The Committee of the Whole heard a request Monday for an ordinance authorizing a temporary construction easement at Taylor Station park to support a Columbia Gas of Ohio pipeline replacement project expected to take place in 2026 and 2027. Director, Department of Parks and Recreation, said the easement is described in attachments included with the agenda and asked the committee to authorize the mayor to sign the agreement. "The item I have for this evening is a request for a agreement for a construction easement with Columbia gas of Ohio," the director said.

The request covers a short, temporary workspace for equipment and material staging along the park roadway, not a long-term conveyance, and the director said the area is "about, less than, well, 0.02 acres." Council members asked staff to show the map included in the packet during the discussion to confirm the easement location is adjacent to the road and parking area, not deeper into wooded parkland. One member said the map in their packet was unclear and asked staff to pull up page 5 of 5 so everyone could see the proposed strip.

The director also reported that the city coordinated with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources and made changes to ensure compliance with the city's agreement with ODNR. No vote was taken; the committee agreed to forward the ordinance for first reading on the regular agenda next week with a request for consent consideration on the following meeting.

Next steps: staff will place the ordinance on the regular agenda for council consideration, provide the map attachments to council members who requested clarification, and return with any additional information requested by council prior to the public reading. The administration did not present a timeline for construction beyond the 2026–2027 window stated in the request.