue and Cassidy who if they they had their way, this is not what they would want to live near, right? But it's just what grew up around them. So there's a nuance to this particular piece of zoning that is challenging for me and I think you know I applaud the applicant for at for listening to the community for adding in different things to make to beautify it to whatever but it still makes it challenging for me because every time we're saying yes to it we're saying yes to everything else that is coming around which is obviously not what the community wants nor is it a place that I think feels like a community when you're growing up near a bunch of warehouses and other things that is not necessarily additive to the community. So, um I just wanted to acknowledge uh your concerns and say that I hear you and that definitely goes into my decision- making tonight. >> Thank you, >> Coun Ross. >> Two things. Um one, and I know we talked extensively about um anxiety around voting no for this and what that could mean as a result. So, if we talk about the parcel as is right now, we can put one unit of residential and then literally anything could go on that back portion and it could go there by right, meaning it doesn't come before council at all. We have no oversight over what that looks like. Um, and so, and I told you I was like, I'm okay voting no for this if the community is okay if something goes there and it is 10 times worse than what is being proposed. That is what I'm really concerned about. And I'm also concerned about it because we are doing it in exchange for one unit. One unit of residential that can go there by right. Otherwise, we'd be back here talking about what type of residential can go there pursuant to a a variance of some sort or a zoning change of some sort. So, I I really want to sit with that just for a little bit because I I I I hear you. I hear you and I hear um my colleague as well and and in and understanding what American edition was and used to be. And you know I my I have people good good people that live in that community and so I want to see >> um something on that parcel that is helpful and not hurtful further hurtful to the folks that are there. So, I really I want us to really consider what it looks like to if we vote this down, which I think you might have and and then I also want to ask about Joyce. I want to ask about what our opportunities are there to control some traffic because the reality is that there is a traffic issue there. >> It's horrible. >> Um and and you got people and you're going to have more residential people trying to get out onto Joyce, right? Because that's the main thoroughfare that they can get out to. So, is is there a traffic light? Is there something that could help with this traffic? Um, so just just my two things and I and I know you you're you're sitting with that and I know that's heavy with you in particular. I want to to have that conversation out loud >> because manufacturing heavy manufacturing is something very very different than office space particularly office space with the type of limitations that we have seen added to that will run with the land right so it doesn't matter like they could leave to to my colleagueu's point they could leave they could sell this property to someone else those that limitation text will stay there and so whoever comes is not going to be able to do anything that that limitation text says that they cannot do. Um I'm also okay like I I think a good neighbor agreement and I will encourage the applicant if if this vote is successful to engage on a good neighbor agreement and I will say this and we talked about this the legality of that and we cannot we cannot um enforce the terms of a good neighbor agreement. However, if by chance that use becomes a code violation, right, and you get into court, and I'm, you know, I've prosecuted environmental court for almost 10 years, >> that good neighbor agreement can be used as evidence to support the intent. Right? So, I I I'm just want to take a little bit of time to think about that and give you time to respond to that, but I I because I'm inclined >> to vote with however the community wants to go here, but I want to make sure we understand what the what the ramifications of that look like. >> Yeah. And that's honestly what's weighed on me the heaviest is the what if. Um, but I represent my community and my it was a resounding no. But what I would like if possible if we're going to even maybe go to the table and hanger down hours or what to see what we can do because again this is just very very difficult um when you are trying to fight your best for the community and you want to do what's right because the decision that we make today is going to be on that land when we're gone. That's just the reality of it. I have to think about our children. We plan on passing land down to family members and future generations. We have five generations currently in American edition. So, these families plan on staying here and this is going to impact them. So, um, I would respectfully, if it's possible, to allow the rest of my community to speak and give them the opportunity cuz I just don't want to make a decision without you hearing their voices as well. I think that's the right thing to do. And then, you know, after they speak, maybe I can come back up. that I just really feel that their voices really need to be heard, especially as we have representation from numerous generations who've 50 plus years in the community, as well as some of us newer folks who've been in the community within the last 7 to 10 years who were told that we were going to get a complete community. And I'll be very clear, if the development took place when it was supposed to, this honestly, I don't think would be a discussion. That's just how I honestly feel. But I do want to give the opportunity to allow my residents speak if that's possible. Commissioner, I I it's difficult for me to say no because I I know that folks are uh have engaged on this and it is, you know, I know when folks come down to to city hall, but we do have a a like rules that we have to adhere to because if if we make an accommodation here tonight, um our standard city council will say three on one side, three on the other. And again, um, obviously you all as air commissioners are able to speak on these things on behalf. And again, it's difficult to speak on behalf of any community. And again, I know that is part of the, um, part of the responsibility that you're entrusted with as as an elected area commissioner. Yes. And I appreciate you all doing that both uh, not only here in council chambers, but also out in the community and certainly with individual council members. So, I know we've got other folks signed to speak. Um but again to be very clear um we are unfortunately are are unable based on just our rules for these committee hearings to just have anyone who has not signed up. >> Oh no. I was going to ask for anyone that hasn't spoken because they're already registered to sign up. I'm going to allow them to say their speech before I give my response. >> I will invite you back up if that's all right. >> Okay. Thank you. >> I'm gonna I'm gonna wipe the sweat from my brow thinking about how late be here tonight >> and uh we will provide that accommodation. So I will let I will let we'll do this. We'll have the rest of the public testimony and then commissioner I will have you both back up after that. Is that all right? >> Okay. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Um so we do have five other public speakers signed up to speak on the ordinance. Do you want to >> Are they right behind you? >> Yeah. >> I'm the chair for North Central. So all the speakers I'm standing beside. >> Okay. Um we actually So I actually we can go chair. Why don't we do this? why don't you stay and we'll actually let me flip the script here a little bit with folks that are coming up. So, first to come up is uh Miss Lisa Brown. Hello. I'm uh the community advocate for the American edition. I work part time for impact. So I'm kind of here as a resident and impact a little bit. So I'm g go ahead and get started. In uh his two 2022 state of the city address, Mayor Gantham publicly confirmed the city's commitment to allocate money in the com capital capita budget to make an American edition the first net zero historically black neighborhood in the country. Nid it's going to be 25 neighborhoods but we're the first local nonprofits like Impact Community Action and Homeport have committed to supporting this project and ensuring residents have a voice as decisions are being made in the community and this is something neighbors want residents priorities mayor mayor Gtherers we want affordable housing equity climate resilience stronger communities however we constantly feel undeserved oberved and ignored. On average, 35 households attend monthly civic association meeting at the fourth on the last Thursday of every month to move forward on our community driven plan, a communitydriven plan to reach the net zero neighborhood goal. Almost 20 homes have received an energy audit and 10 homes has received an energy efficient install like a heat pump or rooftop solar. Our initiative also has received deep investment from the city which is nearly 20 million being invested in the neighborhood upgrades and infrastructures. Over 10 million in grants approved for weatherization and energy efficiency upgrades in the community. Our neighborhood has been surrounded by industrial since the 1920s, really before that early 1900s. We have experienced multiple environment disasters over the past years such as waste from Asco American zinc melting smelting plant causing an acid ditch to run through our neighborhood to 2011 explosion of Jackson plant facility which they said it wasn't their fault. I digress. To allow zoning proposal to move forward would directly go against the res what residents want, what our neighborhood plan outlines and our goal for net zero neighborhood and the funds supporting that effort. Now, this part I'm going to speak from my heart. My grandfather told me my greatgrandfather could only buy one lot in the early 1900s. So, he bought one lot, put in his name, and the other one he put in his wife name. They fought to get that land. Here's a great granddaughter fighting to keep it. It just shouldn't be. Early 1800s, they didn't have a choice of what they could live nearby. They put up junkyards, you know, etc. We have a we have a choice now and we asking you to vote no. We're trying to keep it residential. Having a manufacturing in a residential neighborhood shouldn't be anyway. Just go back and write the wrong. >> All right, that's >> Thank you, Miss Brown. Any questions, my colleagues? >> Seeing none, we will have Mr. Jeffrey Phillips next. >> Mr. Phillips, welcome. Welcome to council. Good afternoon, President Harden. I am uh uh Minister Elder Jeff Phillips. I am the assistant pastor of the Mount Zion Missionary Baptist Church. I've been a member of Mount Zion for the last 23 years. I've also been in the community for the last 20 years. So I sit on two sides as a community leader and also as the uh our church leader as well. And um here up here the other to discuss more of a sentimental side. My wife and I walk in the morning and I sent the picture there was a deer that was on the actual lane where they were trying to build. So I looked at my wife and said that's a beautiful picture to see where they're trying to build. At one particular point we had deer. We have families of deer. That was the first deer I s I've seen in months because even though they're it's not really just them, it's all everything around them, right? It's it's the it's the shrinking of land for the animals as well as shrinking of lands of people. So I told my wife, I said, "That's such a beautiful picture." And so I thought about uh Leonardo the da Vinci and his Mona Lisa, the last supper. Whenever you add a watermark to something, you change is it beauty, integrity, and authenticity. So whenever you change, you add something, you change the value of it. So tonight, we just asking you just to vote no so you don't change our beauty, the integrity, and au authenticity of our neighborhood. The second point I want to make really quickly is is the neighbors that live on Dwey Avenue. Jay Lean, Deacon Jay Lean Rhodess is a member of our church. He has he's the member that owns the extreme makeover home, right? And to the other our other neighbor uh Craig Ransom, another one of my friends who comes out who helps me from time to time do stuff in the neighborhood. And the last point I wanted to make, I looked up someone said last week they talked about emissions, right? So I looked it up. It says some emissions cause can increase the risk of cancer. It didn't increase my risk. I had cancer removed just last year. I'm a year and seven days from having cancer. So my thought when I walk around the neighborhood, it may be just a small little emissions that are making this change, but with all the other emissions that's going on out there, just that percentage alone could affect me, my children, and me and my walks on my wife that walk every morning. So think about uh so you said um we talked about what's going to come up there if we don't see guys vote no. We don't know. But by faith, I believe we have to trust in God that we they won't build something that won't need to be there. We'll handle that when we get there. But this is the first fight we have to fight to put this down. And what we respect the fact what you're trying to do, right? It's just the fact that we want to say no because we want to protect what's there. Not just for us, but for the animals and for the people that's there. Vote no. Any questions? >> Council W. Appreciate you being here and speaking in support of this. Just curious, obviously the changes that they're recommending to their plan to naturalize the water, have additional trees to help mitigate some of the air quality issues that they they did not create, but help to reduce for the overall area. Do you think that plays any role in making this a better project for the community? >> I think it plays a role and I appreciate them for doing that. But once you open the door, those who have children know once you open the door to something, the door continues to go get wider and wider. So the best of what we say is you know I just keep it like like I said earlier about the the the paintings of Leonardo da Vinci don't change the integrity of it even though just leave it as it is and then let the beauty let it stand as it is. So I think I appreciate them for doing that. It's just the fact that once we let it in like someone said earlier you can't change it. >> Any other questions? >> Thank you Mr. Phillips. Our last speaker against this legislation is Miss Christina Harrison. Harrison, welcome back to council. Good evening, president, chair, and members of council. My name is Christina Harrison. I come tonight as a resident and a community advocate for American edition. I'm also a commissioner for North Central. I was born here in Columbus. Um, educated in the Columbus City Schools, attending cause East Academy, and I care deeply about the future of our city and neighbors that shaped me. Um, I come here I with respect for the process. I come here with concern for my community. And most of all, I come with love for a neighborhood that means something to the people who call it home. I want to be clear from the beginning. Um, I'm not anti-growth. I'm not anti- business. I am not against progress. I understand Columbus is growing. Um, I understand neighborhoods are changing. Many of us want to see the vacant lots activated. We want to see investment. We want to see communities thriving. Um, I want that for American edition, too. Growth should have responsibility though. American is not just a parcel on a zoning map. It is home. It's where families have lived, worked, worshiped, raised children, cared for elders, and continued to believe in this neighborhood even when investment didn't always come easily. The community has a deep history. Like many historical neighborhood, American edition has carried the weight of decision made long after before many of us was even invited into the room. zoning, redlinining, industrial use, disinvestment, and infrastructure challenges have shaped what what this neighborhood has had to live for generations. So when residents speak about the Dewey Avenue resoning, we are not simply reacting to one piece of property. We are speaking from live experience. We're speaking from history and we're speaking because we deeply care about the future of our neighborhood. I understand that part of this property is already zone manufacturing. I also understand the argument that if this proposal does not move forward, something else could come later. But respectfully, um I ask counc not to ask res for to choose between today's concern and tomorrow's fear. No community should be act to accept one burden simply because a heavier burden might come later. It should be a reason to pause, a reason to listen. We do appreciate the applicant um discussing fencing and trees. Those things matter. A fence can help, trees can help, visual buffering is very important. Um, but something I I cause I was taught that excellence is the standards, not the exception. And tonight, I ask council to apply the same measures at American edition. No minimum standards, no verbal promises. Excellent. Excellent in planning, excellent in transparency, and excellent in accountability. excellence in protecting the people who live there with the impact of this decision long after the vote is over. Um at this we're asking um respectfully for the council to vote no. Um but if the council choose to move forward, we ask that you at least table it for additional discussion with the applicant so we can further discuss a good neighbor, good agreement. American additions deserve more than just fear. It deserves fairness. It deserves more than compromise at dispense. It deserves protection with purpose. Thank you. >> Thank you. Any questions? My council for my council colleagues? >> Seeing none, thank you all. I will uh we have two other public speakers signed to speak on the ordinance that are in favor. Any any other questions, comments? See none. >> Thank you all. Um, our first speaker in favor is Miss Laura ComicC. Welcome back to council. Right. Good evening, President Harden, Chairman Dorens, members of city council. Couple quick points. First, I am here not in my normal capacity uh for an applicant or a developer, but here on behalf of the property owner. There was some confusion after last meeting about whether or not the property owner supported this um application, and in fact, he does, and I hope that you've all had a chance to read Mr. McClean's letter. Um for health concerns, he can't be here this evening. He's a very longtime resident of this neighborhood. Um, so there's two points because I really want you to hear from Miss Pace, um, about, you know, just outside of our normal back and forth. Um, I'm actually encouraged by the discussion that we're having here this evening. I think that everybody needs to be heard. I think that points need to be raised and that we can all continue to discuss these without ad homonym attacks or sidebars that maybe aren't productive. That doesn't mean a lot of things that aren't being said here are relevant. I think a lot of the points that have been raised are relevant, but they shouldn't be personal. Um, and I'm sorry that uh Councilman Councilwoman Daker that you had that experience. For the record, that was not me. >> No, it was not you. All right, that cover that. Yeah. But um actually one of the things that your comment made me think about was you want to start talking about how things go and how this process actually evolves. We could do that. These gentlemen, I've only been involved in this case in two weeks here at council on behalf of Mr. McClean because of his health concerns because he's a stalwart of this community and you stand up for him. But the other thing that you should know from the letter that he wrote actually has to do with this process. These gentlemen applying for this today want to bring private uh investment to this community. They're doing what exactly what your system tells them to do. They look on a map and they look for zoning that's consistent with their use and they found it at this site with the exception of the sliver on the top. That's consistent. The other thing is the planning and the time that these professionals have put into your city plan suggests exactly this kind of use. So that's how this process works from the outside. When people come and they want to build a building or they want to do something, they check the plans. Very, very few times do they say, "I would like to put a McDonald's right here." You know, no, it said manufacturing. So they're doing manufacturing. And why does that matter? Because it's just what I said last week. It's about context and it's about scope. So the other thing you see on that map is the very active trains that are feeding the heavy industrial that's a little bit further to the south. Mr. McClean would not have accepted this proposal if he didn't think that the scope and the scale mattered. So I'm happy to answer any questions that you have. It's just a little bit of context for you. >> Any questions or comments for Miss Kick? Uh, Mr. President, last week I thought I heard someone yell from the audience that Mr. McClean voted no on this or did not support that. >> He abained because >> the uh member of the area commission >> and abstained properly. >> Thank you. >> Yeah. Thank you. >> Our final public speaker on this ordinance is Miss Denise Pace. Miss Pace, welcome to council. Good evening. Uh, good evening, President Harden and member of Columbus City Council. Uh, thank you for your time and your thoughtful consideration of the zoning request. My name is Denise Pace and I'm the broker owner of Ankor Real Estate Group and I happen to represent the seller Mr. McClean and the buyer um JAS Greenfield and this is for the self of course Dewey. So I want to talk a little bit shortly about the seller. If you know Mr. Mclean he is a pillar of the community. I've worked with him for over a decade on several of his real estate projects and he thoroughly thought this out before making a decision to even enter into a contract for sale. Um, if you know him, he's a he's a pillar. He will go clean. He has helped people in this community when they have fallen short and he takes great pride in this in this community. Um, the purchaser has demonstrated a sincere commitment to working with the community by attending multiple area commission meetings, civic association meetings, and listening to the concerns of the community. Um, every thing that they have mentioned that they have bought to this the buyer, the buyer went back and came back and made it right. Once again, even to the point of last week, they wanted trees and fencing. I attended the civic uh commission meeting this this past week and my question to the group was, "What do you want?" I got two response. We want trees and we want fencing. This buyer was responsible. They went to the drawing board and offering trees and fencing. Exactly what they want. I also said, "How many want to build their home on this lot with Rumkey in the back?" No one wants to build a home with Rumkey in their backyard. So, I'm going to go into the land itself. This land is compatible transition. And when I say compatible transition, this two plus a partial uh present, it's unique. The planning opportunity is located between residential and existing waste recycling. Because it's located, this property is ideal, it's ideal situated for the use to serve compatible transitioning between residential and industrial. Makes sense. The proposed resoning to light manufacturing will allow the construction of approximately 10 professional design storage building and a small office. This is low impact business that will generate minimal traffic, very little noise and provide a clean, well-maintained development. Now, I'm going to pause here because uh council member mentioned the traffic. Woodland Avenue does go back, but that's one of the city roads. It's been shut off. If you want to control traffic, it doesn't all have to go to Joyce. That land could also be going out to Woodland Avenue. So, it could control the traffic. More importantly, the project represents positive reinvestment and the property that remains underutilized. For over 20 years, this property has not been utilized. We've had to contend with dumping drugs activity that's unattractive. So, it's unutilized. Um, if you do go with this project, the storage unit will serve um local contractors, electrical plumbers, landscapers, flooring companies. You talk about a time constraint. If you're a person that's doing flooring, the space is transitional. You're building a home, you do flooring. Contractors sometimes start at 3:00 in the morning. To say you can't get in until 8 to 12, it in it enables them to do their job properly. So, we don't want to put a time restriction on what companies can do and what they can't do. But the company but the buyer is willing to adjust to the needs of the community and what they're asking for. So approving this request returns to underutilized property that produces um strength to the city tax base because you're helping a small business man by allowing them to have a transitional space. If you're an attorney and you have archived files, this is a great place to go put your files at to store. So for various types of business, this is a space that will allow them to help. So um I'm going to my time is short. Council members, this proposal is not to ask you to choose between residential or industrial use. It is asking you to approve a compatible transition between the the two projects between residential and industrial. So the project transform underutilized parcel into a clean, professional and maintained developed structure that uh supports small businesses, strengthen the tax base, discourage illegal dumping through improved lighting, active management, and encourages continue investment along the corridor. That is uh thoughtful planning, and that's what we're looking for, thoughtful planning. So we I respectfully ask for your support for this project and ask you to vote yes. >> Thank you, Miss Pace. Any questions or comments from my council colleagues? >> Thank you, Miss Pace. I will invite the applicant board again if there's any additional comments they'd like to make. If not, that's okay, too. I uh just want to reiterate I the comments about respect. I I feel like uh this has been a very respectful process and really appreciate the opportunity. I'm also encouraged by a lot of the conversations that have been uh going on. I think part of the challenge about being the the good neighbor uh representation is we start the planning process with the idea that we're working toward a goal and we all can work together on those comments. Unfortunately, when there's opposition, sometimes those comments aren't the things that come forward is we're considering this use. What can it be? Um, but I just want to kind of recap the scale is is really the uh the biggest thing. Um, I heard uh the respect for Rumkey that they're 100% contained. The proposal here is 100% contained. Um, when they brought the application forward, we didn't know how many units or anything were proposed. We didn't know the scale. So, the the thought process went into let's scale this project to match the neighborhood. Um, a lot of thought went behind the design that you had in front of you. Um, the uh the thought process of trying to uh blend smaller units on the street, something that's that's vis visual and set back off the street. Uh, something that residents would uh find as appealing uh across the road from their own residence. Um, but something that really blends into the fabric of the neighborhood. Uh there there's plenty of opportunities for good neighbors. I I want to say that I it's nice seeing 10 small businesses versus one large business on the site. Um this property has been on the market for three years, my understanding and there's and I've seen other proposals for this property uh in addition to what's being proposed to you tonight. Um this has gotten through a lot of scrutinous review. Um what we brought before you is something that we think is a good transitional use. Um we hope that these 10 small business owners take a vested interest in the community. uh and instead of one n one business potentially turning it its back at the neighborhood, this is an opportunity for the neighborhood and the the businesses to work together in the future as well. Um as far as uh adding to a good safe neighborhood. We tried to do that through design. Uh what you see before you is is a wellthoughtout design where we have warehouse at the rear of the building facing the industry. We have the office facing the residential. Uh something that would uh that would blend well. uh any activity would be toward the rear of the site, not toward the front. Uh the uh we wish that it was existing so we could give a tour. Um I think that would have been the easiest thing through the neighborhood process is to have an existing building and say this is what we're going to do with it. It's hard to present an open field when there's threats of what can come. So uh we appreciate the process and we definitely give uh credit to that. Um I do know my clients under contract to purchase and uh we'd love to take uh years, months in the process to to go through the planning process. Uh but we uh we do realize that um a lot of their investments hinged on whether this site fits for the limited uses that they've proposed. Um they have continuously reigned in the design. Uh and I've I've went through those transitions. I know that's not easy because they're calling me when they have to change things, but we've went through those renditions and we've tried to to mold this to fit the neighborhood. I believe what's in front of you is smart growth. I believe it's conservation development at its best. Those are things that uh we do at the heart of our business. So I'm glad that they called us. Um, as far as the uh the pasture and uh and um Miss Brown, their comments, we really definitely appreciate where they're coming from. I I heard the respect in their comments as well. I think everything that we can do as part of this planning process will help to reiterate good neighbors and um h happy to continue that dialogue with the investment uh opportunity that they can bring to the table. Unfortunately, I know that uh time is kind of critical for uh investment as well. So, um, we we continue to go back and forth and we appreciate that opportunity, but we're happy to answer any questions you have. Um, definitely don't want to leave you thinking that we're trying to be stubborn in the process. And I share that I apologize for the experience that you had with with whoever that was. And I I uh I think what we try to bring is a mediation process to the table uh to try and find what's what happens in the best interest of everybody. And I do think that um this is a project that works well for everyone, even if there is opposition, that they'll grow to love the design that's there. Thank you. >> Thank you. Any questions or comments for the applicant or the representative this time? >> You might have someday. >> I I just want to add that that you stole my line. I wanted to apologize to you about how you felt and I wanted to to highlight maybe I I know there's been a lot of talk about the negative possible things that could go wrong. Um also I think we could be optimistic about possible good things that could go with the community. Uh we would love to embrace the community uh and create an opportunity zone for some of the members. We would love to have some of the kids, some of the members come in and have a picnic and take advantage of the green space that's there. Um these are the the positive things that it could integrate us with the community. Um I hope they see the good side that could come with it versus all the bad things that could come with it. >> Thank you. Any questions for the applicant or the representative? See none. Thank you, gentlemen. >> Thank you for your time. Appreciate it. >> Um, we have devoted a lot of time at two different council meetings to this. I'm sorry, council member. Oh, >> you may. Thank you everyone. And I do want to let you know how much our community appreciates our council taking the time out to really listen to the residents. Um, you know, most of y'all know me personally and know our community and have come to American Edition whether it's for National Night Out or other community events. Um, so I do appreciate you extending the time that you've had to this particular zoning, but we also feel that it's just due because it's that important to our neighborhood. Um, and to be honest, you've heard from the residents, they do not want this project. Um, and as I've been sitting here since I've given my report, the air quality has gone up to 68. So, it's increasing as we're here right now because it uploads every two minutes. Just to keep y'all in mind of that. So, when they were talking about exploring times, but then Miss Pace indicated that they may need materials at 3:00 in the morning, that is simply not conducive for American Edition. We've had the Flames, which is a biker club that has been in our community, serving our community for decades, over 50 years. They shut down at 10:00. You can drive through America Edition at 10 p.m. If it's not a crazy Saturday when I have to call the police because people at the park, other than that, you don't have any noise. You can literally hear a pin drop in American Edition. And I challenge anyone to come through our neighborhood whether it's a Saturday, a Sunday, during the week, 10:00, it's peaceful. So to have potentially, now you're saying 10 different businesses that can be in this facility, which all can make up their own hours. Yes. They at one point said that they would consider contractually limiting the hours, but then the real estate agent, which I believe represents both parts or both sides, indicating that that's not going to be conducive to the businesses that's going to be in there. And as we've known with our previous Good Neighbor agreements that we've had with other businesses, i.e. smart truck that's been in environmental court for over three years and they're switching hands and businesses and still doing terrible operations because we try to give a business a chance and it has been wrecking havoc on our community. So, um, respectfully, the residents have spoken. They do not want this and so I'm going to stand with my residents. >> Thank you, Commissioner. I I do want to make sure we get to a vote here at some point. >> All right. >> No, no, no. You're good. Chair, >> ask the chair. May I speak? Thank you. >> Good evening. My name is Melody Cook. I'm the chair of North Central area commission representing all 10 communities within North Central and American Edition is one of them. I became the chair January of this year and I want to speak on behalf of all of the communities, especially American edition. This evening we are saturated with toxic chemical buildings within North Central area heavily in Devon Triangle which there are 80 businesses and there's more businesses coming. There's 12,000 ft² 6,000 square ft buildings that are being built. You hear the thumping at 2 and 3:00 in the morning where they're building construction of warehouse building that's on Joyce in between Windsor and Rumkey. That's where they're going to put people are going to go there to rent space. They're going there to have businesses at that's 12,000 square foot buildings. There's two of them. They're they're they have borders on Joyce Avenue. We're having an accident almost every other day. There's two or three time there's accident every week. It's heavily traveled with trucks just as you spoke of with the trucks. We are food desert. We do not have groceries. We do not have a pharmacy. We barely have gas stations and everything is being the companies that are coming in. We have dump truck companies. We have asphalt. We have the salt bay. We have the water tower. We have Pepsi. We have plasolite. You can smell plasoly. We have the um yinking majestic explosion. We're still just restoring ourselves from that. And limited manufacturing. Yes, that's going to come in. They're going to improve things, but we need housing. We're getting 16 new housing building. Um Habitat Humanity is coming in. Two of those are private owners and 14 is Habitat for Humanity. We are in need of housing. We have a lot of manufacturing. There's rental space everywhere else. There's development for um housing warehouse space that's on the west side and the south side. They have land as well. That's all. Thank you. >> Thank you, chair. >> Any questions, council members for the air commission? >> Seeing none. Thank you all. >> Thank you. >> Just one last question before I move for a vote. Mr. Mr. Dillis, again for me anyways, this comes down to a question from the community around the desire for housing at large within the community and as it applies to this site. Would the department be in support of a zoning request that would add significant amount or whatever amount of housing? Obviously any additions because currently the the zoning district there only allows one one unit. So if someone came with a proposal for adding housing to the site, now obviously that's not what's for us, but from a planning perspective, considering you have run, you have a rail line, what would if if a housing proposal came to your desk for specifically for this site, what would be your view of that? >> We we would have serious concern for really exactly the reason that a lot of the neighborhood is representing because we would feel like that could exasperate a situation. It's there's there's it's a challenging site. Obviously, it's it's difficult question that you have. Um but the call that we made when we developed the the Columbus growth strategy was that a a light industrial use that was appropriately buffered and provided a face to the community was the appropriate use. It may not be the perfect solution, but that's the solution that we we recommend. >> Thank you, Mr. Bills. Any comments from my colleagues before I ask for a vote? >> Council Bankston. >> Um I just wanted to get my comments down, Mr. Chair, before the vote. Um because this is a difficult one for um for me cuz I hear both sides of um the argument. I think for many folks uh in this neighborhood know that I've been there for community events. I'm happy to always come and uh to Mount Zion and uh and give my praise on there. And so I'm very familiar with this uh community. Also, my parents, they live in uh Devon Triangle just over the bridge. Uh and so I know what uh these types of neighborhoods feel and uh function like this idea of parts of our city where there's this blend of housing and also industrial and I think uh history of our past. And so uh for me I think about my parents who live on Gibert Avenue and at the end of their street is uh commercial use um actually a heavier use than this is automotive but it's done very tastefully. I mean it's behind the building you can't really see it doesn't impede. There's also a large uh geo eern or fern or whatever the company is there uh at Leonard. So I think that there's ways to that both can coexist. Uh and then I think for this particular project because it is on the edge and because of again and I said this last meeting because of the area commission's work of working with this developer uh to limit the uses because I think in this conversation right now we're conflating uh just the simple word manufacturing because I've heard things like toxic waste and other types of things when really again it was this community that said to this developer these are the limited uses that we want approved. D and that developer agreed to them. I went back to also make the site even better. Um and so for me um I I just wanted to make sure that I voiced where I land on this for to this community because I does not fall on deaf ears. But this is one where we will have to disagree and I will hope that we can continue to have the dialogue when I'm out in community uh speaking with you all and know that um because of your work we now have limitations to hold them accountable to that and so I want to thank you all for leaning in to make this better. Um so that is why I will be uh voting in the affirmative for that for this this evening. >> Thank you council member. Any other comments from council members? Council member Green. >> Thank you. Um, Chair, I feel I feel very similarly to the way that I think Council Member Bangston feels and then I also have like feelings similar to Council Member Deokau's feelings. I think um, one thing I think that is frustrating and and I was not around when the Rumkey plant was moved there and I don't know, maybe the community was very supportive of it. I'm not sure. I remember thinking at that time that's an interesting choice and I think it established a little bit of a precedent now where now I see the value of having somewhat like of a step down industrial use so that we can get back to I know like what the goals of the neighborhood are. But I just wanted to kind of make that note because I think that these decisions that we make and these plans that we're setting and um you know the vision that we're charting and every time we deviate from that vision um you know it it has it has these ripple effect impacts and I know that we have um you know there's another um a composting facility that's being proposed in in the center of a you know of a neighborhood here that I think is coming down the pipeline and and other sorts of things where it's like I just I just think we really have to be listening and thoughtful and and thinking about the future. Sometimes I know it's like we have to look what at what's in front of us right now today, but um you know I believe that we're here to work collectively with the community and think about what comes tomorrow, not just what's right in front of us today. So thanks. >> Thank you, council member. any anyone else? >> Thank you all. I mean, I think this is a perfect case of reasonable minds can certainly disagree. I think that there are any number of ways to view this situation to come to a reasonable conclusion to either be for this project or to be against it. And I think for me anyway, it's just going back to the advice that we're getting from our planning folks is that this is not a site that they would recommend housing to be located on particularly because of those adjacent uses. Um, I do think I agree with Council Member Banks in the sense of like whatever if this passes and I'm not honestly I'm not sure it will uh is that it is actually been made better by the engagement from folks in the community on um to limit the uses to work towards frankly where I'm about to ask to amend this based upon the conversation that happened last week at council. Um that is unusual that we have that amount of dialogue and see additional changes contemplated and made but again and I know residents disagree with me on this because you've said as much on this floor is that folks have a higher ambition for what they would want on that location given the current zoning on that site and given the sight specific issues neighboring that site. Um, I don't think we'd want to place housing up against a rail line, up against a recycling facility. Um, so if so, what else could be there? Um, there's not a perfect answer to that. Um, this is a reasonable um, I think proposal in my mind given the restrictions that have been put in place that folks have advocated for. Um, so on that note, I first move to amend this to the clerk by voice. >> Clerk, please call the role. >> Bankston, >> yes. Barros Padilla >> no >> de Aar >> no >> Dorren >> yes >> green >> yes >> reie >> no >> Ross >> no >> white >> yes >> president Harden >> yes >> amend it >> I move for passage as amended by voice >> second clerk please call the role by voice >> yes >> barosa de padilla >> no >> de Aar >> no >> dorren >> yes Green, >> yes. >> Remy, >> no. >> Ross, >> no. >> White, >> yes. >> President Harden, >> yes. Ordinance is passed. >> Thank you. Next, we have ordinance number 1607-2026 to reszone 2345 Demeris Road being 11.49 plus acres located west side of Demer Drive being 460 plus feet north of White Spruce Lane from Ral District to L1 Limited apartment residential district. At the request of the applicant, I move to refer this ordinance back to committee. >> Second. >> Second. >> Cler, please call the role. >> Is there a second? >> Second. >> Please call the role. >> Bankston, Barrosa, Deia, de Akara, Dorren, Green, Remy, Ross, White, President Harden. >> Referred to committee. Next we have ordinance number 611-2026 uh zone 1753 uh North Hey Avenue being 15.9 uh plus acres located on the east side of North H Avenue 879 ft south of Tribby Road from Rural District to L1 limited apartment residential district site consist of one undeveloped parcel and four parcels developed with singular dwellings recently annexed into the city of Columbus. The requested resoning will allow a multi-unit residential development containing a maximum of 296 units proposal approved from city staff and the development commission but a disapproval from the west side of the area commission. Due to that uh area commission disapproval we'll now hear a staff report starting with Mr. Tim Dietrich from the department of building zoning services. Mr. Dietrich floor is yours. >> Chair Doran Chair Dorens, President Harden, members of the council. Uh, north and west of the site are single-unit dwellings in the Rural District of Franklin County. South of the site are single-unit dwellings in the LR2 limited residential district and Rural District of Franklin Township. East of the site are single-unit dwellings in the Rural District and a pending reszoning to the AR1 apartment residential district. The requested L1 limited apartment residential district will allow a multi-unit residential development as shown on the submitted site plan and building elevations allowing for up to 296 total dwelling units. The accompanying limitation text establishes the maximum dwelling unit count and includes supplemental development standards addressing building setback, perimeter yard, traffic improvements, site access, shared use paths, landscaping, and fencing. The text also includes commitments to develop the site in accordance with the submitted site plan, landscape plan, and building elevations. The requested L1 limited apartment residential district is compatible with the density and development standards of adjacent multi-unit residential developments northwest, northeast, and south west of the site. Additionally, the proposal includes binding plans and building elevations which which incorporate design elements and features that are consistent with planning division's requests. Lastly, the proposal meets the city's objective to provide more housing in all neighborhoods and therefore city departments recommend approval. >> Thank you. Any question, my colleagues for Mr. Dietrich CNN, we'll move on to Mr. Derillis from the division of planning. Floor is yours. >> Thank you, Chair Dors, President, Council, members of council. Uh, planning supports this proposal. Although the Treyview Roberts area plan, which was adopted in 2011, recommends very low density residential land uses at the site, the plan also recommends that future redevelopments of the area should be at density levels compatible with existing surrounding residential density patterns. Staff recognizes existing multi-unit residential development to the north and east of the site is demonstrating compatible densities. Additionally, the Columbus growth strategy highlights that corridors like Hey Avenue should be considered as opportunities for higher density residential. Staff notes that the total unit count was reduced to 300 from 324 units to 296 and a variety of housing uh building types have been incorporated into the site layout. Staff uh reviewed conceptual building elevations and found them to be consistent with Columbus growth strategy residential design guidelines. Uh finally, the site design provides for the protection of the stream flood plane and stream corridor protection zone along with associated trees in this area along the southwest of the site. As such, planning is in support and I'm happy to answer any questions. >> Thank you, Mr. Dillis. Any questions for planning? Seeing none, uh we'll move on to traffic. Mr. Bushmitt, floor is yours. >> Thank you, Chair Dors, President Harden, members of council. In regards to our review of this application, please be advised that this site was required to complete a traffic impact study that evaluated the site access point to North HG Avenue and the intersection of North HG Avenue and Trey Road. Although this site is anticipated to generate 118 trips in the AMP cower, which are 28 entering trips and 90 exiting trips, and 152 trips in the PMP, 94 trip entering trips and 58 exiting trips. A traffic impact study was required that would include analyses of the intersection of North Hey Avenue and Trey Road due to previous traffic analyses that had indicated that future roadway improvements would be necessary at the intersection of North H Avenue and Trey Road. This study was reviewed and approved by the Franklin County Engineers Office, which has jurisdiction of North H Avenue along the frontage of this site and the intersection of North H Avenue and Trey Road. Resulting from this traffic impact study, the developer will be required to make roadway widening improvements to provide a northbound left turn lane at the side access point to North H Avenue and make a contribution to the Frank County Engineers Office toward future roadway improvements at the intersection of North HG Avenue and Trey Road. These requirements have been incorporated into the limitation text associated within this proposed ordinance. Additionally, please be advised that the Frank County Engineers Office has initiated design efforts to implement future roadway improvements at the intersection of North Tag Avenue and Trey Road. Based on the committed contributions by this site and five adjacent development sites, there will be funds available in the amount of approximately $863,000 to be applied toward future improvements at the intersection of North Hey Avenue and Trey Road. With these comments and notes, the Department of Public Service has no further concerns regarding this application. I would be happy to answer any questions. >> Thank you, Mr. Blushman. Can you talk us through so um the engineers office has started design on those improvements? So, can you walk us through some what those improvements on the table will likely be? >> So, uh the improvements will be additional, uh lanes on the northbound approach and the uh excuse me, uh eastbound approach of the intersection. and a new signal uh installation at the intersection. Um and the county engineers office is in the initial stage. I understand they have uh retained a consultant to move forward with that, but they are in the early stages of the design. >> Okay. So essentially that again when we talk about the difference between a traffic access study and an impact study, the impact again looks more broadly around the area because the size of the development. So we're not just talking about additions to turn lanes so it's easier for folks to get in and out. It's that then zooming out a bit and again looking at those intersections nearby of what upgrades need to happen in order to mitigate um some of that increased traffic that comes with just increased residential development. >> Yes, that is correct. >> Thank you, >> chair. Just a quick uh question around this. This was annexed in correct. >> So in terms of the roadway um decisions is I know the Franklin County engineer is part of that. Are we maintaining those roads as a Franklin County engineer? And when we think about those roadway decisions, where does that decision- making fall? >> So, that falls when when the annexation happens, you know, prior to this uh process, uh there's decisions made between Columbus and Franklin County where those lines are drawn. In this case, the roadway along this frontage will be retained, at least at this time, within the jurisdiction of of the county >> of the county. So any roadway decisions would be theirs, not ours to make. >> Yes. Currently, yes. >> And when we talk about the um one last question, when we talk about the additional lanes, is that a road widening or is it a redesation of what the actual physical roadway looks like? >> It is a roadway widening. Currently, there are two lanes on H Avenue and there will be a center turn lane to provide left turning vehicles uh opportunity additional lane to enter the site. And does that um with this uh project, do we also have sidewalks or shared use path? >> There will be a shared use path requirement that's pro provided along the front edge of the site. Yes. Which will align with uh there's a future county project uh that intends to provide a shared use path along the um west side of H Avenue. And just uh residents may know this, but just so that we're all on the same page, a shared use path is essentially a larger, wider width path that you can both be on any sort of mobility device. So a a bike, a scooter, a wheelchair, you could be pushing a stroller, and you can walk. So it's a wider width than what a regular sidewalk might be. So thank you. >> Thank you, council member. Councelor Dakar. So you said there's going to be a center turn lane. So but there will not be a uh turn lane for those people who are traveling south. >> So only those who cross traffic, not the ones who are >> So for for northbound vehicle uh there's additional lane to to allow that uh that northbound vehicle when they seek to turn into this site they they would have an additional lane. But the southbound vehicles, there would not be there would not be a right turn lane, a southbound right turn lane. >> Okay. I I drive that road frequently and whenever somebody is going southbound and turns right, it stops traffic. So there should have been a southbound turn lane. That's one of those engineers have their reasons for why they do things, but those of us who traverse those roads know the reality of them. There should have been a turn lane there. >> Mr. Blushman, there there are two turn lanes, correct? Because we're adding the the middle turn lane in order for folks >> crossing and then an additional turn lane for folks that are going directly into the development. Correct. >> No, I was told >> there is not going to be a uh southbound left or south, excuse me, southbound right turn lane there. There will also not be a southbound um left turn lane at this time. There there there was a uh proposal that has not moved forward on the east side of the road which then would provide uh a companion southbound left train lane but that that would not be happening at this time. >> Thank you. Other quil. >> Thank you chair. Um, can you help me understand when the traffic study was completed for this uh application? >> Uh, I I do not have the dates in front of me, but it was within the last I believe within the last year. >> In the last year. Okay. Um, and then when I was talking to some residents about this project, I I drive the road all the time, too. It's how I get to and from picking my kid up from these meetings. Um the um when I was talking to some of the neighbors um and the community leaders about this project, they also mentioned that um you know in addition to concerns about the density and then the traffic which I truly share those concerns um this roadway is not built to withstand this type of infrastructure and recognizing that the cross the street application this one would be about 20 units an acre. the across the street application would be about 25 units an acre as it's currently presented. Now you're talking about something way different way different. Um but through the course of those conversations they mentioned long-term planning projects that were underway also related to Trey Road which is of course like the feeder road onto HG and then H is the feeder that takes you to the highway even though it's a tiny backcountry road. It's the only way that all those thousands of apartments we've all built there on Trey get to and from um the highway. Um something about a road diet or the potential of a road diet on Trey. right now that's a five lane road and they you know what they're what they were understanding is that that is being reduced to threelane road which I'm not sure if that is accurate or not but I think in as it relates to this and as it relates to all the development that's happening in and around this intersection and then along both the trade view and then like proposed you know hey corridor you know we have a lot of conversations about the need for proactive infrastructure investments that would support that type of development and So, I would be really concerned if that ends up being accurate and we could ask the commissioners when they come up to testify as well. >> I'm sorry, what was the qu your question? >> Is that is is there is is there a a planned reduction in the number of lanes on Trey Road that would that right now you've got a east and a westbound lane, two of them. Um and then I think their understanding was that it would be reduced to just one eastbound, one westbound lane. >> Yes. So between uh McKinley Avenue and Hey Avenue. Yes, that is correct. Currently there are it's two lanes in each direction >> and the uh plan is to provide a three-lane section there where there is a center turn lane to allow left turning vehicles to turn uh within that section. But yes, there would be one through lane in each direction. Yes. >> So, so we would be reducing the amount of lanes but like adding more traffic, I guess. Does that in >> uh I mean I would uh respectfully disagree as far as it would be making it safer as far as when you have it by allowing a left turn lane. It allows a place where vehicles can safely make their turns where in a four-lane section that often promotes higher speeds and and people weaving in and out of as people are making left turns. So that was, you know, as part of a separate application that was reviewed as part of a traffic impact study to evaluate the the appropriate access configuration along that that section. >> And Mr. Blushman, this is that portion of Trey View is Columbus. >> Yeah, it's it is mostly it it does also we don't share it with the county engineers office, but that is probably 80% in the city and 20% in the county. >> Thank you. Yeah, I I mean again because this development would be like right almost at that intersection and then again another one across the street which I haven't seen yet but I can't >> council member just to be very clear we cannot this body should not be considering other applications that have not been submitted to this body at this point. What I'm what I'm talking about is the the planned change in that intersection that is right there. As we are also considering, you know, adding hundreds of units right there that would feed in and out of that intersection as well as >> council member, it is fair for to consider this application as it relates to that traffic improvement. I'm asking you to limit I mean you can consider whatever you want when you consider a vote here tonight but the other application that has been filed across the street has not come to this body yet. >> I'm not referring to that. I'm referring to the intersection at HG and Trey which is referenced in the document as needing future improvements but it sounds like the future improvements in that are referenced in the zoning briefing. I'm trying to seek clarity on whether or not those improvements include the road diet reduction of changing it from currently it has two eastbound and two westbound lanes at Hagen Tribio referenced in the current briefing document. >> Yeah. So I I can speak to that. The the roadway configuration in the the Franken County Engineers project shows a three-lane section for that that same section. So, one lane in each direction and a center turn lane for the section east of H Avenue. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Um, chair, I just wanted to the reason I'm asking back and forth is because I I just want my colleagues to also understand in certain in particular areas, we do not have we we are not the decision makers. So, if it's a Franklin County engineer, then they're going off of a certain basis of study. So obviously we have someone from the Department of Public Service here who is representing this, but I I I just want to let folks know as we think about our advocacy as a body and when the community thinks about their advocacy, we're we are talking about two different agencies. So while we do work in tandem, when they're when we are near city limits, there are decisions that they will make similar further down on Trey, there is an ODOT project over the interstate that is an ODOT project. So, I'm I'm just referencing that because we are in a particularly tricky area where there are three different decision-making bodies as we talk about the entire flow of the corridor. Um, I I just want to mention that for good measure. The other thing that I would also mention for good measure is that um again I said this in the last zoning uh conversation we had Livingston Avenue for anyone who lives there near Beexley and the border of Beexley. We did a road diet. We also built a large um I I think it's like two or 300 units maybe. It's a pretty large unit on Livingston Avenue. There were lots of concerns. We also did a road diet there. Road diets, I want to make sure that we all understand. I'm going to say something everyone doesn't like. Road diets are not for convenience. Road diets are for safety. So, do you travel along peak hours along Livingston and you are slowed down? Absolutely. Is it frustrating? Sure, I travel it all the time. Is it safer? 100%. And we saw that from the high injury network. That's even with developments along Livingston Avenue. So, I just want to mention that for real life examples as we think about our decision-m and also understanding that when we think about especially a road diet, it's not for the convenience of people, especially when there's already traffic in areas, the traffic happens because of density. And the answer to that is using other methods of modes of transportation that we are working on largely as a city. So just I want to mention that because I think often we think of convenience and in a city that's growing. The unfortunate truth with transportation is that it will no longer be convenient because our infrastructure does not match our growth. And even if it did, you wouldn't want it to because you actually don't want all of the cars that a million or two million more people would bring onto our roadways because that would actually be more detrimental to us than what we're experiencing now. >> I think I think when I when I imagine it and it would be helpful if I had like a visual, I could probably better uh see it. Um, but as someone who drives this road on a very regular basis, what I imagine is we're taking a five-lane road. You're condensing it at the intersection that feeds to a highway that then enters onto a very narrow, windy, hilly country road. Uh, with no no, you know, like median, no. And, you know, and so that seems scary to me, I guess. >> Absolutely. And and I know along this path and Mr. Mr. Blushman, and I know you want to continue, chair. I was just going to say um I think the cons the consideration of no median or a shared use path is that's part of the reason that it's being added because along this corridor currently as I understand it does not exist a median or or a sidewalk which is what which is part of the larger plan as I understand it. >> Correct. >> Thank you council members. I'm going to move keep this moving forward unless anyone has another burning desired question for Mr. Blushment. I don't think he's done with this one yet. So, I will move on to our deputy director for housing strategies, Miss Aaron Proer. >> Thank you, Chair Dorren, Council President Harden, members of council. The proposed resoning of 1753 North Heg supports the Columbus Housing Strategy by adding key housing supply in an environment where the cost of construction is escalating faster than affordable rents can accommodate. These sites are feas that are feasible for new housing development are increasingly difficult to identify and secure. In order to keep the residential housing construction at the pace we need to accommodate our growth, permitting housing where it is feasible is critical. The current housing infrastructure is not meeting demand in this census tract. Rents have increased 56% and home prices have riven risen 57% just since 19 just since 2020. Cost burdened renters, those paying more than 30% of their income on their housing expenses rose from 54% in 2020 to now nearly twothirds of the households. This indicates an increasing demand for new housing and in particular more rental options. The current home ownership rate in the census tract remains stable, rising 1.7% between 2020 and 2024 and 80.1% of the housing units are single family units, indicating an overall lack of housing diversity in the area. The rental vacancy rate for existing options dropped from 7.1% to just 3.9% in the zip code, indicating an increasing demand for housing and in particular more rental options. Investment in the housing in this area is critical to adding is critical adding to places where that we are close to our large job centers including Ohio State, the Northwest Corridor and downtown. Overburdened transportation networks are not the result of localized trip generation from an individual new development, but instead are the result of employees facing even longer commutes to access jobs. This adds to the economic, environmental, and health costs to the community. Not to mention the ensuing gridlock resulting from adding significant vehicle miles traveled to the transportation network. We see the negative outcome on city transportation networks and there's a significant when there is a significant spatial mismatch between where employees live and where they work. Adding housing near job opportunities is critical to managing the overall transportation system so roadways continue to be safe and functional. In an area with increasing home prices and rents, already cost burdened households, and access to significant job centers, it's critical to add the needed new housing to manage the impacts of our housing scarcity on existing families as well as those needing housing in our community. I'm happy to answer any questions. >> Thank you, Miss Proer. Any questions from my colleagues from Miss Proer at this point? >> So, deputy director, I know there's been a lot of rental construction on this area. This is something that we've heard from folks at the area commission just sort of the amount of development that's been happening out there. How does that sort of square with you're mentioning we're still seeing housing prices increase within this area. So even though we've seen development that's occurred um obviously we have a proposal in front of us here tonight. There's others that are sort of working its way through out there. So from your vantage point of saying you know you would see folks say hey there there's a lot happening here. Isn't don't we already have too much of this? uh how do you sort of respond to that given when you sort of review the data there about what housing costs are looking like within that area >> and as we look broadly at the city but also in the region obviously we know we have a housing scarcity challenge right we have a lot of folks moving into the community we lost momentum on housing construction largely following 2008 so there is a deficit um that we're working to overcome when we look at areas that are close to our job opportunities close to those high opportunity areas we see an even increased demand demand, right? As people often choose for housing, they will pay more if they're able to get that proximity to those job locations, to that access to amenities and things that are right near this particular area. So, we see those acute spikes even in the in the demand side around those areas. If we do not allow for more housing to happen in those locations, it will exacerbate that in those areas in particular. Um, and then we don't see that feasibility of the housing construction, right? Threading the needle between the cost of the construction to the manageable rents that we can uh accommodate here in central Ohio. And so when you look at those sites, you you find them here, you find them in some of the other locations in the city where that demand is high enough. If we don't allow for housing in those locations, it's not likely that there are other sites always that will be able to accommodate that housing. And so it it goes handinand and that proximity to a tremendous amount of jobs in our community is really the driving source um for why that becomes an extremely attractive area for folks. Thank you. Yeah. Any questions for Miss Proer, my colleagues? Seeing none, I would like to invite the applicants represented, Mr. David Hutchfor, for presentation. Uh, thank you, Chair Dorans, President Harden, members of council. uh David Hodgej with the law firm Under Hill and Hodgej here this evening on behalf of Metropolitan Holdings. Uh this process like the vast majority of the uh processes that my office is involved in started with some direct engagement with the city planning office. submission of conceptual plans um as the annexation was working its way through the process, submission of conceptual architecture to get feedback from uh the city planning office as to whether or not a a proposal such as the one before you uh is consistent with city policy and um is something that's worthy of moving forward. Um we took that feedback in made certain revisions to the planning documents and um uh as those documents were revised even before an application was filed formally with the city uh Metropolitan Holdings went out and had a conceptual meeting with the West Sciota Area Commission uh to get some feedback uh from that group. Um so there was some extensive thoughtful engagement with West Sciota Area Commission uh actually starting before an application was formally filed. There was also leading up to tonight some direct engagement with um immediate neighbors resulting in further revisions to the to the planning documents. This application um uh uh is here with a recommendation of approval from from the city staff uh which is indicative of a proposal that's consistent with city policy. The proposal is here this evening with a unanimous recommendation 6 to0 from the development commission which is indicative of a proposal that furthers the city's housing policy, the Columbus growth strategy and is appropriate at this location and in this neighborhood. The legislation before you um provides in the body of the legislation the following language that the site includes high levels of site and building design, significant natural resource preservation, adequate buffering and screening from adjacent land uses and pedestrian connectivity throughout the site which is you know chief among the reasons that the city uh planning office uh and then ultimately the development commission saw fit to recommendation to to recommend approval. The area commission process directly uh resulted in the following modifications to the plan. A reduction in the unit count by 28. This uh proposal originally had a companion council variance to address several site uh issues. Um the the council variance the companion council variance was withdrawn. And so this is simply an Lzoning uh fully compliant with the code. No variance is necessary. Uh, Metropolitan Holdings increased its setbacks at perimeters and along the frontage at HG, incorporated a 15- ft tree preservation zone along the north side of the site, um, expanded its open space, internalized some of the larger buildings, relocated the trash compactor, created a green um, geo paver uh, emergency access feature at the southeast corner of the site. as opposed to uh an asphalt entry drive which was in response to some uh neighbor feedback to the south. Um unit unit reconfiguration to reduce building heights, building redesign to reduce heights and the uh neighbor to the south the additional work there um uh uh we were able to commit to some additional landscaping and some fencing specifications there at the southeast corner of the site. some of the additional attributes here which which there was just somewhat of a lengthy discussion on. Uh there are going to be improvements to to HEG. Uh a northbound left turn and a um widening to accommodate uh southbound vehicles. I am also not an uh a a traffic engineer. I've I've been in a fair my share fair share of wrestling matches with Mr. Blechmitt and and Mr. Stargel and Mr. Morehead in the in the traffic management department through the years and I don't always agree with the outcome either, but I I do always find them to be exceptionally professional. Um I know that that Hey, and for that matter trade has been studied about as much as a a transportation network can be studied. It's been studied by Preferred Living. It's been studied by Thrive. It's been studied by Upland. It's been studied by LDG. It's been studied by now Metropolitan Holdings. It's been studied by Metro to the South. and it was studied by Avenue Development on a project on on north side of Hey. So, this area is certainly not lacking focus of really the traffic engineers that that serve all of uh the city of Columbus and for that matter Franklin County. Um, this this proposal observes the the uh stream corridor protection zone at the southwest corner of the site that as Mr. uh Derilla said does add to tree preservation. We also commit to the 15 foot tree preservation on the north. There's some mature growth trees up there uh between us and some single family residential and as opposed to get into a discussion about you know is twothirds of the tree on this side of the line or that side of the line let's just say they're all going to stay. So we created a 15t preservation area there. Uh importantly as was as as was previously discussed there's there is a shared use path coming along the frontage here. Apparently, there's going to be more shared use path uh coming in the near future, but it's not just a, you know, a six foot or an eight foot shared use path. It's an 11 foot shared use path that's happening here um along the frontage of the property being installed by this applicant. The the thing that uh one of the things that that Mr. Drailla said and and I think that resonated most with me when I first saw this proposal and I certainly think resonated with the development commission resulting in their 6 recommendation of approval here tonight uh is the building typology that's proposed. As you know uh I've I've represented my fair share of these before council through the years and um more often than not what we see are uh threetory breezeway buildings. In this instance, we have some three-story breezeway buildings, but we also have some twostory carriage house type units along the northern property line, and we've got a different building typology, more single family residential in appearance along the HG Avenue frontage. So really to me a great proposal, meets the city's um housing policy, meets the Columbus growth strategy, uh was I think I think it's here after responsible and thoughtful engagement with the neighborhood and um I think it's a great proposal. I'll stop there and do my best to answer questions that anyone has of me. >> Thank you, Mr. Hajj. Questions for the applicants represented this time. All of a sudden the group is quiet. Uh thank you. I will invite you back up after public testimony. >> Uh our first public speaker on this ordinance is from the West Saudi Area Commission. Uh Commissioner Rita Cabraw. Welcome back to council. Council members, council member Harden and other members. I am Rita Cabraw. I am a commissioner with the West Sciota Area Commission. I reside in the Sciota Woods neighborhood. Um, I'm here to speak as a commissioner. Our chair and vice chair are not available this evening. So I will speak of the standard and recognized form that goes out from our commission. The West iota Area Commission met March 19th and voted to disapprove the application by a vote of 610. The primary basis for the disapproval is the project's density. Everybody here knows that we have put in nearly 8,000 beds. And I say beds, not units, because a lot of these units have multiple people living there. 8,000 in our area over the past five years. This project's density and lack of conformity to the surrounding area, both property and roadway. This application is for 296 units on 15 acres. The existing current plan which is submitted with this form consists of one unit per five acres or 15 units per um per acre and is very low density consisting of single family homes is the surrounding area. The project is not in conformity with the adjacent residential properties. The current plan that is in existence is 15 units per acre. The Trey View Robert Road plan is the plan that the this applicant is pointing to in support of their application. However, the number of units per acre for this application does not align with the 15 units per acre that is called for in the plan. Additionally, this project will add 500 residents. That means 500 vehicles in and out uh to a secondary road. This is not the main corridor. Trey View is the main corridor. This is a step back area, a roadway that cannot ex uh support existing traffic, much less the traffic that is currently being built and added to the existing roadway from the projects currently being built on Trey View. Residents attending the meeting expressed not only concern about the density of this project but its impact of the value of their homes. They also voiced concerns about the number of fire hydrants, the impact on safety services and location of bus stops for kids. Since there is no place for them to stand to wait for the bus except for the burm of the existing roadway which is dark during the early morning pickups uh and there was attached uh information that went along uh with this. Overall, both the area commissioners and the public were vehemently opposed to this application. All residents that spoke indicated that they believe the city is abandoning their concerns and interest. Now, to sum this up, the proposed density far exceeds what the area's infrastructure can safely support. Inadequate roads, the lack of sidewalks, and insufficient police, fire, and EMS access create unacceptable public safety risk. Approving this level of development within without first addressing these deficiencies will increase emergency response times and put lives and property at greater risk. Growth is not the problem. Smart growth requires corresponding investments in road, sidewalks, connectivity, and public safety. Without those investments, growth simply transfers its costs to existing uh residents while diminishing the quality of life for everyone in the area. I am available for questions. >> Thank you, Commissioner. Questions for my colleagues? >> So, Commissioner, I did want to ask you, I know a lot of your comments were regarding sort of the infrastructure associated with these developments. We heard from Mr. Bushman about the traffic impact study and sort of the improvements that are coming to that area based upon that, sort of the the addition of the turn lanes. From from your comments, sounds like those are not that's not sufficient from from your view. the studies uh are outdated really. Th this road this road is limited to what can be improved on it. I hope everybody understands that. I mean, it's a rural road to begin with, and if we're if we're going to treat it with high density, th this is not appropriate. >> What What do you mean the studies are outdated? Just want to make sure that we're clear about that. >> Are they including all of the projects that have been added to the area? >> Mr. ablesment. Does did that study contemplate the other projects that have been improved in the area? >> Yes, this latest study included all previous projects that have been proposed in this area. >> Thank you. >> We feel more needs to be done. The areas where residents live, it's almost impossible to widen the road. It is not the same. This has to be clear. Hey Avenue is not the same as Trey View Road and cannot be treated the same. It is a step down area and the recommendation from our commission is for the what is existing in the area. It should be compatible for what is on Hey Avenue. >> Sure. One other question I have for you, Commissioner, is that this is one of the applications I've seen come through that actually has different types of housing typology within it. So oftent times we get an application that's sort of the the same building being built, you know, three or four or five or six or seven different times on the site. You know, this is one in particular that, you know, the applicant has a number of different, you know, buildings. And again, I I think from my standpoint, being a little more thoughtful on how to um have those different structures as it comes up to the actual road itself. I'm just curious, you know, your commission has reviewed a lot of different multif family developments over the years, whether or not that was something that was appreciated by you all, didn't really matter in the process of this, or um was something that you liked, but again, the density is just too high. I'm just sort of curious if that different types of housing um sort of buildings, you know, made any difference for you all. We definitely would like different type of uh different types of housing in the area. Um nobody has brought that to us. >> Well, in this particular application actually has different types of buildings in it of itself. >> It's all it's all the same apartment type of dwelling. There's no there's no duplexes that have been suggested to our area. There's no condominiums which are group homes that will uh take care of larger populations and of course no single projects have been offered to us. >> Sure. So again if I'm hearing you correctly you know again open to other types of buildings but from a perspective of if these are rental units that's a particular point of concern for you all. the the project this particular project is surrounded by residents. >> So the impact of the size is impacting our area is impacting that residential area. >> So so if we flip that though and say right now 80% of the city is zone for single family housing. So your point the adjoining areas have other single family nearby. um you know, wouldn't this be the other type of housing within that area in which you've got ownership single family nearby and this being the the rental options that are nearby? And you heard from Deputy Director Proer about the need for more housing in this area at large. Um rephrase the question would you please? >> Sure. I I think you were mentioning about the disappointment not seeing other types of housing whether or not that's condominiums or single family development. You know there's mostly um that type of housings from a single family perspective. So 80% of the city is zoned for single family right now. Um so we are seeing multif family being built in areas that is sort of the other type of housing as compared to the existing single family that that's there currently. We have an abundance of uh apartments in our area. That is the only thing that is being built in our area. And when a project comes to us that is oversized, that is of great concern to us. >> Okay. I do want to mention we've received the most disapprovals from any area commission over the last 5 years from West Sciota in every single time that's been multif family development. Now, wait a minute. In the last year and a half, we approved the San Margarita, the the San Reno project. We repro, we approve the fourth phase of preferred living. We approved the Upland project and there is a project on Trey View Road that hasn't hit the development commission meeting and I have not spoken or anybody hasn't spoken in regards to any of those projects and those are recent. >> Yep. That that that is very fair. That's very fair. Other questions or comments? Customer >> Commissioner, correct me if I'm wrong. when you and I talked um when you and I had talked about what it sounded like the West iota Area Commission was looking for in terms of changes, it sounded very similar to the requests of the com the community that we heard from last Monday. Um so your requests were wanting to keep the size compatible with the surrounding neighborhood at around like 15 units to acre or as close to that as we could get. the first story or the the front buildings. Correct me if I'm wrong, that um that were um right there like on the on one of the the east side of the project. I think you wanted them instead of three stories. Those are the unique looking buildings. It's a beautiful project. It's a really be and you you acknowledged that as well when you talked wanted those be dropped from three stories to two stories, correct? >> Um and then the concerns about the traffic. um and the bus stops which again you know it's a not lit street it's a very skinny rural road and all of that made sense to me and it also sounded like um I think this was your project last week you know it sounded very similar to other advocacy so it wasn't at least when we spoke the conversation that we had was not at all we don't want apartments it was very much like you know is there anything we can do to accommodate a trim down of the scale of this and also we need to be thoughtful of the roads is that an accurate accounting of what I think the commission was asking for. >> Yes. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Any other questions for my council colleagues for commissioner cabal? >> I just want to follow up on that. Was there a number per acre uh in terms of density? Because you you talked about the upland project that >> Okay. The Upland project which is on Tribute Road and is going to be very close to this project is two 280 units. This project is 296 units step down step down area. >> So was there a number? I'm just trying to understand if there if there was conversation >> the the uh metro development new project that is close to being completed uh is 15 units per acre. didn't have a problem with that. All right. All the other apartments which are older, uh, Whispering Creek and Abbott and all, they're in the 12 units per acre. So, when we request 15, we're not out of line for a stepdown area. Thank you, Commissioner. Any other questions for Commissioner Harrell? See, >> thank you for being here with us. >> Thank you, everybody. I appreciate your time. >> Absolutely. Uh we have three public speakers uh assigned to speak on this ordinance. The first is Miss Anita Mitchell. Miss Mitchell, welcome to council. I want to say good evening and thank you President Harden and all council members. Um my name is Anita Mitchell and I have property at Hake Avenue. Um I just listened to Rita speak and I think uh she I touched on a lot of areas uh she touched on a lot of areas that I have. So, I'm going to speak from the heart a little bit here rather than from my uh paper and redundancy. Um, I think what Rita was trying to say is um Charm Dorance is that it's not necessarily the single family housing that we're concerned about, but as I'm sure you're aware, I think you were charged with the legacy and preserving the legacy that seems to be gone. That San Margarita legacy is gone. I'm 63 years old and I grew up in San Margarita. I still live on Trey View Road and I'm moving to Heg Avenue. I had grape vines. I had gardens. I had trees. I had all of that in my backyard. It was mowed down for these apartments. I'm trying to rebuild now on HEG and I look four doors over and um there's a development there that's putting in 485 apartments. So, as I sit on my front porch now, I get to watch all of these people building and hammering and going at it. I'm working with this, okay? I really I really believe that, you know, we need different types of housing, but I don't think three and fourstory apartment buildings are what we need everywhere. I think people like condos. I think people like town houses. I think people want their diversity also in their homes and how they live. And the other part of that is all of these are making people isolated. So you have these huge developments. They have pools, they have um oh spas, all of that good thing, all of those good things. And then once that property is sold and the developer is done and moves out, then whoever manages that property has what's left. They don't keep up with it. I I hear continuously people that live at the corner of um Trey and McKinley Avenue. The crime is up there. They've had um these crashings of the pool parties and people coming onto the property that don't live there. I actually listened to somebody on a recording being physically abused while they waited for 10 different calls of police to come to the area. It rips my heart out. That is not where I grew up. That is not the legacy that I want for me, my family, my neighbors, my community. And I don't care what your studies say. I'm telling you, can I have a show of hands? How many people have been to the Trabby Road and H Avenue area? All of you have. You've all been through there. Have you all been stuck in traffic? Do you know what H Avenue looks like? I sent all of you a letter with a picture of a family, a a husband and a wife apparently, I assume, walking down the road pulling a uh wagon full of groceries that they catch the bus at Trade View. There's no Kota service there. They live at the south end of H Avenue. There are no sidewalks there. you know, this little community area is great for this development that's there, but unless every single development has that extended area, what's it going to link to? I'm just asking you to be responsible, thoughtful for the legacy for the people that live there. Um, we're not saying no. We're just saying meet us halfway here. Honest to God, that's all we really want. That's all I have to say. >> Thank you, Miss Mitchell. Any question, my colleagues, for Miss Mitchell? Thank you. Our next speaker come for council is Mr. Alex Nichols or I'm sorry miss. I apologize because I didn't staple them. So sorry. All right. Hello commission members Bankston Barrosa de Padilla Deawker uh Dorance Green Remy Ross Wii and President Harden. My name is Alex Nichols and I live in the Cortona Woods development across the street from this proposed project. Thank you for the opportunity to speak tonight on this zoning application at 1753 Northh Avenue. Uh the city of Columbus growth strategy is meant to be flexible guidance uh to move us towards a prosperous, connected, inclusive and vibrant future. The first guiding principle of the Columbus growth strategy is healthy and complete communities. It calls for the creation and preservation of a variety of housing types to support mixed income communities. Local residents are disappointed with a single type of housing being built. According to this morning's Zillow listing, there are 312 apartments for rent in a onem radius of this property. In comparison, there are only 14 homes that cost less than $500,000 for sale in the same onem radius. If we are protecting the ability for someone to move out of home ownership and into a rental without leaving their neighborhood, we should also be protecting the opposite movement as well, a renter into home ownership. The second guiding principle is quality of life in our city. It calls for us to conserve both economic and environmental resources. Enhance the uniqueness of each neighborhood and provide access to natural areas and open spaces. The Columbus growth strategy specifies that neither required stepbacks nor storm water detention basins can substitute for recommended open space, but I believe this pro proposal has included them in their open space calculations. The third guiding principle is neighborhood vitality. Highquality development enhances neighborhoods, creates a sense of place for residents. It makes thoughtful development. Highquality development is subjective and has different interpretations for different people. There are no adjacent properties that share the zoning density. Currently, thoughtful development means thinking about what happens. Specifically, I'm concerned about the neighbors on Britain Avenue. What happens to their sense of space when a line of mostly ranchstyle homes on Britain Avenue gets sandwiched between these two highdensity zones? And I um have given you the map so you can see um just how if it was pink on top and pink on bottom with one row of houses um how that might look. And I know pink is mixed residential. It's just a density um comment. And then um in the past six months this council has approved every zoning decision albeit with amendments at times that has come before them. These decisions agree with area commissions 95% of the time. We're hoping that you'll do that tonight. Um, thank you so much for your time. >> Thank you, Miss Nichols. Any questions for my C colleagues? Miss Nichols? See none. Thank you. Um, we do have one final public speaker, uh, Mr. Anthony Wrights. Um, Mr. Wright, before you come up, I I do want to just ask a question to Deputy Director Proer because I think this has come up with Commissioner Cabraw and Miss Nichols. So, we hear this a lot from from residents and again, council only can act on the legislation that's before us. You know, this is unfortunately a very applicant-driven process where we have an applicant that either buys property or gets an option on property. They go through the development process and and bring it to us, right? Council is not the one, you know, at this point under our old zoning rules saying, "Hey, here's what we think the density requirement should be. This is the housing typology we we'd want in this area." It's very much driven by sort of all those different processes that come to us. There's a common, you know, ask that comes to us of why not more ownership, why not more single family, why not condos to the like. And, you know, I think that's a common thing that we hear from a lot of area commissions. I'm just curious as someone who studies housing here in Columbus. You know, this council has approved a number of very large scale single family housing developments, but they've been particularly outside of 270. Um could you talk a little bit about why we see certain types of housing get proposed in certain areas uh and why single families like we see that less proposed in areas like this at this point >> as we think about um our partners in the development community identifying sites for housing and and what type of housing they want to build there. A lot of that is determined by the sites that are available. Um, so as we think about some of those outer edge bigger sites that are what we would refer to as green field developments, you've got the land enough to make a development big enough to sustain a single family investment. Uh, when you have a lower density product, you still have to capture the number of units to balance out both the land cost and the cost of construction. When we look at some of the places where we have the density that we're we're bringing, one, it's it's bringing the units that we need to help support just the overall growth. Um, there is a market demand for these units, for the folks who are coming in, recent graduates of Ohio State who are staying with us here in Columbus, getting their first jobs, all of that is something they need um, housing for. But when you look at when we have these higher land costs, closer to opportunities, closer to job centers, you're going to need those additional units in order to make the housing feasible. And so, it's market demand. So, they know that they are going to have tenants that want to come and live in this community and and be part of it. But it is also to under to overcome the cost of construction and the cost of the land in these extremely high demand areas. And we know in this particular part of the city those land costs are going up. Um but it does allow us to accommodate the permitting that we need. And when we look at our trajectory around overall housing permitting, we are we are meeting the expectation we have annually. Now we're starting to see that slowing growth of rents and home prices in a way that we haven't seen in the last couple years. um that's evidence of that pressure being relieved and particularly when we think about these high demand areas. If these options aren't available for these folks, they will move into other parts of the city. We look at the pressures around displacement and concerns for around that when we don't have the accommodating housing. The pressure does not just stay here in this particular community, but moves into those other parts of the city as well. Um it's complicated to build inside housing. it is getting increasingly more complicated um to find a site that you can make work to add the housing we need and to satisfy that market demand um in an area that you know to date about 80% of the units in this census track are single family units um so as we think about increasing that housing diversity this multif family does serve that purpose and meet that market relieving that overall pressure and helps not just the new residents that are going to come in and move into this development but the existing residents as well >> thank you um I'm sorry is right. I apologize. Thanks for indulging me for just a moment. I wanted to make sure we sort of got to that question if that's all right. But floor is yours, sir. No worries there. I'm pretty easy to work with. Uh, good evening. My name is uh Tony Wright. I am a father of two with two on the way in September. I'm a software QA automation engineer and I'm an Eagle Scout and I am someone who's concerned uh about the community and whether their voices are truly being heard. I want to bring up some concerns regarding the presentation that was put on by Metropolitan Holdings, how it was presented, and question the transparency of this process and whether residents voices are truly being heard and accounted for. I in the uh attached uh packet we gave you, there is a graphic there. It's a uh AI graphic. Refer to it as you'd like. Um but during the April 9th commission or development commission meeting developer presented this AI generated graphic as a factual plan that they have for developing the property. This meeting was the first time the graphic was shown to residents and to any commission board. It was not previously shown to the west commission and so they did not have the chance to challenge the inaccuracies of the graphic and question the uh developer regarding them. The AI generated graphic majorly misrepresents the area to the north of the site as being heavily forested when in reality much of that has already been removed to make way for the highdensity upland development that is already underway on Trey View. The golf course is not accurate represented nor does it show the existing buildings that are already there along the road at that intersection. It suffers from several points where the perspective does not work with the area. Adequate parking is not appeared to be provided. The buildings at the back are not proportional and the sidewalks appear to be overwriting the driveway. Presenting this AI generated graphic as a factual representation gives me great concern about this project when their AI generated graphic has such glaring issues and I'm concerned the graphic was not reviewed for accuracy by a human especially since the upland project is well underway and is not represented here. Another concern is that the lack of transparency and the lack of a complete official record. The previous meetings I have personally been to, the voting board did their due diligence and heavily discussed any projects that had community uh opposition. But at this latest meeting with the for the development commission, the community's main concerns regarding density were only briefly considered and discussed before a vote. It felt as if the AI generated graphic painted an inaccurate idyllic picture and that settled any major concerns even being referenced as a deciding factor in one of the comments made by the committee. The recording of the development commission uh meeting does not show any of the presentation by Metropolitan Holdings. All that is seen is the open space plan site and so residents who are unaware of what's being presented in the recording uh have no opportunity to see the presentation. Not having a complete official record in recording that includes the full presentation does not give residents the tool and information they need to make informed decisions and understand the project as presented by the developer. We reached out to Alyssa Saltzman regarding this official record being incomplete and requested a response as to how this could have happened and what can be done in the future to prevent this from happening. And at this point in time, we have not received a response on that point. This is concerning because if the official record is not accurate depicted here, what other meetings are missing vital information for residents to make informed decisions for meetings they like myself have not been able to attend in person? In conclusion, the density concerns, the perceived zoning code irregularities, and the concern regarding the accuracy of the project presentation and perceived lack of transparency are our main concerns in addition to the other topics we as its community have provided you on the sheets when we first started speaking. We urge you to disprove this application so a properly soothed application may come forward, whether it is an amended compromise from the developer or from another developer. Thank you for your time. Thank you, Mr. Wright. Any questions for my colleagues for Mr. Wright? See none. Thank you. Uh, Mr. Dietrich, I did want to ask you just with regard to uh the point that was made by the speaker about renderings as they're submitted to various bodies. Does the city have requirements about, you know, the accuracy of those or the the type of uh image that is shared? And if so, um, you know, what are they? Um, typically developers like to come with their own presentations to a meeting like the development commission. They'll have things like renderings, 3D models. Um, one of the reasons we typically don't include those to you guys is because they're not always 100% accurate. They're drawings. They're the developer vision. It's not black and white like the site plans and elevations that are included in your ordinance that you're looking at tonight. So again, just to be very clear, and I certainly understand the point from the speaker about what was presented to the development commission. Obviously, that image is not something that's part of the packet that arrives to council for for members to review. The the same things you're talking about the site plan, those other um sort of the the height elevation, those documents are also provided to the development commission. Correct. So while they may have something that um again I I think it's a fair >> question of hey if I'm submitting this and it's not an accurate representation of the project there's other information that that actually is demonstrating what is what is properly before that body. >> Yeah and staff has their packet that they're presenting to the development commission that included all the things that you guys see tonight. what the developer chose chooses to show to the development commission is up to them and their integrity and what they're providing to the development commission for a recommendation. So whether or not that rendering was 100% accurate. A lot of times we don't even have access to those um presentations until right before the meeting. They're handing us flash drives to plug in so they can go through the development commission. >> Okay. Thank you, Mr. Dietrich. Uh at this point, as customary, I'll invite the applicants representative uh forward for any rebuttal from the public testimony. Thank you, Chair Dorans. Certainly, it goes without saying that um the change is hard and um the growth that is necessary in our city uh in terms of housing and infrastructure um is at times messy and is and is painful. But we are um without a doubt observing um what has happened to other cities nationally and have come to the conclusion that the way we historically created development the way we did business historically wasn't working. It just wasn't working. That's why we don't have the housing in the community that we need. uh Miss Proser um mentioned 2007208 I was doing this kind of work in the community at that time um nothing was happening and not just in Columbus but nationally um that created uh a a glut in housing even in Washington DC they're having this discussion I think uh maybe there's a a national bill that's been floating around to help um promote housing um across the country including here in Columbus. Um, so it's a it's a challenge. It's a it's a it's a tough process and it's a and it's uh it's difficult, but it it's also a necessity and it's and it's and its leadership. And I think that this council and this community has wisely adopted a housing policy, has wisely adopted a growth strategy, is wisely revamping the zoning code that I've made a living on for the last 25 years, but widely revamping the zoning code to create the kind of housing to move Columbus to continue to to move Columbus forward. The other thing that I think is is worth mentioning is that um the housing that we need is it can't all it can't all be provided by the government. The housing that we need really at the end of the day is a collaboration between the private sector and the public sector. And that's what that's what has to happen. The government can't the government in the business of building housing. So it does take a partnership. I think someone used the the word earlier partnership between uh local government and uh the private side development and that is certainly what this is. Uh in terms of in terms of bus stops in Kota uh we all know that um the the link us um uh platform was approved by the voters. Uh we know that Kota is consistently evaluating its bus routes and we know that that that Kota is a responsible organization and they're getting bus routes out to the uh growth corridors of of the city and the areas that need uh busing. Uh in terms of whether or not this uh density um is appropriate for the area, um it is. The professional city planning office concluded that it is the Avenue project in the immediate vicinity is at 30 dwelling units an acre. The Alammyra project is at 26 units an acre. Uh the San Remo is at 18 and the Featherwood is at 18. All densities that are uh consistent uh in two cases uh uh considerably more intense than the proposal uh before you this evening. Uh in terms of of of the the graphic that was presented, there was never any intention for any slight of hand or for any misrepresentation that there was a a a bird's eyee view rendering uh prepared by the landscape architectural team that sort of showed the the the development looking from the east side of Hey up towards Raymond Memorial Golf Course. It's up to the north. an original of that did not show the Upland development. We we then had uh that image updated so that we did s actually superimpose the Upland development into that uh into that imagery, but there's never uh ever any intention to um uh uh not be transparent and not provide all of the relevant information to the council, to the development commission, to the neighborhood, to the city, to anybody uh involved in the process. So, um I think I'll stop there. I'll certainly do my best to answer questions of council, but uh this is here with the with the city staff recommendation with unanimous recommendation from the development commission and um I respectfully request uh that city council follow suit from those uh earlier bodies and and do the same. Thank you all. >> Thank you, Mr. Hajj. Any questions for the applicants? Representative Cston. >> Thank you, Mr. Chair. U Mr. Haj, could you just run through again? Uh, you know, I think this project had many variances. Uh, at the start that this body was going to hear uh there was, I think, some height reductions that have happened. Looking at the site plan, my understanding that there are town homes and different typologies in the actual site plan. If you could just tick through very quickly cuz I think we've been here a while. >> Sure. uh what those changes were because I heard and I'm only saying that because I think when I hear things like meet us halfway or we're not saying no when there's a lot of work that's been done to change it. I mean if we're talking about if this was the same exact project at 15 units per acre what I'm hearing from the community they would be fine with that. I don't know math off the top of my head that's about probably 50 or so units that we're talking about. Am I getting that right? Um, so I just wonder if you could just tick through kind of what has changed because now we're not talking about something as a reszoning plus multiple different variants. This is contained to the site once it's go through this zoning. It can be built right based off of just that zoning change. So if you could just remind us again really quickly. >> Sure. So out along Hey with the original proposal, those buildings out along the front, they were moved way up to the to the H Avenue rightway. I think I think our setback at that point in time was 10 ft. So we did not meet the the city building setback requirement for the buildings that fronted HEG. So one of the revisions that happened was those those that building typology that has a single family residential kind of aesthetic to it. Those got shifted to the west back deeper into the site. Uh we originally had a height variance for many of the buildings uh throughout the site. I know with council relatively recently, we've discussed the 35- ft um the 35t height district. These all these all fall within the 35t height district. We originally had a variance for for for some of the buildings here to exceed the 35 ft height district. We also were into the perimeter yard at certain places uh north and also southeast where we were encroaching into the perimeter yard by 5t. we instead shifted the building's interior to the site uh meet that 25 ft 25 foot uh perimeter yard requirement and then also we mentioned earlier that along the northern uh perimeter yard within the within the northern 15 ft we incorporated a tree preservation zone in addition to to um meeting the underlying requirements. So uh to my recollection those were the variances that were previously associated with the proposal. We eliminated all of those in response to feedback throughout the entirety of the process leading us to the meeting here tonight. >> So yes, so it changed significantly. And then again, you talk about the mix and type. We're not talking about all flat flats here. We're talking about some mix of town homes. Also, I believe when we met there was also a combination of three bedrooms here, right, for larger to accommodate larger families as well. >> That's correct. That's correct. So up on the screen now is you you can see the um the different building typologies. So uh up on the top of the screen are the the buildings that front uh Hey Avenue and those sort of have a single family residential aesthetic. The middle column there is along on the right hand side is the uh carriage house two-story carriage house style unit. Those are along the north side of the property. And then on the bottom of the screen are the threestory breezeway buildings that that council has seen so many of. So yes, lots of different building typologies. It's all apartment residential. They have a a townhouse aesthetic, but it is all apartment residential. >> Gotcha. And then again from a roadway improvement, there's going to be sidewalks or I think a mixeduse path that goes to nowhere for now, but I think you know we fill in the teeth as it goes. So that will be in the front of Hey. So there will be a place for children to stand safely. Is that my >> Absolutely. An 11 ft shared use path. That was one of the that was one of the notes I wrote. An 11 foot shared use path will be installed along the entire frontage here here on the west side of HEG, which which not only, you know, accommodates the the biker, the skateboarder, the walker, the jogger, uh the scooter rider, um but also uh can provide that place for kids to wait for the bus. >> Okay. Thank you. Thank council member Bosa. Um this is not for you but for um director proer can for just a second can you in in in the most succinct way when we when we talk about density right and we talk about 15 units versus 12 units you know when you look at other cities that might be more dense right that they're like at 26 units or 20 units or whatever as we look at the growth of Columbus it feels like we're growing growing this way and at some point that's going to end. So we need to grow up, right? And as we think about link us and we think about how we're pushing our density towards those corridors, but in these areas where we have still have the land to grow. Can you talk again just super succinctly, how do we come up with that 15 number and for and is that different for different areas of the city because they can withstand more density or it looks different or can you just give us a refresher on that? >> I can. Uh so as we think about the growth that's coming into the city, we know broadly in the region we need about 200,000 units. when we look at other cities um in particular I I'll call on Austin where the growth pattern was very sprawling and what that outcome was was large amounts of personal vehicles on the roadways for very long many miles um creating an overall gridlock in the system right when you have that incredible spatial mismatch and you're separating from where people live to where they work and without other multimodal choices and when you're sprawled out it's really hard for KOD to figure out how to serve that level of sprawl. And so when you can dense, you can create those dense pockets where there is that connectivity between a job and and where you live, it's going to reduce the amount of even if you drive your personal vehicle, you're not on that many roads. It is going to overall alleviate the pressure on that system. And so we have to figure out a way to get that density close to where people are working, going out, all of the things that we know people are going to do in order to to sustain the overall transportation network. the development community will find a way to accommodate the housing we need. It will just happen very very very far out from the city into other jurisdictions where that housing will go. If you've been out in the ex urban parts of our city, you see a lot of single family construction. They will meet that need. They will meet it in a way that is not sustainable for all of us from an environmental from a transportation network standpoint. So adding density close to these job centers is really critical. >> Thank you. I just I I I I just sometimes need that reminder because I think as the city sprawls out, right, to your point, we're moving uh people are living further away. I mean, I think about like I grew up in a five or six mile radius of my house, right? Because I had a mall, I had all the the amenities around us and as those amenities start to go out further, you know, like my kids doctors now like Africa Road, right? And I'm driving 30 minutes to go to the doctor because it's in network, etc. But we have to grow up which is why you're seeing more two or three stories in places where it has not traditionally been because that is helping us address our density. Correct. Thank you. I just want I I just think it's good for us as we continue to have these conversations to have like reminders of why things are changing the way that they are. I mean, as a at at some point, I look around I grew up around lots of apartments in the East Moore neighborhood and Fairmore neighborhood and it was it had to have been because of a population boom at some point and you saw those grow because you could see after after a certain amount of time we needed to go up further if people wanted to stay in that area. So, thank you. >> Any other questions by my colleagues or the applicants representative? Any other comments from my colleagues? because I'm going to ask one last question, Mr. Dillis, then I'm going to ask us for a vote here. Mr. Dillis, so we've heard from the area commission folks here tonight. You know, around 15 units per acre was what they would have found acceptable here. Obviously, we are higher than that. Mr. Hajj mentioned other developments nearby that are sort of in line with the developments been proposed here, some above. Why is the city departments or our planners in support of this density level here tonight? >> Sure. Um, I I really think the diversity of housing that they're providing on the site is is a key factor. The the preservation of the stream corridor protection zone is an important factor. The the sidewalk network within the multi-use path that was mentioned on HEG, all key elements, but but for us a compelling factor is the three different forms of housing types that are being provided on this site. the is as is uh the applicant represented the the sort of lower slung if you will housing that's facing Trey View to sort of preserve that that view uh but the variety the variety was compelling to us. >> Thank you Mr. Dills. Um any other comments from my my colleagues? I think we've talked a lot about this application here tonight. Um I think there's a lot going on here with regard to traffic improvements and the type of improvements that are coming with it. I know those answers don't satisfy everyone. I think to the point of the department regarding the the increase in density here. Density is the most controversial thing that we talk about with regard to housing development uh where that should be. There's no perfect answer. I think there are times in which it can be higher based upon things like having different types of housing typologies being included. I think there are also times that a site um because the constraints on it, it may be lower. Um, you know, I I think for this project in particular, I'm going to trust our folks from planning saying that this is an appropriate density uh level. And because of that, I'm going to move for passage by voice at this time. >> Bankston, >> Bar Padilla, >> yes. >> De Akart, >> no. >> Dorren, >> yes. >> Green, >> no. >> Reie, >> yes. >> Ross, >> yes. >> President Harden, >> yes. Thank you. Next, we have ordinance number 1 1923-2026 degree zone 1258 Oak Street being.36 plus acres located in the northeast corner of Oak Street and Wilson Avenue from LP1 limited private parking district to CPD commercial plan development district. The site consists of four parcel develop a parking lot proposed reszoning will allow a mixeduse development containing 15 apartment units 11 townhouse style units approximately 600 square feet of eating and drinking establishment approves from city staff development commission and the near east side area commission. If there are any question comments I move for passage >> bankstonia de Aar Dorren Green Remy Ross White President Harden >> pass. >> Thank you. Next we have words 1927-226 to reszone 925 Hillyard Rome road beam 2.0 plus acres located in the southeast corner of Hillyard and Rome road and Fedner road from C4 commercial district to CPD commercial plan development district to CPD commercial plan development district. Site consists of two parcels one developed the fuel sales facility and one developed the commercial building. Requested resoning will allow the site to be developed with a new fuel sales facility across both lots. ROS approved from city staff development commission and the far west area commission. I move for passage. >> Please call the role. >> Bankston Barrosa de Padilla de Akara Dorren Green Remy Ross White President Harden >> pass. >> Thank you. Next move the council variances. We have uh ordinance number 1924-2026 grand varian provisions section 3356.03 C4 permitted uses 3361.02 02 permitted use of the plast prop property located at 1258 Oak Street to allow a ground floor residential use in the CPD compression plan development district. This is a concurrent variance. The reszoning we just considered this evening for proposed mixeduse development containing up to 26 apartments and 600 ft of eating and drinking establishment. Propos the request council various willow ground for residential uses which is not allowed in the current zoning district. Proposal has approved from city staff the near east area commission. I first move to accept the entire staff report into evidence as an exhibit. Second clerk, >> please call the role. Bankston Barrosa de Padilla de Aar Dorren Green Remy Ross White President Harden >> accepted it. >> Thank you. And it's move to adopt the fine staff the fines council. >> Clangston Barrosa de Padilla de Aar Dorren Green Remy Ross White President Harden >> adopted. >> Thank you. Finally move for passage. >> Cler please call the role. >> Bankston Barrosa Padilla de Aar Dorren Green Remy Ross White President Harden >> pass. >> Thank you. Next, you have ordinance 1928-226 to grant variance provisions of section 34 EU uh 20100 A uses 34E20.030 030 C1 general requirements and 34E uh 20 uh 090 C building placement. 34E 20009D building line from 34E 20009F facade transparency 3 34E 20009G parking on-site parking in 34G.20.030 030 landscaping screening the Columbus city code for properly located at 35 uh 79 South High Street to allow South storage facility with reduced development standards in the RAC regional activity center district. This site consists of one parcel developed a vacant big box retail store and the requested council variance will allow the existing building to be converted into a self- storage facility and also allow two singlestory self I'm sorry two singlestory self- storage buildings adjacent to an out parcel on South High Street. A council variance is required because the current zoning district does not allow storage uses including self- storage facilities. An amendment has been submitted to the clerk regarding the revised site map to include a flag pole section of an adjacent parcel which allows access to south high street. Proposals approved in city staff in the far south Columbus area commission. I first move to accept the entire step for evidence as an exhibit. Clerk, >> please call the role. >> Bankston, Barrosa Deadia de Akar Dorren Green Reie Ross White, President Harden. >> Accept it. >> Thank you. All right. Next move to adopt the five staff of the finance council. >> Please call the role. >> Bankston Barrosa de Padilla de Akara Dorren Green Remy Ross White President Harden. >> Adopted. >> Thank you. I move to amendment of the clerk. >> Clerk, please call the role. >> Bankston Barrosa de Padilla de Ara Dorren Green Remy Ross White President Harden. >> Amended. >> Move for passes as amended. >> Clerk, please call the role. >> Bankston Barrosa Padilla de Akyra Dorren Green Reie Ross White President Harden. >> Passed. And finally we have ordinance 1929-26 granted variance provision section 3356.03 C4 commercials district 33 uh 32.039 R4 for residential district 3312.03D administrative requirements 3312.21 ABD landscaping and screening 3312.25 312.27 parking setback line and 3312.49 C required parking and 3321.052 vision clearance 3321.09B 9B screening 3332.11 screening of mechanical systems 3332.25 required side yard 333.27 rear yard in 3356.11 C4 district setback line for the property located 887 North Nelson Road to allow single single and multi-unit residential development and a non-acessory parking lot with reduced development standards in the C4 commercial district and R4 residential district respectively. The site consists of 13 undeveloped parcels and the requested council variance will allow the site to be developed with a mix of attached and detached single unit dwellings and a 25 unit apartment building a non-acessory parking lot across the street. Requested council variances to administrative requirements landscaping and screening maneuvering parking setback lines required parking vision clearance screen mechanical systems and building setback proposals from city staff and the north central area commission. I first move to accept the entire entire staff report and evidence as an exhibit. >> Please call the role. Bankston Barrosa de Padilla de Aar Dorans Green Remy Ross White President Harden >> accept it. >> Next move to adopt the vine of staff defiance of council. Cler please call the role. >> Bankston Barrosa de Padilla de Aar Dorans Green Remy Ross White President Harden move passage. >> Cler please call the role. >> Bankston Barrosa Deia de Ara Dorren Green Remy Ross White President Harden >> passed. >> And counc all we have today is only agenda. >> Is there a motion to adjurnn? Clerk, please call the role. >> Bankston dear, Dorren Green, Remy, Ross White, President Harden. >> Meeting is adjourned. We'll reconvene in 15 minutes. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat up here. about hey everybody. Hey Heat. Heat. Heat. Hey. Hey. Hey. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Hey, Heat. 33. >> Chris did. >> Yes. >> Please call the road. Reconvene. Meeting number 33. >> Bakesa de Padilla de Aar Doris Green Remy Ross White. President Harden. >> Meeting is reconvened. We'll now go to the Health and Human Services and Equity Committee. That committee is chair by Council Member Green. Council member, the floor is yours. >> Thank you so much, Council President. Tonight in our Health, Human Services, and Equity Committee, we have three ordinances on second reading. And as I introduce this first ordinance, I'd like to invite um Christy Hayes from Make a Day um our last soldier standing back there. Thank you so much for hanging in with us, Christie, uh to the podium to speak. um when um and introduced ordinance 1952-2026 to authorize the city clerk to enter into an advanced payment grant agreement with the Columbus Coalition for the Homeless in support of trash removal, safe storage, and hygiene initiatives for the city's unsheltered population to authorize the appropriation of $17,500 and an expenditure of $125,000 um within the neighborhood initiative sub fund. Um, you know, here at city council and tonight, especially in this long zoning meeting we just had, uh, we talk about the housing crisis a lot. Um, and I think that this body and, um, our city as a whole have really planted a flag, uh, planted a flag to make it clear that one of our absolute top priorities is addressing uh, this current housing crisis. And we know the solution to that problem, it's to build more housing at every uh, income level. Um, unfortunately here locally we face a a severe shortage of deeply affordable housing, especially for those house households with no or very low income with only 27 units available for every 100 families that need them. Our shelter systems currently operating above capacity, an average length of stay stretching 90 days or more, leaving those experiencing new and emerging housing housing crises with nowhere to go. So together, these realities contributed to a 43% increase in unsheltered homelessness just in the last year alone. That's hundreds more families um that don't have a roof over their head, don't have a place to sleep at night that uh did a year ago. And so while these recent dramatic increases are not ones that we accept, we and we are going to work uh tirelessly and urgently and intentionally um to reverse course on these trends, they are in fact our current reality. And so, um, you know, while we frequently talk about this issue simply as a housing crisis, for those neighbors that are also caught in that log jam with nowhere else to go, um, it's also becoming a public health crisis. And until enough housing exists, uh, we must pursue a dual strategy. Aggressively expanding housing while also addressing the immediate public health and safety needs of both our neighbors who are currently without a home or who might be living outside as well as the broader community that's impacted by these challenges. Equally, growing national consensus and evidence-based best practices have affirmed that communities like ours can achieve better public health and housing outcomes when those communities pair long-term investments in affordable housing like the ones we're making through our affordable housing bond dollars, zone in, and other big picture strategies. When we pair those long-term affordable housing investments with evidence-based person- centered public health approaches that support the immediate health and safety needs of our neighbors experiencing unsheltered homelessness and the broader community in the immediate term. It improves health and well-being. It allows our neighbors experiencing housing crises to stay better linked to uh health and other social safety supports. Um and we achieve better outcomes with successfully connecting those in need to long-term stable supported living. So, this legislation uh takes and uh takes those best best practices into consideration um uh through three practical steps to put those principles into action. First, uh the largest most substantial piece of this package will dedicate $100,000 to partner with our current outreach organizations, Make a Day being one of those. um under the direction and supervision of the Columbus Coalition for the Homeless to establish pilot programs on the southside and the west side that will provide regular trash collection at known encampments um throughout those communities. This service will help address one of the most frequent concerns that we hear both from traditionally housed and unhoused residents alike, concerns about sanitation, environmental hazards associated with encampments. And truthfully, I think um all of us could agree that if the trash stopped coming at a regular cadence to all of our homes uh in all of our neighborhoods, I imagine that sanitation would probably quickly devolve uh in any community. And so these are the challenges that our neighbors that are without a home are having to try to navigate every single day. So, with this pilot program, we'll provide these essential health and safety supports to proactively um address these concerns and support our neighbors rather than waiting until it's become hazardous for uh sheltered and unsheltered neighbors alike. Uh second, it dedicates $10,000 to fund the construction of a mobile shower unit with uh our partner Tent City Showers so that we can bring critical hygiene services directly to our unsheltered neighbors. Access to hygiene shouldn't be a luxury, should be a right. And it's fundamental to all of our health, wellness, and dignity. And from a practical perspective, access to uh fresh water, hygiene, showers, haircuts, clean clothes is also so critical in helping folks who are on their journey towards stability. Um by ensuring that they have access to the basic essentials that all of us need to achieve and maintain employment. Um and you know, reduce our barriers to both economic and housing stability. And finally, the uh last and third uh piece of this legislative package dedicates $15,000 to establish two secure storage storage hubs so that our neighbors experiencing homelessness have a safe place to keep their documents and belongings that are so essential in helping them rebuild their lives. things like birth certificates, marriage certificates, identification cards, medical records, um family photographs, things that make it possible to apply uh for housing, obtain employment, access benefits, or simply to hold on to the memories of the people you love. Uh these proposed initiatives, I just want to be very clear, they're not novel. Uh this isn't new. uh they reflect a growing national consensus that communities can achieve um better public health and housing outcomes when they pair investments in housing with these types of public health strategies together. It's also work that supports our current efforts um around investments in housing and expanded outreach and supporting the community shelter board. It integrates really nicely with our uh clean and safe corridors initiatives that also are along those same uh regions where we'll be uh hosting these pilot projects and builds on smaller pilots that we've done here in this with uh in the city um in the past um you know I think importantly too to note the last thing I'll say about this because I know this is a long meeting um is that you know this work is good for the people that are experiencing these hardships but it's also just good governance. Uh these types of interventions improve neighborhood conditions for everyone. Um access to hygiene for everyone, helps prevent illness. Uh protecting someone's IDs and legal documents makes it easier, not harder, for them to access housing and other types of services um instead of having to start over from scratch if something gets lost, stolen, or destroyed. Uh these investments don't just reduce harm, they help our entire system work better. Um, and so I want to be very clear that this legislation is not about accepting homelessness as inevitable. It's about refusing to abandon people and our communities while we likewise work as aggressively as we can to end it. Uh, public health, public safety, stability, our ability to weather storms and hardships are all strengthened, not weakened, when every resident has access to the most basic necessities. Um so at this point in time I'd love to turn it over to one of our partners um who has been engaged in helping us plan and design this work Christy Hayes from Make a Day. Um the key part of this um that she will be managing and overseeing is the um the waste collection on the south side of Columbus. Um, this is mirroring a pilot uh with another one of our partners who was here tonight but had to leave um that was done really successfully on the west side of Columbus back in 2023. Um, and so we'll be learning from that initial pilot um expanding it to the southside and I know that Jennifer at Jordan's Crossing on the west side um and Christy are going to be working together to make sure that we're modeling this um you know similarly in both communities and building on strengths and evolving. So Chrissy, with that I'll turn it over to you. Thank you, council member. Good evening, council. I am Chrissy Hayes, executive director at Make It, a mobile outreach and housing navigation organization here and also a member of the Columbus Coalition um for the homeless. I had Jennifer from Jordan's Crossing and Al from Tent City Showers with me and I know they both wish they could have stayed, but we will honor them with uh other words. We are all here in support of ordinance 1952-2026. Um, close to 700 of our neighbors currently live outside in Columbus right now. Getting someone into housing treatment and other supportive environments takes time, often months to years. I literally met a family last June who I saw again today for the first time and they're still unhoused and dad has three kids. So, like that's a real thing that happened today. Um, in the meantime, they're living outside without trash pickup, safe storage or access to a shower. Waste accumulates, belongings get scattered, including critical documents that they need to attain housing and employment. Those conditions are hard on the people that are living in them. They're hard on the neighbors and the businesses nearby, and they're hard on our city systems that respond to the results. This investment that we're talking about doesn't wait for housing to solve that problem and addresses the conditions that we're experiencing right now. The designated resources will fund trash removal, add encampments on the city's west and south sides, save storage for people to be able to keep their belongings, and hygiene access through showers. Cleaner, better maintained encampment sites um are better for the people living in them. They're better for the neighborhoods around them. And when people have access to hygiene, safe storage, and maintained sites, they will rely less on emergency rooms, first responders, and city cleanup crews. The investment has the potential to reduce pressure on those systems while keeping people more stable and connected to services as they navigate towards housing. The organizations that are carrying out this work are not new to these communities. They're not new to working with the folks that we're speaking about. They are coalition member organizations including myself at Make a Day and Jordan's Crossing and Tent City Showers who already have trusted relationships in with the people that this investment will reach. That means cleaner sites and the people and support systems already in place to help them move towards stability. We've designed this program to track outcomes and demonstrate that the that the investment produces results. This is just a starting point. We recognize that and we are committed to building on that. The people living outside in Columbus's west and south sides are our neighbors. So the residents and so are the residents and businesses around them. All of us deserve to have cleaner, safer environments. We need trash pickup, a place to store belongings, and access to a shower, which is the ba the same basic conditions all of our Columbus residents deserve. So, we appreciate the opportunity for this investment. And thank you. >> It's like my first day on the job. Uh here you go. Um yeah, I think I think you know one thing that has been um sticking with me is a conversation that I had with um a person who was experiencing housing crisis and had you know absolutely nowhere to go. The you know shelters had a 300 person waiting list. It just was not working with them. Um and something that she said to me was about how literally how she does not feel like we see her as a neighbor. Uh those are her exact words what you just said there. how she feels like she just thinks that her her city wants her to go away. Um, and you know, my hope is with this initiative, um, that, you know, number one, she knows that the city does care. We're a city that cares about people. Caring about people means investing in things and, um, you know, that that every person needs. Um and number two that you know I think this legislation is responsive to needs across the spectrum. Um you know concerns raised by business owners about you know some of our commercial corridors and you know I think that um I think that you know caring for people's basic needs and you know supporting broader community um those two things are not in conflict with each other. They support one another really well. Um, and so we'll be looking forward to working with um with you as we continue to sort of like finalize the details of how this model is going to operate um in both of the communities and um get to work here in the next in the next couple of months or so. Do any of my colleagues have comments or questions for Christie? I just want to say thank you for your work and thank you council member. I think every member of our community deserves dignity and respect, especially when they're going through some of the hardest challenges in their life. And, you know, I think that um for whatever the circumstances are that brought someone to this place, they they deserve that. And so, I appreciate this approach. I appreciate this approach and caring for people and being intentional about showing them that dignity, especially as they work on the longer term solution of taking care of themselves and the people that they care about. Especially I think when we talk about families that have children and other folks who are not in control and don't control their situations and ensuring that they get the things that they need as well. So thank you both and thank you council member for bringing this forward. >> Absolutely. >> Thank you council member. Appreciate the work on this. Um particularly when we talk about trash collection and Cam and I've spent my entire career working on cleaner Columbus, making sure that our streets are are clean and so this is obviously very complimentary to that and making sure that you know we keep every neighborhood clean including the encampment. So appreciate your work on this. Thanks. >> Thank you. >> This is not necessarily a question for you Emily but also just uh thank you uh chair. I think we are in a a an environment where creative and different ideas and solutions are needed particularly in the housing space and I think you hit the nail on the head on the head when you said as we work toward housing which is the solution to homelessness we also have to grapple with um the dignity of how folks are treated in the right now and I think part of that and which I what I will encourage you and all of the partners who are connected to this work to do is to ensure that you're working together particularly with the coordinated response that we have in place already. I think it is important that as you engage with new folks who may not already be engaged with the homeless system that we get them connected to the homelessness outreach system and that we are always looking toward taking that person one step further toward housing which which is the ultimate goal. So what I would ask and I think you've already committed to doing and that was part of my support uh of this ordinance is ensuring that we are sitting at the table with all stakeholders um including the department of development, including CSB, including all of those who are part of that coordinated response to ensure that whatever information we are collecting, whoever we are engaging with, we are still making sure that our ultimate goal is to get them further toward housing. So, thank you for being willing to do this work. Um, I know that it is thankless work. I know that oftent times folks are not happy uh when they are engaging with you and so I appreciate the effort and the creativity that went into thinking about creative solutions toward harm mitigation for our neighbors who are unhoused and would certainly encourage that continued coordination as we move forward. >> Okay. Well, thank you. >> Oh, thank you so much again for hanging in here uh with us. Seeing no further comments or questions, I move for passage. >> Amend. >> Oh, I'm sorry. Yes. Let me get to my notes. My bad. My bad. It's a little late. Uh, okay. Seeing none, I move to amend as submitted to the clerk. >> Second. >> Clerk, please call the role. >> Bankston Barrosa de Padilla de Akara, Dorren Green, Remy Ross, White, President Harden, >> amended. >> Thank you. Thank you. And now I move for passage as amended. >> Cler, please call the role. >> Bankston Barrosa de Padilla de Akara Dorans Green Remy Ross White President Harden >> passed. >> Thank you so much. Our second ordinance tonight is ordinance 1536-2026 to authorize the board of health to accept a grant from the Ohio Department of Health for the women, Infants, and Children or Wick program in the amount of $7,49,412 and any additional funds to authorize the appropriation of 7,49,412 from the unappropriated balance of the health department grants fund to authorize the city auditor to transfer appropriations between job classes. Franklin County Wick safeguard guards the health of approximately 26,000 low-income pregnant postpartum and breastfeeding women, infants, and children up to age five who are at nutritional risk by providing nutritious foods, um, healthy eating information and healthcare referrals. Franklin County Whip Wick serves clients through clinics operated by Columbus Public Health and Nationwide Children's Hospital, which offer both scheduled and walk-in appointments Monday through Friday, including evening hours and are located in high-risk neighborhoods, community hubs, and primary care facil facilities. Um, are there any questions or comments for my colleagues? >> Seeing none, I move for passage. >> Please call the role. >> Bankston Baradia de Ahard, Dorren Green, Remy, Ross, White, President Harden. >> Passed. >> Wonderful. And our last ordinance tonight is ordinance 1938-2026 to authorize the executive director of the office of celebrate 1 to transfer cash and appropriations of $193,569.54 within the Ohio Department of Medicaid enhanced maternal health program to transfer the appropriation of $12,590.32 from within the Ohio Department of Medicaid enhanced maternal health program to reallocate $145,56.97 within the Ohio Department of Medicaid enhanced maternal health program grant within the government grant fund to authorize notfor-profit contract with the new subgrantee action for children for the enhanced maternal health program in Columbus and central Ohio to end expenditure of up to $145,5687 from the government grant fund and to declare an emergency. The Ohio Department of Medicaid has awarded this grant to the office of Celebrate 1 to coordinate the enhanced maternal health program in Franklin County. Celebrate 1 has been designated as the primary grantee organization and administer uh for this grant here um across the entire county. The uh original ordinance um ordinance 1723-2022 established 12 contracts with community partners and the extensions added two additional uh partnerships for a total of 14 subgrantees. At the end there was a remainder of funds that ODM has approved to be reallocated to the action for children uh organization to provide um infant and maternal health programs. Emergency action is requested at this time in order to meet grant deliverable deadlines and provide timesensit sensitive infant maternal mental health services to pregnant and parenting families within Columbus. Are there any questions or comments for my colleagues? Seeing that I move for passage, >> please call the role. >> Thanks Darosa Deia de Aar Doris Green Remy Ross White President Harden >> passed. >> Thank you council president. That's all for me. >> Thank you madam chair. Um, we're going to continue to go out of order and I'm going to throw uh it to uh the housing chair. I know we have some special guests in the audience. I want to make sure that we respect uh their uh being here. So, the next committee to come before council is the housing committee chair by council Ross. Councilman, the floor is yours. >> Thank you, Council President Harden. Uh we have five pieces of legislation coming out on second reading out of the housing homelessness and building committee. The first is ordinance number 1696-2026 to authorize the director of development to enter into a grant agreement with My Brother's Keeper in an amount up to $3 million for My Brother's Keeper to act as a pass through entity with Mount Herman Senior Phase 1 LLC in support of the development of 54 units of new affordable apartment homes with Mount Herman Senior Phase 1 project to authorize the appropriation of funds within the income set aside sub fund and the affordable housing bond fund to authorize the transfer of cash between the income tax set aside sub fund and the affordable housing bond fund to authorize the expenditure in an amount up to $3 million within the affordable housing bond fund and to declare an emergency. This project, which is set to conclude construction in the fall of 2027, will provide 54 residential rental units in a single three-story elevator building with a mix of one to twobedroom style units. All units will be set aside as lowincome housing tax credit units, including six fully accessible units. 13 of the units will be for those at or below 30% adjusted median income. 27 units will be for those at or below the 50% adjusted median income level. And 14 units will be at or below the 60% adjusted median income level. The units will range from 700 ft² to 900 ft with an endunit washer and dryer set energy star compliant appliances wired with broadband infrastructure for digital accessibility. My Brother's Keeper, a nonprofit supportive services provider, will be the minority general partner in the development and will also provide on-site services for senior residents. That will include, but are not limited to, assistance with daily living needs, including housekeeping, meals and transportation, financial literacy, job search, job training, and placement assistance. Other services that are included will be the monitoring of life safety alarms, health, nutrition, and wellness support. Uh I would like to take a moment to recognize the visionary behind this project uh Bishop Donald J. Washington, Pastor Emmeritus of the Mount Herman Missionary Baptist Church, who is present here with us today and say thank you for your leadership and ensuring that we are supporting one of the most vulnerable sectors of our demographic here in the city of Columbus. As we know, seniors are the fastest growing demographic into homelessness and to have housing support for our seniors is critical in meeting the healthy housing continuum in which we seek to meet in our community. So, thank you to the great bishop. I appreciate you for your visionary leadership here and I will pass it to any of my colleagues that have further comment or questions with regard with regard to this legislation before moving for passage. Council member Bankston also would like to thank you for your wonderful visionary leadership. He would also like to say that if it was not almost 11 p.m. he would have so much more to say with regard to how much he loves and appreciates your service to this community. Thank you also to Larry Price who is here with us today in support of this legislation. If there are no further questions or comments from my colleagues, I will move for passage. Bankston Padilla dear Dorance Green Remy Ross White President Harden. >> Thank you. Next is ordinance number 1812-2026 to authorize the director of development to enter into a grant agreement with Seat and South Columbus Incorporated in an amount up to $1 million of a $3 million commitment for Seat and South Columbus Incorporated to act as a pass through entity with Seat and Square South and West Limited Partnership in support of the renovation of 108 units of affordable apartment homes with the Seat and Square South and West project to authorize the amendment to the 2025 capital improvement budget to authorize the appropriation of funds within in the income set aside sub fund and affordable housing bond fund to authorize the transfer of cash between the income tax set aside sub fund and the affordable housing bond fund to authorize the expenditure in an amount up to 1 million within the affordable housing bond fund and to declare an emergency. This ordinance is for the second portion of the commitment of this project that is a small residential neighborhood in northeast Columbus defined by its triangular shape formed by rail lines Fifth Avenue and I 670. This is a growing residential community where Habitat is actively investing in high quality affordable housing. My apologies that is a different uh project. Um the Seatin project is a multifamily affordable housing renovation project that is aimed at revitalizing a community through substantial rehabilitation while maintaining affordability for its residents. This project is 100% project rental assistant contract subsidized ensuring that the housing remains accessible to lowincome individuals and families. Okay, it looks like I actually have a speaker who is here to speak in support of ordinance number 1696 2026. So, I apologize. I'm going to stop and go back to the previous ordinance and ask Mr. Nathaniel Wilkins to come up to the stand. Welcome back to council, Mr. Nathaniel Wilkins. And my apology for overlooking >> like a champ >> and thank you. >> 1612 Argenton Avenue, Mr. Los Angeles. Welcome. I'm not going to take all your time here. Um I just need some backlog records of this. How long is this the first time that my brother's keeper has doing something like this for the very first time? Um, I like to really scale this as a more bigger problem since we have a housing a housing shortage. Okay. To my knowledge, this don't indicate for the multi disability visually impaired population. Even though we have a housing a housing shortage here, there's a lot of times y'all talk about housing, but we still leaving out the entity of vacant property that's not idolized or not being paid in time. I'm not going to take my any more your time here, but I want to get going on the process I have here. 1457 or 10 Avenue is old piece of property. this 10 houses down from my block and with my brother's keeper doing something as a great opportunity for the elderly population but that doesn't give any indication for the um disability visually impaired and blind folks. So again I would like to see up to $975,000 for this and again I would yield my time to a later time but I do want to thank you for keeping me at this long time. Shannon Harden, I just want to thank you for your time, but I have to get going. Thank you. >> Thank you, Mr. Wilkins. >> All right, I'm going to start over. I'm going to read this ordinance again. It is ordinance number 1812-2026 to authorize the director of de department of development to enter into a grant agreement with seat and south Columbus Incorporated in an amount up to $1 million of a $3 million commitment for seat and south Columbus Incorporated to act as a pass through entity with seat and square south and west limited partnership in support of the renovation of 108 units of affordable apartment homes. I'm going to go back within the seat and square south and west project to authorize the amendment of the 2025 capital improvement budget to authorize the appropriation of funds within the income set aside sub fund and the affordable housing bond fund to authorize the transfer of cash between the income tax set aside sub fund and the affordable housing bond fund to authorize the expenditure in an amount up to $3 million with the affordable housing bond fund and to declare an emergency. This ordinance is for the second portion of the commitment of this project that is a small residential neighborhood Sorry. Aimed at revitalizing communities through substantial rehabilitation while maintaining affordability for its resident. Project is 100% project rental assistant contract subsidize ensuring that the housing remains accessible to low-income individuals and families. The renovation is substantial in scope and will focus on enhancing both interior and exterior of the properties to improve the quality of life for residents. Renovation will substantially improve the living conditions for residents while preserving the affordability. Renovations include, but are not limited to, updating critical systems, enhancing interior spaces, and improving exterior amenities. Project aims to create a safer, more comfortable, and more vibrant community for current and future residents. Any questions or comments from my colleagues? Seeing none, I'll move for passage. >> Please call the role. >> Banks Baros Padilla de Ara, Doris Green, Remy, Ross, White, President Harden. >> Pass. >> Next is ordinance number 1897. Is that an 18? I can't see. 16 >> 1697-2026 to authorize the director of the department of development to enter into a grant agreement with Habitat for Humanity Mid Ohio in an amount up to $1 million for the development of a 14 unit affordable housing development for the final commitment to the Devons Triangle project for a total of 2 million to authorize the amendment to the 2025 capital improvement budget to authorize the appropriation of funds within the income Income set aside sub fund and the affordable housing bond fund to authorize the transfer of cash between the income tax set aside sub fund and the affordable housing bond fund to authorize the transfer of funds between projects within the affordable housing bond fund to authorize the expenditure in an amount up to 1 million within the affordable housing bond fund and to declare an emergency. This ordinance is for the second portion of the commitment of this project that is a small residential neighborhood in northeast Columbus defined by its triangular shape formed by rail lines Fifth Avenue and I670. This is a growing residential community where Habitat is actively investing in highquality affordable home ownership opportunities by developing its first multi-family project. Multi- dwelling units in Devon Triangle neighborhood will address the need for affordable housing in the city of Columbus for low to moderate income families that are at at or below 120% of the area meeting income limits set by HUD. Are there any questions or comments from my colleagues? >> Seeing none, I move for passage. >> Second. Please call >> Bankston Barrosa Deadia de Akara Doris Green Remy Ross White President Harden. >> Next is ordinance number 1899-2026 to authorize the director of the department of development to enter into a plan modification of a grant agreement with the Tony R. Wells Foundation increase funding in an amount up to 2,835,000 and to continue to act as fiscal manager for the RHI resilient housing initiative program in providing financial assistance to eligible residents facing eviction homelessness and helping them find new housing to authorize the expenditure in an amount up to $2,835 to authorize the modification of the scope of service in an amount up to $10,000 to allow fuel only cards to be issued to participants to authorize authorize the appropriation and expenditure in an amount up to $10,000 within the neighborhood economic development fund to authorize the advancement of funding on a predetermined schedule and to declare an emergency. Any questions or comments from my colleagues? Seeing none, I move for passage dear Dorren Green Remy Ross White President Harden. Next, we have ordinance number 1904-2026 to require the director of the Department of Development to provide and adhere to a transparent process on an annual basis for the allocation of affordable housing bond dollars, including an overview of the fourthcoming year's goals for the affordable housing bonds, the details of a fair, transparent, competitive process for allocation of funds, participation on an annual in an annual public hearing on the affordable housing bonds, and an annual publication reporting on the allocation in the prior year. Um, I'm going to pass it to Council President Harden for comment. >> Sure. Thank you, Madam Chair. This legislation is part of a process council's been undergoing over the past year and a half to bring more transparency around our housing initiatives. In 2025, when Columbus updated the community reinvestment area policy and housing incentive program, we included a requirement for a public-f facing website showing where those incentives are being used and the outcomes that they are helping to achieve. I'm pleased and uh appreciative the Department of Development is now moving forward with that website. Last November, Columbus voters made a historic investment in the future of our city by approving this bond package. It represents one of the largest commitments to affordable housing in our city's history. With an investment of this magnitude comes a responsibility not only to spend these dollars wisely, but to ensure that the public can clearly see how they're being used and invested uh to make uh the noted change. Earlier this year, the housing homeless and building committee held a public hearing and conducted a community survey to hear directly from residents, housing providers, advocates, and other stakeholders. The message was clear and consistent. People support this investment, but also want a stronger public process. They want regular updates, accessible information about where these dollars are going and opportunities to stay engaged as the work continues. This legislation is a direct response to that feedback. So, tonight, council is voting on legislation that strengthens transparency and public accountability for Columbus's $500 million affordable housing bond. It establishes regular uh reporting, public reporting process. council and public and the public receive updates on bond funded projects. Expenditures and the progress we're making toward expanding housing affordability. Uh transparency isn't a barrier to building housing. It builds public trust. It strengthens accountability and ultimately helps ensure that these dollars have the greatest possible impact. Um, I thank you uh, chair for your partnership on this and look forward to working with the department as we continue to uh, move forward in our shared goal of building more affordable housing in a transparent way in our city. >> Thank you, President Harden. And are there any questions or comments from my colleagues? >> Seeing none, move for passage. Cler, please call the role. >> Thanks. Deadia de Aar Dorren Green Remy Ross White President Harden >> passed. >> Awesome. That is it for me. Council President, thank you. >> Do all right. I'm sorry. >> Council President, may I move to page 15? >> Yes, ma'am. >> No. >> All right. We have lastly for real at this time ordinance number 0813-2026 to authorize the director of theart Department of Public Utilities to modify and increase the contract with BBCO Design LLC for the space planning study project to appropriate funds in the Department of Development Operating Fund to authorize an expenditure of up to $754,633 from the sanitary operating fund and the Department of Development Operating Fund to pay for the contract modification. Any questions or concerns from my colleagues? All right. Seeing none, I will move to amend as submitted. >> Second. >> Clerk, please call the role. >> Bankston, Barrosa, Deadia, de Akara, Dorren Green, Remy Ros, President Harden. >> Amended. >> Thank you. I'll move to pass as amended. >> Second. >> Cler, please call the role. Bankston Barrosa Deadia de Aara Dorren Green Remy Ross White President Hard >> pass. >> Thank you. That is it for my committee. >> Thank you madam chair. We're going to attempt to go back in order now. So the next committee to go uh to come for council is the economic develop u is a finance and governance committee chaired by council member. >> Thank you uh council president. First in the finance and governance committee for second read. We have or resolution 0128x-2026 to adopt the 2027 tax budget and authorize and direct the city auditor to submit said budget to the county and to declare an emergency. As mentioned last week, the county tax budget is a statemandated process that we and our city auditor follow to receive our city portion of local government funds. as in years past. During the second reading of this piece of legislation, tonight council will conduct a public hearing this evening with a presentation given by our city auditor, Jackie Lewis. So, at this time, I will turn the floor over to Auditor Lewis. >> Thank you, Council President Harden and members of council. I'm here before you this evening with very brief remarks concerning the 2027 tax budget. As you know, the tax budget process is an annual function provided for by Ohio Revised Code Chapter 5705. Pursuant to that chapter, the city auditor is required to prepare a tax budget, which council must approve by resolution to establish the city's estimate of resources for the upcoming fiscal year. Upon your approval, my office will submit the tax budget to the county budget commission on or before July 20th as statutoily required. The county budget commission will then review the tax budget and must provide its approval to the city along with the certified tax rate and expected property tax revenue by September 1st. Council will then be required to adopt a second resolution accepting the rate and amount by October 1st. In conclusion, as Council Member Bangston just stated, this is a statutoily required process that informs the city's upcoming operating budget cycle. With that, I respectfully ask for council's approval of the 2027 tax budget. >> Uh, thank you, um, Auditor Lewis. Are there any questions or comments from, uh, for the auditor? Seeing none, um, I move for adoption. Cl >> Bankston Barrosa de Padilla de Aar Dorren Green Remy Ross White President Harden. Next, we have ordinance 1127-2026 to authorize the city auditor to make payment to the Waterworks LLC for services rendered prior to execution of a purchase order in an amount not to exceed $49,3749 to authorize the finance management department to enter into a contract with the Waterworks LLC to allow for the reimbursement of of four expenses incurred during the city's UTC lapse period starting March 1, 2026 to authorize the expenditure from the general general fund to wave the competitive bidding provisions of Columbus City codes and to declare an emergency. Uh the facilities management division in our department of finance manages over 89 city-owned facilities with over 4 um I'm sorry 4 million square ft of space. The division is responsible for the repair, maintenance, cleaning, and upkeep of these facilities. The Waterworks LLC provided plumbing services to the city pursuant to the terms of the city's then effective UTC for plumbing services after and and after it expired uh said UTC. This ordinance seeks to reimburse the Waterworks LLC for expenses incurred during the UTC lapse period and enters into a new contract uh and a waiver of competitive being is necessary for the period when there was no universal term contract available. Are there any questions or comments from my colleagues? Seeing none, I move for passage. Second, >> please call the role. >> Bankston Barosa, de patia, de a dorren, green, reie, Ross, white, president Harden. Next, we have ordinance 1618-2026 to authorize the director of department of technology on behalf of the city attorney's office uh and the department of the inspector general to enter a contract with Matrix Point Software LLC for software maintenance and support services with the option to renew for five additional one-year terms to wave the competitive bidding provisions of Columbus City codes and to authorize an expenditure from the Department of Technology Information Services Operating Fund. This legislation reflects a sound and fiscally responsible approach to maintaining critical software infrastructure by continuing our existing relationship with Matrix Point Software LLC. The city avoids substantial cost and operational disruptions associated with onboarding a new software platform. Given the established working relationship with the this contractor and the value of continuity and services delivery service delivery, it is in city's best interest to proceed with the ordinance through a competitive bidding waiver. Are there any questions or comments from my colleagues? Seeing none, I move for passage. >> Please call the role. >> Bankston deia de Aar Dorren Green Reie Ross White President Harden. >> Uh passed. >> Thank you. Next we have ordinance 1986-2026 to authorize the issuance of unlimited tax bonds in an amount not to exceed 173,760,000 for health, safety and and infrastructure related projects to authorize the appropriation and expenditure of $4 million from the debt retirement fund for cost of issuance and to declare an emergency. This ordinance along with the following eight companion ordinances grant authority for the city to issue bonds in connection with the 2025 capital improvement budget. This ordinance also includes funding for the cost of issuance for ordinances 1986-2026 and through 1996-2026. In total, these nine bond sale ordinances seek authority for the issuance of bonds not to exceed $514 million in municipal bonds. These bond issuances maximize infrastructure investments by the city and are paid by the 25% set aside from the city's income tax collections as well as from Columbus Water and Power Rate Payers Fund. Uh at all that being said, tonight I will be moving to refer all of these ordinances back to committee as we work with the administration and the city auditor to shore up a plan for the upcoming capital improvements budget. Are there any questions or comments from my colleagues? Seeing none, I'm sorry, C. >> No, thank you, chair. Um, I I appreciate your leadership and I appreciate you working with the administration and our auditor. After last week's hearing and on ongoing conversations, I do think it's prudent for us to uh send these uh ordinances back to uh committee uh until we get more answers on our operating budget deficit and our capital budget plans. And to be clear, this does not reflect on the merits of any of the city's current capital priorities. There are a lot of important projects in the pike and I believe that those will still move forward, but I think we consider the city's AAA credit rating to be our city's crown jewel and it's something that we need to defend and maintain. The administration has said they're going to prepare a report in late July on the city's budget. I'm going to ask our staff to send a memo to the administration with specific questions that we want to make sure that that plan addresses and I look forward to reviewing that plan. council can then take up these ordinances when we return in August and once we've had an opportunity to review it and see that plan go into effect. I did want to um ask uh the auditor um is there anything you want to comment on specifically uh can you comment on if postponing this legislation two months will negatively impact whatever kind of bond sale that you would uh plan to do this fall? >> Uh thank you Council President Harden. Um no. In terms of the timing, um, when you when you go out to market for a bond sale, there's a schedule associated with the offering. And, uh, you basically just want to have your authorizing ordinances approved prior to your conversation with the rating agencies. Of course, you have to have it approved, the bond ordinances approved prior to the sale of the bonds. So, we can work with our municipal advising firm, PFM, to come up with a schedule. Um, our initial plan was to price, excuse me, sometime in September. um we can still do that. A rating agency conversation would have to be had sometime early September, late August. Uh so I don't see a a particular issue with waiting until um sometime in August after recess for the ordinances to be approved. We can work with that schedule. >> Thank you, Madam Auditor, and thank you for continue to work with the chair and with the administration as we uh work through uh these issues together. Thank you, Mr. Chair. >> Thank you. Any other questions or comments from my colleagues? Seeing none, I move to refer this ordinance back to committee. Cler, >> please call the role. >> Bankston Barrosa Deia de Akar, Dorren Green, Remy, Ross White, President Harden. >> Refer back to committee. >> Next, we have ordinance 1987-2026 to authorize the issuance of unlimited tax bonds in an amount not to exceed $45,955,000 for recreation and parks related projects and to declare an emergency. Uh we did have one speaker on uh this ordinance this evening. So I did just want the record to reflect that Mr. Motiel did sign up to speak uh in favor of this piece of legislation but I know he is no longer with us. Are there any questions or comments from my colleagues? Seeing none I move uh for uh I move to refer this ordinance back to committee. >> Second please call the role. >> Bankston Barrosa de Padilla de Aara Dorren Green Remy Ross White President Harden. >> Thank you. Next we have ordinance 1988-2026 to authorize the issuance of unlimited tax bonds in an amount not to exceed $87,435,000 from for the public service related projects and to declare an emergency. Seeing no questions or comments comments from my colleagues I move to refer this ordinance back to committee. >> Cler please call the role. >> Bankston Barosa de Padilla de a Doris Green Remy Ross White President Harden >> refer back to committee. Next, we have ordinance 1989-2026 to authorize the issuance of unlimited tax bonds in the amount not to exceed $59,980,000 for neighborhood development related projects and to declare an emergency. Seeing no questions or comments from my colleagues, I refer this ordinance back to committee. >> Clerk, please call the role. >> Bankston Barros Padilla de Ara Green Remy Ross White President Harden >> refer back to committee. Next is ordinance 1990-2026 to authorize the issuance of unlimited tax bonds and amount not to exceed $98,315,000 for public utility related projects and to declare an emergency. Uh at this time I move to refer this ordinance back to committee. >> Cler please call the role. >> Bankston Barrosa de Padilla de Avery Dorren Green Remy Ross White President Harden. >> Refer back to committee. Ordinance 1991-2026 to authorize the issuance of of limited tax bonds in an amount not to exceed 11 million260,000 for construction management related projects and to declare an emergency. At this time I move to refer this ordinance back to committee. >> Clston Barrosa de Padilla de Aar Dorance Green Remy Ross White President Harden >> refer back to committee. Ordinance 1992-2026 to authorize the issuance of limited tax bonds in an amount not to exceed $5,800,000 for fleet management related projects and to declare an emergency. I move to refer this ordinance back to committee. Second >> clerk please call the role. >> Bankston Barrosa Deadia de Aver Dorance Green Remy Ross White President Harden >> refer back to committee. Next we have ordinance 1993-2026 to authorize the issuance of limited tax bonds in an amount not to exceed $23,915,000 for economic and community development related projects and to declare an emergency. I move to refer this ordinance back to committee. >> We refer back to uh clerk please call the role >> banks de padilla de a dorren green reie ros white president Harden >> refer back to committee. Next we have ordinance 1994-2026 to authorize the issuance of limited tax bonds in the amount not to exceed $8,250,000 for information services related projects to and to declare an emergency. I move to refer this ordinance back to committee. >> Click please call the role. >> Banks Barosa de Padilla de Akar Dorren Green Reie Ross White President Harden >> refer back to committee. Next, we have ordinance 1995-2026 to authorize the issuance of issuance of unlimited tax general obligation bonds in one or more series in an amount not to exceed 682,9 $395,000 for the purpose of providing funds to refund certain outstanding general obligation bonds of the city and to declare an emergency. This ordinance seeks authority to issue unlimited uh tax bonds in order to refund up to $682,395,000 in previously issued unlimited tax bonds. Uh from time to time, the city city will seek a bond refunding to capitalize on favorable market conditions. By refunding previously issued municipal debt, the city can reduce interest costs and in some cases reduce the time to maturity. uh this does not represent new debt but rather is a restructuring of existing debt to terms more favorable to the city. That said, similar to the previous ordinances, I will be moving this ordinance and the next ordinance back to committee for the same purpose. Are there any questions or comments from my colleagues? Seeing none, I move to refer this ordinance back to committee. >> Cler, please call the role. >> Bangston Barrosa Deadia de Ayra Dorren Green Reie Ross White President Harden >> refer back to committee. Next, we have ordinance 1996-2026 to authorize the issuance of limited tax general obligation bonds in one or more series and an amount not to exceed $35,835,000 for the purpose of providing funds to refund certain outstanding general obligation bonds of the city and to declare an emergency. Um, similar to the previous ordinance, this ordinance seeks authority to issue limited tax bonds in order to refund $35,835,000 in previously issued uh limited tax bonds. Again, this does not represent new debt, but rather is a restructuring of existing debt to terms more favorable to the city. Seeing no questions or comments from my colleagues, I move to refer this ordinance back to committee. >> Clerk, please call the roll. Bankston Barrosa de Padilla de Aar Dorren Green Remy Ross Whites President Harden >> refer back to committee. >> Thank you council member uh council president. May I move to the economic development small minority business committee. First up in the economic development small minority business committee we have ordinance 1173-2026 to authorize the director of department of development to enter into an enterprise zone agreement with Dupon USA LLC for a tax abatement of 75% for a period of 10 consecutive years in consideration of the enterprise investing approximately $30 million which includes 14 million in new construction 15 million in machinery and equipment and 500,000 in furniture and fixtures and 500,000 in standalone computers, the creation of 60 net new full-time permanent positions with an estimated annual payroll of approximately 3,71,300, and the retention of 28 full-time jobs with an associated estimated annual payroll of approximately 1,987,742 uh dollars. Uh tonight uh we have really a package of economic development incentives and there will be seven up for consideration. These incentives represent six projects across a variety of neighborhoods, developers and employers. These incentives range from proactive development on the east side and south sides uh to the expansion of the largest manufacturing facility in our region that has created generations of jobs to an engineering firm in a downtown office uh steps away from city hall. In total, these incentives secure a commitment uh to at least create 188 new jobs, but more importantly to also retain 1,299 jobs here in the city. This also represents at least $10.7 million in new payroll and $99.4 million in retained payroll. These incentives also secure nearly $350 million in real property investment across the six projects. Uh, Director Stevens, I'm going to ask you just to speak broadly. I know we're going to maybe have questions of some of these as we go along. I know that the hour is late, but if you could just talk about this package in general, uh, the mix of tools that we have here, how we came to some of those assumptions. Um, and then we will um, see if there's any questions or comments from my colleagues. >> Uh, good evening, President Harden, Chair Bangston's, members of council. Uh we have used through these different ordinances pretty much all the economic development tools that we have in place to incentivize investment and job creation. It's a mixture of both property tax abatement through the enterprise zone program where we're abating 75% of the new value while the levy agencies will continue to um receive the current property tax they have as well as growth by 25% on the investment. We're also using our performance incentives. So the downtown office incentive which is based on uh job creation and revenue created as well as the job creation tax credit. Um all of these require some level of investment or job creation. Um you later on you'll p you'll be asked to um dispose of legislation with regards to revenue sharing with the school districts. So when we do our enterprise zone agreements um once we um hit a million dollars in payroll, we share revenue with the school districts um and that that revenue is not um used against their or it's not factored into their school funding formula. So that is extra dollars on the top. Um all of these will go through our tax incentive review council to make sure the commitments that are made around investment and jobs are met. and I'd be happy to answer any questions. >> Uh, thank you, director. Actually, you hit a lot of my questions around Turk and I think a lot of the leverage that we have in place to make sure that we're holding folks accountable. You know, one thing that sticks out to me and I think it's something that we talk about often, but I think sometimes folks don't hear me get to talk about is not just simply job creation, uh, but also retention. Uh, it's not just simply about, I think, attracting new jobs. Of course, we want that. Uh, but it is about being competitive to ensure that we're not losing that strong income base. So, can you talk a little bit about this particular package and how a lot of it is really focused on expansion of current existing businesses and also that retention number, not just the creation number. >> Yeah, we have two pretty significant deals in this package that are really focused on retention. It's two globally internationally owned companies in Hikma and I'm blanking on the other one. I apologize. Um all I know is they make ice cream cones. Um so uh two international global companies that can invest throughout the world and looked at other sites not only here in the United States but um across the world and chose to invest here so continue to maintain the jobs we have as well as add new jobs. >> Thank you for that. Any questions or comments for Director Stevens at this point about this package? Okay. All right. We will not belabor the point and get straight to it. So again, with this ordinance 1173-2026 specifically authorizes an enterprise zone agreement for Dupon, USA. They plan to expand their manufacturing facility in the North Central neighborhood, investing $30 million and creating at least 60 new jobs. The Columbus City School District is estimated to receive an additional $644,690 over the term of the abatement. And again, just to clarify, they will continue uh to receive their current uh tax distribution through the abatement period as well. Uh they will receive approximately $3,223 and sorry, $3,223,450 over a 20-year period as a result of the aforementioned project. So once the that uh abatement which is a timestamped uh period, this property because of that investment will be rise in value and will be beneficial to the district over time. All 60 new full-time positions are above the city's $20 an hour wage threshold uh with full benefits and I do want to point out that is up for review this year and looking forward to that discussion. Any questions or comments from my colleagues? Seeing none, I move for passage um by voice. Oh no, sorry. I just move for passage de a Dorren Green Remy Ross White President Harden. Uh thank you. Next we have ordinance 1174-2026 to authorize the director of department of development to enter into an enterprise zone agreement with TCG uh Karina Owner 2 LLC um for an tax abatement of 75% for a period of 10 consecutive years in consideration of the enterprise investing approximately 21 million in real property improvements and the creation of 23 net new full-time permanent positions with an estimated annual payroll of approximately 998,4 $400. This ordinance authorizes an enterprise zone agreement in support of a project on the far east side. Developer proposes a $25 million investment in a proactive industrial development committing to creating at least 23 new jobs. It's important to point out here when we talk about proactive, that means that there's not a tenant that has been identified yet. Uh typically when a tenant is identified, it definitely goes above and beyond that 23 uh job number and whoever the tenant is that's selected will have to assume that job creation number as well as the minimum wage that goes with it. Kahana Jefferson public schools are estimated to receive an additional $879,340 over the term of the abatement and approximately $4,396,681,000 over a 20-year period as a result of the aforementioned project. Eastland Fairfield Career and Tech Schools are estimated to receive an additional $36,690 over the term of the abatement and approximately $183,69 over a 20-year period because of that investment. All 23 jobs again are well above the $20 hour wage threshold with full benefits. Uh seeing no questions or say something real quick, >> council president. >> Thank you, Mr. Chair. And I I will say that when we had our briefing uh on these this package, one of the things that I'm looking forward to is kind of is is the review period that that we're coming into uh I think one of the things that we talked about and I had a question about is could we look at especially for these proactive uh uh uh incentives um make uh having the um the number uh the the pay grow as uh in between the time in which we uh make the the vote. vote on it and we find a actual act actual um uh tenant to go in there. And so I just look forward to council being a part of that conversation. I think it's an important conversation as we see what that um level of of uh wage that works for our city to make such investment. These should be tough and conversations about what makes sense. But uh I just appreciate your uh your director your willingness to have that conversation. Um, and I don't know if you want to say anything like that. We're open to these parts. >> We're very articulate after 11 o'clock. Also, >> thank you, Council President. Clearly, I have been too. Um, you know, couple years back, uh, Council Member Remy really pushed us to change the number of jobs we put in these proactive development deals to really reflect kind of a historical trend, more so than what the Ohio Code asked for. uh per our discussion when we actually get a user in there let's say it takes two years before a user goes in there and our minimum wage threshold has increased whatever number we would make sure that in that time period that that company would be fall under that new minimum wage and not come in under what the $20 level we're at now. So I'm just as inarticulate at 11 o'clock. So, but we're committed to that. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Any other questions or comments from my colleagues? Seeing none, I move to pass by voice. >> Second call. >> Bankston, >> yes. >> Barrosa de Padilla, >> yes. >> De Akar, >> yes. >> Dorren, >> yes. >> Green, >> no. >> Remy, >> yes. >> Ross, >> yes. >> President Harden, >> yes. Ordinance is pass. Thank you. negative ordinance 1304-2026 to authorize the director of department of de development to enter into a community reinvestment area agreement with TCG OCP CPOZ owner LLC for a property tax abatement of 75% for a period of 15 consecutive years on real property improvements in consideration of the proposed total investment of approximately $60 million in real property improvements and the creation of 25 net new full-time permanent positions with an estimated annual payroll of approximately $1,40,000. This authorizes a commercial community reinvestment area agreement in support of a proactive industrial project in the Rick and Backer area. So, similar to the last type of project we just talked about, the developer proposes investing at least $60 million to build a nearly 1 million square foot facility and to create at least 25 new uh jobs. The Columbus City School District is estimated to receive during the abatement period, again, what they currently receive on that parcel, which is a empty lot at the time. They will continue to receive that. And also during the abatement period will receive an estimated $4,144,376 over the term of the abatement and approximately 12,332,951 over a 30-year period as a result of the aformentioned projects level of investment at $60 million. Uh are there any questions or comments from my colleagues? Seeing that, I move for passage. >> Please call the row. >> Bankston, >> I'm sorry. I'm sorry about that. Yes, I uh >> my you want to and I did want to also point out again all of those jobs are at the 25 uh at the $20 wage as well as full-time benefits. >> Um I will be um again moving for passage by voice. >> Cler, please call the road by voice. >> Bankston, >> yes. >> Barrosa de Padilla, >> yes. >> De Akar, >> yes. >> Dorance, >> yes. >> Green, >> no. Remy, >> yes. >> Ross, >> yes. >> White, >> yes. >> President Harden, >> yes. Ordinance is passed. >> Thank you. Next we have ordinance 1858-2026 to authorize the director of department of development to enter into a downtown office incentive agreement with ANS GO LLC for a term of up to five consecutive years in consideration of the company's proposed capital investment of approximately $750,000 the creation of 13 net new full-time permanent positions with an estimated associated payroll of approximately $1,750,000 and the retention and relocation of 43 full-time permanent positions with an estimated uh associated pay annual payroll of approximately $3,664,800 as provided in Columbus City Council's resolution number 0088x-2027 adopted June 4 20 uh 20 2007. This ordinance authorizes a downtown office incentive to an engineering firm called ANS Geo. They are relocating to a larger office downtown than their current brewery district location and bringing new employees to the region. They commit to creating at least uh 13 new jobs and retaining at least 43 positions. All 13 new full-time positions are above the city's $20 an hour wage threshold with full benefits. And do just want to point out this one as well. One of those again opportunities for us to retain uh an current employer in downtown. Uh this is really about protecting uh downtown and the office vacancy there. This is a company that could go anywhere else in the region but we want to make sure that we are also ensuring that downtown remains vibrant and remains an employment center. Are there any questions or comments from my colleagues? Seeing none I move for passage. >> Please call the role. >> Bankston Barrosa Deia de Aar Dorren Green Reie Ross White President Harden >> pass. >> Thank you. Next, we have ordinance 1870-2026 to authorize the director of Department of Development to enter into a job creation tax credit agreement of 45% for a term of up to six consecutive years with Hikma Pharmaceuticals USA, Inc. In consideration of the company's proposed total capital investment of $215,700,000, the creation of 50 net new full-time permanent positions with an estimated annual payroll of approximately $3 million, and the retention of 1,224 full-time permanent positions with an associated estimated annual payroll of approximately 93,672,177. $7. This ordinance and the next ordinance authorizes incentives for a large expansion project at Hikma in the West Sciota area. Hikma is the largest manufacturer in central Ohio and they propose a $215 million investment to renovate and expand their facility. They also commit to retaining over,200 jobs and creating at least 50 new jobs. All 50 new job positions are well above the city's $20 an hour wage threshold with full benefits. This ordinance authorizes a job creation tax credit in support of Hikma's job creation commitment. I do want to highlight that the director said Hikma is an international company and I had a chance to go actually tour the facility and it was really thanks to their local leadership and working with us that we were able to secure this investment. They had plans uh to make this investment. But their actual international team told them to stop and say we want to evaluate all of our sites, not just here in the US or in Ohio, but across the globe for this type of expansion. Uh and thanks to working with our team uh and working uh with other economic development professionals uh at the state level, we're able to secure this expansion right here in Columbus because they actually have another facility just down the street in Bedford, Ohio. Uh so when we talk about that competitiveness, ensuring that this type of opportunity and this type of investment is here in Columbus uh in one of our great neighborhoods to be able to continue to employ folks is another great win for our city. Are there any questions or comments for our col from my colleagues? Seeing none, I move for passage. >> Please call the role. >> Bankston Barrosa de Padilla de Akaro Dorren Green Reie Ross White President Harden >> pass. Next, we have ordinance 1871-2026 to authorize director development uh department of development to enter into an enterprise zone agreement with West Ward Columbus, Inc. and Hickma Pharmaceuticals USA, Inc. uh for a tax abatement of 75% for a period of 10 consecutive years. In consideration of the enterprise investing approximately 92 million in real property improvements, the creation of 50 net new full-time permanent positions with an associated annual payroll of approximately 3 million, and the retention of 1,224 full-time permanent positions with an associated estimated annual payroll of approximately 93,2627,177. Again, this ordinance is an enterprise zone agreement incentive for Hikma renovation and expansion project. Uh the Hillyard uh local school district is estimated to re to continue to generate their current amount that they receive off of this property. and they will also receive an additional $4,55,660 over the term of the abatement and approximately $22,528,312 over a 20-year period as a result of the aforementioned project and its investment. Tol's Career and Technical Center is estimated to receive an additional $143,130 over the term of the abatement and approximately $724,730 over a 20-year period as a result of the aforementioned project. Seeing no questions or comments from my colleagues, I move for passage. >> Second. >> Please call the row. >> Bankston Barosa de Padilla de Akar Dorren Green Reie Ross White President Harden >> asked. Thank you. Next, uh, we have ordinance 1872-2026 to authorize the director of department of development to enter into an enterprise zone agreement with Westborne Flex LLC uh, for a tax abatement of 75% for a period of 10 consecutive years in consideration of the enterprise investing approximately 8,800,000 in real property improvements and the creation of 10 net uh, new full-time permanent positions with an estimated annual payroll of approximately $500,000. at the afformentioned project. This is the the last of the seven incentive ordinances up for consideration tonight. So, thank you all for bearing with me. Uh the this authorizes an enterprise zone agreement for a proactive industrial development project on the far east side. Pioneer Development commits to nearly $9 million in real property investments and to create at least 10 new jobs. Again, this is a proactive uh piece of uh development. So, that job number should be well above that once a actual uh lease uh leasey is found. Ghana Jefferson Public Schools are estimated to receive an additional $419,821 over the term of the abatement in addition to what they currently receive for that property and approximately $2,99,17 over a 20-year period as a result of the aforementioned project and its investment. Eastland Fairfield Career and Technical Schools are estimated to receive an additional $17,500 over the term of the abatement and approximately $87,500 over a 20-year period as a result of the investment. All of the jobs associated with this are well above the $20 an hour wage and also include full benefits. Any questions or comments from my colleagues? Sure. Can I jump into this one too? >> I'm sorry. kind of say something too on this one one other thing that I I wanted to mention I as I was we were sitting here this was a whole package and again thank you for your leadership and seriously thank you to director because you took a lot of time with our office I think council member Ross was with me we had a lot of conversations one of the things that got me here and I and I want to make sure that we're not having these conversations in silos um we look forward to one um the larger conversation this fall uh around um the expecting ing more and asking more in terms of wage growth for these incentives, but we also should not be afraid to connect these conversations and be able to explain and and um have questions answered about their impacts on the schools. I keep thinking about the committee that council member Dors and I chair. Uh I told councilor Benson I think that's an opportunity for specifically council member Benson he's really good at explaining this to come before the committee to ask questions but we we can't have these conversations in silos any longer. Uh and that was something we talked about uh in our um meeting on these pieces of legislation. But I do look forward to that combined work uh this fall of um uh advocating for higher wages but also understanding the impacts they have on schools as we continue. But thank you so much again for your leadership. >> Thank you, council president. Any other questions or comments? Seeing that I move for passage by voice by >> Bankston, >> yes. >> Bosadia, >> de Aara, >> yes. >> Dorren, >> yes. >> Green, >> no. >> Reie, >> yes. >> Ross, >> yes. >> White, >> yes. >> President Harden, >> yes. >> Uh, thank you. Next we have ordinance 1707-2026 to authorize the director of department of development and the director of the department of public service to enter into an economic development agreement with Pazuti MH LLC and Washington Oak Realy LLC to outline the plans and certain commitments of the parties as it relates to the redevelopment of surface parking lots in the vicinity of Oak Street and Washington Avenue in the Discovery District. This ordinance authorizes a development agreement with Pazuti, excuse me, and Enova in support of a housing project they are undertaking to redevelop the surface parking lots surrounding Enco's offices. Upon completion, the development will include approximately 518 residential units and up to 15,000 square ft of retail space. This represents an estimated investment of $96 million. Uh the in support of the the project, the Department of Development commits to submitting future legislation that would be authorized by council that includes up to $1.6 $6 million to reimburse design improvements as well as water and sewer upgrades along Oak Street, a request for additional Oak Street funding costs to be offset through the 2027 capital uh budget process, and the design and construction of a public parking garage to serve the uh Discovery District. This legislation commits the department to submitting future legislation, but does not yet authorize either of the capital contributions. So, there will be more legislation to come. really excited about this one. I think many folks on this dice have heard me talk about how much I hate surface parking lots. And so to see them put into better productive use. And not only that, I think the investment that we continue to make particularly around public parking facilities uh that is revenue sharing that goes back to the city but also as an amenity uh for that entire uh region in that part of downtown growing to have more residents to meet that uh uh ambitious goal to have 40,000 residents in downtown and again to have uh these parcels put into much productive use. Really looking forward to it. Not to mention, I think long overdue uh streetscape improvements to Oak Street, which is a uh entryway into our downtown. Any questions or comments from my colleagues? I see uh District 7 uh Council Member Ross is glowing over there. Um so, >> right behind >> you. This is my street by the way. >> All right, there you go. Um seeing uh seeing no other questions or comments from my colleagues, I move for passes by voice. >> Second call by >> Bankston. >> Yes. >> Burla de Padilla. >> Yes. >> De Akar, >> yes. Dorne, >> yes. >> Green, >> no. >> Remy, >> yes. >> Ross, >> yes. >> White, >> yes. >> President Harden, >> yes. >> Thank you. Next, we have ordinance 1804-2026 to authorize the city auditor to appropriate the sum of $1,830,630.67 67 within the general fund income tax set aside sub fund to authorize the city auditor transfer 5,491,891.99 within the general fund to authorize the payment of up to 7,322,522.66 66 cents in accordance with the public school revenue sharing program for seven uh different school districts to authorize the expenditure not to exceed uh not to exceed uh 7,332,522.66 from the general fund and to declare an emergency. This ordinance is the city's annual school revenue sharing contribution. As director Stevens mentioned earlier, revenue sharing with school districts is required for property tax abatements, including enterprise zone and commercial CRA. When the city's new income tax for an EZA exceeds a million dollars uh or for a CRA, 2 million, then the city must distribute half of that new revenue to the school district in which the project resides. This requirement is in place for the life of the abatement. Uh this year the income tax distribution is the largest ever with a total over $7.3 million across 60 contributing agreements and eight school districts. This is a $1.6 million increase from last year with a million dollars of that increase going towards Columbus City Schools District uh for a total of roughly $4.7 million to that district. Uh this revenue sharing mechanism is an important part of the city's partnership with the schools and ensuring that growth in Columbus is shared across our public partners. I' also would like to point out that this shows that what we are doing is in fact working. It is creating uh jobs and opportunities uh not just simply dollars that we talk about on a spreadsheet but opportunities for families, opportunities for them uh to in fact put a place over their heads when we talk about Columbus City schools and not just our students but their parents opportunities for them to be able to have a good paying job as well. And so yeah, we will continue to have uh the conversation, but just like we can't divorce the conversation around I think abatements and that piece of it, we also can't divorce the conversation about when our incentive package and portfolio is working, the benefits that it brings uh to our community. Uh so again, really excited to see these numbers continue to increase yearoveryear. Are there any questions or comments from my colleagues? Seeing none, I move for passage. >> Bankston perosia de Akara Dorance Green Reie Ross rights. President Harden. >> Thank you. Next we have ordinance 1816-2026 to authorize the city auditor to appropriate the sum of $261,845.36 within the general fund income tax set aside sub fund to authorize the city auditor to transfer $785,536.7 within the general fund to authorize the payment of $1,47,38143 in accordance with the downtown office incentive. uh program for the seven uh D uh DOI agreements for which employers have met the requirement of their DOI agreements and thus are eligible to receive their payments for tax year 2025 in 2026 to authorize the expenditure not to exceed 1,47,38143 from the general fund and to declare an emergency. Um, as you will remember that earlier this evening we voted on an ordinance creating a new downtown office incentive. This ordinance pertains to existing downtown office incentives which are performed performance-based as you heard in the language there. These are um uh companies that met those metrics and met those numbers. The city's downtown office incentive program is an economic development tool that gives employers a cash payment of up to 50% of the local income tax withholdings for eligible new employees for a negotiated term for business locating or expanding in the Columbus downtown area. U the dis the dispersement is made annually and this year the legislation provides just over a million dollars in DOI payments uh to seven total employers. Seeing no questions or comments from my colleagues, I move for passage. >> Bankston Barrosa de Padilla de Aar Doran Green Remy Ross White President Harden. >> Next we have ordinance 1821-2026 to authorize the city auditor to appropriate the sum of $1,218,75.80 80 cents within the general fund income tax set aside fund to authorize the city auditor transfer 3,640 uh 300 excuse me 3,654,227.38 within the general fund to authorize the payment of up to 4,872,33.18 in accordance with the jobs growth incentive program for the 13 active and reporting JGI agreements for which employers have met the requirement of their JGI agreements and thus are eligible to receive their payments for tax year 2025 and 2026 to authorize the expenditure not to exceed 4,872,33.18 from the general fund and to declare an emergency. Similar to the previous ordinance, this legislation pertains to the city's job growth incentive uh program. This is a similar economic development tool to the downtown office incentive granting employers a cash payment for up to 25% of local income tax withholdings for a negotiated term for those eligible new employees. This dis this this dispersement, excuse me, is also made annually. And this year the legislation provides $4.8 million in JGI payments to 13 total employers. Again, making sure that folks are hitting those metrics. Any questions or comments from my colleagues? Seeing none, I move for passage. >> Second call. >> Bankston Buradia de Akra Dorren Green Reie Ross White President Harden. >> Thank you. Thank you. Next, we have ordinance 1862-2026 to authorize director of department of development to enter into capital contribution agreement with West Granville Road Owner LLC for required public infrastructure improvement supporting the development of workforce housing to amend the 2025 capital improvements budget to authorize the expenditure prior to issuance of the purchase order beginning September 1, 2023 to authorize the transfer and expenditure in an amount up to $2 million from the development taxable bonds fund for the required public infrastructure improvement benefiting the community's broader infrastructure goals and to declare an emergency. This ordinance authorizes a capital contribution in support of the 336 unit workforce housing development near the Ohio State University airport. The development expands access to highquality housing options across a variety of price points. This capital contribution will be used to complete broader public infrastructure goals in the area including sanitary sewer improvements, roadway widening, traffic signal and crosswalk installation and a shared use path for pedestrians and cyclists. Seeing no questions or comments from my colleagues, I move for passage. >> Bankston Barrosa de Padilla de Ayra Dorren Green Reie Ross White President Harden. Uh, next we have ordinance 2007-202626 to authorize director of de development or his designate on behalf of the department of public utilities to exercise the purchase provision and lease back scenario within the lease authorized by ordinance 3285-2025 and to and enter into a purchase sales agreement by and between the city CC CDDC Holdings 37 LTD and to authorize the appropriation and expens expenditure of $14,1,748 from the water operating fund to authorize the appropriation and expenditure of $4,76,337 from the storm water operating fund and to authorize the appropriation and expenditure of $15,721,170 from the sanitary sewer operating fund and to declare an emergency. This ordinance authorizes the purchase of the Huntington Plaza building for use by Columbus Water and Power. It also authorizes a lease back of the garage and restaurant space from downtown Columbus, Inc. Last year, council authorized a lease agreement related to this space and that agreement provided for the city to purchase the building which is what this ordinance authorizes. Are there any questions or comments from my colleagues? Seeing none, I move for passage. >> Thanks. Perosia de Akara Dorren Green Reie Ross White President Harden. >> Next we have ordinance 2010-2026 to authorize the director of the department of development to enter into a contract with Quinn Evans Architects Inc. in an amount up to $150,000 to provide an assessment for the historic preservation code policies, guidelines, and processes to authorize the expenditure of $150,000 from an existing auditor certificate and to declare an emergency. For this piece of legislation, I'm going to kick it over uh to Council President Pro Tim Dors, who's been leading us through our zone in effort and is now going to be leading us through our historic preservation efforts as well. >> Oh, thank you, Chair. Um the question of historical preservation was one that I think was posed to this body during the first phase of zone in and one that we didn't have a great answer to as we embarked on that zoning modernization effort. uh I felt like that was a a gap that we needed to fill and this was one of the initiatives we announced with the Columbus forward uh platform with this body and very excited with the partnership with the department of development and others uh with building zoning services in order to really lean into this really to take a look at what our current policies are within the city of Columbus really look at peer cities uh really figure out what is working what is not working as we think about uh what do those policies look like in a growing city that clearly needs to do more, build more housing, have more development, but at the same time uh be respectful about um our history and in a city that al all too often tore down our history, uh I think this is the the right time for us to embark in this effort. So very excited about having some national experts and folks who we've already worked with uh here in Columbus to be uh part of this effort. So with that, happy to kick it back to you, Chair. >> And thank you, President Proen Dors. And again, thank you for your leadership uh in zoning and reszoning city. It is not an easy feat. Uh but as we grow, we want to grow smartly but also want to preserve uh our history. So thank you for your leadership. Any other questions or comments from my colleagues? Seeing none, I move for passage. >> Bankston Barrosa Deadia de Akra Doris Green Reie Ross White President Harden. >> Thank you council president. May I move to page two um to for first read of Thank you. Um on page two we have ordinance 1957-20226 to authorize the director of department of development or his assigne to execute any and all necessary agreements and deeds for uh conveyance of title of one parcel of real property held in the land bank pursuant to the land reutilization program to J& Drywall LLC. This ordinance authorizes the transfer of a land bank parcel to J& E drywall for the con for the construction of a two family home. The parcel is currently vacant and this transfer is part of the land bank's moderately priced housing initiative. Uh seeing no questions or comments from my colleagues, I first uh move to wave second reading. >> Please call the role. >> Banksen Barosa de Padilla de Akara Dorance Green Remy Ross Whites President Harden. >> Thank you. You now move for passage. >> Bankston Barrosa Deia de Akaris Green Reie Ross White President Harden. >> Next we have ordinance 2058-2026 to authorize the city clerk to enter into an advanced payment grant agreement with a seat at our table in support of the workspace program and to authorize an appropriation and expenditure within the neighborhood initiative sub fund. This ordinance authorizes a grant for a seat at our table in support of your workspace program which is a professional development and leadership accelerator program. I know that I am co-sponsoring this with council member Ross. Council member, is there anything that you wanted to add to this? >> Nothing to add. >> Okay. Thank you for that. Uh are there any questions or comments from my colleagues? Seeing none, I first move to wave second reading. >> Second. >> Cler, please call the role. Bankston Barrosia de Akawa Dorren Green Remy Ross White President Harden >> waved. >> And now move for passage. >> Clangston Barrosa Padilla de Akawa Dorance Green Remy Ross White President Harden >> pass. >> Thank you council president. And lastly I do have one piece of legislation on page 36 in rules and ref rules and policy >> please. >> Thank you. Uh we have in rules and policy this evening ordinance 2063-2026 to real repeal and replace ordinance 1953-2026 passed June 22nd 2026 to amend section 371.02 of the Columbus city codes to shift the affordable housing trust hotel motel and short-term rental excise tax distribution to experience Columbus and to declare an emergency. This ordinance is just a a clean up. There was a correction that we found in the mathematical error um found in ordinance 1953-2026 which passed last Monday. This change is necessary for the city's division of income tax to implement the approved bed tax change. Uh are there any questions or comments from my colleagues? Seeing none, I move for passage. >> Second. >> Cler, please call the role. >> Bankston Barrosa de Padilla de Aar Dorren Green Reie Ross White President Harden. >> Thank you, Council President. I have my committee this evening. >> Thank you, Mr. Chair. Before we go to the next committee, public service and transportation committee, I'm going to ask um if we could uh get a motion to recess one very quickly. We have two non-aggenda speakers here that um have hung out uh and I I appreciate them being here. I would like to let them uh go. Uh so, and then we'll take a restroom break and get back at it. Is there a motion to uh recess? >> So move, please call the RO. Bankston Barrosa Deia de Akara Dorren Green Remy Ross White President Harden >> we are in recess. Thank you. Hey, hey, hey. It up. It up. Love you. Rolling around me, man. I'm feel purpose God bless. Get that get that boy. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Hey, Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. I want to you I want to you Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. I I'm you. Heat. Heat. N. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. N. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. All right. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Hey. Hey. Hey. Hey, hey, hey. Hey, hey, hey. Hey, hey, hey. Aar Dorren Reie Ross White President Harden >> meeting is uh reconveneed. Uh we are now in the uh public service and transportation committee. That committee is chaired by council bro. Council member the floor is yours. >> Thank you uh council president. I'm going to go a little out of order. Sure. >> And start. I want to move back to page three in rules and policy ordinance 1486 20226 uh to amend section 2155.01 to enact sections 2155.09 and 2155.10 10 to repeal the existing version of section 215501 of the Columbus city codes to establish the mobility innovation sub fund and the debt service reserve sub fund within the mobility enterprise operating fund to authorize future transfers thereto establish funding priorities and permissible uses thereof to authorize a transfer within the mobility enterprise operating fund and to authorize an appropriation from the mobility enterprise operating fund. Uh when I joined Columbus City Council in 2022, one of my priorities was making it easier for Columbus families to get to where they need to go safely, affordably, and reliably. Transportation is one of the largest household expenses for many families. Whether someone is commuting to work, getting to a doctor's appointment, or running errands, every resident deserves transportation options that fit their needs and their budget. That's why I advocated for and prioritized my budget earmarks and provided investments in programs like the resident ebike subsidy program, bike lockers, tactical urban urbanism projects, or quick build projects. These are practical investments that help remove barriers to mobility while making our streets safer and more connected for everyone. In 2023, council president and I launched Columbus's first pilot resident ebike subsidy program in partnership with Smart Columbus. The community response was incredible with more than 3,700 applications submitted during the initial rounds, showing just how many residents were looking for a more affordable way to get around. Since the program began, over 600 ebikes have been distributed to Columbus residents. Even more importantly, 91% of residents reported that they would not have been able to purchase an ebike without the subsidy, and 85% said their ebike uh they use their ebike to replace car trips. Those numbers tell us that this program is helping people save money, expand their transportation options options, and access jobs, schools, parks, businesses, and other everyday destinations. Today's ordinance takes the next step by creating a sustainable source of funding for these types of investments. Ordinance 1486 20226 establishes the Mobility Innovation Sub Fund, dedicating 5% of the annual net revenue from the Mobility Enterprise Operating Fund beginning in 2027 to projects that make it easier and safer for people to move around uh or to move throughout our city. This ordinance also appropriates $500,000 so that we can begin programming this year. Um I'd like to make this clear, the Enterprise Fund is actually funded by users. So, those are people who voluntarily are going to use our uh parking structures or parking on the streets. So, the funds can support tactical urbanism projects that's a that provide short-term safety solutions, safety equipment for bicycles, scooters, and other mobility devices, bike parking facilities, and parkletits, transit passes, and capital investments that expand transportation options throughout Columbus. As Columbus continues to grow, we have a responsibility to ensure that growth benefits everyone. I believe that this is an avenue to do just that. I'd like to thank the administration um in particular uh the mayor, Chief Elon Sims for their partnership on this. I'd like to thank the Department of Public Service for taking this leap with me to ensure that there are dedicated funds towards these efforts. Uh especially parking and mobility services division administrator Justin Goodwin. Thanks to my staff, Jessica Namaris, uh and lastly Sam Dueling from our legislative research office for crafting this legislation. Um, we had a public speaker who spoke earlier about the impact of this program. So now I'd like to open it up to my colleagues if you have any questions or comments. >> Thank you. Uh, seeing none, I'd like to move to wave second reading. >> Bankston Barrosa de Padilla de Akara Dorins Green Reie Ross White President Harden. >> And now I'd like to move for passage. Bankston Barrosa de Padilla de Akara Dorins Green Remy Ross White President Harden. >> Thank you. So stay tuned for our ebike program later on this year. Uh now may I move to public service and transportation. Council President. >> Thanks. I'd like to move to page 26. Tonight we have six items on the agenda for second read. First is ordinance 1774 2026 to amend the 2025 capital improvement budget to authorize the transfer of funds within the streets and highways bond fund to appropriate funds within the streets and highways bond fund and the federal transportation grants fund to authorize the director of public service to enter into contract with ULTA planning and design incorporated for the vision zero vulnerable road user plan project to authorize the expenditure of up to$1,250,000 from the streets and highways bond fund and the federal transportation grants fund. to pay for the project and to repay any unused grant funds at the end of the grant period and to declare an emergency. This project provides the city of Columbus TPS with uh resources to implement the vision zero project includes an action plan from 2023 to 2028 and informs strategies for our next safety action plan, a pedestrian priority network, and a new 5-year safe routes to school travel plan focusing on vulnerable roadway users. I can't express more the importance of this, especially council president, as we're working with CCS and we're thinking about the potential of removing transportation options for our students, ensuring that they have a safe route to school is going to be paramount. Do my colleagues have any questions or comments? Seeing none, I move for passage. >> Banks Barosa Deia de Aar Dorren Green Remy Ross White President Hart. >> Thanks. Next, we have ordinance 18112026 to amend the 2025 capital improvement budget to authorize funds within the federal transportation grants fund to authorize the director of public service to enter into contract with Shelley and Sans Incorporated for the FRA627.66 66 uh improvements of Nelson Road project to authorize the expenditure of 1,675,4625 from the streets and highways bond fund and the federal transportation grants fund for the project and to repay any unused grant funds at the end of the grant period and to declare an emergency. This project includes the resurfacing of 1.32 miles of Nelson Road from East Broad Street to Fifth Avenue in District 7. and it's right on the border of our two districts um and is greatly needed because this portion of Nelson Road has been under construction for quite a while. It includes roadway pavement repairs, spot replacement of curve and sidewalk and construction of ADA curve ramps. Do my colleagues have any questions or comments? Seeing none, I move for passage. >> Banksboro de Aar Dorance Green Reie Ross White President Harden. >> Thank you. Uh, next we have ordinance 1849 2026 to amend the 2025 capital improvement budget to authorize the transfer of funds within the refuge collection bond fund to authorize the director of public service to enter into contract with Settling Building Company for the facilities Marian Road refuge warehouse renovation phase 1 project to authorize the expenditure of 3,969,42 from the refuge collection bond fund for the project and to declare an emergency. This project is in district 8, my district, and includes the demolition of roof mounted HVAC equipment, installation of new roofing system, and installation of new ground mounted HVAC equipment, the construction of new office space, locker rooms, and reconfiguration of storage areas. I can't stress how important this is for our folks who work in this facility for these muchneeded upgrades and repairs uh so that they can continue to work uh to serve our residents. Do my colleagues have any questions or comments? Seeing none, I move for passage. >> Banks per day de a dorren green reie ros white. President Harden >> and I'm very excited about this uh next ordinance 1874 2026 to amend the 2025 capital improvement by budget to authorize the director of public service to enter into contract with Strawer Paving uh company incorporated for the urban infrastructure recovery fund South London Sidewalks project to authorize the expenditure of 1,867,7043 from the streets highway bond fund for the project and to declare an emergency. This request originated from uh a request from the South Lending community in District 4. I think I've been hearing about these sidewalks since I came on to PR uh council. This will create a sidewalk installation where gaps occur in the existing sidewalks on six streets in the South London area. These streets include McGuffy Road, Dresden Street, uh East 24th Avenue, East 23rd Avenue, East 22nd Avenue, and Grass Mirror Avenue. These sidewalks include the replacement of drive aprons and installing or upgrading non-compliant curb ramps at all public intersections. I'm very excited about this. Advocacy from the community does work. Sometimes it takes longer than we all anticipate, but it is coming to South London. So, do my colleagues have any questions or comments? Seeing none, I move for passage. >> Bankston, Barrosa, Deia, De Akar, Dorren, Green, Remy, Ross, White, President Harden. >> Thank you. And I believe lastly, we have ordinance 1982 2026 to amend ordinance 1560 2020. Just kidding, not lastly at all. Um, counting is hard at midnight. Okay, going back. Ordinance 1982 20226 to amend ordinance 1560 2026 for the sole purpose of including the authorization of waving competitive bidding pro uh provisions of the Columbus city code and to declare an emergency ordinance number 1560 2026 passed on June 8th authorized the director of finance and management to enter into contract with BEC Enterprises LLC for the purchase of a trailmounted aggregate uh heater. This legislation authorizes an amendment to this ordinance to include bid waiver language in order to accept and award BEC Enterprises LLC. This was because the quote submitted with the bid was not valid for 180 days as required by bidding terms and conditions. Do my colleagues have any questions or comments? Seeing none, I move for passage. Second, >> please call the role. >> Bankston Perosa de Akar Dorren Green Reie Ross White President Harden. >> Thanks. Next, I have ordinance 2 uh 20042026 to amend the 2025 capital improvement budget to authorize the director of finance and management to enter into contracts with Ohio machinery for the purchase of one pattern truck to authorize the waiver of the competitive bidding provisions of Columbus City Code to authorize the expenditure of up to $239,956 from the streets and highways bond fund to purchase the equipment and to declare an emergency. This ordinance will use the equipment to ensure worker safety while crews maintain and repair the streets and infrastructure throughout the city of Columbus. Do my colleagues have any questions or comments? Seeing none, I move for passage. >> Banks and buria dear Dorren Green Rein. >> Thank you. And that was my last ordinance. Thank you, Council President. First, we have ordinance 1724-2026 to authorize the director of the Recreation Parks Department to enter into a notfor-profit service contract with Greater Columbus Convention and Visitors Bureau Incorporated, DBA, Greater Columbus Sports Commission, in support of the Women Win Hair Initiative to authorize the transfer and appropriation of $250,000 from the general fund to the Recreation Parks Operating Fund to authorize an interfund transfer of $250,000 with Recreation Parks Operating Fund to authorize expenditure of 250,000 from the recreation parks operating fund and to declare an emergency. Given the serious financial challenges we face as a city, I believe further conversation and information about this initiative is warranted before this body appropriates a quarter million. Before I make a motion, we have one speaker signed up to speak against this ordinance. I'd like to invite Amanda Renan Lynch up to the podium. Uh she does not appear to be present. She probably bailed out around the time we all wish we had. Let the record show that Miss Lynch is not present. Um so now given the um are there any questions before I make my motion because we all want to go home. Given the outstanding questions about this ordinance, I would like to move to refer this ordinance back to committee pending a public hearing in July. Please follow >> banks emperor de padilla de aar dorren green remy ros white president >> Harden >> thank you next we have ordinance 1595-2026 to authorize and direct the director of neighborhoods to contract with Libby and Associates LLC in support of getting grant ready academy to wave the competing bidding provisions of the Columbus city codes and to authorize an appropriation expenditure from the neighborhood initiative sub fund. The Getting Grant Ready Academy or GDRA is a program that I created in 2024 in partnership with Michael Corey from the Human Service Chamber and Libby of Libby and Associates. GG exists to serve the organizations that hold our neighborhoods together. Small grassroots community rooted nonprofits. These are the groups doing essential work in neighborhoods often run by one or two people stretch across a full-time job while running a full-time mission. They are also the organizations most often left out of conversations where capital investments occur. Too many of them operate one lost grand away from crisis. This program is not about teaching nonprofits how to get money from the city. It is the opposite. It's about building organizations that can stand on their own that have the financial systems, the operating rhythms, the proof of their impact in the diverse funding pipelines to sustain themselves for years independent of any one source of support. The goal is not dependence. The goal is durable self-sustaining strength. This is what the participants are building right now. They leave their sessions with a real working asset, a revenue plan that actually actually use, a clear story of their impact they can put in front of any funer, an operating system that keeps their work from falling through the cracks. This is capacity that stays with them long after the cohort ends. And this approach is working. Across its first two cohorts, the academy has served 42 community organizations. During their time in the program, these organizations have together applied for more than $14.5 million in funding and has secured over $2.4 million of it. Dollars now at work in Columbus neighborhoods. That momentum is continuing right now. The current cohort is still underway and its organizations have already applied for more than $2.7 million and secured over 625,000. While the program is still in progress, this work is not finished and we're committed to seeing it through. We are extending the current cohort through the end of this calendar year to deepen the grant support these organizations receive. And we will open applications this fall for the next cohort. With continued funding, the academy will keep building exactly what our communities need most. Not dependence, but durable self- sustaining strength. Are there any questions or comments from my colleagues? Seeing none, I move for passage. >> Banks Deborrosia de Aar Dorren Green Remy Ross White President Harden. Next, we have ordinance 1727-2026 to authorize the director of recreation parks to enter into a nonfor-profit service contract with Epic Youth for the planning, coordination, execution of a one-day youth programming summit scheduled for fall 2026 to authorize appropriation expenditure of $100,000 for the neighborhood initiative sub fund and to declare an emergency. As part of the Columbus Forward Policy Initiative from C City Council, my office has been exploring the state of the youth programming ecosystem in Columbus. Youth programming is a frequent topic of conversation during the summer months as it is a valuable tool in c curbing youth violence when school is out of session. But the scope of what we are looking into goes beyond the summertime as we look at programming available to youth year round. Columbus does a lot of good work supporting youth programming through programs like the summer youth grant, the ongoing program available through recon parks and various discretionary program support given by council members. But the city lacks a cohesive vision and strategic plan for adequately providing quality yearbound programming under the guidance of trusted adults. Through our preliminary research of program providers across the city, we know that there are gaps in redundancies that exist in Columbus leading to inequitable access to youth program, gaps in where programs take place, what time of year they take place, times that they are available, types of activities they offer, and what age range they serve. A city of our size with approximately 200,000 youth needs a lot of quality program providers to meet that need. And that can best be achieved by programmers across the city coming together to collaborate to create a vision and strategy for the city. And so as part of this initiative, we will be working with Epic Youth to plan and execute a citywide youth programmer summit this fall. The summit will gather nonprofit youth program providers from across the city to hear about our findings and begin discussions on how to collaborate on filling community needs. The summit will also include training on youth intervention best practices including how to identify mental health symptoms and youth incorporating violence prevention techniques and programming and workshops on sustainability and board development. The goal is for this summit to not only inform but to be a catalyst for creating a collaborative system that ensures that every child has equal access to quality youth program in Columbus. Are there any questions or comments from my colleagues? Seeing none, I move passage de a doris green reie ros president Harden. >> Thank you. Next we have ordinance 1734-2026 to authorize the director of recreation parks department to modify an existing contract with marker incorporated dba marker construction for the westcase road park project to authorize a transfer of $5,385,000 between the general fund income tax set aside flood fund and the recreation parks bond fund to authorize the appropriation of $5,385,000 income tax set aside sub fund and recreation parks voted bond fund to authorize the expenditure of $5,385,000 for the recreation parks voted bun and to declare an emergency. In 2018, Recreation Parks acquired the former Ohio State University Agricultural Extension Sheep Farm at 2425 West Case Road. For several years, the Columbus Recreation Parks Department has identified the 58acre site as a key community park space as a parcel as one of the largest remaining undeveloped open spaces in the entire Northwest community. At the same time, the surrounding neighborhoods have played an active role by providing support for the city's investment to buy the site and develop a signature green space for a highly underserved area. The property is surrounded by highdensity housing with over 1,000 households within a 10-minute walk. The Carriage Place Community Center is also within 200 yards of the parkland. This authorization will allow for site construction to continue through fall 2027, which is when the project is scheduled to be complete. Are there any questions or comments from my colleagues? Seeing >> Seeing none, I move for passage. Bankston Barosa de Padilla de Akar Doris Green Reich President Harden. >> Thank you. Nexus Ordinance 1736-2026 to authorize the director of the recreation parks department to enter into contract with Burn and Jones Enterprises Incorporated DBA Burn and Jones Construction for the Bush Ball Diamond Turf Installation Project to authorize the perfectation of 1,392,000 within the Recreation Parks Permanent Improvement Fund to authorize a transfer of $1,392,000 within the Recreation Parks permanent improvement fund to authorize an amendment of the 2025 capital improvements budget to authorize expenditure of 1,900 $52,24 from the recreation parks voted bond fund and permanent improvements fund and to declare an emergency. This project will improve Bush Park and enhance its long-term use as a community recreation destination. Located on Northwest side of Columbus, the park serves as a popular location for both adult and youth baseball and softball programs. The park includes eight ball diamonds. The proposed improvements will focus on ball diamonds 1 2 3 and four, including new artificial turf playing surfaces, upgraded fencing, and improvements to player areas. These upgrades will increase field durability, reduce m maintenance needs, and allow the fields to remain playable for longer periods throughout the year by reducing weather related closures. The project will also include improvements to the park's drainage system to reduce standing water and improve field conditions following rain events. These improvements will create a better experience for residents, athletes, and visitors. The improvements will also increase opportunities for recreational community events. The upgrades will support sports programs for all ages, accommodate increased use of facility, the position of the park to host larger events. Overall, the project will provide a modernized recreational facility that will serve the community for years to come. Are there any questions or comments from my colleagues? Seeing none, I move for passage. >> Bangden Bos Barrosa Deia de Aar Dorren Green Remy Ross White President Harden. >> Thank you. Next we have ordinance 1739-2026 to authorize the director of recreation parks to enter into construction agreement with nationwide realy investors limited to make public improvements to sense and printer park to weigh the competitive bidding professions of city code and to declare an emergency. Nationwide Realy Investors Limited is improving their property at 280 North High Street adjacent to Sense of Brener Park. They've requested access to their site using an area of sense of bread park to build along the property line. The park and their property flow together as one space and their project will change the space and how it is currently used. As part of their project, they have requested demolition of a portion of the park site and agreed to restoring improving that area of the park to ensure the park landscaping still flows properly. Um, NRI has agreed to restore make improvements at no cost to the city. For this reason, a waiver of competitive bidding is requested. Are there any questions or comments for my colleagues? Seeing none, I move for passage. Bangston Barrosa Deodia de Akawa Dorren Green Remy Ross White to President Harden. >> Thank you. Next is ordinance 1740-2026 to authorize the director of recreation parks department to enter into various contracts for management of the urban forestry master plan to authorize and direct the city auditor to establish auditor certificates in the amount of $2 million for various expenditures in conjunction with the management of urban forestry master plan to authorize and direct the director of finance and management to enter into various contracts for the purchase of equipment on behalf of recreation parks department to authorize a transfer of $2 million between the general fund income tax set aside sub fund and the recreation parks bond fund to authorize the appropriation of $2 million in the income tax set aside subund and recreation parks voted bond fund to authorize expenditure of $2 million from the recreation parks voted bond fund and to declare an emergency. This ordinance will establish and auditor certificates and authorize expenditures for staffing service and equipment needs in conjunction with the management of the urban forestry master plan. Equipment being purchased includes log trucks, chippers, equipment, trailers, and various other pieces of equipment. $500,000 will be used for the reimbursement of staff time in accordance with the auditor's internal labor capitalization policy. Are there any questions or comments for my colleagues? Seeing none, I move for passage. >> Bankston, Barrosa, Deodia, de a Dorren Green, Remy, Ross, White, President Harden. Next, we have ordinance 1763-2026 to authorize and direct the city auditor to establish an auditor certificate in the amount of 1,500,000 for the reimbursement of staff time related to recreation parks capital improvement projects to authorize a transfer of $1,500,000 between the general fund income tax set aside sub fund and the recreation parks bond fund to authorize the appropriation of $1,500,000 in the income tax set aside sub fund and recreation parks voted bond fund to authorize expenditure of $1,500,000 from recreation parks voted bond fund. and to declare an emergency. This ordinance authorizes establishment of an auditor certificate in the amount of $1,500,000 for the reimbursement of staff time related to the recreation parks capital improvement projects in accordance with the city auditor's internal labor capitalization policy certific capacity of project manage or construction are eligible to be capitalized to an in identified capital project. Are there any questions or comments for my colleagues? Seeing none, I move for passage. >> Banks then Barrosa dea de Akara Dorren Green Remy Ross White President Harden. >> Thank you. And um for our final ordinance in second reading this evening we have ordinance 1793-2026 to authorize the director of the department of neighborhoods to enter into a service contract with Hart and Hunter Incorporated DBA Hunter marketing for marketing media consultation communications and creative services to authorize a waiver of competitive bidding provisions of the Columbus city codes to authorize expenditure of $89,000 from the general fund to authorize and direct the city auditor to authorize payment to Hunter marketing per invoice approved by the director department neighborhoods in amount not to exceed $89,000 from fund 1000 and to declare an emergency. Hunter Marketing will provide media and marketing consultation services through a dedicated marketing consultant, project manager, and median consultant to assist department increasing awareness and engagement with programming and growing event attendance. The Department of Neighborhoods will celebrate both the 20th anniversary of 311 and the department's 10th anniversary this year. Hunter Marketing will develop and execute the anniversary campaigns, extension of related promotional and communication efforts as needed, video and photography capture of key departmental and community moments, production of an endofear 311 highlight reel and printing and merchandise support. In addition, Hunter Marketing will support ongoing department programming initiatives including the rise up, Ubuntu and Nala and Nala with services that include development of marketing collateral, social media campaigns, video production, strategic communication and related marketing support services. A waiver of competitive bidding is requested because Hunter marketing has extensive institutional knowledge of the city and department's programming, branding, communication strategy, and anniversary planning efforts and continuity of services necessary to ensure effective implementation ongoing programs and public engagement initiatives. Are there any questions or comments for my colleagues? Seeing none, I move for passage. >> Please call the role. >> Bankston Barrosa Deadia de Aar Dorren Green Reie Ross White President Harden. Thank you, Council President. With your permission, I would like to now go through ordinances appearing on first reading on page two of the agenda. The first ordinance is ordinance 1738-2026 to authorize the recreation and parks to enter into grant agreement with Ohio Environmental Protection Agency for the introduction of cavity nesting birds project and accept a grant in the amount of $2315 with a minimum local match of $8,736 to authorize the appro appropriation $2315 in the recreation parks grant fund through this grant project. Passive and hands-on education on secondary capabate nesting birds at Hoover Nature Preserve will be made more accessible to park users. We will be able to have better education materials for hands-on learning for our education program on nest changes and counting and measuring the young purple martins to age them. The installation of educational signage on purple martin birds will be a passive education opportunity as well as having seating at the park to create a more accessible environment for those with mobility challenges to watch cav cavity nesting birds. Are there any questions or comments from my colleagues? Seeing none, I first move to wave second reading. >> Bankston, Barrosa Deadia de Aar Dorren Green, Remy Ross White, President Harden. >> And now we move for passage. >> Bankston Barrosa Deia de Aar Dorren Green Reie Ross White. President Harden. For our next ordinance, I would like to turn the floor over to my colleague and this ordinance's primary sponsor, council member Barrosa Deedia. >> Thank you, council member. Uh, this is for ordinance 1948 2026 to authorize and direct the city clerk to enter in a grant agreement with our helpers to provide upfront financial support for the central Ohio rapid response network and to authorize an expenditure from neighborhood initiatives sub fund. The mission of our helpers is to improve the lives of immigrant and refugee families in central Ohio by connecting and providing resources in all aspects of human services. Our helpers created a central Ohio rapid response network which provides trusted referrals and navigation of immigration processes. The network exists to unify stakeholders across nonprofit, government, and faith-based sectors to provide comprehensive, timely, and compassionate services for children and vulnerable communities. Additionally, the organization provides know your rights workshops, safety and protection strategies, volunteer mobilization, and amplification of authentic voices to counter harmful or false narratives. With a changing immigration landscape, it is important now more than ever to have a network of support for our residents. For example, this December, our helpers was able to distribute over 600 boxes of food to families of our vulnerable populations. This effort was made possible with the help of 300 volunteers that were quickly organized. Grant funding authorized under this legislation will be used to defay operating expenses incurred by our helpers for the implementation of programming, including the cost of the program's full-time manager. I'd like to thank my colleagues, Council Member Deauer, Council Member Green, Council Member W, and Council President Harden for supporting this initiative. Do my colleagues have any questions or comments? I move to first wave second reading. Second >> call. >> Bangston Barrosa de Padilla de Aar Dorren Green Remy Ross White President Harden. >> And next I move for passage. >> Second. >> Bangston Barros Padilla De Aar Dorren Green Remy Ross White President Harden. >> Thank you for your support. Back to you chair. And now for my last ordinance. Ordinance 1959-2026 to authorize the city clerk to enter into a grant agreement with the Greater Columbus Irish Cultural Foundation Incorporated in support of the 2027 St. Patrick's Day parade and to authorize an expenditure within the neighborhood initiative sub fund. This funding is a budget earmarked from our favorite Irish council member President Prom Dorne to support Proclamation Day and St. Patrick's Day parade at city hall in downtown Columbus. Are there any questions or comments for my colleagues? Um, seeing none, I move to wait second reading. >> Bankston Barrosia de Aarens Green Remy Ross White, President Harden. >> And now I move for passage. >> Bankston Barrosia de Aarens Green. Remy Ross White, President Harden. >> Thank you. That is all in my committee this evening. >> Thank you, Madam Chair. Committee to come before council is the workforce education and labor committee. That committee is chaired by council member Dors. Council member floor is yours. >> Thank you, council president. First, we have ordinance number 1330-2026 amend the management compensation plan ordinance number 2713-2013 as amended by amending section 4 C, section 5D, section 5E, and section 7E and declared emergency. This legislation amends the city's management compensation plan by abolishing, retitling, or modifying the pay grades of several class titles in accordance with recent actions by the Civil Service Commission and the Department of Human Resources. Additionally, this ordinance updates the five-34 pay structure and repeals the city's tuition reimbursement uh repayment minimum time period requirement. Do I colleagues have questions, comments? Seeing none and move for passage. >> Thanks. Barrosa de Padilla de Akar Dorance Green Remy Ross White President Harden. >> Thank you. Next, we have ordinance number 1786-2026 to authorize the director of the mayor's office of education to enter early start Columbus contracts with high quality pre pre kindergarten organizations selected by a competitive competitive application process to provide educational services as part of the 2026 2027 early start Columbus program to sign all of the individual contracts to Franklin County to weigh competitive bidding provisions of the Columbus city codes and declare an emergency. This ordinance and the next several ordinances are enabling ordinances for the transitioning the city's high quality early start program to the Franken County Board of Commissioner's Office ahead of the 2026 2027 school year. Uh last week I held a public hearing on this transition uh which will fe feature a three-year transition period where both the city and county will work together to ensure the stability of the program and ultimately the expansion and growth of the program in the future. Council will be reviewing the success of the transition on those priorities for the public hearing each year during that planned transition period. Our providers currently provide excellent and essential services to our families and children who need the most. And I believe today that this transition will help us enable and develop and grow this incredible program for years to come. Do my colleagues have question comments? Seeing none, I move for passage. Welcome >> Bankston Buros Padilla de Akar Dorance Green Remy Ross White President Hard. >> Thank you. Next we have ordinance 1879-2026 to authorize a director of office of education to enter a contract modification with learning uh circle software LLC to allow Franken County direct access to use the CHIV data platform via the city 2026 2027 contract with learning circle software LLC as part of the transition the Columbus early start program from the city of Columbus to Franken County and declared emergency. This legislation will allow Franklin County to directly access and use the Sehive data platform via the city's 2026 20227 contract with Learning Circle software LLC as part of this transition uh from the Columbus Early Start from the city of Columbus to Franken County. See Hive is a cloud-based web application that prek providers use to assimilate enrollment assessment and attendance data and allows teachers to make real-time decisions on instruction. Let's any questions, comments? Seeing none, I move passage. Second. >> Second call. >> Banks Brosa de Padilla de Aver Doris Green Remy Ross White President Hardy. >> Thank you. And finally, we have ordinance number 1884-2026 to authorize the director office of education to enter intergovernmental agreement with the Franken County Board of Commissioners to the transition the early start Columbus Program u from the city of Columbus to Franken County to authorize and transfer of cash between objects within the office of education general fund to authorize expansion of $6,215,825 to be paid the Franken County Board of Commissioners for purposes of this ordinance and the office of education general fund in declared emergency. Uh before we vote on the last enabling ordinance to transfer early start to the county, I want to uh thank Commissioner Era Crowley for her leadership regarding this transfer and certainly her leadership and really leaning into the prek space uh here. Uh we've had a really high performing quality program in the city of Columbus for well over a decade and Commissioner Crowley uh is interested in expanding those efforts beyond the city limits and this is something that uh we've talked a lot about both at public hearing and among council uh and certainly are interested in seeing those efforts bear fruit and certainly with having that public hearing built into the renewal process over the next three years. Uh this body can certainly uh review the success of that transition. But again, appreciate uh Commissioner Crowley's interest in really leaning into the space. We've got a lot of parents up here of kids in pre-K right now, and it's uh nice to have a partner at the county who is just as interested in serving our our kids to make sure they're ready for kindergarten into the future. Uh I also want to make sure I thank uh Director Matt Smita from our office of education, uh executive adviser Victoria Solomon and Action for Children, and director uh Dr. Kate Glenn Applegate uh who helped us providing a survey to the providers within this program that I think was pretty invaluable for us really charting how we work with our providers uh to make sure that they're the ones um that don't see interruption that they're the ones that make sure it can keep providing the services that our kids desperately need. Uh so I appreciate everyone's work on this moving forward. Um with that I first request to amend as submitted to the clerk. Council Green, >> sorry. Uh, thank you so much. I know it's incredibly late, but um, you know, I just want to I want to thank um I want to thank you, director, and then I also want to thank you, chair, for I think being really responsive to a lot of the feedback that we heard during the hearing process and through the surveys. I think one thing that for me was pretty clear is that um you know people people trust the work that we do here at the city and they're not inherently opposed to the idea of merging. I think you know as we're looking for ways to like to be more efficient and stretch every dollar further. Eliminating two government bureaucracies and streamlining those processes makes a lot of sense. But I think folks were very clear about, you know, there's a lot happening to them as an industry right now. A lot of regulatory stuff that's coming down, a lot of discussions about waste, fraud, and abuse and the school year around the corner. And so, you know, really digging in to ensure that there's like clear and transparent um review process after this first year so we can pivot if needed, I think, is really responsive to those things. And so, um, I hope that their providers know that they will continue to have a good partner with the city, uh, walking alongside them every step of this way, um, to make sure that if issues arise, we are here and responsive and, um, you know, ready to continue supporting this high quality work. So, thank you. >> Yep. Thank you, council member. Uh, any other questions or comments? Seeing none, I first move to amend the submit to the clerk. Second >> Bankston Barrosa de Padilla de Aar Dorins Green Remy Ross White President Harden. >> Thank you. And now I move for passage as amended. >> Second call. >> Bankston Barrosa de Padilla de Aar Dorins Green Remy Ross White President Harden. >> Thank you council president. If I may I need to go back to page three for an ordinance on first reading. >> Thank you. Uh there I have ordinance number 2034-2026 to authorize the director of office of education in our contract of Columbus State Community College for the purpose of providing student support services for those enrolled in Columbus promise program to authorize and expenses prior to the purchase order to authorized expensure within the general within the general fund. This ordinance enters the city into partnership with Columbus State Community College in support of the Columbus promise and those students enrolled. Uh this will fund a portion of the staff needed to provide wraparound holistic success coaching and career preparation which is essential for the Columbus Promise to meet its goals of advancing both access and success for Columbus City School graduates leading to a completion of degrees or certifications that allow those students to move on to four-year college experiences or enter the workforce. Do my colleagues have questions or comments? Seeing none, I first move to wave second reading. >> Second call. Bankston Barrosa de Padilla de Akar Dorins Green Remy Ross Whites President Harden. >> Thank you. And uh I now move for passage. >> Second call. >> Bankston Baria de Aka Dorren Green Remy Ross Whites President Harden. >> Thank you council president. All I have my committees tonight is the public safety committee. >> Good morning council president. Tonight in the public safety and criminal justice committee, I have seven ordinances for second read versus 1637 2026 to authorize and direct the city auditor to transfer 5,10,576 within various projects of the safety voted bond fund to amend the 2025 capital improvement budget to wave the competitive bidding provisions of the Columbus City Council chapter 329 to authorize the finance management director to enter into a contract with and issue a purchase order to Atlantic Emergency Solutions, Inc. for the purchase of four Pierce Enforcer pumpers to authorize the expenditure of $5,10,976 from the safety voted bond fund and to declare an emergency. Last Thursday, I hosted a public hearing on the condition of the city's fire apparatus fleet and the work needed to strengthen our readiness moving forward. Tonight's purchase is one of two ordinances before council that directly responds to that need. These investments are about making sure our firefighters have reliable, modern equipment, and that our residents can count on the level of service they deserve when they call for help. This is about more than buying trucks. It's about rebuilding a replacement cycle, strengthening accountability, and making sure Columbus never allows essential public safety equipment to fall behind again. Tonight's purchase is a necessary step, but the bigger issue is making sure Columbus is a real sustainable replacement plant. Fire apparatus cannot be something we address only after warning lights start flashing. Council intends to be a responsible partner, but also an active oversight body to make sure our firefighters and residents have what they need. A bid waiver is requested because the city collected quotes from vendors and only one was submitted on time. The city has used apparatus from Atlantic for years and is satisfied with the quality and durability of their product. Emergency action is requested due to long build times having the ability to place orders immediately. Are there any questions or comments from my colleagues? Seeing none, I move for passage. >> Bankston Buradia de Akaw Dorren Green Remy Ross White President Harden. Next step 1641 2026 to authorize and direct the city auditor to transfer $2,432,621 within various projects to the safety voted bond fund to amend the 2025 capital improvement budget to wave the competitive bidding provisions of the Columbus city codes chapter 329 to authorize the finance and management director to enter into a contract with and issue a purchase order to Sutfin Corporation for the purchase of one Sutfin heavy duty 100 ft mid-mount aerial ladder to authorize the expenditure of $2,432620 let me go back $2,432,621 from the safety voted bond fund and to declare an emergency based on reports from fire and public safety. This purchase is also critical for ma meeting fleet maintenance goals and ensuring there are enough frontline vehicles within their useful life available for service. A bid waiver is requested while public safety collected two quotes. Suffins was both slightly lower in cost and over three years faster on time build time than Atlantics. The city has contracted with Suffin on fire apparatus for years and has satisfied the quality of endurability. Emergency action is requested because of long delivery times on apparatus so as to place immediate orders. Are there any questions or comments from my colleagues? Seeing none, I move for passage. Bankston Roa Day Patilla Deakra Dorren Green Remy Ross White President Harden >> Next have 1791 2026 to authorize the public safety director to enter into a 5-year term contract with Larardell Medical Corporation for a resuscitation quality improvement program subscription to the Division of Fire to authorize the expenditure of $183,550 from the general fund for the year one term of this contract and to wave competitive bidding provisions of the Columbus City Code. bid waiver is requested because the city has previously contracted with Laridell for the services paramedic ser certifications an option that reduce reduced costs as compared to providing certification service in house and approve improved response times. Are there any questions or comments from my colleagues? Seeing that I move for passage de a dorren green remy Ross white president Harden. Next, I have 1833 2026 to authorize the municipal court clerk to enter into contract with Tab Products Company LLC for the purchase of case file folders for the Municipal Court Clerk's Office to wave the competitive bidding provisions of Columbus City Code to authorize the expenditure of $85,700.40 from the Municipal Court Clerk general fund and to declare an emergency. The municipal court clerk utilizes case file forers to store dockets for civil, criminal, traffic expungement, and environmental court. The clerk's office is currently in contract with tab for this service and can only obtain exact match on files at a competitive price by continuing that contract. Are there any questions or comments from my colleagues? Seeing that I move for passage de a dorren green reie Ross White President Harden. Next have 18552026 to amend ordinance number 1664 2025 passed by Columbus City Council on June 30th, 2025 to correct the background of the legislation to include the additional funding for the license management product and community health module needed in the subsequent years per ordinance 1664 2025 to weigh the competitive bidding provisions of the Columbus City Code to authorize the expenditure of $661,41546 from the general fund for year two of the contract term and to declare an emergency gency. This contract expands license management services for the division of fires community health module which provides data and analysis for react the rapid and response emergency addiction crisis team focused on pre improving outcomes for at risk groups. A bid waiver is requested because the city has already implemented this records management software and does not currently seek an alternative. Emergency action is requested to meet the project timelines for issuing a purchase order and contract prevent preventing interruption of this vital service. Are there any questions or comments for my colleagues? Seeing none that I move for passage de a dorren green reie Ross white president Harded >> a guy next is 1958 to authorize the city clerk I'm sorry 1958 2026 to authorize the city clerk to enter into a grant agreement with the short north alliance in support of their short north public safety programming to authorize an expenditure within the neighborhood initiatives fund and to declare an emergency. I'd like to thank um sponsors Tiara Ross, President Harden, and and I also assisted in this um this legislation. This grant aids the Short North Alliance and implementing safety programs and community well-being programs. Emergency action is requested because upfront funding is needed to ensure the program can be successfully implemented without financial constraints for operations and supplies. Are there any questions or comments from my colleagues? Seeing that, I move for passage. Deadia de Aar Dorans Green Remy Ross White President Harden. Next is 2057 2026 to authorize an appropriation of 50,000 within the neighborhood initiatives sub fund to authorize the expenditure of 80,000 within the general fund to authorize the city attorney to enter into contract with health impact Ohio health access Columbus to provide guided case management services for Columbus residents enrolled in the Buckeye diversion criminal deflection program to wave the competitive bidding provisions the Columbus city codes and declare an emergency. I'd like to thank my co-sponsor Tiara Ross with for this legislation. This legislation extends a program under which health impact and health access assist justice involved individuals in taking action to address the issues at the root of criminal behavior, including by providing support with food, housing, and education. Competitive bidding is requested because these partners are the sole source for continuing this program and because the ability to build Medicaid reduces overall program cost. Emergency action is requested because the current contract expired in April. So immediate action is necessary to ensure ongoing access to critical services. Are there any questions or comments from my colleagues? Seeing none, I move for passage. >> Thanks Bros. Deia de Aver Dorans Green Remy Ross White President Harder. >> Next um council president with your permission go back to page three to review a first read. Thank you. With that, I have 1859 2026 to authorize and direct the director department of public safety to accept a grant from the Columbus Police Foundation and to authorize and direct the city auditor to appropriate 250,000 within the unallocated balance of the division of police grant fund. This is a new private grant award to establish and house a new police facility crime gun intelligence center at the 16th precinct patrol substation and community response team 5. This grant-f funded initiative does not generate any revenue nor require a city match. I'd like to first move to wave second reading. Ross >> Bankston Barrosa de Padilla de Akara Dorins Green Remy Ross White President Harden >> and and now I'd like to move for passage. >> Bankston Barrosa Deia de Akara Dorins Green Remy Ross White President Harden. >> Thank you. And that is all I have tonight. Have a happy summer and stay safe. Thank you. The last committee come for council is the public utilities committee. >> Thank you council president. First and public utilities and sustainability committee. This morning we have ordinance 1248-2026 to authorize the director of the department of public utilities to modify the contract for complete general construction company for the 2021 general construction contract project to amend the 2025 capital improvement budget to transfer cash and appropriation between projects within the sanitary bond fund and the storm bomb fund and to authorize an expenditure of up to $2 million to pay for the contract modification. This contract provides funding for emergency needs and unplanned structural repairs as directed by the division of water reclamation. Let me stop there. See if any questions or comments from my colleagues. Seeing none, I move for passage. >> Bankston Barosa de Padilla de a dorren Green Remy Ross White President Harden >> pass. >> Thank you. Next, I have ordinance 1387-20226 to authorize the director of public utilities to modify an existing contract with K&M Cleaning Services Incorporated to extend the contract term and add additional funding for janitorial services at various department of public utilities, division of water reclamation, and division of water facilities and to authorize the expenditure of $835,320 from the water operating fund and $920,740 from.33 3 cents, sorry, from the sanitary sewer operating fund. Uh we discussed this ordinance back at our June 8th council meeting. After conversation with the department, we're able to confirm the city's recycling expansion compliance. So with that, I move for passage. >> Second call. >> Banks Padilla Aar Dorren Green Reie Ross White President Harden. >> Thank you. Next, I have ordinance 1521-2026 to authorize the director of public utilities to enter into a construction contract with Leite Excavating Company of Ohio Incorporated for the Wellington Boulevard area and Chesterfield Road Water Line Improvements Project to amend the 2025 capital improvement budget to appropriate funds within the Water Freshwater Market Rate Fund to authorize the appropriation expenditure of up to 5,983,216.80 80 cents from the waterfresh water market rate fund for the contract and to make this ordinance contingent upon the Ohio water development authority approving a loan for the project and to authorize the expenditure of up to $2,000 from the water bond fund to pay for prevailing weight services. This project consists of the installation of approximately 9,896 linear feet of new water manes as well as the replacement of privately owned lead service lines. This project will improve water service, reduce burden on water maintenance operations, and minimize water loss. We'll stop there. See if any questions or comments from my colleagues. Seeing none, I move for passage. >> Call the role. >> Bankston Padia de Akaw Dorne Green Remy Ross White President Harden. >> Thank you. Next, I have 1529-2026 to authorize the director of the Department of Public Utilities to modify and increase the contract with GPD Group for the circuit 7221 voltage conversion phase 3 project to amend the 2025 capital improvement budget to authorize the transfer of cash and appropriation between projects within the electricity bond fund and to authorize an expenditure of up to $1,435,327 from the electricity bond fund to pay for the contract modification. This project involves the replacement of a circuit within the division of powers distribution system. This project will contribute to a more resilient and reliable power distribution system resulting in fewer interruptions for customers. May stop there any questions or comments from my colleagues. Seeing none, I move for passage. >> Thanks Simosa de Aar Green Remy Ross White President Harden. >> Thank you. Next, I have 1539-2026 to authorize the director of Columbus Water and Power to enter into a service contract with Echosshore DX Leak Detection Services to authorize the expenditure of $74,500 from the 2026 Division of Water Operating Fund and to wave the combat bidding provisions of Columbus City Code. This pilot project involves the installation of 50 leak detection sensors on fire hydrant nozzles enabling the division of water to pinpoint the location of water main leaks within its distribution system. Stop there. See if any questions and comments from my colleagues. Seeing none, I move for passage. >> Bankston Barrosia de Aar Dorren Green Remy Ross White President Harden. >> Thank you. Next, I have 1543-2026 to authorize the director of public utilities to enter into a contract for construction administration and inspection services with CTL Engineering Incorporated for the Wellington Boulevard at Boulevard area and Chesterfield Road Water Line Improvements Project for the General Water Construction Projects and for General Sewer Construction Projects to amend the 2025 capital improvement budget to appropriate funds within the water freshwater market rate fund to authorize authorize a transfer of cash and appropriation between projects within the water bond fund. to authorize a transfer of cash appropriation between projects within the sanitary bond fund to authorize the expenditure of up to1,98,33121 from the water freshwater market rate fund and an expenditure of up to 75,000 from the water bond fund and an expenditure up to 50,000 from the sanitary bond fund for the contract and to make this ordinance contingent upon the Ohio water development authority approving a loan for the project. This ordinance procures construction, administration, and inspection services for four specified Columbus water and power projects. This these services will ensure that the projects remain on track and adhere to contract specifications. Let me stop there. See if any questions or comments from my colleagues. Seeing none, I move for passage. >> Thanks. Sosa de Padilla dear Dorance Green Reie Ross White President Harden. >> Thank you. Next, I have ordinance 1554-2026 to authorize the director of public utilities to modify and increase a professional services contract with Mur Murphy Epson for the Blueprint Columbus public information outreach project to authorize an amendment to the 2025 capital improvement budget to authorize a transfer of cash and appropriation within the sanitary bond fund and to authorize an expenditure of up to 1,19,559 from the sanitary bond fund to pay for the contract modification. This project involves comprehensive community outreach efforts in relation to blueprint Columbus. This work will ensure that community input is both received and utilized to design the best solutions for each unique neighborhood. Let me stop there. Receive any questions or comments from my colleagues. Seeing none, I move for passage. >> Thanks, Tim. Barrosia de Akar Dorins Green Reie Ross White President Harden. >> Thank you. Next, I have 1569-2026 to authorize Columbus Water and Power to enter into a construction contract with Decker Construction Company for utility cut and restoration services for the division of water and to wave competitive bidding provisions of Columbus City Code and to authorize the expenditure of 1,450,000 from the water operating fund. This uh the work to be completed on this contract involves pavement, sidewalk and curb restoration follow util following utility excavation performed by Columbus Water and Power. The department routinely outsources this restoration work to a contract that is equipped and trained to make these repairs. Let me stop there. See if any questions or comments from my colleagues. Seeing none, I move for passage. >> Please call the role. >> Bankston Barosa de Padilla de Akaw Dorren Green Reie Ross White President Hard. >> Thank you. Next, I have ordinance 1570-2026 to authorize the appropriation of $1,800,100 from the unappropriate balance of the sustainable Columbus fund for the operating expenditures related to the sustainable Columbus program and to declare an emergency. These funds will be used to support a range of energy management alternative energy and sustainability initiatives that benefit the greater Columbus community. Emergency designation is requested in order to appropriate the funds needed and allow for financial transactions to be posted to the city's accounting system as soon as possible. Mr. Stop there. See if any questions or comments from my colleagues. Seeing none, I move for passage. >> Thanks Buros Padilla de Akaw Dorans Green Reie Ross White President Harden. >> Thank you. Next, I have 1578-2026 to authorize the director of the Department of Public Utilities to enter into a professional services contract modification with MS Consultants Incorporated to add funding for the fourth water plant transmission main project, to authorize an amendment to the 2025 Capital Improvement Budget, to authorize the director of public utilities to apply for a loan from the water supply revolving loan account, and to accept the loan to make this ordinance contingent upon the loan being approved, and to authorize the appropriation an expenditure of up to $14,773,63 $63.35 from the water supply revolving loan account fund to pay for the contract modification. This contract modification will procure engineering consulting services for the design of water transmission mains that will extend from the future home road water plant to strategic connection points in the city's existing water distribution system. Let me stop there see if any questions or comments from my colleagues. Seeing none I move for passage a car green reie Ross White President Harden. >> Thank you. Next, I have ordinance 1581-2026 to authorize the director of the Department of Public Utilities to modify the contract with Midstate Basement Systems LLC for the blueprint volunteer sump pump 2025 project to authorize an amendment to the 2025 capital improvement budget to transfer cash and appropriation between projects within the sanitary bond fund and to authorize an expenditure of $1 million from the sanitary bond fund to pay for the contract modification as part of the city's blueprint initiative. This project consists of residents volunteering for the installation of sump pumps in their homes. This will reduce excess storm water entering the city's sanitary sewer system, thus min struggling at 1:00 a.m. Thus minimizing sewer overflows to basement and waterways. Let me stop there. See if any questions or comments from my colleagues. Seeing none, I move for passage. Banks Brosa de Padilla de Akawa Doris Green Remy Ross White President Harden >> pass. >> Thank you. Next I have ordinance 1598-2026 to authorize the director of the department of public utilities to enter into an agreement with AROS LLC for the implementation and support services of an overtime callout system to wave competitive bidding provisions of Columbus City Code and to authorize the expenditure of $81,965.64 64 cents split among the electricity, water, sanitary, sewer, and storm water operating funds. This ordinance supports the implementation of software that will standardize and automate clumps water and powers over time. Call out an equalization process. Let me stop there. See if any questions or comments from my colleagues. Seeing none, I move for passage. >> Thanks bro de a dorren green reie Ross White President Harden. >> Thank you. Next, I have ordinance 1628-2026 to authorize the director of the Department of Public Utilities to modify professional engineering services contract with TNM Associates Incorporated for the gener general engineering services supply 2024A project and with Wade Trim Incorporated for the General Engineering Services Supply 2024B project to authorize an amendment to the 2025 capital improvement budget to authorize a transfer of cash appropriation between projects within the water bond. bond fund and to authorize an expenditure of up to 1,50,000 from the water bond fund. This ordinance authorized the procurement of task orderbased professional services to support existing engineering personnel within the division of water on an as needed basis. Work will include engineering services surveying hazardous waste remediation and materials testing. Let me stop there see if any questions or comments from my colleagues. Seeing none, I move for passage. >> Bankston Padilla de a dorren green rece. >> Thank you. Next, I have 1657-2026 to authorize the director of the Department of Public Utilities to modify and increase the contract with Black & Beach Corporation for the lower tangi tunnel phase 1 project to authorize the director of public utilities to submit the lower tangi tunnel phase 1 contract modification for loan funding and to execute any paperwork necessary to accept loan funding for this project. to make this ordinance contingent upon the Ohio Water Development Authority approving a loan for this project to amend the 2025 capital improvement budget to appropriate funds within the water pollution control loan fund and to authorize an expenditure of up to 1,84,736.71 from the water pollution control loan fund to pay for the project uh as part of the blueprint program. This uh Yeah, I'm good. Uh as part of the blueprint program, this project will improve water quality in the ONG river by substantially reducing wet weather overflows from nine sewer overflow and relief structures. Let me stop there. See if any questions or comments from my colleagues. Seeing none, I move for passage. Please call >> Bankston Bara de Padilla de Akaw Dorance Green Reie Ross White President Harden. >> Thank you. Next, I have ordinance 1661-2026 to authorize the director of public utilities to enter into a construction contract with Proline Electric Incorporated for the Scattera Radio Improvements Project to authorize an amendment to the 2025 capital improvement budget to appropriate funds within the water freshwater market rate fund to make this ordinance contingent upon city council approval to accept a loan from the Ohio Water Development Authority uh for this project and upon the Ohio Water Development Authority approving a loan for this project to authorize the expenditure of up to 9,650,742.50 from the water freshwater market rate fund to pay for the project and to authorize a transfer of exp transfer and expenditure of up to $2,000 from the water bond fund to pay for prevailing wage services. This project will upgrade and improve supervisory control and data uh data acquisition radio systems utilized within the water distribution system. Uh these upgrades to the communication network will improve security and prepare for future growth in central Ohio. Let me stop there. See if any questions or comments from my colleagues. Seeing none, I move for passage. >> Please call the role. >> Bank Simberia de Aar Dorren Green Reie Ross White President Harden. >> Thank you. Next, I have ordinance 1686-2026 to authorize the director of the Department of Public Utilities to modify a professional engineering services contract with CDM Smith Incorporated for the water reuse project to authorize the director of public utilities to apply for and accept a loan from the water pollution control loan fund for the water reuse project to make this ordinance contingent upon the Ohio Water Development Authority approving a loan for this project to authorize an amendment to the 2025 capital improvement budget to appropriate funds within in the water supply revolving loan fund and to authorize an expenditure of up to 1,456,848 from the water supply revolving loan fund to pay for the project given an expected future growth and demand for on the water distribution system. This ordinance enables Columbus water empower to research and evaluate nonpotable water reuse strategies. Let me stop there see if any questions or comments from my colleagues. Seeing none, I move for passage. Please call the role. >> Bankston Barrosa de Padilla de Akawa Dorans Green Remy Ross White President Harden. >> Thank you. These last two ordinance relate to the Columbus Water and Power's transition to a singular platform for meter management uh customer billing services. This transition will reduce system complexity and increase uh data and billing accuracy. Additionally, these projects will create a portal for customers to obtain information, pay bills, and utilize self-service options. Uh so first I have ordinance 1880-2026 to author authorize the director of public utilities to modify an existing contract with Oracle America Incorporated for licensing cloud service fees for the department's customer information systems and integrated systems replacement project wave the competitive bidding provisions of city code to authorize the expenditure of $288,24168 split among the public utilities operating funds and to declare an emergency Emergency designation is requested in order to avoid delays and provide employees with proper training prior to the launch of the new customer information system. Let me stop there. See if any questions or comments from my colleagues. Seeing none, I move for passage. >> Please call the role. >> Bankston Barrosa deia de a dorren green rei president Harden >> passed. >> Thank you. And last, in second reading, I have ordinance 1887-2026 to authorize the director of the Department of Public Utilities to modify the contract with RCC Global LLC for the customer information systems and integrated systems upgrade project and to authorize the expenditure of 8,57,5360 split between the electricity, water, sanitary, sewer, and storm water operating fund. Are there any questions or comments from my colleagues? Seeing none, I move for passage. >> Please call the role. >> Bankston, Barrosa, Deia, de Ara, Dorren, Green, Remy, Ross, White, President Harden. >> Thank you, Council President. I have a code change in rules and policy. May I move on? Thank you. Uh first in rules and policy I have ordinance 1882-2026 to amend various sections in titles 2911 1733 4143 45 of the Columbus City codes to indicate the department of public utilities will be known as Columbus Water and Power and to repeal existing sections being amended. This code change officially changes the Department of Public Utilities name to Columbus Water Power in code and hopefully all future ordinances will only reference Columbus Water and Power and not Department of Public Utilities are director of public utilities and just Columbus Water and Power. Uh are there any questions or comments from my colleagues? Seeing none, I move for passage. >> Bankston Barosa Deia de Aar Doris Green Reie Ross White President Harden. Uh, council president, may I go back to an ordinance on first reading? All right. I have ordinance 1865-2026 to authorize the finance and management director to enter into a contract for the option to purchase YSI parts and services with Bonderist Environmental Incorporated and to authorize expenditure of $1. This contract ensures the division of water has the option to purchase YSI parts and services which are used for the repair and maintenance of equipment used in remote water quality monitoring networks and the finished drinking water distribution system. Emergency designation is requested as the previous contract expired on May 31st, 2026. Uh are any questions or comments from my colleagues? All right, seeing none, first I move to wave second reading on this ordinance. >> Call the role. Bankston Barrosa Deia de Aka Doris Green Reie Ross White President Harden >> and with that I move for passage >> bankstonia dear Doris Green Remy Ross White President Harden. >> That is all I have for my committee this evening. for the visit. Bankston Barrosa Deia de Aarorn Green Remy Ross White President Harden 114