Councilmember Green, would you lead us in the pledge?

Of the United States of an American and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation and God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all.

This evening council is grateful to have the Reverend Dr.

Kevin Orr, who's the lead pastor of Glenwood United Methodist Church here to pray with us.

Pastor, welcome back to Council.

Shall we pray?

Sovereign God, author of creation, source of life, and love.

We thank you for your providential care.

You have blessed the city with an abundance of resources.

Grant grace, strength, and creativity to all who work for the city.

And for those who have been elected to represent the rich and diverse and sometimes conflicting voices and interests of the people, grant discernment, wisdom, vision, and courage to make decisions that support the welfare of the people of Columbus.

We ask this in the name of all that is holy.

Amen.

Thank you so much, Pastor Clerk.

Please call the rule.

Barossa de Padilla, de Akaur Dorns Green, Remy Ross White's 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.

Thank you, Madam Clerk.

Can I get a motion to Smith with a reading of the journal?

Clerk, please call the role.

Not at this time.

Tyler was 28 years old, and he graduated from Eastmore Academy High School in 2015, where he also played football.

Thank you, Councilmember.

Councilmember De October.

Thank you, Council President.

I am excited about presenting her resolution this evening.

This time I would like to invite the Centennial High School girls' basketball team and their coaches to the podium as I introduce this resolution.

Resolution 0069X-2026 to recognize and celebrate the Centennial High School girls' basketball team for winning back to back City League championships.

The Centennial High School Girls Basketball Program has established a standard of excellence, demonstrating that success is a result of relentless hard work, discipline, and a unified vision.

The stars have once again ascended to the top of the Columbus City League, capturing back-to-back league titles and proving their dominance on the court through a season defined by grit and sportsmanship.

This sustained success is a testament to the leadership and tactical expertise of head coach Ernest Bell and varsity assistants Bobby Witcher, Matty Miles, Kevin Houston, and Steve Anderson.

These coaches whose commitment to developing both the skill and character of their players have built a championship culture at Centennial High School.

This legacy began with the historic 2024-2025 team whose inaugural championship season set the foundation for this era of dominance.

And the 2025-2026 championship roster demonstrated exceptional chemistry, talent, and heart throughout their title defense.

This historic achievement reflects the tireless dedication of the student athletes and the unnerving support of the Centennial High School faculty, students, and Columbus community.

These young women serve as exceptional role models for aspiring athletes throughout our city, proving that with teamwork and determination, greatness is within reach.

The City of Columbus takes great pride in recognizing the achievements of our youth who represent our community with such poise and competitive spirit.

With that, I'd like to present this resolution to Coach Bell, and I'm also going to offer up the floor to say words and introduce these amazing star athletes.

The floor is yours.

Thank you.

I first want to say thank you all for having us here today.

And I'll just talk a little bit about a little bit about our season.

We definitely we lost some of our starters last year, and this season we knew it was gonna be like a rebuild and a rebond and stuff like that.

So we kind of all just came together and we kind of had the same goal.

And like our people who were here with us last year, we just kind of reminded the new people of like our goal to like go back to cities until I do the thing, and we just kind of reminded them of what we do here at Centennial, like our standard, and how we like kind of run things so they could hop in and we could get a road going and we could win some games.

So we did that, and everybody was just ready to go, our practices.

We had some really good practices, especially leading up to big games, and we had just we had we were all just ready to go and just ready to win as a team, and we just wanted it, we just wanted it more than some of our opponents, and we just have to execute, and when it was time to execute, we just we did it.

He all delivered.

Yes.

But introducing the names of these amazing players and your coaches here.

Okay, so uh we'll start right here.

We have Coach Witch, then we have Nailea, we have Talia, we have head coach, Coach Bell.

Do we have Nailea?

Then we have Jaleb, we have Izzy and Tiana, then we have Coach A.

This is Centennial Lady Stars basketball team and coaches.

Coach Bell, you want to bring us on home with some words about your amazing team.

Um as she stated, this was a rebuilding year for us.

Uh only three people really returned four from our roster.

Wow.

Uh last season.

Um her sister was one of our uh leading scorers, and we had one of the top ten rebounders in the country on our team.

So we had to replace a lot of people, but they showed a lot of resilience.

Um excellence, not only um on the floor but in the classroom.

My team has a cumulative GPA over 3.2.

Wow.

Well, as Centennial, we aren't just building basketball players, we're building better people for the community.

Everybody's not going to play in college, but whatever you have, you can use it to get you where you want to go.

We were blessed.

We were fortunate God was good to us last year.

He was good to us this year.

He will be better to us next year because we plan on making a final four run.

All right.

The last thing I'll say is I have an amazing, amazing, amazing coaching staff.

Coach Witcher has been with me all but one year, and we've been at Centennial six years.

We spent half our time in the championship.

I'm proud to say we're two, well, we're, what are we, two and one, two and one in the city championship.

Um, Coach Miles is not here.

She actually played for me at Columbus State and came over with me to coach high school basketball.

Um, I mean, we have Coach Anderson that joined this year, but I'll be honest, a head coach is only the sum of his staff, and one of the main pieces in the reason why we are successful is not here with us tonight because he is on the coaching staff at Ohio State University also.

He was one of, if not the architect of what we do, is he made it easy for me to come in and coach.

I will never take credit for everything, and that is uh Kevin Houston Jr.

Um, he's as you know, like I said, they're playing Notre Dame right now.

So he he's there, couldn't be here with us.

And lastly, our senior Chloe Perkins, she is a testament uh to resilience, survival, and she's proven that you can make it regardless of what happens.

She had to overcome some monumental things to get through these four years and even be where she is right now.

So I just want to take the time to honor her also as she's not here with us.

Thank you.

Thank you so much.

And I will say, you are the uh jewel of the amazing District 2.

Do any of my colleagues have any questions or comments?

Um, I first want to say welcome and congratulations, ladies.

I am I have two female athletes at home, and so uh for our girls, we always made them play a sport growing up because it's so important.

Just first of all, it's the best way for girls to learn to support other girls, and I hope everything that you learn out on the court, you take out into life because that's the way that we achieve together is by that same teamwork you learn on when you're on the basketball court.

That's how you should think about life, and you should think about how you support other women.

And so I want to congratulate you and welcome you.

This is the people's house.

I hope you come back.

Is this your first time at City Hall?

Well, I hope you come back because this is a place not only that we celebrate, but we advocate for our young people, for all our people, for our community.

I want to thank our coaching staff because I think teachers, coaches, mentors are some of the most important people in young people's lives.

Um, you are there every day to um to uplift our young people, to give life to our young people, to give opportunities to our young people to see things in them and grow things in them that they couldn't see in themselves, and so that's incredibly important.

And the last shout out I want to give is I see some parents back there with their um cameras up, and as a as a mom, I know you drove to lots of games, picked up lots of practices, bought some snacks, did some things.

So I just want to give y'all a shout-out too for um continuing to support your young people and to the young athlete who introduced the team.

You didn't introduce yourself.

What's your name?

I'm so sorry.

I'm Kennedy Houston.

Hi, Kennedy.

You represented the team very well.

So congratulations, everybody.

Real quick.

Yeah.

Um, this is the best player in the state of Ohio.

Hands down.

Kennedy, I need your autograph before you leave.

It could be worth something someday.

Um, but thank y'all, and congratulations.

Thank you.

Any other comments?

All right.

Well, um, with that, I move for adoption.

Clerk, please call the row.

Barosa de Padilla, De Aka or Dorance Green, Remy Ross, Weich, President Harding.

Adopt it.

Thanks.

Congratulations.

And that's all for me.

Thank you, Councilmember.

Press Pro Tim.

Not for me.

Councilmember Green.

Thank you so much, Council President.

Tonight we do have one resolution on for presentation this evening.

And as I introduce this resolution, I'd love to invite um our friend and community leader, Yolanda Owens from Local Matters to the podium to speak.

Um, we are introducing resolution 0067x-2026 to honor local matters during national national nutrition month.

I can't tell you how much I always appreciate the opportunity to be able to recognize organizations that are not just doing good work but who show up every single day in the lives of our neighbors to tackle problems head on and be able to support one another.

And that's that's really exactly what local matters does.

You know, as we celebrate National Nutrition Month this month, it's a reminder that nutrition is about so much more than just what's on our plates, right?

Um it's about access, it's about education, it's about opportunity.

Um and it's about whether or not families can find fresh food in their neighborhoods, which I know has been your longtime mission to be able to bridge whether or not a kid can learn how to cook a healthy meal, um, whether or not our communities have the tools that they need to be able to make um healthy choices that are gonna promote well-being.

You know, here in Ohio, we have a lot of work to do.

Um, I know that about one in eight of our uh people in our state are experiencing hunger.

Um for kids, it's about one in five.

Um, in my neighborhood, it's about one in three.

Um, and you know, we have a lot of work that we need to do because this is an issue that uh doesn't just affect you and your home, it touches classrooms and it touches our households and it impacts the well-being of our um entire community.

And that's really why work like the work that Local Matters does and our other partners working to tackle um food system challenges across our community is so important.

Um, you know, I'll let you speak on behalf of your own organization.

The impact that you've had um over the last you know almost two decades now has just been absolutely astronomical.

And so, you know, this month during National Nutrition Month especially, but really every month of the year, we're really, really proud to be able to recognize those incredible accomplishments and highlight the importance of nutrition.

Um, but you know, especially be able to um give the thanks where it is due, where I know you don't hear it as often as you should to the people in the organizations that are doing um incredible work like this across our community every day.

Um before I turn it over to you, Yolanda.

Um I also am not doing this alone either.

None of us can do anything alone.

And I am very happy and grateful to be co-sponsoring this resolution tonight with my uh friend and colleague, Councilmember White.

And so, Councilmember White, I wanted to give you an opportunity to say a few words as well.

Uh thank you, Councilmember Green.

Appreciate your leadership on this and recognizing this amazing organization.

I'm not gonna take up too much time.

I just want to say thank you for all the work that Local Matters is doing, not just during Nutrition and Awareness Month, but 365 days a year.

You are supporting our residents and ensuring that people are addressing food insecurity, and for that we truly appreciate it.

So uh with that, I guess I'll kick it over to you to uh share some remarks.

Awesome.

Well, thank you.

Um first, I want to acknowledge council members, both Green and White, for this honorable recognition.

Um, thank you to the council.

Uh, and thank you, Council President Harden, for putting the call to help put this together.

Uh, with March being National Nutrition Month, I am honored to be able to stand before you in recognition of the work that Local Matters has done for the last 18 years.

And with myself being executive director there for just under a year.

Founded on bringing nutrition and early childhood intervention around our food system.

Local matters came into fruition in about 2008.

Over this time, we have built an organization that has touched more than 200,000 lives across Central Ohio.

Whether through our food education work, cooking classes, gardening classes, um, through our food access work from Rose Kitchen or Veggie Ban, hence the t-shirt, and through our advocacy work.

Work that could not be done without our amazing co-founder who could not be here with us this evening, Noreen Warnock, whose life's work continues to create sustainable and equitable communities.

National Nutrition Month is more than just putting food in front of people's faces.

It's more about providing nourishment and building community.

This work, unfortunately, has become increasingly more difficult to sustain.

With crowded funding pools and more requests for outcomes than dollars that are given, I find myself still struggling and continuing to hold fast in the belief of the famous Virginia Wolf quote.

One cannot think well, one cannot love well, and one cannot sleep well unless one has dined well.

At this moment, I call on you all and this entire community to continue the work to build a more equitable, just and deliciously nourishing food system.

Thank you.

For sharing those remarks.

I think that we have reached a moment now where it really is a real crisis of conscience and a crisis of budget, you know, when it comes to making decisions.

And if we um cannot collectively as agree as a community that ensuring that our people, our most important asset that we have here in our community, uh ensuring that they have food shouldn't be the first priority every single time.

It's just so basic.

Um Maslow's hierarchy of needs, then you know, then I don't know.

We're truly lost.

And so we're we're um, you know, it's an honor and a privilege to be able to continue uh supporting this incredible work, and I'm so grateful for your advocacy.

You know, I remember uh a couple weeks ago I was at the I was visiting the warming center and I was talking to a young woman who was there who was talking about her work at our current crisis uh center that just opened um where she is employed and she was talking about she she's a cook, she's a chef.

Um, and she was talking just really beaming with pride, sharing about how you know you've got a lot of people that are coming into that center just in crisis, a lot of people that have all different types, you know, coming from all different types of socioeconomic backgrounds and you know may or may not have access to healthy, you know, high quality food in their homes.

And she was sharing the story about how she had um she had cooked one night ceviche for all of them.

Um because you know, even people that are in crisis or people that are living in poverty, like deserve to have access to these cultural experiences and the way that it opens up people's minds to be able to connect with one another and to feel this sense of dignity and self-worth.

Um, you know, food is so basic, but it's just so important.

It's so so so important.

And we have um we have work to do, but I feel very confident that with your advocacy and and so many others across this community that we will we will continue to make more progress across our community.

Do any of my um colleagues have any other comments or questions?

Thanks.

Well, on this National Nutrition Month, we certainly honor you and are grateful for your work.

Um, as well as uh, you know, really are committed um to moving forward throughout the rest of this year.

Um, you know, locked arms with you to be able to ensure that our neighbors have what they need to be able to thrive.

So with that, I move for adoption.

Clerk, please call the rope.

Adopted Thank you, Councilmember.

Councilmember uh Remy.

Thank you, Council President.

I just want to take a moment to recognize a member of our family that passed on May 15th, uh Mickey, or sorry, March 15th.

Mickey Tate was somebody that many of us knew around City Hall as a security guard.

But so many people around this community knew him as somebody that helped youth in many, many ways by teaching them how to weight lift.

Um he was one he actually had a world record, which we acknowledged in 2024 in this this chambers, but um he lost his battle with cancer.

Um he had 10 kids, he served the US Air Force two tours over in Japan and in um Korea.

Um those 10 kids, one of those kids, my wife taught.

So, you know, Mickey was all around the city, and and so many people knew him.

So I just wanted to acknowledge that.

And um, we we will definitely miss his presence, his character.

I don't think he ever met a stranger, so um maybe take a moment of silence.

Thank you very much, Council President.

Thank you for helping us remember Mickey Tate.

Councilmember Ross.

Thank you, Council President.

Just one announcement.

Uh, we will be having our second community listening hours on April 7th to kick off Fair Housing Month.

We are going to have this list community listening hours focused on senior housing specifically.

So if you are a senior in our community, if you are a housing provider, if you are a service provider, or if you are a community member that wants to be a part of this work as we look to uh build a housing agenda that helps our seniors who happen to be the fastest growing uh demographic of the unhoused in our community, please, please please come meet us on April 7th from 12 o'clock to 2 p.m.

at the Fran Ryan Center.

We will uh put out more information on our social media outlets, and I will be sure to continue to announce it so that you can remember the date.

Thank you.

Council Mr.

Weich.

Thank you, Council President.

One quick announcement and then a resolution.

Uh, first, I'm excited to share that we'll be hosting the first edition of this year's Wednesdays with Weich this Wednesday, March 25th from 4 to 7 p.m.

It'll take place at Barrow and Bloom, located at 2365 West Dublin, Grandville Road.

I'll be meeting with constituents, community stakeholders, and other members of the public to discuss issues that are impacting our community.

Uh, the event is open to the public, and we uh welcome walk-ins.

If you're interested in learning more, I encourage you to visit my webpage on the Columbus City Council website, and I hope to see you all there.

Uh, next, I'd like to invite Mariah Williams with Solar United Neighbors up to the podium to accept our next resolution.

As she comes forward, I'd like to introduce resolution 66x to encourage the state legislature of Ohio to pass legislation to allow for the creation of a community energy pilot program.

The rise in cost of electricity has been a topic of many conversations at the local and state level.

And the truth is that we are currently faced with an energy affordability crisis that is significantly impacting our community.

In June of 2025, Ohioans saw a 26% increase in their electricity bills.

The rising cost of living and electricity coupled with inflation is completely unsustainable.

Paving the way for the creation of clean energy projects is an immediate solution which will address electricity costs and sustainability concerns.

Renewable energy sources are the most cost effective source of electricity and are more efficient and faster to build and deploy on the distribution side than other sources of energy.

In November 2025, the Ohio House of Representatives passed House Bill 303, which would allow for the creation of community energy pilot program.

This bill would increase in state generation capacity by an additional 1,500 megawatts through the integration of distributed energy resources into the grid.

This program would not only benefit electric consumers but would also result in significant economic gains.

A study from the Ohio University determined that a community solar pilot program would generate an estimated $5.6 billion in gross output and 409.5 million in local tax revenue.

Currently, House Bill 303 has been referred to the Senate Energy Committee and is awaiting action.

Given the bill's important benefits for Ohioans and Columbus residents, I urge the Ohio Senate President and the Senate Energy Committee Chair to quickly move House Bill 303 through the legislative process.

And I want to thank my fellow council members for joining me in strongly encouraging the state legislator to pass this necessary legislation.

Before I call for adoption, uh Mariah, the floor is yours to share some remarks.

Well, thank you and good evening, Council members.

My name is Mariah Williams, and I'm the Ohio Program Director for Solar United Neighbors.

We're a nonprofit that works with the city in a number of ways.

You're probably most familiar with when we host those solar co-ops to help your residents get the education they need to decide if solar is right for their homes or not.

Um but one of the other things that we do get to work on is these wonderful pieces of policy with our state legislature.

So I wanted to take a minute to say this matters.

Resolutions like this one are not just symbolic.

They are a declaration that Columbus is paying attention, that this council sees that residents are struggling with increasing energy burden, um, and that you guys are willing to put your name behind that solution.

That means something, and I'm genuinely grateful to get to witness that all the time as a Columbus resident.

This is not the first time that Columbus has led on this issue.

Two years ago, council passed net energy metering for the city for your utility customers.

And at that time, it also included community energy for those same municipal electric customers.

Columbus has a habit of showing Ohio what is possible just like that.

But I want to take a moment to explain why this resolution and House Bill 303 are necessary.

There's sometimes confusion, even at the State House about it.

Columbus Division of Power is a municipal electric company.

And then part of your customers, part of your constituents here, are served by AEP.

They're an investor-owned utility.

As it stands here in Ohio, those investor-owned utility customers do not get the same access to policies like community energy that your municipal customers do.

And we want to fix that for you guys and for the people that you represent.

They're currently locked out of those same, you know, money-saving opportunities.

So House Bill 303, as Councilmember Weish mentioned, has passed the House, and we're now in front of the Senate.

We're expecting to start having hearings here in the middle of April.

Um, this will send a message to them that Columbus, as well as other communities across the state, are ready for this move and are there to support it whenever it's enacted.

So I want to thank you again for your leadership.

This resolution is exactly the kind of encouragement that we hope will get the Senate moving on this and get it passed so that we can start saving everybody money.

All right, thank you for being here.

And just uh for our own education, other councils have already passed this.

Do you know how many at this point?

You guys are four.

Okay.

So you're in the top five, but Lakewood, Cleveland Heights, and Wyoming, Ohio.

So we've got representation across the state, um, you know, from Cincinnati Clearup to Cleveland and different sizes of community.

And we're also in Fairview Park City Council tonight.

Um, so they're not planning to pass it yet.

They wanted to ask more questions, but we've got representatives there to answer it for them.

Well, that's disappointing.

We're four, but at least we are in the top five.

So I appreciate that.

That's what matters, right?

Let me uh stop there.

See if any questions or comments from my colleagues.

Seeing none, I move for adoption.

Thank you, Councilmember.

Well, I'm gonna invite uh Bruce Halliburton and everyone here with a Tribe Call Jazz.

Uh April, uh, which is almost April.

I know it doesn't feel like it out there.

It is almost April, I promise you, is Jazz Appreciation Day.

And so this resolution is to honor and recognize the month of April as Jazz Appreciation Month, and April 30th, 2026 as International Jazz Day 6.

Uh today we have folks from a tribe called Jazz, which is a local nonprofit here in our city that strives to preserve the legacy and the advancement and the future of jazz through visual storytelling, live and virtual performance, education, and community engagement.

This includes youth camps, workshops, and outreach to historically underserved youth across our community.

Uh, we are excited to recognize uh Jazz Appreciation Month here at City Council, because it's not just about music, it's about how music changes lives and can be used and moves in every aspect of our lives.

And so I'm just so excited to have you here, Ms.

Stephanie and every and the young people uh and to hear more about what you do, but also to celebrate uh April as Jazz Appreciation Month.

Wonderful.

Thank you so much.

Uh, and good evening, Council President Hart and Council members and everyone gathered here today.

Um, I do have some prepared remarks, and uh first I just want to thank you for this recognition and for standing with the arts community because what you support here today truly shapes the heartbeat of our city.

Uh, for those of you who don't know me, my name is Stephanie Matthews, and I'm the executive director of a tribe for Jazz.

And we're honored to accept this resolution, recognizing April's Jazz Appreciation Month, and April 30th is International Jazz Day here in Columbus.

So, as you said, Council President, jazz is more than music.

It's also a language of resilience, creativity, and connection.

It tells the story of where we've been, and it gives shape to where we're going.

And right here in Columbus, that story is alive, evolving, and being written in real time.

This month is not just about performances, it's about people.

It's about the students from Fort Hayes Career Center and the Ohio State University, and those folks from our community who are stepping into this art form with both passion and purpose.

We are especially proud of the Fort Hayes students with us today who have submitted applications to the Aspire Berkeley Summer Program.

Now, Berkeley Music School of Music is one of the best music schools in the country, and some of these students are going to be going there this summer.

And so we are so very proud of them.

And that's a reminder that that's not just an opportunity, that is a statement about their talent, their discipline, and their future.

And so the next generation of jazz isn't coming.

It's already here.

It's already here.

We're so proud of you.

And this month is also about partnership.

From Fort Hayes Career Center to the Columbus Museum of Art to the Boys and Girls Club and see Brilliance.

From the Bexley Public Library to the Frank W.

Hale Cultural Center at Ohio State, and the Coretta Scott King Center at Antioch College.

This work happens because people and institutions across this city choose to show up, collaborate, and invest in something bigger than themselves.

And so throughout April, that collaboration comes to life.

And so we begin on April 2nd at the Columbus Museum of Art with the concert film John Arabagon, a solo tenor Odyssey.

April 9th, the Andrew Tice Quartet returns to CMOA, followed by a trio performance at the Boys and Girls Club on April 13th, bringing jazz directly into spaces where it can inspire the next generation.

On April 19th, we host a special fundraiser performance featuring our Fort Hayes students who have submitted to Aspire Berkeley.

On April 23rd, Alexis Cunningham from the Ohio State University performs at the Bexley Public Library.

On April 26th, we gather at the Coretta Scott King's Center at Antioch College for a banquet featuring Cuban American pianist Fabian Almazon.

And on April 29th at the Frank W.

Hale Cultural Center, we host a moderated discussion with Melena Cassado, creating space not just for performance but for dialogue.

And then finally, on April 30th, we close the month with an international jazz day performance by Melena Casado Quartet at the Columbus Museum of Art.

And so this in our mind is what a city sounds like when it's working together.

Jazz teaches us how to listen, how to respond, and how to make space for one another.

Skills that feel especially relevant right now.

So tonight we don't just accept this resolution.

We uh celebrate a community, a community of artists, of educators, students, and partners who are not only keeping this music alive, but pushing it forward right here in Columbus.

And so I want to say thank you again, Council President Harden, and uh to everyone here at City Council, and thank you for your investment in the arts.

And as we invest, um, excuse me, and uh your investment in the arts and we invest in the soul and the uh future of our city.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Well, thank you so much, Miss Stephanie.

I um April is gonna be full of uh uh opportunities.

I hope folks are taking notes of all the ways that we can how can we get that list or how can folks find the list of things that are happening with uh yes, sir?

Thank you.

Um visit um a tribeforjazz.org.

Okay.a tribeforjazz.org or on Instagram at Tribe for Jazz underscore.

All right, and we can't have these future stars in here without letting them introduce themselves.

So if you would quickly come up to the podium and just introduce yourself.

Council President, yes, you don't mind.

Can you also tell us what instrument you're playing?

My name is Lewis Draft and the third, and I play piano drums and organisms.

My name is Philip Kwame Dua Chompong Jr.

and I play saxophone, I sing and I play a little bit of keyboard.

My name is Damian Little, and I play the electric bass.

My name is Wyatt Kissinger, and I play drum set.

My name is Tamiya Shedwick, and I'm a vocalist.

And a beginner keyboardist.

All right.

My name is Christian Jones, and I'm a vocalist.

All right.

Mr.

McCarthy, go ahead and just tell them who you are.

Okay, I'm the director of career music at Fort Hayes in my 27th year.

Oh, thank you.

And I plan on, I got a uh son at Dominion Middle School.

He's got four years to go.

So I'm gonna try to match him and do four more years with the district.

It's hard to say goodbye.

This is an extraordinary group of young people right here.

Yes, and it's an incredible honor to be their teacher and just to know them.

Um these are some really exceptional people here.

Um, not just musicians.

Uh it's it's it's really something a lot of love in my heart for these kids.

Young people, for good uh we've got a concert at the school May 15th, it's gonna feature all original music.

We've been doing a lot of different people's music throughout the year, but um I'm challenging everybody to do creative work for our last show, May 15th, and we're gonna do it outside on the lawn.

Ooh, at our school.

So that's amazing.

And can the students from Ohio State just quickly, please?

Andrew.

My name is Andrew Tyson.

I play the drops.

My name is Kendall Benjamin, I play bass.

And my name is Alexis Cunningham, and I play upright in electric bass.

All right.

And our partners here.

Yes, please.

Our partners.

Lewis Smith, founding supporter of a tribe for jazz.

Jazz is life.

Yes.

Dr.

Harris.

Dr.

Nathan Leroy here.

See, brilliant.

Thank you again, Stephanie.

Thank you.

Well, thank you so much.

We're so excited for you.

We're crossing our fingers for Berkeley over the summer, but we are excited to come see you on May 15th.

In April 19th.

19.

What time is it?

Two o'clock.

Two o'clock.

Yes.

Well, with that, uh, I move for passage on uh resolution uh zero zero five nine X.

Click Please call the role.

Thank you, everyone.

And lastly, um I'm gonna invite uh Mr.

Charles Coleman to come forward.

Um two weeks ago we had Coach Bell here, and I said that uh it's not too often that we have superheroes in this building.

Um God won up us and said, Well, yes, it is if you're in the city of Columbus.

And so uh we have another superhero that we are acknowledging this evening.

Um Mr.

Coleman is an employee with the Department of Water and Power, and he's being recognized this evening for his quick action and heroism in helping a young girl who was looking to harm herself by jumping off a bridge recently in the in our city.

He helped bring her to safety and waited until first responders arrived.

Charles has been with the city department of water and power for over seven years and was a Columbus City Schools graduate from Mifflin High School.

We are so grateful for you, and I and I will also say there was another city employee there with you, um, Miss Katherine Cole, who actually works for City Council.

Um, and um really, you know, uh you I think you represent who our employees are and and with the work that they do every day.

You went above and beyond on that fateful day.

Um, but I also, when we talk all the time about we have 9,000 city employees that don't get enough love and appreciation for who they are.

Mr.

Coleman, this is who our employees are.

They are superheroes in big and small ways.

And so we didn't think it robbery to bring you down here tonight to show our community just how great we are uh because of you.

So thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you so much for your heroism and for representing us so well and literally saving the lives of one of our young people.

Would you help me celebrate Mr.

Charles Coleman?

Would you like to say a few words, Mr.

Coleman?

I want to start off by saying thank you, Mr.

President Harden, and to the members of City Council and everyone here today.

Um just go off the top of the head, but this is on camera, so I had to write a few words down.

A little nervous, you can see my armpits are a little sweaty.

But uh I'm truly honored and grateful to be standing here.

What happened that day wasn't something I planned for or expected.

I simply acted in the moment in the best way I knew how.

I believe most people would have done the same thing if they were in my position.

Saving that young woman's life is something I'll carry with me forever.

But this recognition reminds me that we're all connected and that even the small decisions and critical moments can make a lasting difference.

I want to say thank you to the first responders and everyone else who helped ensure she received the help she needed.

This really wasn't just about me, it was a team effort, and I'm grateful for all of them.

If there's anything I hope people take from this, is that stepping up for one another matters.

You never know when you might be in a position to help someone, and it can change everyone.

And I want to say thank you again for this honor, and it truly means a lot to me.

You make us proud.

Uh, I want to give the opportunity for Director Samuels to say something as well.

Uh when I heard about this, I called Director Aetha, and we were both like, yes, we have to recognize uh this person and maybe even or any of the council members, but directory.

Good afternoon, President Hardon and Council members.

Thank you for the opportunity to speak on behalf of Charles Coleman.

Um, what Charles did in that moment goes far beyond his adoptive description, sorry.

He saw someone in need, he stepped in without hesitation, and he literally saved the life.

It speaks to his character.

But while this act was extraordinary, it is also reflective of who Charles is every day.

For more than seven years, he has served the residents of Columbus with dedication, professionalism, and a strong sense of responsibility.

Whether he's on the job or in the community, he represents the best of public service.

At Columbus Water and Power, we often talk about delivering essential services, safe water, reliable power, some water protection.

But what truly defines us and is our people.

Charles reminds us that our role in the community goes beyond infrastructure.

It's about looking for one another.

Charles, on behalf of the entire department and the city of Columbus, we are incredibly proud of you.

Your action make a difference in a way that few ever will.

Thank you for what you did that day and continue to being a good employee and doing the good work that you do.

Thank you.

I appreciate it.

You're welcome.

Before I pass the resolution, Councilmember.

Councilmember Rosa DPD.

Um I just, you know, it's interesting because I think even when we had the co-chair, I wanted to say this.

I think we want to believe that everybody would stop.

We want to believe that people might put themselves at risk.

We want to believe that all of us have that inside of us, but the reality is that everyone doesn't.

In a world where people are distracted by many things, where you drive by people, or you may see something and you keep on going because maybe it doesn't register, or for what for a hundred other reasons.

Um, that day I do believe in fate.

I believe in God, and I believe that people put people in each other's paths for a reason.

And so I just want to thank you for um for reaching out to somebody, especially when someone is at one of their lowest points for a stranger to really see them, especially when they might not feel seen or they feel so hurt, um, means a lot.

And so I think um it is about bravery, it is about being courageous, but it's also about just at the end of the day being very human and seeing someone else.

It's really about love.

It's really about loving our neighbors and how we show up for people.

And so um, I said this at our employee appreciation event.

I think working at the city of Columbus means you are in the people business, right?

And some people go well beyond that, even when they're not at work.

And so I just want to say um I know many people will show you gratitude.

I know many people will thank you for the thing that you did, but I I think there is something special when someone puts themselves out there like that.

I think there's something special about who you are and the kind of person that you are.

And so when that goes a great a great distance for people, and I think even without knowing you, that means that that shows up in in big and small ways every day of your life.

And so we're incredibly fortunate to call you part of this community, both here at the city of Columbus, but in um Columbus, also as a fellow Columbus City Schools grad, I'm just saying we have had tonight.

We have had some good representation about who our young people and young at heart people are.

So thank you.

Thank you for those words, appreciate it.

First, uh, Council President, I appreciate you bringing this forward and Charles.

Uh the story is truly inspiring.

And um, as my colleague mentioned, I don't know if everyone would step out of the way to kind of do the right thing, but you did, and it just speaks volumes of who you are as an individual.

Um, I will say, shameless plug, I do have the ability to work with the best department in the city of Columbus, and that is Columbus Water and Power.

So, kudos to the entire team because everyone kind of shows up with that same attitude of we are in the people business, we are in the effort of making this a better place for the residents of Columbus.

So, thank you.

Thank you for the work that you do on a regular basis, and thank you for uh showing up as a hero.

I appreciate it.

Appreciate those words.

Councilmember Green.

Um, hello.

I'm so sorry.

Um, so grateful for you, and I just want to be incredibly brief.

But you know, our city is a better place because you are in it, because people like you are in it uh that are willing to stop and um support one another.

Um, and I'm grateful to be able to recognize you tonight for um that act of you know, that selfless act of courage that you did.

But um, also I think you know, this is a call to all of us to be better and to look around and you know, always be constantly um looking for who is the next person that that we can all help and support.

And so I'm just I'm grateful you are there today.

I'm grateful that you're a part of our team and uh and thank you.

Appreciate that.

Thank you.

And with that again, we want to thank um our our own team member to Catherine Call for being there as well.

It was a team effort that saved a young lady, a child to your point, council member.

It's also as a reminder that folks are in crises sometime.

Um, and I'm glad that uh it was our first responders.

I'm glad it was you and Catherine there.

But I'm also glad that now we have a crisis care center that someone can go to to be supported when they're in crises.

And so that's a larger message to the community is that you shouldn't feel bad about being in crises, that there will be folks here to help.

So with that, I move to pass resolution 0070X-2026.

Clerk, please call the row.

Leadership offices seeing uh none.

Uh are there any are there any requests by members of council for removal of ordinance or uh resolution from the consent portion of the agenda?

Hearing none, may we now have a motion to waive the reading of title to 38 legislation on by the clerk, please call the role.

Thank you.

Well, the clerk now reading to the record's ordinance ordinance numbers of 30 day legislation on tonight's agenda for first reading.

And finance and governance committee, we have ordinance 506, 508, 517, 530, 5.

I'm sorry, 652, 706, 755, and 778-2026.

Economic development and small and minority business ordinances 637 and 768-2026.

Public Services and Transportation Committee ordinance 448, 628, 639, 654, 692, 722, and 747-2026.

Neighborhoods, recreation and parks committee, ordinance 671, 676, and 681-2026, Workforce Education and Labor Committee, ordinance 710 and 783-2026, Health, Human Services and Equity Committee, Ordinances 548 and 549-2026.

Public Safety and Criminal Justice Committee, ordinance 251-2026, Housing, Homelessness, and Building Committee, Ordinance 837-2026, Public Utilities and Sustainability Committee, Ordinance 175, 379, 460, 473, 606, 720, and 765-2026.

Zoning Committee, we have rezoning 838-2026, variances 815, 818, 839, and 841-2026.

Thank you, Madam Uh Clerk.

We don't have any speakers on the uh first reading portion of the agenda.

The following ordinances appear on our agenda as consent.

The clerk now read those into the record.

Resolutions of expression 58x 61x 62x 63x 64x 65x 68x and 60x-2026.

Finance and governance committee, ordinance 2263-2025, ordinance 650, I'm sorry, 564, 565, 607, 693, 699, 718, 772, 774, 797, and 884-2026.

Economic Development and Small Minority Business Committee Ordinances 586, 663, 709, 771, 780, 784, and 789-2026.

Public Service and Transportation Committee Ordinance 561 604 661 733 and 773-2026.

Neighborhoods recreation and parks committee, ordinance 697 and 734-2026.

Workforce Education and Labor Committee, Ordinance 330, 335, 337, 338, 491, 696, and 880-2026.

Health Human Services and Equity Committee Ordinance 615, 677, 713, and 772-2026.

Housing, homelessness, and building committee, ordinance 524, 545, 547, 599, 711, 767, 801, and 819-2026.

Public Utilities and Sustainability Committee ordinances 381, 437, 504, 514, 585, 593, 594, 595, 597, 602, 635, 658, and 702, and 775-2026.

Rules and Policy Committee Appointments A 39, A40, A41, A42, A43, A44, A46, A47, A48, A49, A50, A51, A52, A53, A54, A55, A 56, A 57, A 58, A 59, A 61, A62, A63, A64, A65, and A66 Dash 2026.

Thank you, Madam Clerk.

There is no speaker on the consent portion agenda.

And may I have a motion for approval of these items as needed consent?

Clerk, please call the row.

Passed.

We'll now uh proceed with the second reading of 30-day postponed in emergency legislation.

The first committee come before council is the finance and governance committee.

That committee is chaired tonight by uh Press Pro Tim Dorns, who is the Vice Chair of the Committee.

Press Pro Tim, the floor is yours.

Thank you, Council President.

Uh tonight, first we have ordinance number 0353-2026 to authorize the director of finance and management on behalf of the facilities management division to enter a contract with CBRE Government Services, LLC for Facility Management Services of the Franken County Municipal Court Building to author expenditure of up to $1,771,480 within the general fund and declared emergency.

Under this ordinance, CBRE will be responsible for regularly assessing the conditions of the building, its systems, developing and implementing building operations, performing preventative maintenance, uh establishing capital plans necessary to maintain, preserve, and keep the premises in good repair and condition.

At the city's request, CBRE is also acting as the liaison to assist in the oversight design and roll out of the building renovations and improvements at the facility.

Uh contract is bid out with four annual contract renewal options.

The initial term of the contract will be for the period April 1, 2026 through March 30th of 2027.

Do my colleagues have questions or comments?

See not a move for passage.

Barosa de Padilla, Day Aka or Dorns, Green, Remy Ross, Weiss President Hardin.

Thank you.

Next we have ordinance 0750-2026 to authorize the city order into a service contract with JP Morgan Chase to provide lockbox and banking services for the income tax revenue filing for the division of income tax to authorize expenditure of $520,000 from the general fund to waive competitive bidding provisions of the Columbus City Code and declare an emergency.

This ordinance contracts with JP Morgan Chase for specialized Locksbox services, including a digitization of paper uh tax forms, correspondence and deposit checks mailed to the city and the city's uh tax revenue account.

Uh maintaining the service is critical for the continuance of income tax operations and processing of mailed tax submittals to avoid interruption of flow of revenue and depositing of paper checks.

Uh the auditors office estimates approximately 160,000 items will be processed in 2026 through these services.

Any questions or comments from colleagues?

Seeing non-moved passage.

Barosa de Padilla, Day Achow, Dorans Green, Remy Ross, Weiss President Harden.

Passed.

This ordinance establishes a short-term universal term contract with the Waterworks LLC to maintain service repair plumbing fixtures and systems in the City of Columbus facilities.

The term of the proposed option contract will be approximately six months, expiring September 30th of 2026.

The prior plumbing services UTC expired on February 28th of 2026, and the services under the under that UTC were also provided by the Waterworks LLC.

Our short term contract is needed to establish uh establish with the Waterworks LLC to ensure plumbing services can continue to perform throughout city facilities.

Contract allows for services to be continued by the previous vendor while a formal bidding process is being conducted to establish a new longer term universal term contract.

Don't make colleagues in questions, comments.

Seeing non move for passage.

Clerk please call the row.

Passed.

Thank you.

Uh council president, may I move on to the workforce education labor committee?

Please.

Thank you.

First, we have ordinance 0331-2026 to authorize the interim director of human resources to modify the public safety, health, and fiscal fitness uh testing contracts of High Health Corporation to add funds to authorize the expenditure of up to $1,600,000 from the gentleman for this contract and declared emergency.

This ordinance is a planned contract modification to add funds to pay for police and fire fitness testing for one for uh two of the five-year contract term.

The health and fitness program are part of the current collective bargaining agreement between the city of Columbus and the fraternal order of police, Capital City Lodge 9, and the International Association of Firefighters Local 67.

Do my colleagues have any questions for comments?

Seeing on a move for passage.

Clerk, please call the row.

Thank you.

Next we have ordinance 0332-2026 to authorized the interim director of human resource and new service contract of wild health corporation for the occupational safety and health and medical services clinic to authorize expenditure of 430,000 dollars to the employee benefit fund to pay for this contract, to waive competing bidding for provisions with Clumbus Codes and declare an emergency.

This ordinance contracts with How Health for the Occupational Safety and Health and Medical Services Clinic.

Currently, this clinic provides surveillance exams and appropriate follow-up to at-risk city employees, identifies occupational related disease or disability, uh, assists in rehabilitation activities, determines fitness and suitability for work assignments, and proposes and maintains OSHA compliance for the city.

Clinic also promotes employee health, wellness, quality of life by providing controlling disease injuries and assisting with injury care and rehabilitation and providing educational and training programs on wellness for city employees.

Any questions or comments from my colleagues?

Seeing on a move for passage.

Clerk, please call the row.

Passed.

Thank you.

Next we have ordinance 0343-2026 to authorize interim director of department human research contract, reporter right, Morris, and Arthur LLP to provide consulting services connected to collective bargaining negotiations related activities to authorize expenditure of 400,000 from the employee benefits fund to waive committee bidding provisions of the Columbus Code and declared emergency.

This year, the city will be entering into collective bargaining negotiations uh season again.

Uh Porter Wright and Morris Arthur LLP has been solicited to provide assistance because of the firm's experience representing the city in previous negotiations and um with all bargaining units.

Uh I know the interim director wanted to uh speak a little bit about this specific contract, so I want to pass uh that over to her sorry.

Uh good evening, uh President Harden and um Council President Pro Tim Dorans.

Uh so this contract is specifically for the four collective bargaining agreements that we have expiring this year.

Um that includes CWA, um AFSME local 2191, IAFF, which is FIRE, and FOP, which is police.

Um CWA expires on April 23rd, and AFSME 2191 expires on March 31st.

We are currently in negotiations with these unions, and then this fall, we will start fire, which expires on October 31st, and police, which expires on December 8th.

So this um legislation is so that we can continue this work with Jennifer Edwards, um, who is with uh Porter Wright.

Thank you.

Any questions from my colleagues?

Seeing on a move for passage.

Proposal depedia, de account dorms green, reamy Ross, Weiss President Hardin.

Thank you.

Uh next we have ordinance 0345-2026 to authorize the interim director of department of human resources to enter a professional services contract, Yellowbird Food Shed LLC for the produce distribution service contract to authorize expansion of up to 100,000 dollars from the employee benefit fund to pay for this contract to authorize the expenditure of funds for reasonable food and non-alcoholic beverage expenses to waive the committee provisions of Columbus City Clothes and declared emergency.

Uh this ordinance sponsors a contract with Yellowbirds Food Shed to offer sustainably raised harvest harvested and transferred of produce to city employees during the Department of Human Resources events.

Um city host of uh events, farmers' markets, and more.

Do I make colleagues for questions or comments?

Seeing on a move for passage.

Passed.

Thank you, Council President.

That's all I have in my committees at this time.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

The next committee to come before council is the uh economic development committee and small business committee chair by uh tonight by Councilmember Barosa de Padilla Vice Jedi Committee.

Councilman, the floor is yours.

Thank you.

We have one ordinance this evening in economic development development and small minority business.

It's zero six six two twenty twenty-sext to authorize the director of development ten to enjoy a grant agreement with Lower Lights Christian Health Center Incorporated to build out a new location for expanded service provisions and organizational operations to authorize the expenditure of one million dollars from the uh uh development taxable bond fund to authorize expenses incurred prior to purchase order execution beginning August 1st, 2025 to authorize the advancement of funds on a predetermined schedule provided in the terms of agreement and to declare an emergency.

This ordinance authorizes a $1 million capital grant agreement with Lower Lights Christian Health Center Incorporated to support the expansion of the Northland Health Center located at 3,000 corporate exchange drive.

This funding was approved in the city's 2025 capital budget and will go towards the build out and furnishing of 10,000 square feet, including 10 exam rooms, one waiting room, the health behavioral health offices, a women's health suite, a patient education center, and a 304B pharmacy at that same location.

Lower lights serves 17,000 patients annually across seven health centers, regardless of income or insurance status.

So this expansion is a strong addition to the fabric of Columbus's community health infrastructure.

Do my colleagues have any questions or comments.

Right now we've talked about the funding challenges related to everything related to our human services world.

And one thing that I am really excited and energized about about this project, you know, we've our um our operating budget has been strained, um, which I know, you know, we had a lot of conversations about funding for federally qualified healthcare centers, which lower lights is one.

Um and again, they are required by law by HERSA accreditation standards to serve anybody who walks through through their doors, regardless of an ability to pay, which means you know, every service they provide is just a you know revenue loss after revenue loss.

Um but you know, here I I'm really encouraged to see us making investments that are not just gonna expand access, right?

Um, but this is a sustainable investment, uh, you know, a one-time investment that we're able to make that can expand access to services in perpetuity um through financing this building.

So I think sometimes when we're talking about um funding needs of the sector, it's sometimes not even always about you know our how much more we're investing, but are we investing smarter and thinking about how we can stretch um those investments to have the broadest possible impact?

So I'm grateful um to you know Councilmember Bingston for working with me on um securing this funding and um and uh also to the administration to partners who have supported it, and also just very grateful to Lower Lights um for the work they do on all of our um community um health centers all across um our region that you know are stepping up to stand in the gap for a growing number of our neighbors.

So thank you.

No, and I I think um as we talk about um the growing costs of everything, but certainly health care and how detrimental that can be to a family and um people's lack of access to health care, quality health care.

I think this is just another example of uh to your point making the right investment to ensure the most people get the benefit from this investment.

Assistant director, I don't know if there's anything that you wanted to add to this investment.

I don't have anything else to add tonight.

Thank you, council members.

Just happy to have a good partner out in the Northland area and bring these resources out to that part of the community.

Absolutely, especially when there's no barriers to access.

So are there any additional questions or comments?

Seeing none, I move for passage.

Clerk, please call the rule.

Passed.

Council President, can I move on to public service and transportation?

Thank you.

Uh, tonight we have four ordinances on second read for public service and transportation.

First is the ordinance 0488-2026 to authorize the finance and management director to associate all general budget reservations resulting from this ordinance and to establish purchase orders and contracts with multiple vendors for the purchase of various pavement materials and aggregates for the Department of Public Service to authorize the expenditure of up to 450,000 from the street construction maintenance and repair fund to authorize the expenditure of $650,000 from municipal motor vehicle tax fund to waive the competitive bidding provisions of the Columbus City Code Chapter 329 with respect to the usage of certain cooperative purchasing contracts for the purchase or for the purpose of purchasing various pavement materials and aggregates or MAT commodities and to declare an emergency.

So this authorizes the Department of Public Service to purchase certain materials that they would need to maintain and repair roadways and rehabilitate alleys throughout Columbus.

So very soon at one of our other council meetings, we'll have a little bit of an update on both our alley work and then also coming up.

We made some changes to uh parking, which we are going to talk about in just a second.

So we'll um give an update on that.

But do my colleagues have any additional questions or comments about this piece of legislation?

Great.

With that, I move for passage.

Clerk, please call the role.

Pass.

Thank you.

Uh the next three ordinances are all funded through our mobility enterprise operating fund.

I bring this up because many times when we talk about the different funds.

I know we say a whole like word salad and uh things don't always make sense, but this fund in particular is a user funded fund.

So every time that you park in one of our garages or you park on the street and use the app, all of those dollars go back to the go right back into that system.

So it goes back into the repairs, it goes back into the maintenance, it goes back into the systems that provide um the work that we need to do uh for the parking garages or the app itself.

So, first is ordinance 0669 2026 to authorize the director of public service to modify an existing contract with LAS Parking Midwest LLC, doing business as LAS parking limited LLC for the pervision of off-street parking maintenance services to authorize the expenditure of up to $2,600,000 from the Mobility Enterprise Operating Fund and to declare an emergency.

This authorizes the director of public service to modify city contracts with LAS Parking West to continue providing off-street management services at city-owned parking facilities.

So again, these are big numbers around $5,000 with the three ordinances.

So I want folks to understand where that money comes from.

So do my colleagues have any additional questions or comments?

Seeing none, I move for passage.

Clerk, please call the role.

Barossa de Padilla, de Akaur Doors Green, Remy Ross, wise president harden.

Passed.

Thank you.

Next we have ordinance 0674 2026 to authorize the director of the department of public service to modify an existing service contract with data ticket incorporated for the provision of off-street parking management services to authorize the expenditure of up to $2 million from the mobility enterprise operating fund and to declare an emergency.

This ordinance allows the director to update the city's contract with data ticket to continue operating and maintaining systems supporting parking enforcement data ticket to oversee the implementation operation of citation processing and permit management systems intended to streamline and improve on-street parking enforcement.

Do my colleagues have any questions or comments?

Seeing none, I move for passage.

Clerk, please call the role.

Pass.

Thank you.

And lastly, I have ordinance 0708 2026 to authorize the director of public service to modify the professional services contract with Park Mobile LLC relative to the mobile payment application system to authorize the expenditure of up to $1,600,000 from the Mobility Enterprise Operating Fund to pay for an additional year of this contract and to declare an emergency.

So Park Mobile LLC.

Most of you all know it.

You have the app.

If you don't download it, um this is an app that we use to make mobile parking payments around the city.

Do my colleagues have any questions or comments?

Seeing none, I move for passage.

Second.

Clerk, please call the roll.

Passed.

That's all for me this evening, Council President.

Thank you.

Thank you.

The uh next committee to come before councils, the neighborhoods recreation and parks committee.

Uh, that committee is shared by councilmember De Akaur.

Councilmember, floor is yours.

Thank you, President of Pro Tem.

Tonight in our committee, we have ordinance 0393-2026 to authorize the director of the recreation and parks department to modify an existing contract with E.

L.

Robinson Engineering of Ohio Corporation for the Big Walnut Trail Refugee Road to East Main Street project to authorize a transfer of 794,569.25 cents within the recreation and parks voted bond fund to authorize the amendment of the 2025 capital improvements budget and to authorize expenditure of 1,257,538 and 55 cents from the recreation parks voted bond fund.

This is a planned modification for stage two, phase two of the central section of the big walnut trail.

The central reach of the big walnut trail is developing into one of the most scenic and accessible greenways in central Ohio.

It will put thousands of residents of the Mid East, Southeast, and Far East communities with a few minutes access up to the regional trail network.

This project has been awarded $7,483,914 from Mid Ohio Regional Planning Commission attributable funds towards construction in the 2028 fiscal year.

The extension begins in NASCAR Park along Big Walnut Creek at Refugee Road.

From there, the trail will head north along Big Walnut Creek and the No Bixby Road Corridor, passing beneath Interstate 270, Norfolk Southern Railroad, and Interstate 70 to a proposed stream crossing into Big Walnut Park.

The trail then uses the existing one mile trail ending north of Livingston Avenue.

The final segment will head north through Big Walnut Parkland to the northern terminus on the south side of East Main Street at the Fairway Boulevard Signal Crossing.

The project will also provide connection to the Walnut Heights, Pine Hills, and Shady Lane neighborhoods.

Stage one encompass preliminary engineering, environmental studies, and community outreach.

The scope of work for this second stage includes detailed design of the trail, associated structures, and trailheads.

A third plan modification in the third quarter of 2026 will be for construction administration services.

Construction of the 3.5 miles central big walnut segment is projected to begin in the first quarter of 2028.

Are there any questions or comments from my colleagues?

Seeing none of passage.

Clerk, please call the role.

Barossa de Badia, De Akaward Dorns Green, Remy Ross, Wise President Hardin.

Thank you, Council President.

That's following my committee this evening.

Thank you, Madam Chair.

The next committee to come before council is the Health and Human Services Committee.

An equity committee.

Sure by Councilmember Green.

Councilman, the floor is yours.

Thank you so much, Council President.

Tonight in our Health Human Services and Equity Committee, we have two ordinances on second reading.

The first one is ordinance 0411-2026 to authorize the executive director of the Office of Celebrate One to accept a grant extension from the Ohio Department of Medicaid for the enhanced maternal health program and the amount of $3,390,000 to authorize the appropriation of $3,390,000 from the unappropriate balance of the general government grant fund and to authorize contracts and expenditures with multiple community partner subgrantees for the enhanced maternal health program in Columbus and Central Ohio, up to $2,395,999.76 cents to allow for invoicing for those services already incurred from the ongoing work of this grant starting January 1st of 2026 and to expend up to $994,000 and $94,000 and 24 cents of this grant for Celebrate One community health workers and materials with Celebrate One pregnant and parenting families and to declare an emergency.

The Ohio Department of Medicaid is awarded a 2026 to 2027 grant to the Office of Celebrate One at the City of Columbus to coordinate those enhanced maternal health activities within the enhanced maternal health program here in Franklin County.

Celebrate One has been designated as the primary grantee organization and administrator for this grant across our county.

And the this grant period that was originally awarded has now been extended.

There are 15 partners that were selected that are a part of this that are working to expand access to prenatal parenting education, maternal mental health support, fatherhood engagement, legal aid, linkage to prenatal care, dual workforce expansion, and so on and so forth.

This work is so so important.

And the work that we do here across Columbus to address our infant mortality challenges is, you know, the by nature of that work is really hyper-local.

And one thing that I know that Director Tong has been working on for a really long time, and I would love to invite you to speak about this, is just the importance of if we're going to really tackle these issues head on, adopting a collective impact strategy and the way that we're funding this work so that we can continue to implement hyper-local programs that are having a positive impact, while we're also able to still be competitive to gain access to those larger grant opportunities that wouldn't exist or be accessible to a smaller organization.

So, Director Tong, I think this work is so important.

Your approach is so smart and so strategic, and I would love you to just talk a little bit more about that advocacy around that model and how it's having a measurable impact with programs like this.

Thank you.

Council President Harden, Chair Green.

Um, you said it best really well yourself.

Celebrate one is a collective impact organization, and really that means that we are made up of community orgs that pull this work together that are doing great work.

Our responsibility is simply to ensure that they have the resources to continue that work and to take away some of the burden of individual coordination.

Um, we are ultimately responsible for the outcomes, so a lot of times it's also about convening those orgs to talk about what is the best way forward collectively and then putting our resources behind what gets us there.

Uh so this funding, which we are very grateful for, comes from the Ohio Department of Medicaid.

Um, this is continuation funding.

So we were funded for this in the past.

And it really helps multiple different types of work that we know help infant and maternal health outcomes here in central Ohio.

So we are continuing this work.

In addition to continuing funding, we are also ensuring that we have a strong grant making framework so that we can ensure that we come back here and talk about all of the ways that these dollars have delivered an ROI this time next year.

Thanks.

Well, uh, thank you so much for that.

And I um, you know, we're happy to support this work.

There's a lot of stuff happening in Ohio uh government, but not all of it is bad stuff.

And so I think this is a great example of um ways that you know um truly I think Governor DeWine has been a true advocate for um kids and families, and so I'm grateful to do the work of um extending this grant so we can continue to have a positive impact.

Um, do any of my colleagues have any questions?

Seeing none, I move for passage.

Please follow the role.

Barosa de Padilla, Day Aka, Doris Green, Remy Ross, wise president hard.

Thank you.

And then our um second ordinance tonight is ordinance 0728-2026 to authorize and direct the Board of Health to accept a grant from the U.S.

Department of Health and Human Services for the Healthy Start Grant Program in the amount of uh $1,100,000 to authorize the appropriation of $1,100,000 from the unappropriated balance of the Health Department grants fund and to declare an emergency.

Um the Healthy Start Um grant program enables CPH to be able to conduct an evidence-informed uh home visiting program here across Franklin County, focusing primarily on African American women residing within Franklin County.

Um Healthy Start is funded to help serve um 450 home visiting clients comprised of the following targets, a minimum of 250 pregnant women, a minimum of 175 participants comprised of infants and children up to the age of 18 months, um, preconception women, interconception women uh of reproductive age, and a minimum of 25 fathers and or partners affiliated with um healthy start.

Um, an additional 250 community members are also served through prenatal and postnatal and parenting group education.

Um and so again, you know, this education is so important in um other countries.

This type of support provided to families or you know, or young moms is commonplace.

Um, and so it's exciting to see this work continuing to happen at Columbus Public Health.

Um they are uh submitting this uh ordinance as emergency so as not to delay um services to clients and their families and allow for the financial transactions to be posted to the city's accounting system as soon as possible, given the grant start date um was April 1st of uh is April 1st of 2026.

Um are there any comments or questions for my colleagues?

No.

Did you want to say anything?

Um Commissioner.

No, okay.

Uh seeing none, I move to passage.

Barosa de Padilla, De Aka or Doris Green, Remy Ross, Wise President Harden.

Passed.

Thank you so much.

That's all for me tonight.

Thank you, Madam Chair.

With that we uh is there a motion to recess for uh zoning?

So moved.

Clerk, please call the roll.

Barossa de Padilla, De Aka or Doris Green, Remy Ross, Wise President Harden.

Uh we are uh in recess.

We are going to actually go a little bit out of order.

I'm gonna call the Barosa de Padilla, De Akaur, Doris Green, Remy Ross, Weiss President Hard.

Can I get a motion to send for the reading of the journal?

Clerk, please call the roll.

Barosa de Padilla, De Aka, or Doris Green, Remy Ross Weiss President Hard.

Are there any additions or corrections to the journal?

Hearing none of the journals approved, we'll now go to the zoning committee, Councilmember Dorans cares a committee and all of us are one I think councilmore.

Thank you, Council President.

A little bit of uh housekeeping before we get to our agenda.

Will the clerk please read the numbers of legislation in the zoning committee that require waiver of second reading tonight?

3223-2025, 743-2026, 738, 2026, 744, 2026, and 745-2026.

Thank you, Clerk.

I now move to waive second reading on those items.

Barosa de Padilla, De Aka or Doris Green, Remy Ross, Vice President Hard.

Uh waived, wave, just okay.

Thank you.

Um as always allow me to briefly explain our rules speaking uh we're pertaining to speaking for council on rezoning and variances.

We only hear a staff presentation of ordinance to have a disapproval from a recommending body, or if we have a public speaker signed up to speak against that ordinance.

We permit three speakers on each side, uh, three proponents, three opponents.

We ask those speakers limit the remarks to three minutes per the Standard Rules City Council.

All speakers of the council variants, including city staff, air commissioners and applicants and members of the public will be sworn in before they give testimony.

Representative of an eary commission are always able to speak in an ordinance who do not need to follow speaker slip, but you we do ask you to alert your the city staff of your intentions to speak at this committee hearing.

We do have three public speakers signed to speak against an ordinance this evening on the advice of the city attorney's office.

I will now sort in city staff.

Please stand in and raise your right hand and be sworn in.

Do you swear or affirm the testament you're about to give shall be the truth, nothing but the truth is you shall answer under paintings or penalty of perjury?

If so, please say I do.

I do.

Thank you.

Uh please let the record reflect that Tim Dietrich, Alyssa Saltzman from the Department of Building Zoning Services, Chris Rower from the Division of Planning, Dan Bleshman from the Division of Traffic Management and the Department of Public Service, Deputy Director for Housing Strategy to Aaron Prosper from the Development Department, all have been sworn in.

Thank you all.

Uh our first piece of legislation in this committee this evening is ordinance number 3223-2025 to resume 4691 Central College Road, being 10.1 plus acres located in the south side of Central College Road, 1,050 uh feet east of Lee Road from our rural district.

To A L A R L D, Limbard Department Residential District.

Site consists of one parcel developed with a C unit dwelling, and the requested rezoning will allow for the development of an apartment complex with a maximum of 152 dwelling units.

Proposal is approved from city staff and the development commission, but a disapproval from the Northland Community Council.

The development commission originally recommended disapproval uh in November of last year, but after the applicant went back and made changes to the proposal, the development commission reversed that decision in February and now is in approval.

Uh due to that disapproval from the Civic Association, we will now hear a uh staff report uh starting with Miss Alyssa Zaltzman and Mr.

Tim Dietrich from the Department of Building and Zoning Services.

Floor is yours.

Good evening, Chair Dorens, President Hardin, members of Council.

Rezoning request Z 25-019 at 4691 Central College Road was filed with the Department of Building and Zoning Services on March 28th, 2025 as LAR1, limited apartment residential district containing 216 dwelling units within nine three-story buildings at a density of 21.3 dwelling units per acre, and was initially heard by the development commission on July 10th, 2025, where it was tabled by a four-to-zero vote.

Z 25-019 then returned to the development commission on November 13, 2025, uh as a request for LARLD limited apartment residential district containing 175 dwelling units with a mix of two and three-story buildings at 17.3 dwelling units per acre, a reduction of 41 units from the previous meeting.

The development commission recommended disapproval by a four to two vote.

Finally, Z25-019 returned to the development commission on February 12th, 2026, containing 152 units within nine two-story buildings at 15 dwelling units per acre, a further reduction of 23 units from the previous meeting.

North of the site are single unit dwellings in the R1 restricted suburban residential district in Blendon Township.

South and west of the site are single and multi-unit residential developments in the PUD for planned unit development district.

East of the site is uh City of Columbus Park in our rural district.

The limitation text includes use restrictions limiting the maximum number of dwelling units to 152, the building height to a maximum of two stories, and includes supplemental development standards addressing perimeter yard landscaping and screening, and includes commitments to develop the site in accordance with the submitted site plan and building elevations.

Staff notes that the requested LARLD district is adjacent to multi-unit residential developments to the west and a townhome development to the southeast, and that the proposed site plan includes adequate buffering from Central College Road and from adjacent residential uses.

Therefore, City Department's recommendation is for approval.

Thank you.

Ms.

Saltzman, uh Mr.

Dietrich, do you have anything to add?

Uh any questions from my colleagues for uh Billing Zoning Services?

Ms.

Saltzman, could you just walk us again from the changes standpoint from what was originally proposed, which I think was over uh 200 down to where we're at this evening, plus the the height changes as well as this has moved through.

So as it was initially submitted, it was 216 dwelling units, and it was all three-story buildings, and now we've come down to 152 dwelling units and a commitment to keep it at two stories as the maximum.

And how long uh when was the original application submitted?

Uh March 28th of 2025.

Okay.

So basically about a year.

Thanks.

Um again, any question, my colleagues.

Uh our next presenter will be Mr.

Christopher Lawyer from the Division of Planning.

Thank you, Chair Dorans, President Harton, and members of council.

Planning supports the proposal.

The Northland Plan Volume 2 from 2002 recommends the Little Turtle District at this location, which has a recommended density of up to three units per acre.

Although the proposal is higher than the recommended density, staff note that the applicant has over the course of the last year revised the proposal to a lower density, reduced building heights from three to two stories, increase the landscaping and buffering of adjacent residential and park areas, increase the setback from Central College Road to 100 feet, and provided pedestrian activation of the site.

The Columbus Growth Strategy adopted this year recommends that projects proposed at a density higher than the recommended land use should be supported if they include a high level of site and architectural design.

The proposal is consistent with this guidance and therefore staff is in support.

Thank you, Mr.

Lawyer.

Uh I want to pause and see if Council Colleagues have any questions for the division of planning.

Councilman Ross?

I have a question.

Um in talking to some of the community members with regard to this particular development, they mentioned a 2016 agreement that the city had with the community that seems to be in opposition to the current plan.

And so I wanted to get some information about this.

Have you looked into this agreement at all?

We have.

2002.

Is when that plan was adopted.

Okay.

And Laura, you have to forgive me.

Were you here in 2016 such that you would know if there was an agreement?

I was I was a very junior planner at that time.

Okay.

But have you talked to anyone else that would have been part had participated in this type of agreement?

Yes.

I consulted with our uh our administrator, Mark Dravilis.

He said there was no agreement that he was aware of.

Okay.

So you all are comfortable in saying that there was zero agreement.

That committee is a very important thing.

We have no record of that.

Okay.

Uh any of the council members?

Thank you.

Uh our next presenter is Sir Daniel Bleshmitt from the Division of Traffic Management.

Thank you, Chair Dorns.

President Harden, members of council.

In regards to our review of this application, please be advised that this proposed area of development is below the threshold to require the preparation of a traffic impact study.

Also, in consideration of the roadway improvement project adjacent to this site currently in construction, that includes improving Central College Road to a three-lane roadway along the frontage of this site, and also includes completing intersection improvements at the intersection of Central College Road and Lee Road.

There are no additional concerns with necessary improvements at the proposed access point serving the site or at any off-site intersections in consideration that a center-left turn lane will be available for traffic entering the site.

With these comments noted, the Department of Public Service has no further concerns regarding this application, and I would be happy to answer any questions.

Thank you, Mr.

Bleshmut.

So we do this every now and again.

I know we've got a lot of folks that are here for this particular piece of legislation.

So can you just talk about when we have both uh when is required under city code for there to be a traffic impact study and what that means, and then uh what the lower level, which is traffic impact and sort of what that means as far as uh what's looked at, how it's reviewed, and then sort of the traffic improvements that the city may require uh because of those various types of studies.

Sure.

So basically if if a traffic impact study is required, that's a site that has at least 200 trips in a peak hour or 100 trips going through uh a specific intersection.

This particular development has in its highest hour about 80 trips, so it's about one-third of that that threshold, so it's it's significantly below that impact study threshold.

Um, if the city project uh currently under construction was not in progress, there would have been some type of uh traffic access study to look at turn lane warrants in order to see if there would be improvements needed.

So but however, that improvement is being taken care of with the the larger improvement that was this planned and is being implemented at this time.

So is it fair to say the traffic improvements that would generally be required by an access study?

Correct.

So basically it the say the worst case scenario if um those approvements were not happening were would be for a left turn lane to be installed or be the requirement of the developer to install that that requirement is uh being fulfilled.

Thank you.

Any questions for traffic management for my colleagues?

Council Ross?

I just have one question.

You talked a lot about thresholds that would either mandate a study or not mandate a study.

Where are those thresholds coming from?

How are they being determined and by who those come from uh the Institute of Transportation Engineers uh trip generation manual?

So it's it's basically empirical data for certain land uses.

So there's hundreds of land different land uses so that are in this large compendium of of data, and that's so it's basically um provides empirical data to uh predict traffic volumes generated by certain uses, in this case, apartments.

And just one more one more follow-up.

You said that that there are two different studies that could potentially happen, an impact study and then something something lesser than that.

Correct, a traffic access study.

And the traffic access study was not completed because they're already current is already current construction on Central College Road.

Yes, basically the the worst case scenario as far as the most in terms of the most amount of improvements that would have been required are already being provided based in the in the public project.

So you're saying that if there was an access study done, the the literal maximum amount that would have been required by the developer is something that is literally already happening right now.

Correct.

Thank you.

Other questions for council members.

See none.

Uh, I'm sorry, councilmember.

Can we go back for just a second?

Sorry, I I missed my little window, so I want to go back to our planner and ask a question.

So when we think about the plans that we put into place, so obviously they're going to have they're not going to happen overnight.

This isn't like a two or three or four or five year plan.

But when you talk about plans that might be, you know, from 2002 to now, or that are 20 years old or older.

Um, when do we go back and revisit those for changing conditions?

Like, you know, I mean, areas change, right?

The population changes, zoning changes, all these things happen.

When do we periodically go back to make adjustments to those plans for the changing conditions?

So in the past, our planning, um, long-range planning did plans for neighborhoods, and we currently have more than 40 plans for those areas.

What we've changed since um since the Columbus Growth Strategy was adopted, we now have around 45% of the city covered by the Columbus land use plan, which is part of the growth strategy.

So as part of phase three of zone in, we will be going in looking at any of these areas that are primarily residential, um, including areas that could potentially be annexed and looking at what the proposed land uses would be for these areas.

This particular plan is a bit odd.

It has uh three land use districts, which is um not common for uh for plans that we've done in the last say 20 years, uh where you typically look at parcels and you provide recommendations based on a kind of a closer look at that particular area.

This uh little turtle district included um essentially a third of this planning area as generally saying that three units to the acre was um the recommendation.

There's lots of developments that have been built that were already built, even that were not at that.

So it was general guidance.

Um we have additional guidance now that looks at um other factors.

Thank you.

Thank you, Councilmember.

Um our final uh staff presentation is Deputy Director Aaron Prosser from our housing strategy team.

Thank you, Chair Dorans, President Hard and members of council.

The proposed rezoning of 14 4691 Central College Road in the Northland neighborhood supports the Columbus housing strategy by expanding housing options in a high demand area where the current housing infrastructure is not meeting the high demand, which is increasing housing costs and the demand for rental options.

The new units will relieve the pressure on the overall market and allow for more options for residents in the area, slowing the growth in rents and and home prices.

Excuse me.

The census track where the site is located has seen a 50% drop in the vacancy rate since 2020, resulting in a 10% increase in the median rent and a 50 50 percent increase in home prices.

In order to buy a home in the area today, a family would need to earn nearly $140,000 per year, which only includes about 14.8% of the of the families in the city of Columbus, making access to rental units even more critical in this high demand area.

The rents in the census tract are 17.2% higher than the city as a whole, which prices out more than a third of the families in the city of Columbus.

33% of the renters who do live in the census tract pay more than 30% of their income on their housing, increasing the risk of housing instability for those families.

This area is opportunity rich with jobs, education, amenities, parks, recreation and parks and services.

That access to opportunity not only increases rents but encourages the conversion of formerly owner-occupied homes into rentals.

There are currently more than 100 single-family homes available for rent in the zip code.

A study last year with the Cleveland Federal Reserve identified portions of this zip code as single family home investor hotspot.

Additional rentals in the area will alleviate the pressure on the existing single family homes to meet that rental demand.

While housing scarcity will drive up housing prices throughout the region, in these locations where there is high demand and insufficient new housing to accommodate that demand, we expect to see accelerated housing pressure as the market responds.

Therefore, it is not only is important not only to add the housing, but also to increase the increase the options available in these areas to slow the rise of home prices and stabilize families.

But happy to answer any questions.

Thank you, Deputy Director.

You want to ask you this question.

One of the things I've heard a lot from residents about this particular application is about their desire to see a portion of the area that's yet to be developed to be reserved for single-family or single-family like development versus uh you know apartment complexes.

And just from your vantage point, when you talk about the housing needs of that area, how does that sort of square with you?

You just mentioned a moment ago that again, simply because something is single family within this community, you're seeing an increase in the amount of single-family housing being turned over to rental properties.

And I'm just um wanted to just sort of ask you that out loud as sort of the housing expert in the room to sort of get your take on that.

And I think that's the critical thing is where we have that demand, and I think what we're seeing is indicators that there is demand for rental in this area.

Um, that demand, that consumer choice will be satisfied one way or the other.

Um, and the rentals are available in those multifamily units, that's where those renters will likely go.

If those are not available, they will turn and look at the existing housing stock.

And we see that in a lot of communities where where they don't have that ability to identify the housing they're looking for, they will fill that, they will satisfy that need with the existing stock in the in the community.

And so I think when we see these opportunities to add that rental housing, satisfy that demand, we see a preservation of that existing single family and that owner occupancy that creates that balance in the community.

And when you talk about that balance, uh, and again, this is something we've talked a lot about at council, and this is something that I've had a lot of back and forth with some of the uh folks that are interested in this about that diversity about you know just different housing types, and this is something when we look at plans going back to 2002 versus the reality of 2026.

Just again, just curious, you're you're the housing expert here here tonight, about the difference of what housing diversity looks like.

And this is, I think building off a question from my colleague a moment ago of what you know, sort of where we're at in 2026 compared to where we were at in say 2002 when we think about what is housing diversity to sort of meet those needs.

And I think when we look back, certainly the demand was a lot lower in 2002.

We were a very different city, we are very different region.

As we've continued to grow economically, obviously, a lot of folks want to come in and join us.

A lot of those folks are young professionals, they're looking for housing typologies that aren't necessarily ready for an owner, you know, a single family home.

Um, and then we also have folks that want to age in place in their community and identifying places where they can go.

And I think what we recognize from you know 2002 to today is the supply and the volume is important, but it's also about having that diversity of housing type.

It's referred to as the churn or filtration, where naturally we should be moving through different types of housing across our life.

Uh, I think for a lot of folks now, when they look at the house they may be in, they may not have meant to buy their forever home.

Um but because there is that lack of choice and supply, we end up kind of staying where we are.

That also impedes the ability for that next family to come in and move into that house.

So it's not only the supply in total, but without the diversity, we lack that ability to find the right place for us at the right time of life, and we may end up staying in homes that aren't working well for us.

That we aren't ready to leave our communities to satisfy that change of housing typology and the opportunity to have it present in across our whole city will be critical to having those options available so that you can stay in your community but also be able to fit get the house that's right fit for you at the time you are in your life.

Thank you.

Uh any question, my colleagues for deputy director.

Seeing none, I will invite the applicant's representative, Mr.

David Hodgeford for our presentation.

Thank you, Chair Dorans, President Harden, members of Council, uh David Hodge here this evening on behalf of the applicant for this rezoning preferred living.

Certainly appreciate the opportunity to be here to give this presentation and to answer questions that the council has, and also uh sincerely appreciate the hard and difficult work uh that you do.

Uh we're in the change business.

You're in the change business, and I'm sometimes in the change change business being at the front of many new housing developments in the community, and it's it's hard work.

Um, but it's but it's rewarding work and it's it's work that's worth doing.

A few things that I want to cover, and unfortunately, some of it's going to be redundant from uh what the capable uh staff presentation was, but I think it's important to hit on all of these things again, and I'll try to be brief.

I want to talk about process, I want to talk about policy, and I want to talk about the implementation of that policy as it relates to this proposal.

This rezoning has been pending for almost a year.

Uh Ms.

Saltzman indicated that the application was filed on March 28th of last year.

Immediately after the filing and engaging with leadership at the Northland Community Council, we were asked to not come to the initial Northland Community Council meeting, but rather to come to a neighborhood meeting, uh, which we did.

That meeting occurred in April.

We then went to Northland and gave a presentation uh regarding the 216 unit proposal, which was recommended for disapproval.

They were all recommended for disapproval, but that was the first proposal that was recommended for disapproval.

We then had a small group uh neighbor meeting with some of the Northland leadership uh in August, uh, and then came back to the Northland Community Council for a final meeting in September.

Uh we also met on three different occasions with the Development Commission, modifying the project along the way, as you heard from staff and and as I'll talk about a little bit more, but ultimately thankfully earning earning a recommendation of approval from the development commission uh at their meeting in February.

Uh so that is in a nutshell our process.

The policy that we're working with is the Columbus Growth Strategy, which was adopted uh back at the beginning of the year.

And just a couple of highlights from that that I think are really applicable to this proposal.

That's guiding principle one about healthy and communication, which states that the vision for this principle is that all neighborhoods have a mix of uses that provide a range of housing types.

So that's a range of housing types in all neighborhoods.

It's also it also specifically uh notes parks and access to parks as being a planning goal and and not an obstacle.

And that statement uh says uh that is to provide that access to parks, open space, and recreational opportunities should be provided for all neighborhoods.

These spaces should be developed such that they are fronted upon by buildings to maximize their utility, visibility, and welcoming nature.

The growth strategy also talks about having development in areas where the infrastructure is there to support it.

And I was happened to be here a few weeks ago when another proposal out on Holt Road was before this council.

Much discussion on that proposal regarding the existing road infrastructure at that, the work that needed to be done by that developer, and I found that interesting, certainly as it relates to the proposal that's here tonight.

When we come to a site that has that infrastructure there, the city correctly identified the need for some improvements here and is underway with a Central College Road improvement in front of the site that creates shared use path and free lanes of traffic.

Uh that Mr.

Bleckschmidt spoke to a few minutes ago.

What the what the statement says, though, is that development that utilizes existing infrastructure with an urban and established suburban neighborhoods is a priority.

This suburban area is already served by roads and utilities.

So this is exactly the type of site that uh the in uh in fill site that the Columbus Growth Strategy prioritizes.

And the last principle that I want to mention is the design and the neighborhood uh uh attributes of the specific proposal, some of the planning guidance that uh Mr.

Lohr addressed.

And what the uh growth strategy says about that is that housing proposals at a density higher than proposed by the Columbus land use plan are considered with the incorporation and commitment to design standards that mitigate the impact of said density.

Higher intensity uses should incorporate design elements to minimize impacts on adjacent lower intensity uses.

So that's the policy.

The last portion that I like to discuss is the implementation uh of that policy.

On this proposal, uh the site plan that was previously up, um, you'll note that the western perimeter of the property, we double the setback, we go in there and create a three to four foot mound, and we then we landscape that so we double it from 25 to 50 and do all of that landscaping, which augments to the west the existing landscaping of the uh multifamily community to the west to the south at the single family, same thing.

To the east is the city park.

We go from 25 feet to 37 feet there, and much like that guiding principle that I read, we embrace the park.

We come in there, we create a seating area, we create a trail, uh moving from a centralized gathering space that connects up to the new shared use path uh at Central College Road.

We also through this limitation zoning, um, we commit to this site plan.

So this isn't just a cartoon.

This goes into this is in the legislation that's before you tonight.

So this becomes a hard and fast commitment.

Uh we also uh, as I think Mr.

Loore said, uh, increase the setback up at the northern two buildings you see there, the clubhouse and the the uh two-story structure there, going from 50 down to 100.

And then the last element of that is that we commit uh to the architecture that is also in the package, and I think was previously up on the screen.

So that's the two-story architecture that is actually a commitment and ends up constructed here.

Um I think that's what I had to say.

Sorry, it was a little redundant to what the staff said, but uh I will stop there and do my best to answer questions that anyone on council has.

Thank you, Mr.

Hodge.

Questions from council members, the applicants represent Councilman Ross.

Thank you.

Uh Mr.

Hodge for coming.

I have a question.

I heard you mention that you went a couple times back and forth to the development commission.

You got some no votes, and then ultimately got a yes vote.

Can you explain what got you from a no vote to a yes vote with the development commission?

Yes, yes, thank you for that question, and that also causes me to realize something important that I left out.

Uh when we but staff had previously mentioned it, when we originally filed it was 216 units, all of them being three-story buildings.

We then modified uh a portion of this, so some of the buildings were two and some of them were three stories, and that took the proposal down to 175 units.

Between that proposal and the final uh development commission meeting, we again reduced the density.

We made the entire development two stories instead of a mix of twos and threes.

So we committed that the entire development be two stories, and we then reduce the units from 175 down to 152.

And that was enough to earn a majority of the development commission uh uh bringing us here tonight with their recommendation of approval.

And can you do you know or has your client give you given you any indication of what the price point of these rentals will be?

He's here, so I could bring him up here.

Um this is you know, as you know, with uh within the citywide CRA, and so there will be the opportunity to participate in that program, which you know the policy behind that is to stimulate housing in the community.

And so um some of the units may be offered at 80 percent of the area median income, or there's the the buyout option that that's an option.

But exactly what these rents are, I don't know, but I could call Mr.

Smith up here and get you that answer.

Wonderful thing.

Yeah, I'd be interested.

Yeah.

Good evening, counsel.

I guess I didn't prep Mr.

Hodge good enough.

But uh, I'd say one bedrooms right around 1,500, two bedrooms, plus or minus 2,000.

Uh from a market condition perspective, you're looking at from a construction if this went off tomorrow at least 18 months, 12 to 18 months from opening.

So obviously markets change from then and there, but that area plus or minus 100 is where we're seeing.

So thank you.

Thank you.

Can I ask a question?

Mr.

Smith, uh, at this moment, and this does have no bearing, but are you considering one way or the other with the buyout or the portability component?

Uh as of late, we've done both.

Um probably I want to say we've probably done 60 percent where we've done the buyout of 30 percent at 80 percent, the others we've paid off.

It's been a mix of both.

So thank you.

Uh other questions from council members for the applicants represent or the applicant themselves.

Just uh quick clarification.

You on the West side, you indicated you're building a mound with trees on top of that.

Correct.

Will people even be able to see?

I don't think that there will be any visibility from the west to the east with the mounding, the landscaping we're doing, and then the existing, you can see the shadow just on the west side.

That's all really heavy vegetation now.

So I think once that vegetation matures, you will not see site to site.

Thank you.

Any other question, Council members?

So, Mr.

Hajj, I want to ask a couple things, and again, this is based on feedback that we've received with some of the meetings we've had.

Yeah, I think when you talk about an application that has been back and forth for close to a year, you know, this is somewhat to be expected over I think some frustrations from folks in the community about asks and then told no and then things change, and along the way, you know, we've heard repeatedly from from members of the public of saying, you know, they're really would like to see that 2002 density recommendation from three units to an acre be be the you know what what is actually built on this property.

Um the reality is this project was proposed at a much higher density level, and some of the feedback that they've given to us is that in you know discussions and negotiations with with you all saying that hey, that that is just not something that our company builds, or this is just not something that uh is something that is um something that you know again we we do.

Uh and yet here in this instance we've went from over 200 down to 170, now down to 150 approximately.

So you just walk us through when we when if if the community is hearing we can't make any changes, you know, this is sort of what it is, and then over time you see that change.

Um what went into those motivations to to bring something to us uh that is very different than what's proposed.

So it may not be something that folks in the community love, but there's a there was a process that that brought you from what was originally on the table to what is here today.

Sure.

You know, I'm a believer in this process in the city of Columbus, and I've I've been at it for my entire adult life essentially.

And um, you know, more more often than not an application that gets filed uh when it's scrutinized, um, when it goes through the the planning office, when it goes through the development commission process, when it goes through the neighborhood process, and then ultimately here at council, it often ends up a very radically different proposal than the one that was originally proposed.

Um we wanted to earn support.

We we we wanted to take in feedback.

Uh we wanted to um have the neighborhood have the have the development commission um come around and support the the project.

And so uh we started out at 216.

We thought that that was a good proposal.

We took in feedback and tried to uh go down to 175, you know, increasing the the the setbacks, uh reducing those western units that you see there, uh uh adjacent to the attached product to the west, make those two stories to to lessen the impact over to the west, and that was still not enough to earn the support that we felt like we needed for this uh proposal to see the light of day here at council.

And so uh between the the development commission disapproval at 175, there had to be some difficult internal discussions with with Jarrett and his colleagues, and ultimately the decision was made that we could maintain the sit maintain the same building typology with the with the two-story buildings, the same really high quality architecture, uh, and still uh make the project make sense financially at the 152 units.

So that was that was the process.

Certainly um it it's true that preferred living uh they have once before they they they won't ever again, they don't build single family residential, they don't build townhouses.

This is the type of product that they build.

This is the type of product that they build, and so this is the type of of product that was um proposed by preferred living here.

Hopefully that answers your question.

It does.

Thank you.

Councilmember Green.

I'm sorry, I recognize that this is uh adjacent to um to the zoning, but I just wanted to circle back again about the the buyout um question.

So I know that when we spoke on the phone, uh Mr.

Smith, you are pretty direct about the fact that you did not intend to take a buyout, and I did not hear that same level of directness from you now.

So has that plan changed?

We evaluate each one, but at this point we're leaning towards not taking it.

Okay.

So just to be, I wasn't trying to be evasive.

If I was, I apologize.

Okay.

I think um, you know, one thing that has been concerning, I think you know, we have been seeing more uh revenue flow into that fund than I believe what we anticipated, um, which means that we're if we're investing public dollars and helping to incentivize a project, and then we're not seeing the direct investment in our community through the preservation of affordability.

I think that's a challenge for me.

Gosh, council member Green, you and I should connect because I've got a lot of I've got a lot of sites that could use those resources to create an additional affordable housing in the community.

Yes.

Yeah, maybe I let me re you asked me which way again.

So we've done we're leaning towards buying out the project.

You are leaning towards buying out the project.

I don't want to be disingenuous.

I appreciate I appreciate that clarification.

Yeah, I mean, you know, we've gone we've gone back and forth in a lot of different ways.

We've done two projects on Warner Road where we have left the 30% at 80% in place.

We've got a project at Crosswoods where we did the 30% at 80% in place that are active right now.

So we have done a number of them both ways, but right now the way I'm looking at it on this specific project is with doing, I should say, doing the buyout.

Yeah.

So just to be transparent.

Can I ask a follow-up question to that?

Because I wonder if what you're get.

If there were higher units, if you had more units, would you be more likely to go with the affordability versus less units?

I think it always makes a lot of things easier in the developed world of development, right?

Because you have a static amount of costs, um, regardless of whether you have 150 units or 216 units.

Um I always use the example of a domestic water tap is 22,418.

Whether you have a hundred, yes, that's sad that I know that, right?

Um, whether you have a hundred units or four hundred units on a site.

So those are some of the economies of scale that you're referring to that add up.

I mean, it gets down to some of these projects when we're looking at these, how you build the clubhouse later on.

Yeah.

Because the clubhouse is a static cost again.

Once you have 152 units, or you have a 216 units.

So well, I think um, you know, figuring out the whether or not the numbers work uh as a you know developer, that's your job to do.

Fail figuring out whether or not something is a wise investment of public dollars, that's our job to do.

And I think that's the thing that I'm starting to become a little um a little disillusioned with, I guess, when we're um you know, wanting to ensure that when we're you know making these investments that it's having a real tangible payoff for our residents.

Um so that's a that's a bummer, man.

Thank you.

Other questions from my colleagues for the applicant or the representative You talked about um the length of time in which you have been making changes kind of to your original plan.

Have those resulted in um an increase or decrease in costs?

When when the um density, when the I mean, it's an absolute increase in cost.

Okay.

Obviously, kind of what I alluded to earlier on the water tap, right?

At 22,418 dollars.

Now going from three stories to two stories, think of it purely the easiest thing I can tell you is is that for the most part um staff can tell you that when we went from three stories to two stories, I just took the third story off the rest of those buildings, right?

All of a sudden now, all that concrete that's on the first floor for your concrete slabs, all the utilities that ran to that site, whether I had 152 units or 176 units, all of those costs stayed the same.

So if you're factoring it on kind of a per unit basis, my costs went up.

Do you make sorry, one follow-up question?

Do you make accommodations for those increased costs or those increased costs trickle down to your end user?

You know, I'd like to believe that we could always pass along the same cost to our end user, and in a sense we can, but at the same time, we are also governed by market conditions.

Okay.

Thank you.

Any other question for my colleagues?

Seeing none.

Uh thank you.

I'll give you an opportunity to uh speak after the public speakers.

Thank you.

Um as I mentioned, we have three public speakers signed up to speak against this ordinance.

I do want to acknowledge that Dave Paul from the Northern Community Council is also here with us this evening.

Um prepared to answer questions from uh council members if if needed.

Um but we do have again three public speakers signed up to speak on this.

Uh the first is Mr.

Matthew Ward.

Mr.

Ward, welcome back to council, sir.

Good to see you again.

And just uh as a reminder, uh folks just introduce yourself if you have any uh organization you are representing.

Um typically public speakers get three minutes, but we'll try to be Midwestern polite, so don't feel like you need to speak speed read here at all.

So uh and then uh don't run off right away in case council members have a question for you.

Ms.

Ward, the floor is yours.

Thank you.

Um Chairman Dorns, President Hardin, and other council members.

Um good evening and thank you for allowing me to address you this evening.

Um I'm Matthew Ward, I'm board president at Asherton Grove Condo Association.

I live in Columbus, and we are opposed to this zoning request.

We understand the housing crisis and support the city's efforts to address it.

But you also need to consider in rezoning requests is how the city area is zoned and affected.

The existing property owners invested in their homes, counting on surrounding development to match the city's master plan.

Surrounding residents should have input in consideration in the decision.

Allowing spot zoning and shoeharding apartments on this parcel breaks the trust between the existing residents and the City of Columbus.

We're not against apartments.

They are an important part of resolving the housing crisis.

They're just not appropriate for this location.

They do not fit due to the lack of public access at this time.

Inconsistency with the existing surrounding residential and single story condos, and the two-lane road structure, while improvements are going on, it will still remain two-lane for a majority of Central College where buses continually stop to unload and reload children.

Single family homes and condos also need to be built to reduce the housing crisis and give people the chance at the American dream of homeownership.

There are already within three to four miles.

My understanding is approximately 5,000 plus apartments in this area.

The NCC voted down this proposal twice, 16 to zero before the development commission hearings.

The NCC was bypassed on the developer's third appearance at the commission.

The development commission tabled the proposal at the first meeting so the project could be reworked.

At the second hearing, it was voted down four to two, with all six members noting their concern that it was still too high of a density for this area.

At the third commission hearing, it was approved by a single vote.

For preferred living has reduced the density and has a much much better plan layout than when they started.

It is still too high a density for this location.

We are open to a reasonable density solution, but this is not it.

There's been a unified effort by the residents, the homeowners, and the area associations with the NCC working with the city to limit development to this current still current Northland Master Plan.

We have submitted petitions to council over 2,500 surrounding residents who also object to this rezoning.

The document that I believe CM Ross referenced earlier.

Please keep like property uses together and create multi-purpose neighborhoods starting with a plan and not by spot zoning.

We ask that you review the proposal and see that this is not in the best interest of the existing neighborhoods.

There's more than useful value in this land for single-family homes and reject this zoning request.

Thank you for your time.

Thank you, Mr.

Ward.

Any questions from my colleagues from Mr.

Ward?

Mr.

Ward and Councilman, you use fans.

Um plan is three.

We understand that's not going to happen.

Three doesn't make sense with the housing crisis.

Um this would be an ideal area for somewhere between five or six, maybe a little higher.

Single family homes that were smaller, starter homes would be a possibility if a developer would bring that forward.

We know there's developers interested in developing single family there, but I don't know what density they're looking at.

Thank you.

You mentioned um the core you you mentioned something about no public access.

Can you talk to me about what that means?

Um there is no uh public transportation.

Coda does not serve this area.

The nearest um transportation hub is about three and a half miles away, closer to the um 161 Hamilton Road Corridor where there's already extensive development, both with apartments and services.

But if but people could live in a house and still want to live near public transportation, right?

For people living in a house, um I guess I'm trying to understand why just because people live in apartments, they would have to live near public transportation.

Like that, that is not connecting a hundred percent for me.

Um it you don't always know who's going to have a car or who not in in single family homes or public transportation is lacking at this time, and it does need to be there.

Great, thank you.

Okay, thank you.

Any other questions for Mr.

Ward for my colleagues?

Great.

Thank you, Mr.

Ward.

Uh, our next speaker come for council is Mr.

David Slobe.

Mr.

Slobey, welcome back to council.

Okay, I want to thank you, Council President, President Pro Tem, and Council members for this opportunity to speak.

I'm Dave Slobe.

I represent Ashton Grove as a representative to the NCC.

I respectfully ask you to deny this project.

Our 12 communities are asking for the city to continue developing the area according to the Northland II plan, which is still in effect, along with our investment into that vision.

The neighborhood consists of nearly 900 homes at a minimum average value of 400,000.

Our neighborhood has collectively invested $360 million into this joint vision between our neighborhood and city.

Our neighbors sitting in this chamber, and if you guys could raise your hands or stand up to show the support, have invested $360 million into this joint vision between our neighborhood and the city.

The NCC Development Commission, the City Development Committee, and use the volume two plan.

I've worked over the past 25 years to develop that vision for what is now our current neighborhood.

This parcel does not border a major corridor, nor was it ever meant to be a major corridor.

Central College Road and all re roads cannot be widened to look like Morris or Dublin Granville.

This parcel of land is not an prior is not currently an industrial building site that is no longer viable.

It is not a piece of land with retail that has seen better days.

Repurposing land like that that is already zoned for business to use for apartments would be understandable.

This are single family homes zone residential.

Ponder this.

A very nice business and office community.

If a home builder were to petition this council to change the zoning on a 10-acre parcel in that middle of the quarter to build single family homes, would the council allow this?

That would definitely bring a diversification of architecture.

I fully believe that companies like Referred Living would be standing before you like I am today, stating that the home builder's proposal to put homes in the middle of Hamilton Quarter would not be a good fit.

And I would agree with that.

Just as I'm standing here stating that placing apartments, a business in the middle of single family homes is not a good use of that land and changes the character of our neighborhood.

City needs land to build houses.

Lack of houses keep house prices high and forces residents to make rental payments that rival home mortgages.

Taking land away from home builders limits the amount of land available for home building.

This is exactly, in my opinion, what high-density complex builders want to see happen.

It allows for rents to remain high and keeps Columbus residents from achieving their dream of homeownership.

Voting for spot zoning of this nature is never good for a neighborhood.

It sends a negative message to other single family neighborhoods in Columbus.

Thank you for your time, and I'm open to any questions you may have.

Thank you.

Any questions from my council colleagues from Mr.

Sloven?

Thank you.

Thank you.

Our final speaker is Ms.

Suzanne Harnisher.

I apologize if I mispronounced your last name.

Welcome back to council.

Good evening, President Hardin and Chair Dorns and all council members.

My name is Suzanne Harnicher.

I've lived in the Northland area and in Columbus for over 40 years.

I value Columbus.

I support City Council and I work the election polls routinely, and I'm involved in lots of civic activities, and I've been involved in this for quite some time.

I am a representative of the Northland Community Council, and I'm on the uh development committee also and have been for like 13 years.

I'm here tonight regarding the preferred living project, which, though it's a nice project, we are asking that you not support it.

And that has nothing to do with the type of project that it is.

I think the proposal, as has been said, was turned down by NCC twice.

It was turned down by the commissioners.

And just so you know you may know this, but when you've read when you look at some of the remarks that the commissioners made, it's the same remarks that we believe.

The density is too high for this area.

It's it's a rural area, um, and it has single family homes, and and we have built a community for the last several years.

The the density issue is significant.

The I think the we've all worked, we've tried to come together as a community, many associations, many individual uh developments, and what we ask is that you hear what the community has to say as well as what the developers have to say for the various reasons that have been stated.

Um, and we don't have anything against developers.

We've had a couple of developments come in the last year or two.

They've been at the three to one density.

As Matt said, we may not be able to withstand that.

We know that.

We're not unrealistic.

You know, we in fact, Mr.

Hodge is representing a project that is like a five or six to one right across the street.

So we're open.

Um I do feel like in the particular project, it's out of character with the community, though it's a nice project.

I know a lot of you are going to give credit to the fact that they reduce the numbers, and I know that's one of the selling points, and I I appreciate that.

However, it still does not fit our community.

And there are thousands and thousands of apartments down the road, just a mile from us, and on Warner Road, which is right perpendicular or parallel rather to um Central College.

Thousands.

And I think preferred living is built some of those.

And they are pretty much all market rate.

I think we're willing to negotiate, and it upsets me that the implication is that we're not.

Um, this last round, this last revision, no one talked to the neighborhood.

No one went back to the Northland Community Council.

It came straight to City Council, and we were pretty much threatened that that's how it was going to work.

I don't think that's real cooperative.

So, one other thing I got to say really quick.

This infrastructure stuff and the roads, the the work that's being done now, it's a turn lane.

It's not going to be a big three-lane road, and some of the stuff is being done by Columbus City, which is wonderful, are things that were recommended 10 and 15 years ago for projects that have been developed.

And they're not including the ones that are out there now, like this one and a couple of others.

So, and when you see the school kids getting picked up on the the buses out on roads that don't all have sidewalks either, and traffic is backed up way down Central College and down Ulry.

There's a safety issue and a traffic issue.

Density impacts that.

So I won't go on and on.

I just want to say thank you.

I really, really ask that you hear the Columbus residents and the people from this community, because we're serious, we're good citizens, and what we want is good things for Northland, good things for our neighborhood, and good things for Columbus.

And by the way, NCC very seldom votes things down.

We're pretty pro-development.

I just need to say that.

Thank you very much.

Anything else I can say or thank you.

Um any questions by council?

Councilmember Green.

Um I'm sorry.

Oh no, you're totally fine.

No, I just want to I just want to say um to you and to um the rest of your counterparts, you know, I've really valued um being able to meet with you and talk about this issue.

I know um we have gone back and forth about you know the way that I view the project, and I'm trying to be very clear and transparent, I think, from my perspective.

But um, I just really want to come out and um and get to see you know this incredible community that has brought all these people here tonight.

Um and you know, so would love to would love to come out and visit you and visit your your beautiful neighborhood at a meeting sometime.

But um, but yeah, I just want to thank you very much for your diligent advocacy around this project.

And um, and I'm sure there will be future, you know, reasons to be advocating together.

And so, how lucky um are all of you to be in community with one another in such a special way.

So we're and we thank you for meeting with us because we got to meet with a lot of you, and it was helpful to us, it was probably a little educational to some of you, and this is a tough process and it's nerve-wracking, and you know, we don't we just love our community and we've worked together, and the character of it is wonderful.

And I know there's gonna be more apartments, but believe me, there's plenty right now.

And we know they we need them too.

So thank you.

Thank you.

Um other questions for a speaker?

Seeing none, I I'd invite uh Mr.

Hodge back if he has any uh additional comments he'd like to make based upon the public speakers' uh testimony thank you, Chair Dorens.

Uh um yeah, it's certainly it's been a been a tough process.

It's been a it's it's been a year-long process of of um uh reviewing the proposal, revising the proposal, and trying to find uh the right balance that ultimately uh earned the development commission support, and we're we're grateful that it did.

Um, you know, back in January, the city adopted the the growth strategy, uh a little bit of a different policy, that's 2026 as opposed to 2002, which is what the Northland uh two plan is.

Uh this is not a business in the middle of residential, this is exceptionally high quality uh apartment residential adjacent to essentially apartment residential to the west, single family to the south, with a commitment, not just a not just a thumbing of the nose to concerns, but a commitment to that quality architecture and a commitment uh to those buffers out of respect uh to the process and out of respect uh to the community.

The DC commentary from the the commentary from the development commission uh uh across the board um generally stated that it is a vastly improved proposal from where it started at 216 down to uh 175 uh and then ultimately 152.

That was the unifying theme.

Um, the reason I do this work um and the reason that I work through this process, and the reason that more often than not uh I earn support for the proposals that I represent, both at area commissions and the development commissions, is because I take the process seriously, and uh we have taken this process seriously.

Certainly we have a difference of opinion, um, three units to the acre versus the the the 15 that's being proposed, uh, and we can uh certainly disagree, but uh Columbus, you you heard from Ms.

Prosser, we and you all know this far better than I do, but Columbus House has a housing issue.

Um this is uh appropriate housing in an appropriate location, not spot zoning, a commitment to high quality architecture and a commitment to buffering all around the perimeter with the existing infrastructure there with the central college project to support the proposal.

Any questions from my colleagues for the applicants represent um I'm gonna ask you this question I'm gonna preface it with I understand that these particular uh questions that I ask you are not necessarily relevant nor do they need to be answered in order to get approval from a zoning perspective but I'm going to ask them because I see them in the concerns listed by Northland Community Council and I had a conversation with you all about it and give you an opportunity to talk about it.

It there were a few issues that have not been discussed yet that the the NCC brought forward as concerns and I'm just gonna read it directly from their written commentation from September 24 2025 one includes potential for vandalism and theft of numerous ungarched vehicles to me that means that that is something that a property manager and those who would be operating that particular development would have responsibility over I know that you and your client own a few other apartment complexes in the area have have you seen issues with regard to vandalism and and theft at other places such that this would be a concern and have you talked about it and do you have a plan to address it so your client so yes there they there will be continued management oversight over the the property the the the property will be well lit you know are are there vandalism and theft issues in the city I mean I'd be a I'd be a bald face liar if I said that there weren't I mean we we all know the the issues that occur in the city you know hopefully that's not a commentary on the the the renters are going to you know attract vandalism and theft that is that is certainly not the case this is a preferred living has a proven track record of of building a quality uh uh development and of um professionally managing that quality development once it's constructed thanks appreciate that any other questions for my colleagues for the applicants represent seeing none thank you thank you all uh any comments that my colleagues would like to make before I move forward well thank you chair and thank you for the process uh that you have um led us all through and I I am actually on the sad side that I didn't get the opportunity to actually sit down and and meet on this uh uh zoning um because I like Councilmember Green would already knew because the NCC is like if you could have favorites of area groups the Northern Community Council would be right up at the top um you I'm looking at a Dave Paul someone that all of us have known for me since my 15 years of working in this building and so I have so um much love and admiration for this neighborhood uh and its process I'm gonna give you too much information I so last year I went through a divorce and for um and I was not the breadwinner in the relationship and so we were able to have nice homes our first home was a 400 thousand dollar home downtown we sold that house because Columbus is changing and growing and when we bought it for 400,000 we were able to put on the market for nearly 700,000 three years later we bought a house out far east for 525000 and it was my dream home we were able to have my son there and and it was amazing when my partner and I got a divorce I had to find housing because we have districts close by my existing house and then I was as the head of the household now I was relegated to my city pay to pay for my housing again too much information but I'm also someone who has a lot of student loan debt and so you further take back I had to available to pay for housing the the own the very few housing available apartment work were apartments that I could afford.

And so some of these conversations around because I was waiting, I was waiting for what is the real pushback here.

We went from 216 units all the way down to one 152.

That's a reduction.

I know it might not be enough for everyone.

We talked about and we we we've heard and I have to listen to our planning folks when they say the the uh right-of-and and the um the infrastructure is suitable for this number.

And so I was trying to hear like what is the thing, what is the real pushback?

And all I could hear was this doesn't fit in our neighborhood.

And to me, and I've learned this a long time ago when I had to uh vote on a housing project.

Um, and I looked out in the audience, and my grandmother was out uh uh uh protesting against me that good people can be wrong sometimes when it comes to housing, and especially who those houses what that housing looks like and who's it for and so for me and take take aside that that that the sketches of this project is one of the nicest um uh facilities I've I've ever seen come before here.

Take take that aside when we think about what a community is and what a neighborhood is and who it is, we we're going to have to push ourselves past what our older thoughts of what a full neighborhood looks like.

We need more housing in central Ohio, we need more housing.

We need people, hell, we need for your children to be able to afford to live in your neighborhood, and I promise you a lot of them could not afford a 400,000 home at their starter house.

And who wants to have their son and with the baby live next to us who have you know families?

We all do.

Unfortunately, in a growing city where we don't have enough housing, and housing starts are at 450,000, an apartment is the new starter home.

And if you want your grandkids sometimes to be close, you're gonna need to have diversity within the neighborhood.

And so, you know, I I again I was looking for outside of my deep love for Dave Paul in NCC.

What else could be my reason to vote against this?

And and truthfully, if I were to be the most honest, it was that they went down in density because we need more affordability, and especially if that worked against them not having the affordability into it, because again, I could not afford as your council president to live in that complex.

I needed a two-bedroom for me and my son.

I could not afford to live in that complex.

That's my issue with it.

And so uh I I support this, and I'm I'm sorry that that that um good people have differences sometimes, and especially on housing.

Uh, but I have a track record of voting to make sure that all of our residents and all of our neighbors, and for many years it was theoretical.

I was voting because I read that housing prices are real hard and and that renters are good folks, but last year I became a renter in an apartment complex, and there were very few options.

So thank you, Mr.

Chair.

Thank you, Council President.

Councilmember Brosley, Deputy.

Uh thank you, Pro Tem.

You know, Council President, uh, one thing that I think about all the time when I sit in this seat, I was born I live in the neighborhood that I was born and raised in.

I live just streets over from my family home, and my parents passed away, and I own our family home now.

Um, and it's interesting because 50 years ago, my neighborhood was dairy land.

My neighborhood on in Fairmore on Eastmore between Bexley and Whitehall was literally dairyland.

It was a rural area of the city, and then it grew into what it is, and I grew up on a street that had apartments.

I grew up in a very archibunker side of the neighborhood.

I know people in this group will know that reference.

Sometimes I say that, and people look at me like I'm crazy.

But you know, we had very similar homes.

It was a starter home, it was my parents' forever home.

It's still my family home.

And I moved over to Central Eastmore, which is arguably the more people call it Bexley adjacent, it's the more wealthier part of Eastmoor, and there are houses on Eastmore, or there are apartments on Eastmore Boulevard, just a couple streets over.

And there are houses on Eastmore, or there are apartments on Eastmore Boulevard, just a couple streets over, there's apartments over by Fairmore.

It has not decreased the value of anything.

It has not actually the houses similar to you, Council President.

We bought our first house at 40 something.

I was a renter for 11 years.

We lived in Boston and certainly could never afford to buy a house there and then move back to Columbus.

Couldn't buy a house.

We were just starting a family, and I rented a house on the South Side that I got priced out of.

And so, and you know, I had my niece and her twins were living in my basement for the past two years.

And so when you think about affordability, when you think about where they want to live, I mean, my niece should not, she should be able to live anywhere in the city that she wants to, in the kind of neighborhood that she wants to.

And so I being a person that grew up surrounded by tiny houses, bigger houses, apartments everywhere.

Um, I think to me, that's what I think of when I think of a neighborhood.

I don't think about it singularly as single family homes.

I think about everything because those are the people I grew up around.

And if I look at my family now, that's what they live in.

And so when I I know that there are nuances to zoning because I've certainly seen that on the east side, there was a project that I was like, this project does just doesn't make sense, right?

In this particular instance, I think that this every part of Columbus is going to change.

Every part of Columbus is going to change, every street, every everything, because the city continues to evolve and change.

And so that's what I think of when I think about these zoning issues.

And when I think about these zoning um developments that come before us is, you know, does it make sense?

Is it where does it make sense?

And I know for the people who live there, it doesn't always because it's something new and it's something different.

And there is gonna be that nuance there.

But I just wanted to share, I think, council president, to the points that you were making.

I think in my mind, that's what makes up a neighborhood is all of these different sorts of housing stock where everyone can choose a place that is for them in the city.

And we are talking about people like our aides.

We are talking about people who work in this building.

Yeah, we have a council member that rents now as an apartment dweller, and you should have that choice to be to live wherever you want in the city and not just in specific areas.

So that's why this project for me resonates.

And I think I didn't get the benefit of hearing from everyone, but hearing from you all tonight, that's what I see, and that would that's what goes into my decision making.

Council member.

Council member Green.

Thank you, Council President Pro Tem.

Um council president, I already shared with the Northland Community Council how I uh was feeling I was gonna vote, but it sounded almost identical to all of the words you said tonight, which um I guess it is good to be in good company.

You know, I myself uh am a single mom, I work two jobs.

I am required to stay uh uh in my district, of course.

Um, and um very committed to doing so.

But when I think about if I ever were to move um where it would be that I would want to be in, and it would be um, you know, a community exactly like yours.

Um and there would be no pathway for me as a social worker uh to be able to afford to purchase a home on my own and your neighborhood, and I think what a beautiful opportunity you have here to be able to expand.

Um, you know, the diversity and um number of people in your community that would have what is clearly such an incredible opportunity to be among this group of people that care so much about one another.

Um that being said, I you know, I find it um I'm I'm deeply troubled just because I feel like you know, we had had conversations uh, you know, Mr.

Smith when when I was asking questions about this about um the affordability component of this project and um felt like there had been a firm commitment during that conversation to maintain the affordability piece and not take a buyout.

I think I'm feeling a little bit a little bit radicalized this week just by you know all these conversations about where we're investing public dollars and how and um in what ways they are benefiting our residents.

Um I'm just not sure even allowing a buyout option, is it anymore?

Um, you know, once a project is approved, we don't get any say in that.

We sure take a lot of heat for it.

Uh but I think that if we are investing public dollars and we know we are in the midst of a housing crisis, we have an obligation to our community.

And we also know we're in the midst of a financial crisis.

You know, our budget uh is um push to its breaking point right now.

And so every time we're investing a dollar or suggesting that we don't need to bring in your dollars, there must be a direct tangible public benefit, and I'm really disappointed.

Um I'm supportive of this project.

I think it's a good project.

I still believe it opens up opportunity for um for new people to come and move into such a beautiful and caring community.

Um but we have got to do better, and we have got to start reevaluating in a serious way um the ways that we're investing um if we want to maintain trust of our community members.

Thank you, Councilmember.

Any other colleagues have any comments?

Councilman Ross?

Go ahead.

Sure, thank you.

Um I I certainly don't take it take it lightly when um a couple thousand community members um organize together to make their voices heard.

And so I think we've had a lot of conversation this evening about this, and that is indicative of the seriousness that I think all of my council members have taken uh with regard to this project and particularly as housing chair, which is why I asked for the price point of these units, um, wanting to think about whether or not this particular project project is also going to um get us the housing units that we need and also help us to reach affordability.

And so I just want to to to talk through this a little bit with um director Prasser because I know that there were um comments with regard to you know, could this could the demand be reached with a different type of housing product um and a different type of housing product that could potentially bring affordability to this community?

And so Director Prasser, could you talk just a little bit about why this particular project, while it's not the price point that is going to be affordable for everyone, it does help us to reach a level of affordability to meet the demand in this particular area.

Um please.

Yes, absolutely, council member.

Um as we look at um the price point here around uh say I think he said one bedroom was fifteen hundred dollars, and that's gonna actually clock in for an individual that would be at that 80% AMI level.

Um you say, and this is just so we're not assuming this is just so we're not assuming that everyone is the definition of 80% AMI, what does that mean in layman terms?

How much do I have to make to be in that tranche?

Yes, so that's an area median income of about $56,000 a year.

And as I mentioned in my initial comments, with the price point, the average price point of the homes for sale in the this particular census track, you a family would need to earn $114,000 to afford a home in this area.

When you look at the opportunity to enter this community at a $56,000 income at that one bedroom level, you start to see that access open up.

Um as we think about the cost, the affordability of a house at the end, either an apartment or a single family home, there are two factors.

One is the supply, and what we mean by that is how much of a demand is there, how much competition is there for that unit, and how much is that gonna drive up the cost.

The second piece around price is gonna be the cost of construction.

And as we talked about earlier, as we think about some of those fixed costs to doing that development, land, um, concrete slabs, things that you can't necessarily replicate or divide in half when the units go in half, all of that is gonna contribute also to the price.

So price is determined by supply and availability, but also cost of construction.

I think as we reduce those unit counts, some of those costs get spread out across those units and it elevates that rental price.

It elevates that home price.

That's where you start to see that loss of affordability.

Um but when we look at an opportunity to come in at a half the income level needed to enter the community outside of that home ownership opportunity, it starts to make sense to have that diversity again of housing opportunity.

Um and then to naturally come in around 80% of the AMI on that in on that single family on the one bedroom unit starts to be um a really meaningful contribution in that particular area.

Sure.

Thank you.

Councilman Raimi.

Thank you, Chair.

Um it is great to see so many neighbors here and from an organization that I led for six years before getting on the council.

Um appreciate all the advocacy, and it was nice to see so many of you when we went out there a couple weeks ago.

Um, I remember that agreement.

I remember it from a long time ago, and although um just because I was there at the time.

But um, you know, everybody is making good salient points here tonight, and it's understandable why um it's important for additional housing.

But I am uh gonna be supportive of my neighbors and Northern Community Council tonight and oppose, but um again, uh you know, uh there everybody's right.

Um that everybody has good salient points.

And so um I'm just gonna just want to make sure I made put one on record why.

So thank you.

Thank you, Councilmember Remy.

Anyone else?

Seeing none, not gonna belabor uh I think the many of the points that my colleagues made.

I think one thing uh again, as Councilman Remy just pointed out, you know, reasonable minds can certainly disagree.

Uh I think one of the things that is difficult in these processes is where are those uh places of compromise.

Um again, in this instance, I think it's difficult for um council, and this is something I've shared with the neighbors that I met with that uh council does not dictate terms.

We get presented with an application uh after a elongated negotiation between neighborhood groups, between the development commission, between the applicant themselves.

Uh so when folks say they prefer X, Y, and Z within this location, council does not have a magic wand and say magically this will now be exactly what you want.

Um so ultimately, this body is charged with reacting to what is in front of us legislatively here tonight.

And every member has the opportunity to review that and meet with uh interested parties, individuals, and consider all the information on their own.

Um again, I think in this instance personally, um, when we think about the the existing infrastructure that is there, when we think about um again going from the amount of units that were originally on the table down to where we're at, what while additionally reducing the height of the project, uh this body considers a lot of these applications, and a lot of the criticisms I think I've heard about this one that have, in my opinion, been addressed, at least in part, by the applicant.

Um unfortunately, we have other applications that we don't see that kind of movement.

Um there is not going to be uh a perfect compromise here.

But again, in a city that is desperately needs housing, particularly in places that um contribute to that housing diversity.

Uh personally, I I think this application is ready to move forward.

So therefore, I move to amend and submitted to the clerk first.

Clerk, please uh call the row by voice.

I'm assuming Barossa De Padilla.

De Akaur?

Yes.

Dorran's.

Yes.

Green.

Yes.

Remy.

No.

Ross.

Weish.

Yes.

President Hardin.

Yes.

Uh I now move to for passage as amended by voice.

Barossa de Padilla.

Is there a second?

Clerk, please call the row.

Barossa De Padilla.

Yeah.

De Akaur.

Yes.

Dorrans.

Yes.

Green.

Remy.

Ross.

Weish.

Yes.

President Hard.

Yes.

Thank you.

Next we have ordinance 0743-2026, rezoned 6495 Hall Road, being 26.69 plus acres, located on the north side of Hall Road, approximately 70 725 plus feet east of Oakland Park Drive from our rural district to PUD for Plan Development District.

This site consists of one undeveloped parcel spanning both sides of Hall Road due to a recent annexation from Prairie Township and the City of Columbus.

The requested rezoning request will allow the development of 63 single unit dwellings in a platted subdivision with almost 12 acres of open space.

The proposal is approved from city staff development commission and the Westland Area Commission and the Big Derby advisory panel.

Do I have my colleagues have any questions or comments?

See now to move for passage.

Clerk, please call the row.

Barossa de Padilla, de Aka or Dorans Green, Remy Ross, White President Harden.

Thank you.

We move into the Council Variances portion of the agenda.

The next three items are all variances to allow two-in-it dwellings and properties where only single unit dwellings are currently allowed.

The first ordinance is 0738-2026, the granted variance provisions of Section 3332.035 R3 residential district, 3312.49 C require parking.

333 2.05 A area district lot width requirements and 333 2.13 R3 area district requirements of Columbia City Coast, we're properly located at 1541-1543-26 Avenue to allow a two-unit dwelling with reduced development standards in the R3 residential district.

Requested variance is the lot width, area, lot require parking for the two spaces are included in this request.

Do my colleagues have questions or comments?

Seeing and I move to accept the entire step for ADU evidence as an exhibit.

Click, please call the row.

Thank you.

Next move to adopt the finance staff, the finance of council.

Barossa De Padilla, De Aka or Dorans Green, Remy Ross, Weiss President Harden.

Adopt it.

Thank you.

If I move past please call the row.

Barossa De Padilla, De Aka or Dorans Green, Remy Ross, Weiss President Harden.

Passed.

Thank you.

Next we have ordinance 0744-2026 grant advanced provisions of section 332.035 R3 residential district 3333 2.05 A4 area lot district requirements of Columbus City Coast or property at 3165 McGuffey Road to allow two unit dwelling reduced development reduced lot with in the R3 residency district.

Site consists of one undeveloped parcel, and the requested variants will allow the parcel to be split and be developed with a two-unit dwelling on each lot.

Proposal for lot width is also included.

Clerk, please call the row.

Barosa de Padilla, De Akaur Dorans Green, Remy Ross, Weiss President Hard.

Accept it.

Thank you.

Next move to adopt the five staffs, the finance council.

Clerk, please call the row.

Barossa de Padilla, De Aka or Dorans Green, Remy Ross, Weiss President Harding.

Adopt it.

Thank you.

Finally move to passage.

Clark, please call the row.

Barosa de Padilla, De Aka or Dorans Green, Remy Ross, Weiss President Hardin.

Passed.

Thank you.

Finally, we have this ordinance 0745-2026 granted variance provisions of second 333 2.035 R3 residential district.

3312.49C require parking in 3332.05A4 area district lot with requirements in 3332.13 R3 area district uh requirements of Columbus City Coast for property located at 1351 East Fulton Street to allow two unit to long reduced development standards in the R3 residential district.

The site consists of one undeveloped parcel and the quest accounts and variants will allow the site to be developed with a two-unit dwelling.

Variances for lot width area uh require parking are also included.

A do evidence as an exhibit.

Clark, please call the row.

Barossa de Padilla, De Aka or Dorans Green, Remy Ross, Weiss President Hart.

Accept it.

Next move to adopt the finance staff.

Definitely council.

Clark, please call the row.

Barosa de Padilla, De Aka or Dorans Green, Remy Ross, Weiss President Hart.

Adopt it.

And finally move for passage.

Clerk, please call the row.

Barosa de Padilla, De Aka or Dorans Green, Remy Ross, Weiss President Harding.

Next.

Council President is all way in tonight's zoning agenda.

Thank you.

See no further business coming for uh zoning.

Is there a motion to adjourn?

Clark, please call the row.

Barosa de Padilla, De Aka or Dorans Green, Remy Ross, Weiss President Harden.

Meeting is adjourned.

We'll reconvene uh in five minutes.

Clark, please call the row.

Barosa De Padilla, De Aka or Dorans Green, Remy Ross, Weiss President Harden.

We are back in meeting number thirteen.

The next committee to come before council is the public safety and criminal justice committee.

That committee is chaired by Councilman Remy.

Councilman, the floor is yours.

Thank you very much, Council President.

Tonight in the public safety and criminal justice will I have six ordinances for second read.

First is two fifty-three, twenty twenty-six to authorize the finance and management director to associate any and all budget reservations resulting from this ordinance with the purchase agreement with Celco Partnership doing business as Verizon Wireless for wireless voice data.

GPS modem services and equipment to authorize the expenditure of 1 million 250,000 from the Department of Public Safety's general fund budget and to declare an emergency.

This ordinance reserves funding for Verizon Wireless Voice Data GPS modem services supporting the Department of Public Safety's daily operations.

Emergency action is requested to ensure funding is immediately available and prevent any interruption to essential wireless services.

Are there any questions or comments from my colleagues?

Seeing that I move for passage.

Barossa De Padilla, De Aka or Dorans Green, Remy Ross, Vice President Hardin.

Next, I have 461, 2026 to authorize the municipal court clerk to enter in a contract with A T Enterprises LLC for the purchase of maintenance, support, and services for the phone for phone service to waive the competitive bidding provisions, the Columbus City Code, and to authorize the expenditure of 48,000 from the municipal court clerk computer fund and to declare an emergency.

This ordinance is being brought forward in part because of a corporate reorganization involving the prior provider and because continued phone service is necessary for the clerk's daily operations and public facing work.

The legislation also waives competitive bidding because the city already maintains the phone numbers used by the clerk's office through an existing ATT master agreement, making you switch to another vendor and practical and potentially more costly.

Emergency action is necessary for the uninterrupted operation.

The municipal court clerk phone service.

Are there any questions or comments from my colleagues?

Seeing none, I move for passage.

Barossa De Padilla, De Aka or Dorans Green, Remy Ross, Weiss President Hardin.

Next, I have 466, 2026 to authorize and direct the city auditor to transfer 1,649,976 within various projects of the safety voted bond fund to amend the 2025 capital improvement budget to waive the competitive bidding provisions of the Columbus City Code, Chapter 329 to authorize the finance and management director to enter into contracts with and per issue purchase orders to Atlantic Emergency Solutions Solutions for the purchase of four Horton Ford F 550 gas chassis medics to authorize the expenditure of $1,649,976 from the Safety Voted Bond Fund and to declare an emergency.

This ordinance authorizes the purchases of four EMS transport vehicles for the division of fire funded through the safety voted bond fund.

The capital improvement budget will be amended to shift funding from platform ladders to medics.

A bid waiver is requested as the division of fire has standardized its custom EMS apparatus fleet and negotiated directly with the manufacturer, resulting in a cost effective procurement approach.

Emergency action is necessary due to extended build for time for custom apparatus.

Immediate encumbrance of the funds upon passage is required to ensure production begins without delay.

Are there any questions or comments from my colleagues?

Seeing none, I move for passage.

Barosa de Padilla, de Aka or Dors Green, Remy Ross, Vice President Harden.

Next is 494, 2026 to authorize the finance or management director to associate general budget reservations resulting from this ordinance with the appropriate universal term contract purchase agreements on behalf of the division of fire for the purchase of uniforms from Galls LLC turnout gear from Fire Acquisition Company, LLC, doing business as Phoenix Safety Outfitters and SCBA equipment from Atlantic Emergency Solutions to authorize the expenditure of 1,530,000 from the general fund and to declare an emergency.

This ordinance reserves funding for the division uh purchase of uniforms and protective equipment for the division of fire, covering replacements for existing personnel and incoming recruits.

Items include uniforms, turnout gear, and protective outerwear for fire firefighting situations.

Emergency action is requested to ensure funding is immediately available and prevent any interruption in the supply of essential equipment.

Are there any questions from my colleagues?

Seeing that I move for passage.

Bravosa de Padilla, De Aka or Dorans Green, Remy Ross, Weiss President Hardin.

Next F 495, 2026 to authorize and direct the Finance Management Director to associate all general budget reservations resulting from the SwordNets with the appropriate universal term contract purchase agreements with Bound Tree Medical LLC, Zol Medical Corporation, and Teleflex LLC for the purchase of EMS pharmaceuticals and miscellaneous medical supplies for the division of fire to authorize the expenditure of 1,200,000 from the general fund and to declare an emergency.

Emergency action is requested to replenish supplies to adequate levels without delay.

Are there any questions or comments from my colleagues?

Seeing none, move for passage.

And finally, I have 724, 2026, to authorize the Department of Finance and Management to enter into contract with Perkin Elmer, a U U.S.

LLC for the purchase of two ATR accessories with associated shipping costs for the Division of Police Crime Lab to enter in said agreement in accordance with the terms of bid waiver provisions of Chapter 329 of the City Code to authorize the expenditure at $24,929.

From the fiscal year Paul Coverdale grant and to declare an emergency.

The Division of Police Crime Lab was approved by the Ohio Office of Criminal Justice to purchase new drug identification equipment equipment under the FY24 Paul Coverdale grant.

The new attenuated total reflectance accessories will replace outdated equipment and integrate with existing FTIR systems to analyze submitted drug evidence.

A bid waiver is requested as Perkin Elmer, USLC is the sole vendor whose ATR accessories are compatible with the crime lab's existing FTIR equipment.

Emergency action is requested to expedite the purchase of meet grant deadlines.

Are there any questions or comments from my colleagues?

Seeing none, I move for passage.

Thank you, Council President.

That is all I have this evening.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

The next committee to come before council is the Housing Homeless system building committee.

That committee is chaired by Councilman Ross.

Councilman, the floor is yours.

Thank you, Chair Harding.

Just three ordinances tonight on the agenda.

The first is 0552-2026 to amend the 2025 capital improvement budget to authorize the city auditor to transfer funds within the Affordable Housing Bond Fund to authorize the Director of Development to enter into a grant agreement with Habitat for Humanity Mid Ohio for development of a 14-unit affordable housing development in an amount up to $1 million with a total commitment to the project of $2 million and to authorize the expenditure of up to $1 million from the Affordable Housing Bond.

As we all know, Habitat for Humanity is an affordable housing developer, building new homes for qualified low-income families.

Their efforts are in response to the lack of affordable housing options available to first-time low-income home buyers in the Columbus metro area using their cost and energy efficient house plans, volunteer labor, corporate sponsors, and local government development gap funds.

Qualifying home by home buyers must live in housing and can earn between 30 to 60% AMI in our households who have been qualified by Habitat for Humanity Mid Ohio for a zero interest, no profit mortgage to purchase the homes.

The home buyers are required to complete by our financial education and have contributed up to 250 hours sweat equity on their own home.

That of other habitat partner families, classes, and community service activities.

We do have two individuals that have submitted speaker slips, uh, one for and one against this piece of legislation.

I will start with Mr.

Nathaniel Wilkins, who is speaking against this piece of legislation.

Welcome back to council, Mr.

Wilkinson.

16 12 Art Lincoln Avenue, Mr.

Lithanne George Wilkins and been in my house for 19 years in North London.

Uh speaking in against of this for several reasons why it seems like we overlooking vacant property.

Habitat comes in here, build all these homes, and we lost a mount extensively.

Let me say this again amount of extensively vacant home.

Last several years, I was the chairman sold a vacant property in North London area, tracked all the homes, the vacancy rate, and all this other stuff.

Let me take a volume of my time to show you what we done lost.

I kept I brought a milk crate of seven notebooks.

I'm going to start with the first property of 1638 of Genesee Avenue's building 1895 three bedrooms, uh, three and a half bathrooms, uh two-car garage.

Habitat came and bought these lots for $5,000 a piece.

I'm gonna show you some pictures.

1638 of Genesee Avenue was a beautiful home one time or another.

I sit here and cry and purchase my home in 2007 and watch this home came demolished.

This is what we have.

1592 was built in 1890s.

Uh two bedroom, one bath, it was slated for a home for multi-disability.

We lost that home to Habitat Humanity.

Uh I stood on my front porch and watched that home came demolished.

What's this?

We don't have these homes no more.

Genesee Avenue was, I believe, 1393 and 13 something.

A unique home, a two-family dwelling unit, has some special types siting on this house.

It was fastly demolished.

Habitat came in, purchased a lot.

We don't have this no more.

Let me say something.

What really bothered me so much.

What called me to Arlington Avenue was a four-bedroom houses building, 1910.

Habitat came along and tore the sucker down.

I love this house for so much.

What they're doing is building all these homes.

Let me just show you a picture.

This was my dream house.

Dream house.

That what brought me to Arlington Avenue to this day.

I'm still in my home because I don't have my dream home.

This home is a value to me.

It was gone.

It was gone.

Another piece of property on Myrtle Avenue.

Myrtle Avenue was just wiped away, wiped away.

Because Habitat Humanity came in.

A beautiful home.

Couldn't be fixed, couldn't be renovated or rehabbed.

Another home was torn down behind me, a 1621 at Genesee Avenue.

I had an article in that paper, was lepidated home.

Why we couldn't fix these homes?

I'm really baffled about Habitat Humanity.

I don't want them coming in my community.

I want to know what the track record they have.

They had one vacant house on Genesee Avenue of 1280 with all grass and highways.

I'm so sorry I didn't bring you that picture.

But I'm really frustrated because none of these homes are being fixed up.

They cannot restore vacant and abandonment properties.

So again, our I propose this and to they show me some track records.

Thank you for my time.

Thank you, Mr.

Wilkins.

Fortunately, we do have a member of leadership for Habitat for Humanity here to speak in favor of this piece of legislation.

Brandy, please uh come up and as you come up, if you could consider the comments of Mr.

Wilkins and be prepared to respond to those.

I would appreciate it.

Good evening.

My name is Brandi Alisa.

I'm the president, CEO of Habitat for Humanity Mid-Ohio.

I don't know that I've spoke spoken publicly this late at night, so forgive me if I stumble a little bit.

So Mr.

Wilkins, um, Mr.

Wilkins and I, shortly after I took my position, just over two years ago, I met Mr.

Wilkins in the Linden neighborhood.

We walked the neighborhood together and talked about his concerns.

And I understand completely what Mr.

Wilkins is bringing up in terms of the grandeur and design and architecture of the homes that were built in the 1900s in Linden are stunning.

They are beautiful.

I wish we could build homes to that standard.

If we did, they would undoubtedly not be affordable.

And what I had told Mr.

Wilkins and what I will say here today, if there are other partners that want to come to the table in terms of the design and the materials that would be required, we stand as a willing and able partner.

But and part of Habitat's mission is to build safe, decent and affordable housing.

And if if there's this tipping point in terms of how can we build a house so that it can still be in that affordable price range, versus trying to build something that is beautiful and has dignity and fits in with the neighborhood.

So it is not an easy solve, but where we would certainly be willing to be a partner to have conversations with the right organizations or people.

Um, in terms of the project and legislation before you tonight, it's not actually in the Linden neighborhood, which has been a big focus of ours.

We are actually um proposing to do this 14-unit first ever multifamily projects in the Devon Triangle neighborhood on the east side of Columbus.

So I've said to you before, and I'll say it again tonight, Habitat aims to be a leader in helping solve the affordable housing crisis.

We will not be the biggest player, that's okay, but we want to do as much as we can.

Uh city council and the city administration has been lead have been leaders and thinking about innovative ways for us to approach solving this crisis, including moving towards density where it makes sense.

The ordinance before you and uh uh council chair, not council chair, committee chair Ross, you did a great job um uh teeing this up that the first million of the two million will go to building a multifamily townhome project that will be purchased by each one will be purchased by hardworking families who earn between 30 and 60 percent of the area uh medium income.

All note that these 14 dwellings will be built on nine parcels of land that we purchased through the Columbus Land Bank, which has been a pillar partner of ours.

This project allows us to tense to test gentle density in the efficiencies and economies of scale that come with building a larger um scale project.

What we learn from this project will help inform how we continue our uh approach to building in central Ohio.

In a recent survey of over 300 habitat homeowners, um, and half have owned their homes for 10 years or more.

They shared that 65% reported improved financial stability, 64% report no longer needing government assistance, 90% feel more confident in caring for their family, and 89% feel more positive about the future.

I think just a few of those stats help tell the story of what homeownership can do.

And I will leave my remarks at that.

Unless there are any questions.

Questions?

Thank you so much.

I appreciate you for coming to council.

If there oh, I also would like to know you're good.

Would like to know we did receive written testimony in favor of this piece of legislation, and because it is so short, I I will read it.

Um he says, My name is Trevin Fillinger, and I'm a resident of District 7.

I live on the Near East Side, not too far from this new housing development.

I write to write in and express my support for ordinance 0552-2026, which would provide city funding for this habitat for humanity housing development.

I work as a data analyst in my day job for COHIO, but you don't have to be in my position to realize that the cost of housing is skyrocketing, and we need solutions.

Supporting Habitat for Humanity's mission to build more housing is commendable, and I'm especially excited about this project because it is bringing essential missing middle homes to our city.

I've volunteered with Habitat for Humanity several times in the past, helping build new homes for families, and I can't wait to help with these new homes.

Thank you for supporting this project, and I hope that we'll see more like it soon.

Uh with that, I will take any questions or comments from my colleagues.

Yes.

I'm very excited that Habitat for Humanity is getting into this type of housing.

I'm from the West Coast San Francisco Bay Area.

Your only chance to starter home was a condo or a townhouse.

This is really provides such a great opportunity for housing that is affordable, and it's yours.

When my daughter and I first moved into our first home that we owned, and it was it was not a new build.

It was a real ugly old townhouse.

It was really hideous.

But it was ours, and we were excited, and we were only able to do that because it was a townhouse.

And so to create this opportunity so more people will be able to afford their own place.

So thank you so much, Epitap.

Thank you, Councilmember.

Any additional comments, questions from my colleagues.

I'll just I would like to add to that um Brandy.

I think the first day that we met after you got uh this position, we talked about the an exciting idea of trying to close that gap in Central Ohio because you look around.

We don't have this in our market, not certainly not at scale.

You go to other developing cities like Atlanta and they have townhomes all over the place.

Um, and right now this will be our entryway.

And so it's just really exciting to see something that we thought outside out loud about two years ago uh at a coffee shop to see it uh to be able to vote on it tonight and to be at the um groundbreaking soon.

I'm really excited about it.

So just thank you.

Thank you, Chair.

Thank you, Council President.

Any further comment questions from my colleagues?

Seeing that, I'll move for passage.

Clerk, please call the row.

Barossa de Padilla, De Akar, Dorns, Green, Remy, Ross Weiss, President Harden.

Passed.

Thank you.

Next, we have ordinance number 0749-2026 to authorize the director of Department of Development to enter into a not-for-profit service contract with the Tony R.

Wells Foundation in an amount up to $1 million to act as fiscal manager for the American Dream Down Payment Initiative program to authorize the appropriation and expenditure in an amount up to $1 million from the housing business tax incentive fund to advance funding per a predetermined schedule and to declare an emergency.

Any comments or questions from my colleagues?

Seeing none, I move for passage.

That's right.

Clerk, please call the row.

Barossa de Padilla, De Akar, Dorrance Green, Remy, Ross Weiss, President Harden.

Fast.

Thank you.

And finally, ordinance number 0758-2026 to amend the 2025 capital improvement budget to authorize the city auditor to transfer funds within the affordable housing bond fund to authorize the director of development to enter into a grant agreement with CHP Homeport Homes LLC for development of a 24 single-family affordable housing development in an amount up to 2.5 million dollars with a total commitment to the project of $5 million to authorize the expenditure of up to $2.5 million from the Affordable Housing Bond Fund and to declare an emergency.

The mission of the Columbus Housing Partnership Homeport Homes LLC is to create strong communities by developing quality affordable homes on a cornerstone of dignity security and opportunity.

The production of 24 single family homes in the American Edition neighborhood will address the need for affordable housing within the city of Columbus for low to moderate income families that are at or below 120% of the area median income limit set by HUD.

This project will be in addition to the decent safe and sanitary housing already located within the American Edition neighborhood.

This project will be a landmark that will introduce the first zero energy ready homes in a predominantly African American community.

These zero energy ready homes offer a range of long-term benefits for buyers.

They are built to rigorous national standards that ensure exceptional energy efficiency, healthier indoor air quality, and long-lasting durability.

Since they are designed to be a solar ready, since they're designed to be solar ready, homeowners can further reduce their utility costs over time.

Zero energy ready homes support environmental sustainability by lowering carbon emissions for families, these benefits translate into real savings, increase housing stability and healthier living environments for generations to come.

Any comments or questions from my colleagues?

Yes.

I'll just note, given that these are solar ready homes.

If we built homes that were more energy efficient, that had renewable energy that had water conservation at the forefront, we would not be in this utility crisis that we are currently in.

So just want to note thank you.

Great project.

Excited to see it happen.

Thank you, Councilmember.

Any additional questions or comments from our colleagues?

Awesome.

Seeing that, I move for passage.

Please call the row.

Barosa de Padilla de Aka or Dorans Green, Remy Ross, Weiss President.

Thank you, Council President.

That is all from the housing committee.

Thank you, Madam Chair.

Next committee coming for council is the public utilities and sustainability committee.

That committee is chaired by Councilmember Weich.

Councilmember, the floor is yours.

Thank you, Council President.

First in public utilities and sustainability, I have ordinance 463-2026 to authorize the director of the Department of Finance and Management to associate all general budget reservations resulting from this ordinance with the appropriate universal term contract purchase agreements for the purchase of parts, materials, supplies, and services for the division of water distribution maintenance section and to authorize the expenditure of 3,200,000 from the water operating fund.

These purchases are necessary for the maintenance of the city's water distribution system and other related infrastructure.

Let me stop there.

See if any questions or comments from my colleagues.

Seeing none, I move for passage.

Thank you.

Next I have ordinance 479-2026 to authorize the director of finance and management to enter into a new contract with Truck Country of Indiana doing business as stoops freightliner for the purchase and installation of methane detection systems on previously purchased automated side loader refuse trucks to authorize and direct the city auditor to authorize payment to truck country of Indiana dealing business as stoops freightliner for services rendered as part of this project per invoices approved by the public service department director or designee in the amount not to exceed $55,000, of which $34,060 will be on a then in now certificate to pay invisible invoices due for services already performed to authorize the expenditure of $55,000 from the refuse bond fund to waive competitive bidding provisions of Columbus City Code and to declare an emergency.

The installation of methane detection systems is essential in order to meet safety standards and comply with environmental regulations.

Emergency designation is requested as funds are needed immediately to pay existing invoices.

Let me stop there.

See if any questions are comments from my colleagues.

Seeing none, I move for passage.

Barossa de Padilla, de ACAR Doors Green, Remy Ross, Vice President Harden.

Passed.

Thank you.

The next two ordinances provide the funding necessary for the purchase of light duty trucks, vehicles, and vehicle uplifts for Columbus Water and Power.

Emergency designation is requested for both ordinances in order to avoid missing the ordering bank window, which would require the city to explore alternative options and potentially result in price increases or the possibility of not receiving orders for 2026.

First, I have ordinance 507-2026 to authorize the director of the Department of Finance and Management to associate all general budget reservations resulting from this ordinance with the appropriate universal term contract purchase agreements for the purchase of light duty trucks for the Department of Public Utilities to authorize the expenditure of 1,889,162.28 cents, split among the water and electricity operating funds and to declare an emergency.

Let me stop there, see if any questions are comments from my colleagues.

Seeing none, I move for passage.

Clerk, please call the role.

Passed.

Thank you.

And next I have uh 546-2026 to authorize the director of the Department of Finance and Management to associate all general budget reservations resulting from this ordinance with the appropriate universal term contract purchase agreements for the purchase of light duty vehicles and vehicle uplifts for the Department of Public Utilities and to authorize an expenditure of 1,310,000 split among the sanitary sewer and stormwater operating funds and to declare an emergency.

Let me stop there.

See if any questions or comments from my colleagues.

Seeing that I move for passage.

Clerk, please call the roll.

Pass.

Thank you.

And last I have ordinance 822-2026 to authorize the director of public service to renew the contract with Rumkey of Ohio Incorporated for Yard Waste and Recycling Collection Services to authorize the appropriation and expenditure of funds in the amount up to $15,923,729 within the income tax set aside fund to authorize the expenditure of $3,690,527 from the general fund for the 10th year of the contract and to declare an emergency.

This contract provides weekly recycling collection for residents, regularly regular collection of sidewalk recycling containers in the downtown business district, and glass pickup from restaurants and bars along North High Street and other high traffic areas.

These services are essential as they divert recyclable materials from the regular waste screen and prolong the life of the Franklin County Sanitary Landfill.

Emergency designation is requested in order to avoid disruption to recycling collection services with the current contract expiring on March 31st.

Uh Deputy Director Lassett, can you just speak to where things currently stand with the contract and the future uh for recycling pickup?

Sure.

Thank you, President Harden and Councilmember Weish and other members of council.

Um, as you mentioned, this is the tenth year for Rumpke recycling for weekly recycling and biweekly yard waste and also the downtown recycling programs.

This is this is the final renewal year under that contract.

So we are putting out an RFP for services and that we're expecting that to be going out this week and opening from this time in April around the 22nd.

Um so it's a four week advertisement.

And this one's a little bit different.

Right now, Rumkey is servicing the entire city.

We're going to be advertising this to split the city into three zones, and that gives the city the option to select one vendor for all of the zones or select multiple vendors, depending on how the pricing comes in.

So it gives us a lot more options as far as how we want to move forward and contract for these services.

Thank you for that.

And we've talked to the department on are there ways in which we can further our Columbus forward goes through this new RFP and look forward to working with public service to figure out what that looks like.

Obviously, the use of it funds for uh this recycling contract.

Has that been the norm throughout the entire 10-year period?

Uh thank you.

Uh Chair Weissh, Council President Harden, uh members of council.

Um no, we have not.

Um the ITSA fund has changed um over the last few years, and um time to time we move uh expenses on and off that fund.

Uh this time we had planned to uh spend the dollars during the budget.

We did plan on spending the dollars out of the ITSA fund for uh for for part of this contract, not the entire amount.

Yeah, the only reason I asked that question, obviously we had a we just went through budgeting process for city council.

One of the things, one of the concerns expressed by this council was the increasing use of it funds, um, which kind of dilutes our ability to um use capital dollars on other projects.

So can you just speak to what where is the administration thinking this is going?

Is this something we expect during this next contract?

Or are there plans to find a more sustainable fund to support recycling expansion?

Um, number I guess I should say first off, last year we spent 43 million dollars out of the ITSA fund on these um uh uh really non-capital expenditures.

Um this year we are slated to spend 25 million dollars out of the fund.

Um so for us, um, we actually it's an improvement over over last year, um, which is something we've been telling uh rating agencies, something we've been telling everyone all along.

We're trying to to uh to you know we don't we would rather not spend any of these dollars out of the ITSA fund, but um you know when we're putting the budget together and you have a huge amount of uh uh these are such big dollars that they were a lot easier to move into that fund, especially knowing um that it was able to sustain it last year.

Um so this year we actually um the effect of uh spending these dollars out of the ITSA fund um uh you know it's actually gonna be a bet it's better this year than it was last year.

It's not it's not perfect, and yes, we would like to uh move dollars completely off the fund eventually, but the ITSA fund also is there um you know for it's it's a perfectly allowable expenditure to be spent out of that fund.

Yes, perfectly allowable, but is this the right way to do it?

Is always the question.

And I think as we look towards this new sustainability task force, right, and look at the ways in which we are spending money.

I think that is the one of the things that is going to be up for discussion.

So I appreciate you kind of walking through this.

I kind of hit you right before the meeting that we had the questions, but uh appreciate you being willing to answer.

Uh any other questions or comments for my colleagues.

Seeing none, I move for passage.

Clark, please call the row.

Barossa de Padilla, de Akaur Doors Green, Remy Ross, wise president harden.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

Uh passed.

Thank you.

That is all I have for my committee this evening.

Got a bit ahead of myself, didn't I?

The final committee to come before council is the rules and policy committee.

Uh I chair that committee in rules and policy policy.

We have uh ordinance 0583 desk train 26 to min chapter 225 of Columbia City Coast to reestablish the information service division within the Department of Technology.

The rule change will correct in an administrative era.

The information service division was removed in the last set of code changes for the department, but was then budgeted for an operating budget.

This ordinance re-establishes the vision to correct that issue.

Oops.

Uh, if there are no questions or comments, I move for passage.

Clerk, please call the role.

See no for the business come for council.

Is there motion to adjourn?

Clark, please call the row.