City Council - Regular Meeting

41 will now come to order. Please stand for the playing of the National Anthem.

I pledge allegiance 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 afternoon, Council is grateful to have Pastor Frederick Lamar of the Family Missionary Baptist Church here to pray with us. Pastor, welcome back to Council.

Amen. Thank you, Pastor. Clerk, please call the roll.

Can I get a motion for the reading of the journal? So moved. Second. Clerk, please call the roll.

Are there any additions or corrections to the journal? Hearing none, the journal is approved. This week's communications received by the city clerk's office are listed on the agenda and will be published in the city bulletin. Are there any other records to be read into the record? Are there any additions or corrections to the journal? We'll now go around the dais for announcements and resolutions from members of council, starting with Council Member Bankston.

Thank you, Council President. Just one announcement, and really a joint announcement, that this Thursday at 1230, Council Member Green and I will co-chair a hearing to discuss recommendations issued via the Funding Review Advisory Committee, better known as the FRAC Report. Just as a refresher, the FRAC Report, which was released in March of this year, provides an overview of the committee's work, key findings, and recommendations for sustainable and equitable funding strategies support essential community services in the city of columbus and franklin county the report is intended to serve as

Thank you, Council Member Bankston. Yeah, we're really excited to hold this hearing. You know, I think since the FRAC report came out, we have not had the opportunity yet to solicit real feedback from our stakeholders and community members. You know, I think the report itself provides an ambitious roadmap of a lot of different thoughts or ideas of ways that we can shore up our critical services that support people across our community, across a broad range. content areas and so you know we're really looking forward to the conversation really looking forward to the community input to help guide

THANK YOU. AND COUNCILMEMBER GREEN, JUST WANT TO LIFT UP YOURSELF AND COUNCIL PRESIDENT AND I SERVED ON THAT COMMITTEE. GREAT WORK THAT OUR COMMUNITY CAME TO DO ALONGSIDE OF US TO REALLY GIVE US AS POLICYMAKERS RECOMMENDATIONS but we also want to make sure that we're being informed by the community and making sure that we're having a dialogue. So looking forward to one of many several conversations around the FRAX report. And Council President, it's all I have.

Thanks, Council President. First, I would like to invite residents from District 8 tomorrow. I will be hosting the Zone In Gallery. So I invite, we send out invitations, but it is open to all. It's at 6 p.m. You can check my social media channels for more information. No need to RSVP, VP, please show up. And secondly, felicidades, mi gente. It's still Latino Heritage Month. And to close out the month, we would like to invite everyone to join us for La Feria, or the Latino Arts Festival. We will have three stages, an art show, activities for kids, families, and much, much more. If you are not f

Thank you. Thank you Council Member. Council Member Day-Albauer.

Thank you Council President. I have one announcement and one resolution. I will be hosting my second Zone In Gallery on October 8th from 5 to 7. So while it is promoted as a District 2 Zone In Gallery gathering, you can live anywhere in the city of Columbus and still come and hang out with us. It's at 141 North Front Street, which is across from the Coleman Building, free parking in the garage. So please come join me on October 8th. Stop by anytime between 5 and 7. And I have one resolution this evening. And as I read the title, I would like to invite Chet Ridenour to the podium. Resolution 02

Thank you, Council Member. Thank you, Chet. Press Pro Tem. Thank you, Council President. Just a quick announcement. As you've heard, we are in zone-in season from my other council colleagues, but we are in day 34 of the 60-day public comment period. So residents have until October 24th to fill out the zone-in survey, which is one of our main tools for receiving feedback on this proposal. As we continue to work towards modernizing our over 70-year-old zoning code, that feedback is incredibly valuable. So Folks can certainly join myself or some of my council colleagues at one of the gallery nigh

Thank you so much, Council President. First and foremost, today is a very special day in the Green household because it is my sweet little baby Miles' sixth birthday today. So I'm sure he's not watching me right now. He wanted a steak dinner tonight, a six-year-old of refined tastes, but in the off chance he is. Happy birthday, Miles. I love you very, very much. And also, tomorrow evening, we would love to invite everyone to join us here at City Hall. We are going to be hosting a childhood cancer awareness illumination here at 6 p.m. at City Hall. It will begin last year. I think that this eve

Thank you very much, Council President. Tonight, I'm pleased to announce that our fourth annual Public Safety Week is returning in 2026 to the South Side. We're bringing together residents, neighborhood organizations, public safety professionals, community partners, and volunteers for a week of activities focusing on community connection, public safety, neighborhood engagement, and service. To learn more, go to publicsafetyweek.com to sign up and learn about all the upcoming events. Thank you very much. That's all I have this evening.

Thank you, Council Member. Council Member Ross.

Nothing for me, Council President. Thank you. Thank you.

Council Member Wyche. Thank you. Are there any comments by our elected officials, offices, city attorney, auditor? At this time, I request the following ordinance be removed from the consent portion of the agenda. Public Utilities Sustainability Ordinance 2560-2026. Are there any other requests by members of council for the removal of an ordinance from the consent portion of the agenda? Hearing none, may we now have a motion to waive the reading of Title III-A legislation on tonight's Clerk, please call the roll.

Thank you. Will the clerk now read into the records the ordinance number of 30-day legislation on tonight's agenda for first reading?

Thank you, Madam Clerk. Seeing no speakers on the consent portion, or the first reading portion of the agenda, the following orders appear on our agenda as consent. Will the clerk now read those into the records?

Hearing none, may I have a motion to approve these items as needed as consent? Move. Second. Clerk, please call the roll by voice.

Yes, with the exception of Ordinance 2569-2026, from which I abstain.

Yes. The consent portion of the agenda is passed with the noted exceptions. We'll now go to second reading, a 30-day postponement emergency legislation. The first committee we'll go to will actually go out of order. We'll start with Ordinance 2560 and 2026 in the Public Utilities and Sustainability Committee, which was removed from the consent agenda. I'll throw it to Councilmember Weiss.

Thank you, Council President. Everybody mark the day. We may never get the chance to go first again. But if we go back to page 16, I'd like to read 2560-2026 to require the director of Columbus Water and Power to establish peak rates and other fees and or other fees and charges to large load or high volume industrial and manufacturing users. This ordinance is one piece of a larger policy package aimed at addressing resident concerns around data centers and requires Columbus Water and Power to present council with a concrete proposal that ensures large volume users pay their fair share of both

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Today, Council has taken an important step towards protecting Columbus Water customers and making sure that as our region grows, that the cost of that growth doesn't fall on the people who built our city into what it is today. Columbus has one of the most important responsibilities any city can have, providing safe, reliable, affordable water to our residents and businesses. And we are entering a period of large investments into that system. Columbus is building a new water capacity, replacing and upgrading aging infrastructure and preparing for continued population gr

Appreciate it. At this time, I'd like to invite Annalisa Rocca with the Ohio Environmental Council up to the podium to speak to this ordinance. While she is coming up, I'd also like to take a moment to thank her for spending her 30th birthday with us this evening. So happy birthday, Annalisa. And thank you for being with us and continue to work through all the policies that we're putting forward. The floor is yours.

Thank you, Annalisa, for being here again and for your engagement through the entire process of developing this piece of legislation. Before I move for passage, are there any questions or comments from my colleagues? Seeing none, I move for passage. Clerk, please call the roll.

Now we can jump to page 20, where I have Ordinance 2324-2026 to authorize the Director of the Department of Public Utilities to modify and increase the contract. with Ascension Construction Solutions LLC for the wastewater treatment facilities professional construction management services project to authorize an amendment to the 2025 capital improvement budget to authorize the transfer of funds and appropriation between projects in the sanitary bond fund and to authorize an expenditure of up to $1 million from the sanitary bond fund to pay for the contract modification. This contract modificat

Next, I have Ordinance 2409-2026 to authorize the Director of Columbus Water and Power to enter into a contract modification with Evans, Mechbort, Hamilton, and Tilton Incorporated for the Construction Administration Construction Inspection Services. 2026-2028 contract to add additional funding to authorize amendments to the 2025 capital improvement budget to authorize the appropriation expenditure of up to $1,400,533.56 from the Water Pollution Control Loan Fund and the Water Fresh Water Market Rate Loan Fund for the contract and to make this ordinance contingent upon the Ohio Water Developme

Passed. Thank you. And next I have Ordinance 2436-2026, to authorize the director of Columbus Water and Power to enter into a construction contract with Claypool Electric Incorporated for the hazardous gas monitors replacement project, to authorize an amendment to the 2025 capital improvement budget, to appropriate funds within the sanitary revolving loan fund, to make this ordinance contingent upon the Ohio Water Development Authority approving a loan for this project, and to authorize the expenditure of up to $2,393,600 from the sanitary revolving loan fund and a transfer of appropriation in

Pass. Thank you, Council President. That's all I have in my committee this evening. However, I do have an ordinance and rules and policy. May I continue? Yes, sir. Thank you. This evening, I have Ordinance 2398-2026 to amend Chapters 1101 and 1119 of Columbus City Code to authorize the Director of Columbus Water and Power, to disconnect vacant buildings from the water system and to expand the lead service line replacement program into contract community areas. The lead service line replacement program is a multi-year citywide project that replaces lead and galvanized water service lines at no

Thank you, Deputy Director. Any questions or comments from my colleagues? Seeing none, I move for passage. Clerk, please call the roll.

Pass. All right. That is all I have for this evening. Thank you. There you go.

There you go. The next committee to come before council is the Finance and Governance Committee. That committee is chaired by Council Member Bankston. Council Member, the floor is yours.

Thank you, Council President. I need to get more things taken off the consent agenda. Oh, I always go first. Never mind. It's all right. First up in the Finance and Governance Committee, before we get started, I do want to take one point of privilege, because I've missed this in my announcements. I do just want to say welcome to our new Deputy Director and Chief Transformation Officer, Kim Roy-Wilson, who is here with us in the audience. So thank you for joining the team. She comes with us with over 30 years of experience in Cleveland, and so looking forward to having you on the show. TECHNOLO

THANK YOU, DEPUTY DIRECTOR. ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM OUR COLLEAGUES? SEEING NONE AT THIS TIME, I MOVE FOR ADOPTION.

Next, we have Resolution 0201X-2026 to accept the Capital Improvements Program 2026 through 2031 as described herein as the primary guide for future capital improvement budget ordinances and to declare an emergency. This ordinance represents the city's annual capital improvements program request, also known as the CIP, to allow council ample time to review and deliberate on this year's CIP and capital improvements budget commonly referred to as the CIB, I will move to refer this ordinance and the CIB ordinance, which will be read later back to committee. Are there any questions or comments fro

budget reservations, and to establish various purchase orders for fuel on behalf of the Fleet Management Division per the terms and conditions of previously established universal term contracts to authorize the expenditure of $1 million from the Fleet Management Operating Fund and to declare an emergency. This ordinance establishes purchase orders for bulk unleaded ethanol, diesel, and biodiesel fuels on behalf of the Fleet Management Division and via previously established universal term contracts. Emergency action is necessary to maintain sufficient purchasing authority for the continuous ac

Next, we have Ordinance 2506-2026 to authorize the issuance of limited tax bonds, anticipation notes in an amount not to exceed $6,260,000 for the purpose of financing the costs of constructing the Starling Street parking garage to authorize the appropriation and transfer of a sum presently estimated at $1,888,325.84 from either of or a combination of mobility debt retirement fund and the Columbus downtown TIF fund or any sub funds of the foregoing as determined by the city auditor to pay off a portion of the outstanding notes to authorize an expenditure of $9,385,956 from the mobility enterpr

Are there any questions or comments from my colleagues?

Passed. Next, we have Ordinance 2535-2026. TO ADOPT A CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT BUDGET FOR THE 12 MONTHS ENDING DECEMBER 31, 2026 FOR OR UNTIL SUCH A TIME AS A NEW CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT BUDGET IS ADOPTED, ESTABLISH A PROJECT BUDGET FOR IMPROVEMENTS REQUIRING LEGISLATIVE AUTHORIZATION IN 2026 TO REPEAL ORDINANCE NUMBER 1790-2025 AS AMENDED AND TO DECLARE AN EMERGENCY. AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, THIS ORDINANCE REPRESENTS THE CITY'S ANNUAL CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT BUDGET REQUEST AND WILL BE REFERRED BACK TO COMMITTEE. I do know that the mayor submitted his budget and made an announcement. Council is deliberating

Thank you, Council President. May I move to the Economic Development and Small Minority Business Committee? Please. Thank you. First up in the Economic Development and Small Minority Business Committee, we have Ordinance 2312-2026 to authorize the Director of the Department of Development to enter into a downtown office incentive agreement with Burns and McDonnell Engineering Company, Inc. for a term of up to five consecutive years in consideration. OF THE CREATION OF 45 NET NEW FULL-TIME PERMANENT POSITIONS WITH AN ESTIMATED AND ASSOCIATED ANNUAL PAYROLL OF APPROXIMATELY $3,600,000 AND THE RE

FIS Management Services, LLC, for a term up to five consecutive years in consideration of the company's proposed expansion to creation of 100 net new full-time permanent positions with an estimated annual payroll of approximately $6,085,000 and the retention of 112 full-time permanent positions with an estimated annual payroll of approximately $6,500,000 at the proposed project site. This ordinance authorizes a 25% five-year jobs growth incentive with FIS Management Services, a subsidiary of the financial technology company Fidelity. FIS provides operational support to Fidelity's broader techn

Passed. Next, we have Ordinance 2413-2026 to accept the application of Tracy L. Zauer and Richard L. Zauer to... sorry, Lutcher L. Zauer II, a trustee at L for the annexation of a certain territory containing 279.5 plus or minus acres in Brown and Norwich Township. This ordinance represents the second of two steps in the annexation process. The specific annexation is for nearly 280 acres in Brown and Norwich Townships. The annexation is sought to facilitate a 1,493-unit residential and commercial development. Planning staff note that the proposed use is consistent with the 2026 Big Darby Accor

I move for passage by voice. Clerk, please call the roll by voice.

Thank you. Next, we have Ordinance 2467-2026 to authorize the Director of the Department of Development to amend the Enterprise Zone Agreement with Buckeye XOLLC for the first time for the purpose of, one, to revise the expected project start date in Section 1 of the agreement from August 2022, and August 2026, to update the expected completion date for all real property improvements from October 2023 to December 2027, to revise the Section 3 tax exemption period so that no exemption commences after 2028 or extends beyond 2037, replacing the original 2024 and 2033 timeframe, and to revise the

Next, I move for passage as amended by voice.

Thank you. Next, we have Ordinance 2468-2026 to authorize the Directorate Department of Development to amend the Enterprise Zone Agreement with Buckeye XOLLC for the first time for the purpose of, one, to revise the expected project start date in Section 1 of the Agreement from August 2022 to August 2026. Two, to update the expected completion date for all real property improvements from October 2023 to December 2027. Three, revise the Section 3 tax exemption period so that no exemption commences after 2028 or extends beyond 2037, replacing the original 2024 to 2033 timeframe, and to revise th

Clerk pass the roll, or clerk, please call the roll by voice.

Yes. Amended. And now I move for passage as amended by voice. Second.

Next, we have Ordinance 2469-2026 to authorize the Director of the Department of Development to amend The Enterprise Zone Agreement with Buckeye XOLLC for the first time for the purpose of, one, to revise the expected project start date in Section 1 of the agreement from August 2022 to August 2026, two, to update the expected completion date for all real property improvements from October 2023 to December 2027, 3, to revise the Section 3 tax exemption period so that no exemption commences after 2028 or extends beyond 2037, replacing the original 2024 to 2033 time frame, and 4, to revise the le

Thank you. Next, we have Ordinance 2470-2026 to authorize the Director of the Department of Development to amend the Enterprise Zone Agreement with Buckeye XOLLC for the first time for the purpose of, one, to revise the expected project start date in Section 1 of the agreement from August 2022 to August 2026, two, to update the expected completion date for all real property improvements from October 2023 to December 2027, three, to revise the Section 3 tax exemption period so that no exemption commences after 2028 or extends beyond 2037 replacing the original 2024 to 2033 time frame and for to

And now I move for passage as amended by voice.

Next and finally, we have ordinance 2482-2026 to authorize the director of department development to amend enterprise zone agreement for the first time for assignment and assumption with HQ office one LLC to one remove HQ office one LLC as enterprise and party to the agreement and to be replaced with Ohio health corporation as enterprise and party to the agreement and to revise the notification information related to the enterprise within section six of the agreement. This ordinance updates an existing enterprise zone agreement to accurately reflect the current owner of the associated project

Thank you, Council President. That's all I have in my committees this evening.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. The next committee to come before Council is the Neighborhood Recreation and Parks Committee, chaired by Council Member Deagar. Council Member, the floor is yours.

Thank you, Council President. For our one and only piece of legislation this evening, I'm actually going to turn the floor over to my colleague, Council Member Borussia de Padilla.

Thank you, council member. As I'm reading this ordinance, I would invite our friends from Hakone to come on up to the podium. This is ordinance, sorry, 2549-2026 to authorize and direct the city clerk to enter into a grant agreement with Ohio Haitian Community Network to provide advance payment in support of their post-legal status community support plan to authorize an expenditure from the neighborhood initiative sub-fund to authorize the payment of non-food related program expenses to allow food and or non-alcoholic beverage expenses incurred after the date effective of this ordinance and to

Before I ask for passage, I'll open up the floor if my colleagues have anything they would like to share, comments, questions. So again, I just want to thank you all for your support. I know that this is, there would be endless dollars that we would put towards the support of our immigrant communities right now. And this is, I just want to again underscore that this is an extraordinary challenging time and that when one part of our community suffers, all parts of our community suffer. And so I think at a time like right now where people are stressed about the cost of gas or the cost of food or

That's all for me. Thank you. Thank you. That's all in my committee.

Thank you. Thank you. The next and final committee to come before council is the Public Safety and Criminal Justice Committee, chaired by Councilman Remy. Councilman, the floor is yours. Thank you very much.

Council president tonight and public safety and criminal justice. I have three items. First is one 99 X 2026 to withdraw the objection to the renewal of liquor permit number 0 6 4 8 3 9 4 4 dash one held by Rob enterprises doing business as shell carwash located at 28 0 5 West broad street, Columbus, Ohio, 4 3 2 0 4 and to declare an emergency. The city's objection to the liquor permit at 2805 West Broad Street was filed in response to nuisance and public safety concerns at the property. Since that time, the permit holder has entered into a settlement agreement with the city that establishes s

And finally, I have 2532-2026 to approve the settlement in the case of the City of Columbus, Ohio versus Kia America Inc. and Hyundai Motor America. Case number 223-CV00654 in Kia Hyundai Vehicle Theft Marketing Sales Practices and Products Liability Litigation. Case number 822-ML3052. to authorize the city attorney to execute the settlement and release agreement in the addendum applicable to the city to accept a deposit of $1,002,117.34 to be deposited and appropriated into the general fund and to declare an emergency. This ordinance approves the settlement of the city's lawsuit against Kia a

Thank you very much. Um, deputy chief of staff shin. So now that we've heard from you, appreciate that. I'll now invite Tiffany Clinton, our assistant director at the department of public safety to share the comments of the department.

Thank you very much, Assistant Director. Are there any questions or comments from my colleagues? Seeing none, I move for passage. Clerk, please call the roll.

Thank you, Council President. That is all I have this evening. Thank you, Mr. Chair. There actually is one more piece of legislation in Rules and Reference Committee. I think that is, I chair that committee, but I think that I'm going to pass it over to Council Member Ross.

Thank you, Council President. If I may move to page 21 of the agenda. Nothing out of the Housing Homelessness and Building Committee, but we do have on second read ordinance number 2326-2026 to amend section 215.04 of Columbus City Codes to reflect the updated Division of Housing Opportunity within the Department of Development to repeal existing Section 215.04 of the Columbus City Codes and to declare an emergency. In order to better align the structure of the Department of Development with the City of Columbus's housing strategy and improve program delivery, the work of the Division of Housi

Thank you, Council President. That's it for me.

Thank you, Madam Chairman. Seeing no further business to come for council, is there a motion to adjourn? Clerk, please call the roll.

Meeting is adjourned. We have two non-agenda...

Are there any additions or corrections to the journal? Hearing none, the journal is approved. We'll now go to the zoning committee. Council Member Dorrance chairs that committee and all members serve. I want to council member, the floor is yours.

Thank you, Council President. Before we begin tonight's zoning agenda, first a little bit of housekeeping with the clerk. Please read the numbers of legislation in this committee that require a waiver of second reading.

Thank you, clerk. I now move to waive second reading on those items. Second.

Thank you. As always, I'll briefly explain our rules speaking before council on rezonings and variances. We only hear a staff presentation for ordinances that have a disapproval from a recommended body or if we have a public speaker assigned to speak against an ordinance. We permit three speakers on each side, three proponents, three opponents. We ask those speakers to limit their remarks to three minutes for the Santa Rosa City 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 testim

Thank you. Moving into the council variances portion of our agenda, we have ordinance number 2581-2026, a grant of variance and provisions of section 3332.035R3, residential district 3312.49C, require parking in 3332.05A4, area district lot with requirements to the Columbus Degrees for property located at 1488 Loretta Avenue to allow two-unit dwelling with reduced development standards in the R3 residential district. A site consists of one parcel developed with a single-unit dwelling, and the request of council variance will allow it to be converted into a two-unit dwelling. A council variance

Second. Thank you. Next move to adopt the final staff of the financial council.

Thank you. And finally, we have ordinance number 2588-2026, a grant of variance provisions in section 3363.01, M Manufacturing District 33.09, .14 height districts, 3312.49C, require parking in 3361.07, affective development plan in 3363.27A, height and area regulations of the Columbus City Codes for the property located at 9966 Dublin Road, to allow a apartment complex to reduce development standards in the M Manufacturing District. and the CPD Commercial Plan Development District. This site consists of portions of three undeveloped parcels, and the request comes with a variance to allow a mu

Accepted. Again, next move to adopt the five staff of the Finance Council. Second.

Adopted. Thank you. Next move to Amanda Smith of the Clerk. Clerk, please call the roll.

Accepted. Thank you. I finally move for passage as amended. Second. Clerk, please call the roll.

Passed. And, Council President, all we have tonight is zoning agenda. There's no further business to come for the zoning committee. Is there a motion to adjourn? Second. Clerk, please call the roll.

Meeting is adjourned. Have a good evening, everyone.