Planning committee moves to add construction‑manager‑at‑risk process to code; advances vacant‑property registration amendment

The Planning and Annexation Codes committee on June 2 called for legislation to allow the city to use the construction manager‑at‑risk (CMAR) project delivery method and advanced by vote an amendment to Chapter 14.54 of the vacant property registration program.

Mayor Judge requested legislation to include the CMAR process in the city’s codified procurement options. A committee member asked whether authorizing CMAR was premature given that a specific project had not yet been approved: "we haven't even approved it being built... shouldn't we be a little closer to something before we go sign contracts with somebody who may not have a job?" Councilor Easterling asked. A committee speaker replied that adding CMAR to the code "just puts it in our codes that we have the authorization to hire. It's not forcing us to do it, but it's just the process." Committee members referenced the Ohio Revised Code (ORC) as providing the authority for the procurement method.

The committee also considered an updated draft to the vacant property registration ordinance (Chapter 14.54). Planning Director Stacy Carr said staff had received public comments and was sending them, and a revised draft, to consultant OHM for final review; she offered to resend a draft link to council members. The amendment was described as tightening language "to make sure we have more teeth when we do certain items."

The committee moved both items to council; the vacant property registration draft passed committee 3‑1 (Councilor Harris recorded as "No" in committee roll call). Both items carried emergency, one‑reading requests in committee and will return to council for formal ordinance readings.

No final ordinance text was adopted at the June 2 meeting; the transcript records committee discussion and the votes to call the items to the council agenda.