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Columbus Council adopts multiple appropriations and contracts, approves zoning and housing-code changes
Summary
Council passed a package of ordinances across multiple committees including large appropriations for power and water chemicals, contract authorizations, police and fire training spending, appropriations for Municipal Motor Vehicle License Tax, and zoning and variance approvals; several items were enacted as emergencies.
Columbus City Council passed a series of ordinances across finance, public service, utilities, public safety and zoning committees during the regular meeting.
Major enacted items included emergency appropriations and contract authorizations: a $65,070,950 ordinance to purchase wholesale electric power through American Municipal Power, a $27,000,000 authorization to buy water-treatment chemicals, and $10,150,000 in municipal motor-vehicle license tax appropriations for 2025 operating expenses in the Department of Public Service. Council also approved a $6,963,847.20 reimbursement to River South Authority for lease payments and an $11,221,783 (approx.) transfer in the debt retirement fund to provide a fiscal backstop for the Franklin County Convention Facility Authority.
Other council actions included authorization to enter a construction and maintenance agreement with the Columbus and Ohio River Railroad for the Cassady Avenue widening project (encumbrance up to $1,053,025), an appropriation of $1,718,861.18 for mandatory continuing professional training for the Division of Police under Ohio law, and approval of a $223,305.59 contract with Target Solutions Learning for the Division of Fire's distance-learning services (waiver of competitive bidding noted). The Council also authorized a small appropriation ($40,616) tied to an eminent-domain step for the Alum Creek Trail Mott Road Connector project.
On policy and code matters, Council amended and passed an ordinance to revise Columbus City Code Section 45.65.13 to allow the Department of Development to use alternative affordability standards when certain federal programs apply; the measure was amended and enacted as an emergency. Council's zoning committee approved several rezoning and variance requests, including rezoning 5656 Bixby Road and related variances for a multi-phase apartment development and multiple variances to allow accessory habitable space and additional single-unit dwellings on Madison Avenue parcels; the zoning items were advanced and passed, some with emergency amendments.
Most items were presented by committee chairs with limited debate; roll-call votes were held and recorded for each ordinance. Consent agenda items were also approved earlier in the meeting. Where applicable, the meeting record shows the clerk calling the roll and members recorded as present for passage.
