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HomeMy WebLinkAbout01-19-21 Council MinutesRECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Minutes of _ nuhlin ('it; Council Meeting BARRETT BROTHERS - DAYTON, OHIO Form 6101 Held January 19, 2021 CALL TO ORDER Mayor Amorose Groomes called the Tuesday, January 19, 2021 Regular Meeting of Dublin City Council to order at 5:45 p.m. ROLL CALL Present were Mayor Amorose Groomes, Vice Mayor De Rosa, Ms. Alutto, Ms. Fox, Mr. Keeler and Mr. Reiner. (Mr. Peterson joined the executive session in progress.) Staff members present were Mr. McDaniel, Mr. Rogers, Ms. Readler, Ms. O'Callaghan, Chief Paez, Mr. Stiffler, Mr. Earman, Mr. Hammersmith, Ms. Gilger, Ms. Rauch, Ms. Weisenauer, Ms. Noble, and Mr. Dearth. ADJOURN TO EXECUTIVE SESSION Mayor Amorose Groomes moved to adjourn to executive session to consider the appointment of a public employee; to consider the appointment of a public official; for discussion of the purchase of property for public purposes; and for conferences with an attorney for the public body concerning disputes involving the public body that are the subject of pending or imminent court action. Mr. Keeler seconded the motion. Vote on the motion: Ms. Alutto, yes; Mr. Keeler, yes; Vice Mayor De Rosa, yes; Mayor Amorose Groomes, yes, Ms. Fox, yes; Mr. Reiner, yes. Mayor Amorose Groomes reconvened the meeting at 7:00 p.m. She reiterated that, due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the State's emergency declaration, the meeting is being conducted via an online platform and live -streamed at the City's website and via the City's YouTube. This is allowed as a result of the passage of Am. Sub. H.B. 197, which includes temporary changes to the Ohio Open Meetings Law. She reiterated her previous statement regarding the submission of any comments by the public prior to the meeting by e-mail to the Clerk or during the meeting via the form on the website. She emphasized that Council desires to accommodate public participation and comment to the greatest extent possible throughout this Pandemic. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE Mr. Rogers led the Pledge of Allegiance. SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS On behalf of Council, Mayor Amorose Groomes read proclamations into the record for the four people being recognized and invited each to make brief comments about their achievements and plans for the future. • Rhodes Scholar - Daniel Lesman Mr. Lesman stated he will be headed to Oxford in October and will be pursuing two Master's degrees — likely in Public Policy and Global Health Science. After two years at Oxford, he plans to begin an MD/PhD program. • 2021 Ohio State University President's Award — Dominique Hadad Ms. Hadad stated that she is set to launch Green Scope Consulting in April. She has time now to build partnerships and connect with the community on the groundwork. Her hope is to build a consultancy that will work with small businesses in Dublin and the Central Ohio area to tackle the food waste problem we face as a community. She encouraged any Council members to contact her about this endeavor. • Congressional App Winner — Steven Speck Mayor Amorose Groomes noted that Congressman Balderson brought this to her attention and Council is pleased to be able to recognize his achievement. Mr. Speck commented that he began working on this app last February. He is hopeful to market it as his own, or to have it implemented by a health organization. National Library Video Winner — Avery Casey Ms. Casey described her experience and her pride in winning this award. RECORD OF PROCEFF-11Nci,`4 Minutes of BARRETT BROTHERS - DAYTON, OHIO Held Dublin ON Gouncil. January 19, 2021 Page 2 of 13 Council members thanked them for participating in the Council meeting and sharing information about their impressive accomplishments! CITIZEN C*01VIMENTS The Clerk read into the record the following citizen comments received by her office: From: Bridgette Mariea, 7001 Discovery Boulevard, Dublin, Ohio 43017 I am the vice chair of the Dublin Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Community Task Force. I confirmed with our chair, Kofi Amponsah, we would like to inform Dublin City Council that our Task Force approved the following statement at our last meeting: "The Dublin Task Force condemns the attack on the United States Capitol and democracy, and fully supports a peaceful transition of power. " Like most Americans, our Task Force is very concerned about events in Washington, DC on Wednesday, January 6, 2021 and wanted to formally and publicly express that concern to our elected officials. Thank you. Meeting From: Peggy Kilty, 7568 Ashlord Court, Dublin, Ohio 43017 Subject: Request for action at the Jan. 19, 2021 Dublin City Council Meeting Good 1-----vening to Mayor Amorose Groomes, Dublin City Council Members and City Administrative Staff, On this day of service commemorating Dr. Martin Luther King, ir , y I wanted to write and thank city leaders, the participants of the Dublin Community Task Force and Dublin's Chief's Advisory Committee for their commitment to tho community. With each public, meeting, I continue to be impressed by the perspectives, goals and actions of city leaders, employees and the community members who serve. I hope each participant --- whether they are an elected official, employee, or volunteer knows the value of their contributions to this city in the present and for its future. I am also writing regarding the January 12, 2021 Community Task Force meeting. I fully support the Task Force's discussion surrounding the drafting of a statement to condemn the violent actions that recently took place at the Capitol Building in Washington, D. C. / hope the Task Force, as well as the Chief's Advisory Committee and the City of Dublin will come to a swift consonsus and denounce this historic assault on our democracy. It has been nearly two weeks since President Donald Trump, among others, incited this riot, but it is not too late for the City of Dublin to publicly condemn the actions of those who supported and participated in this attempted insurrection. Thank you, Mayor Amorose Groomes commented that Council appreciates the work the Community Task Force is doing. In light of the Martin Luther King, Jr. celebration this week, it is on the forefront of all of our minds. We are grateful for the comments and the work the Task Force is doing. Ms. Weisenauer read into the record the following comments submitted online for this meeting: From: Thomas Clarke, Danville, CA Subject: Anne Clarke's Service to the Dublin City Council The Clarke family is extremely proud of Anne Clarke's record of service and dedication to the Dublin City Council and the greater Dublin Community. As clerk, sho has spent much of her life supporting the growth and development of this great city. While her tenure is coming to an end, her impact will not be forgotten. I am sure you are all sad to see her go, but our family is excited to support her on this new journey into retirement ... (especially her grandchildren!) Mayor Amorose Groomes commented that the City's loss is certainly their gain! Council will talk more about this later in tonight's meeting. Thanks to the Clarke family for sharing those thoughts tonight. CONSENT AGENDA 0 Approval of Minutes of January 4, 2021 Regular Meeting There was no request from Council to remove an item from the Consent Agenda. The Clerk and Ms. Weisenauer noted that no comments have been received regarding the Consent Agenda. Form 6101 RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Minutes of Dublin City Council Meeting BARRETT BROTHERS - DAYTON, OHIO Held January 19, 2021 Page 3 of 13 Mayor Amorose Groomes moved approval of the Consent Agenda. Mr. Keeler seconded the motion. Vote on the motion: Vice Mayor De Rosa, yes; Ms. Alutto, yes; Ms. Fox, yes; Mr. Peterson, yes; Mr. Reiner, yes; Mr. Keeler, yes; Mayor Amorose Groomes, yes. :INTRODUCTION/FIRST READING/ PUBLIC HEARING - ORDINANCES Ordinance 01-21 Accepting the Regular Annexation of 4.998 Acres, More or Less, from Jerome Township, Union County to the City of Dublin. (Petitioner: Peter L. Coratola, Jr., Agent: Laura Comek, Attorney) (Second reading/public hearing February 8 Council meeting) Ms. Alutto introduced the Ordinance. Mr. Hammersmith provided a staff report. He noted that this petition was filed with the Union County Commissioners on July 27, 2020 for property located at 7411 Brock Road. The property is east of Tartan Ridge subdivision, west of Jerome Road and south of Brock Road. The petition is for 4.99 acres, more or less, and was filed pursuant to ORC Section 709.02 as a Regular/Majority Owner Annexation. Under this process, the City must first, at least 20 days prior to the annexation hearing at the county, adopt legislation regarding a statement of services to be provided to the property, should the annexation be accepted. Council approved Resolution 45-20 on August 24, 2020 for that purpose. The Union County Commissioners granted the annexation petition on October 8, 2020, finding that all of the ORC requirements were met, including the requirement in ORC Section 709.03. Provided Council accepts the annexation, the Law Department intends to file a township boundary adjustment petition with Union County Commissioners in order to transfer the property from Jerome Township to Washington Township to ensure uniform fire and EMS service. In regard to the waiver of the annexation fee requested by the applicant, staff recommended denial of the request on August 24, 2020. Council approved Resolution 45-20, but tabled the fee waiver request. During discussion, Council members expressed interest in developing an annexation fee waiver policy. Council referred this topic to the Community Development Committee for further discussion and for recommendation on the requested fee waiver. The CDC will meet on January 20 at 5 p.m. to discuss this fee waiver request, and a recommendation will be brought to Council at the February 8 Council meeting. The property is located within the proposed annexation area of the Community Plan and is located in the exclusive Dublin service area as defined in the water and sewer agreements Dublin has with the City of Columbus. Therefore, staff recommends approval of Ordinance 01-21 at the second reading/public hearing on February 8, 2021. He offered to respond to questions. The Clerk and Ms. Weisenauer noted that no comments have been received regarding this matter. There will be a second reading/public hearing at the February 8 Council meeting. INTRODUCTION/PUBLIC HEARINGIVOTE — RESOLUTIONS Resolution 02-21 Accepting a Preliminary Plat for the Subdivision of ±3.58 Acres into Two Commercial Lots and the Dedication of Right-of-way for the Future Development of the Primrose School. (Case #20-148PP) Ms. Alutto introduced the Resolution. Mr. Hounshell shared a slide, highlighting the subject site of 3.58 acres located south of W. Dublin -Granville Road, approximately 340 feet west of the intersection with Dublin Center Drive. This site is zoned BSD -Office and is currently vacant. He shared on the screen the BSD Street Network map, with the subject site highlighted in yellow. This site is adjacent to a Corridor connector with a principal frontage street designation to the north of W. Dublin -Granville Road and a potential Neighborhood Street to the east of this site. The applicant is proposing the construction of the Neighborhood Street with the development of this site. The preliminary plat presented tonight is for the splitting of the entirety of the lot into two commercial lots, as well as the dedication of right-of-way for the Neighborhood Street along the eastern portion of this site. Both lots are sized to accommodate future development to meet the BSD standards for Form 6101 RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Minutes of Dublin City Council Meeting BARRETT BROTHERS - DAYTON, OHIO Held January 19, 2021 Page 4 of 13 development. Lot 1 is 1.370 acres and is south of Lot 2. This site does have access frontage to the east along the proposed Neighborhood Street. Lot 2 is 1.632 acres and is north of Lot 1. This lot has frontage on W. Dublin -Granville Road to the north and the Neighborhood Street to the east. The plat also memorializes an existing 100 -foot electrical easement along the western portion of this site. There is a condition of approval proposed regarding the name of the Neighborhood Street, that the applicant should continue to work with staff to provide a street name prior to the final plat submittal. Planning staff has reviewed this application in terms of all applicable preliminary plat criteria and recommended approval to PZC on November 5, 2020. PZC is recommending approval with one revised condition that the applicant shall provide a street name for the proposed Neighborhood Street prior to the submission of a final plat application. He offered to respond to any questions. The applicant is also present for any questions. The Clerk and Ms. Weisenauer noted that no comments have been received regarding this matter. Ms. Fox commented that PZC reviewed several iterations on the layout. The applicant considered all of the layout suggestions made. Aesthetically and functionally, what is proposed for the layout provides what the Bridge Street District desires -- the ability to have street frontage on the north and the applicant is building the small Neighborhood Street that will front the Primrose School. The result is two facing buildings on streets that give a sense of urban design. The site is already burdened by the electric power lines on the west side. It was a difficult property in terms of layout. PZC was very thoughtful about how one would use open space in this lot. She believes it was memorialized that the open space area this parcel was required to give would be added to the parcel to the north in order to have interest along 161. She asked Mr. Hounshell to confirm that the open space is memorialized on the northern lot. Mr. Hounshell responded that is an item that staff will continue to discuss with the applicant as they move forward. Mayor Amorose Groomes stated this was one of the few lots along SR161 that has not been developed and was due to the complexity of the site with the power lines, etc. Bridge Street zoning made this particular parcel easier to develop with more density. Thanks to all of the PZC members for their hard work on this. Vote on the Resolution: Mr. Peterson, yes; Mayor Amorose Groomes, yes; Ms. Fox, yes; Mr. Reiner, yes; Ms. Alutto, yes; Mr. Keeler, yes; Vice Mayor De Rosa, yes. OTHER • Delaware County Regional Planning Commission Appointment Ms. Rauch stated that staff recommends the appointment of Mr. Rayburn as primary representative, with Ms. Noble as alternate. The Clerk and Ms. Weisenauer noted that no comments have been received regarding this matter. Mayor Amorose Groomes moved the appointment of Mr. Rayburn as Delaware County Regional Planning Commission primary representative, with Ms. Noble as the alternate representative. Mr. Reiner seconded the motion. Vote on the motion: Ms. Alutto, yes; Mr. Keeler, yes; Ms. Fox, yes; Mr. Reiner, yes; Mr. Peterson, yes; Mayor Amorose Groomes, yes; Vice Mayor De Rosa, yes. • Central Ohio Regional Housing Study - Mid -Ohio Regional Planning Commission Ms. Noble stated that the City has worked with MORPC for 1-1/2 years on this study that is paramount to issues within our community and nationwide dealing with housing and housing strategies as we move forward in our communities and the need grows greater. Jennifer Noll, Principal Planner and Project Manager and Kerstin Carr, Director of Planning and Sustainability will present the final recommendations to City Council. The City has partnered with the group and will continue to work with MORPC as this conversation continues with the City of Dublin. Form 6101 RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Minutes of Dublin City Council I Meeting BARRETT BROTHERS • DAYTON, OHIO Form 6101 Held January 19, 2021 Page 5 of 13 Kerstin Carr, Director of Planning & Sustainability, MORPC thanked the City for their .active participation in this project. She noted that the focus has been to create a coordinated housing strategy for Central Ohio that provides investment and policy recommendations to support our communities and our growing population. COVID-19 has greatly impacted their work and presented an opportunity for additional housing strategies. She shared the vision statement: "A future where growth and recovery help realize more equity among Central Ohioans, not less. Housing — where it's built or maintained, who it's for, and how it's priced — can be a platform to achieve this vision." She shared a slide with the various stakeholders, community partners and consulting team involved in the project. The regional housing strategy was guided by nearly 100 regional leaders, representing over 50 organizations across the public/private/non- profit and for-profit sectors. Additionally, they worked with many others throughout the process, working virtually due to the pandemic. The study area was the seven -county region, but they also relied on data from the Columbus MSA that is slightly larger. They focused on submarket analysis, including physical characteristics, housing stock and housing market; displacement risk analysis, identifying areas most vulnerable to housing market gentrification and displacement; and opportunity mapping, evaluating 15 indicators of opportunity across transportation, housing, education, health and employment. The very low opportunity areas that persist across the region today line up with the redlining from decades ago. Over these decades, the needle has not been moved in terms of bringing people out of poverty. From the research and analysis done, they have identified five core regional housing issues: 1. Increased competition for homes driven by the high population growth and low rate of housing production; 2. Barriers limiting access to homes that include disparity in lending practices, credit worthiness and housing instability; 3. Limited supply of homes priced for low-income households as more homes are built for higher price points. The region is losing affordable single-family rentals and the demand for rental assistance outweighs supply. Columbus Metropolitan Housing Authority indicated they have a wait list of about 28,000 people for housing vouchers. There is a serious pent-up demand for rental assistance. 4. Demand for more diverse housing stock -- homes that can serve a wider range of ages, disabilities and household sizes. 5. Housing instability among Central Ohioans that is reflected by evictions, homelessness and homes in need of repair. It is worth noting that these issues were all identified pre-COVI D-19, but in the new reality, COVI D and the racial, health and economic disparities have added urgency to these issues. She highlighted the factors contributing to the region's housing cost burden: over 213,000 households spend over 30 percent of their income on housing; 43 percent of renters versus 20 percent of homeowners; 64 percent of households earning under $50,000 per year versus 7 percent of households earning above $50,000 per year. In terms of evictions, nationwide there are 2.34 evictions per 100 renters, but in Central Ohio there are 4.10 evictions per 100 renters. As conditions worsen with COVID and more people are unemployed, these numbers will be higher. The eviction rate is particularly high in high poverty areas and the majority Africa -American areas. Housing production in the 2000s was one housing unit built for every two new residents. In the 2010s, there was one housing unit built for every three new residents. The average household size is 2.5 people. For the first time in history, there is actually a deficit in the production of housing, which also creates housing unaffordability and other issues. Ms. Noll stated that more housing is clearly part of the solution to the housing crisis. However, they want to dispel the myth that we can build our way out of the housing crisis; there is more nuance to that. There is a need for more housing as well as more diversity among housing choices. They spoke with a number of residential developers around the region regarding why more housing is not being produced in Central Ohio. They learned that the barriers to development, from the developer perspective are: RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Minutes of Dublin City Council Meeting BARRETT BROTHERS - DAYTON, OHIO Form 6101 Held January 19, 2021 Page 6 of 13 1. The uncertainty associated with local land use processes and standards, which vary from community to community. They appreciate clear expectations from the community. It helps to streamline the process and save money for developers and the community. 2. Higher costs of residential development, including materials and labor. This is a big driver of the economics of residential development in Central Ohio and throughout the U.S. This is a factor over which we have the least control. Because of this, it makes the other barriers even more important. 3. The lack of public and political support affects development feasibility in the region. Essentially, the negative perceptions about denser or subsidized homes result in people voicing their disapproval locally and ultimately can make the decision as to whether or not a project moves forward. 4. Money is needed upfront to finance new construction. Often, a developer's initial loan installment does not cover all of those costs. There is a need for additional funds to bridge the gap between the initial loan installment and the final amount of their permanent financing. There is a limit to the amount of available gap financing in the region. That can be another deciding factor in whether a project is successful. In terms of regional financial resources, there are over 50 financial resources in Central Ohio that exist to develop housing. Many of these can be leveraged by local government. Better coordination among these resources is also needed. Oftentimes, those who administer the programs do not have connections to those in need of the resources. Flexible tools are needed such as gap -financing tools, tax increment financing, property tax abatements, New Community Authorities, and bond proceeds. The need for direct assistance is greater than what is available in terms of rental assistance and home repair. Resources are not collectively housed in a one-stop source. Ms. Noll summarized that the Regional Housing Strategy does lay out a road map to guide our region together toward solutions. There are over 100 potential actions that can be scaled or started in Central Ohio. The Advisory Board has prioritized these five for the first year: 1. Adopt a "green tape" development review process. This addresses increased competition for homes by removing or lowering regulatory barriers. It can save time and money for both the developer and the community. 2. Enacting source of income protection laws or otherwise expanding Fair Housing Laws to address barriers limiting access to homes. Without these protections, some households can face barriers to utilizing housing assistance programs to secure their housing. Several communities in the region, including Bexley, Columbus and Westerville have taken an interest in source of income protections for their communities. 3. Creation of a state housing tax credit to support priority housing development. This addresses a limited supply of homes for low-income households. This could be a much needed way to expand the amount of gap financing that is available for affordable, mixed -income housing. A state level tax credit will require much more than just the Central Ohio region's interest in moving that forward. It will require coordination among our peer regions across the state. 4. Prioritize the creation of a pilot program that would support the development of diverse, lower-cost housing products in order to serve a wider range of ages, abilities and households. As Central Ohio continues to grow and our region becomes more and more diverse, we simply need a wider range of housing options to meet that growth demand. It is also important to have more housing within COTA service areas, closer to job centers and within areas of opportunity. 5. More tenant -based rental assistance is needed. This is one of the top concerns expressed at the outset of the Regional Housing Strategy process. As we went forward and COVID-19 continues to be a crisis in terms of health and socioeconomically, this has become a priority issue for stakeholders. The need only continues to grow. She then shared the Regional Housing Strategy website that can be accessed at www.morpc.org /q rhs The work of the project culminates in that online resource hub. It includes tools to identify and address housing issues within the City of RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Minutes of Dublin City Council Meeting BARRETT BROTHERS - DAYTON, OHIO UffirfAl January 19, 2021 Page 7 of 13 Dublin and across Central Ohio. They are continuing to add more resources going forward. She invited everyone to explore the Implementer's Toolkit on the site, which houses all 110 actions that exist within the Regional Housing Strategy. It also offers the opportunity to learn about the unique submarkets that make up Central Ohio's housing landscape, as well as actions that can be implemented to move the needle on supply and affordability. (She shared screenshots for the various portions of the website.) MORPC will continue to champion this project and provide support to local governments to help address housing needs in the community. She shared an example of a local housing action agenda. They are in the process of developing metrics to track the region's progress on the core issues. The Regional Housing Strategy dashboard is going to be an important part of MORPC's ongoing commitment to those priority actions and other goals of this project. Ms. Carr stated that MORPC will facilitate a speaker series every other month in 2021, featuring local and national speakers around various topics related to housing. The first is on February 19 and will focus on innovative development projects. The second on April 30 will showcase different communities and how they have updated or adjusted their zoning code and comprehensive plans to bring in innovative development. They also plan to facilitate conversations with school districts and the idea of creating "15 -minute cities" — where most of the amenities and needs can be accessed within 15 minutes of your home. More information will come. In conclusion, she shared a slide displaying the incredible public-private partners who sponsored and collaborated the Regional Housing Strategy. She offered to respond to any questions. The Clerk and Ms. Weisenauer noted that no comments have been received regarding this matter. Mr. Keeler thanked them for the presentation and the hard work on this strategy. When it comes to supply and demand statistics used to determine a deficit or surplus, and since the studies take months/years to complete, how real time is the data? It appears apartments are under construction throughout the Central Ohio region and have been built in a short time period. Ms. Carr stated the data is fairly up to date. They work closely with the BIA and Columbus Realtors Association on statistics. Currently, homes are being purchased at higher price points than ever before. This is a good indicator that the housing market is tight and not meeting the demand. Ms. Noll stated that there are some limitations to the data sets, some of which go back to 2018 or so. For this particular area, more current data can be obtained by pulling building permits for the previous year and looking at vacancy rates for rentals and owner -occupied units, using that for a proxy of housing availability. Mr. Keeler asked about senior housing. The study seems more broad. If he is interested in finding out more about housing for people aged 55 and over, where would that information be found? Ms. Noll responded there is not a one-stop location currently. They are looking into whether there is a need for consolidated information, and if so, where that should live. To find housing for older adults on a fixed income and qualifying for subsidized living, the Columbus Metropolitan Housing Authority would have that information for Franklin County. For market rate housing, it is not easy. Often, one would need to go to each municipality to obtain a sense of the stock available. There is no one-stop shop for this type of information. Ms. Alutto asked if some of the other speaker series further out have been scheduled. For many, especially those in the suburbs, another topic of interest and challenging is "Nimbyism" — not in my back yard. She would find it interesting to have people from suburbs come in and talk about their experiences, as well as those in Columbus. Ms. Carr responded that is one of the topics they will be scheduling. This is happening in every single community and is the number one barrier to some of the denser and newer developments that people are not accustomed to in their community. We need Form 6101 RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Minutes of Dublin City Council Meeting BARRETT BROTHERS - DAYTON, OHIO Form 6101 Held January 19, 2021 Page 8 of 13 to tell a better story of who will live in these housing developments and how it helps the community at large, helps with economic development, etc. Ms. Alutto added there is also an issue of race and equity. Some communities feel they already have these developments and why is there pressure to locate more of this housing in their communities. There are some systemic issues in the overall continuum of care. She works in affordable housing, specifically permit -supported housing. It is not just a matter of working with the community — it is also a matter of working with organizations like CMHA, ADAMH and the Community Shelter Board. For tax credits, the applications are scored and it is challenging to meet all of the requirements even before moving forward to pursue rezoning. There are many layers and difficult issues involved. Ms. Carr stated they may touch base with her in planning sessions for the future. Ms. Fox stated that the City will talk about this in the context of the 2035 Plan. Has there been discussion about the struggle that exists for types of housing that developers want to build? Many times, Nimbyism exists because the type of development developers want to build, i.e. large apartment complexes that absorb an entire block and change the character of a neighborhood, tend to be the reason the development is not well accepted. In looking at the older suburbs like Grandview, Upper Arlington and Clintonville, there is a mixture of duplexes, four -family units all mixed into the neighborhood. No one is aware who receives subsidies for their housing. The new developers propose a whole new character of housing that separates itself by way of visual appearance. Was this discussed in the sessions? Ms. Noll responded that this came up in the conversations and the MORPC team also talked of this quite a bit. This is an area where improvement can occur — not just in Central Ohio, but also across the country. MORPC advocates for a strong comprehensive plan where a community puts forward its vision. Dublin has that in place. On the other hand, there is a developer perspective and she highly encourages them to be thinking of these matters as well. They may have a stock product they build, but they could come up with development proposals more fitting with the character of a neighborhood. Ms. Fox stated that in other parts of the country, developers are building more innovative housing styles. Those who build only in Central Ohio know only their own product. MORPC could help all of us see the possibilities and options that exist across the country to break the trend. Options will go a long way toward solutions. Ms. Carr stated that they want to showcase what is happening elsewhere and connect through that creativity. They have been talking extensively with the Building Industry Association and hope to bring in local government and developers to the table at the same time for open, frank conversations. Vice Mayor De Rosa stated she is amazed at what they have accomplished in the time period. This is great work and the tool shared is so impressive. Thanks for doing this for Central Ohio! Her question as she thinks about her life and how far she would commute to a job she wants, relates to the critical connection between infrastructure of transportation and housing. Could they share their thinking about that aspect? Ms. Noll responded that this project connects in the world of transportation and transit. They view the regional housing strategy as a natural next step from the Insight 2050 Corridor Concept work completed a couple of years ago. We have a solid understanding of the benefits of corridor development and providing access to high capacity transit, safe walking and biking and other modes of travel. Now it is about ensuring there is housing available near those locations so that access to the job is critical. They have been looking through the lens of how we can connect the dots of land use, housing, and infrastructure that supports the transportation and transit systems. Ms. Carr added that they are working with COTA and Columbus on how the regional housing strategy elements will play into the new development of the corridors such as the northwest corridor and ensuring as we do infill and new development to include true mixed -income communities, not just mixed-use. As subsidized homes are sited, it is important that the areas have true access to transit, bikeways and trails. Land use and transportation needs to be looked at together. RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Minutes of Dublin City Council Meeting BARRETT BROTHERS - DAYTON, OHIO Form 6101 Held January 19, 2021 Page 9 of 13 Vice Mayor De Rosa commented that in terms of tools for Dublin, it does make sense for us to think about how do we move this forward. Do we look at a Dublin specific version of this? How do we take this large piece of work and strategize more effectively for Dublin. That would be the next step as Dublin works on its framework for the Dublin 2035 Plan. Mayor Amorose Groomes stated that the next step would be to engage the same consultants who have done this study for MORPC. These are regional challenges identified. Not any one community can do everything on the list, but every community can do some of the items on the list. Dublin has been an employment center for the region and provides a lot of jobs. The challenge for people to have quality housing is incumbent upon their ability to earn a living. Transportation to get to and from those jobs is also a challenge. She is looking at this more school district wide, as the lines that are drawn on the map as the City of Dublin limits do not reflect our community. The school district is a far more accurate reflection of the City of Dublin and the larger Dublin community. Part of the development hurdle is the cost of land, as noted. That is out of the control of the City of Dublin. She asked Mr. McDaniel to speak to next steps and thanked Ms. Carr and Ms. Noll for sharing the Regional Housing Strategy tonight. Mr. McDaniel thanked MORPC for taking on a leadership role in this study. It was initially brought up by the City of Columbus, and they involved the Central Ohio Mayors and Managers Association (COMMA) and MORPC. Thanks to Dublin staff as well for their work on this. He suggests that the City continue to support this effort and perhaps look at Dublin's contribution to this. His recommended motion for Council would include an ongoing discussion about local housing action agendas that become local action unique to Dublin; authorizing staff to engage with any consulting services that staff might determine necessary; engaging the Dublin community in the process as much as possible; and reporting back to Council relative to findings and tying that into the 2035 Framework Plan process. The timing of this would work well within the next year. Mayor Amorose Groomes asked about the 2021 operating budget and if there are monies available to engage these consulting services for this purpose. Mr. McDaniel responded affirmatively. Staff budgeted $250,000 for consulting services related to the 2035 Plan and this could be included as part of that. There are also some contingency monies budgeted. Staff would need to draft a scope of services and if the monies would exceed what is budgeted, staff would return to Council and report this. However, he believes the 2021 operating budget can accommodate this expense. Ms. Fox suggested a local roundtable discussion with developers, the community and Council is in order. Nimbyism is one of the largest barriers, and buy -in needs to be achieved at the outset. A consultant may not understand the personal concerns in our community, and she would advocate including a roundtable discussion in any resolution. Mr. McDaniel commented that in terms of consultants, he would recommend using the expertise MORPC has already used and then drilling down on specifics about Dublin and the Dublin surrounding area — how that ties into our workforce and housing stock. In formulating any recommendations, he would anticipate a number of community discussions occurring. Ms. Fox stated that perhaps Council could incorporate PZC formally in this conversation, as it would be helpful going forward. Mayor Amorose Groomes moved to pursue the ongoing discussion with MORPC and the use of consulting services to see what areas might be available for Dublin to participate further. Mr. Keeler seconded the motion. Vote on the motion: Ms. Alutto, yes; Mr. Keeler, yes; Ms. Fox, yes; Mr. Reiner, yes; Mr. Peterson, yes; Vice Mayor De Rosa, yes; Mayor Amorose Groomes, yes. Mayor Amorose Groomes added that given the passion everyone has for this topic, it would make sense to schedule a work session before hiring consultants and moving forward. RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Minutes of Dublin City Council Meeting BARRETT BROTHERS - DAYTON, OHIO Held January 19, 2021 Page 10 of 13 Mr. McDaniel responded that staff will return with a conversation about a scope of services for any consulting expertise needed. Special Recognition Mayor Amorose Groomes noted this is Clerk of Council Anne Clarke's last Council meeting, given her pending retirement after 30 years of service to the City. She read a proclamation on behalf of City Council recognizing her for her service. Ms. Clarke expressed her appreciation for this recognition, as well as the opportunity to have served this City and played a small role in its development over the past 30 years. Thank you to all of City Council and City staff for their support. Mr. Reiner stated she is dedicated, humble and incredibly efficient. He has enjoyed her friendship over all of these years. She performed the Clerk duties in a magnificent and excellent manner that has brought honor to the City. He will miss working with her, but he wishes her well with her family and future travels. Thank you and God bless you! Mr. Peterson noted that a strength of Dublin is the stability and continuity of our leadership. There has been an amazing line of leadership over the years that has allowed Dublin to commit to the vision they want to be and execute upon that. Anne is a representative of that leadership on staff. Personally, he thanked her for what she has done for this community, helping to make it a wonderful place to raise our families. Her success in this community will carry on for generations to come. Thank you for everything! Mr. McDaniel, on behalf of all the City staff, thanked her for all of her service over 30 years. The City's mission statement states "we are a proud local democracy." Anne has been the "linchpin" of that. The long-standing continuity she has provided puts her in this special place in our local democracy. She is an example of the profession of the Clerk of Council in the state and internationally. On behalf of all of staff and all of the past and present City Managers, thanks for being a great teammate, partner, teacher, coach and mentor. We wish you the best! Ms. Alutto noted that the coach and teacher description is appropriate. From the beginning of her service on Council, Anne has been a source of counsel and advice. She thanked her for everything she has done for her personally, and echoed all that has been said tonight! While she will miss her, she is happy that Anne can now enjoy a well-deserved retirement! Mr. Keeler stated that, unlike his peers, he has not had the privilege of serving with Anne for many years. However, what strikes him is her level of professionalism, setting the standard that others Clerks of Council should hold themselves to. In his mind, she is essentially a "Director of First Impressions" at the City! He is sorry that she is leaving, but understands there will be a celebration later in the year. He wished her the best of luck and wished health to her father. Ms. Fox stated that after watching what has happened in the country in the past week or two, she has thought about what the Clerk has contributed to the City over these 30 years. She provided some perspective on the role of a Clerk throughout history, dating back to 1620. In fact, the first local government office set up by the colonists was City Clerk. The backbone of government lies with those who hold government accountable, keep the records and ensure efficient operations. This provides confidence and transparency in public information that is essential to our democracy. The Clerk is the one-stop shop for citizens who want to contact their government and the Clerk ensures they receive a response. She has been a true servant of the City and will be missed very much! Council and the citizens appreciate everything she has done. Vice Mayor De Rosa congratulated Anne on a wonderful career. She recalled that Anne indicated she wanted a career that would really have an impact. Not only has she had the impact in Dublin, but Clerks look to her in terms of the standards she has set. In an early interaction with Anne, she contacted Anne for assistance with campaign finance filings. It was clear that citizens in the community who come to Anne for assistance receive her full attention. She has done that for thousands of people over Form 6101 RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Minutes of Dublin City Council Meeting BARRETT BROTHERS - DAYTON, OHIO Held January 19, 2021 Page 11 of 13 the years. That is a legacy that not many have left. She congratulated her on a wonderful career and encouraged her to enjoy her retirement! She will be missed! Mayor Amorose Groomes recalled growing up and the kitchen conversation about former Clerk of Council Frances Urban and how to replace her. Dublin was growing exponentially at that time. Council appointed Anne Clarke to serve as Clerk. She has been a constant and steady hand over these years. She has asked Anne to return at the time of the dedication of the new Council Chambers to be honored for her service. Council is looking forward to celebrating with her in person! STAFF COMMENTS Mr. McDaniel stated that he was contacted by Visit Dublin Ohio, the Ohio Restaurant Association, and some Dublin restaurants about enacting legislation as other large cities have done — Cincinnati, Columbus, Cleveland, Toledo - to cap food service delivery charges by entities such as Uber, Door Dash, etc. Staff assessed these efforts and legislation and continues to monitor the situation. 1. At this point, he has asked for proof that rate gouging is occurring and has not received such information; the City's Manager's emergency authority to place such limitations on business prices during a declared emergency must be associated with rate gouging; therefore, his ability to issue an Executive Order on this matter is limited. 2. If the City had passed legislation in December or does so at this time, legislation would not be in effect for 60 days in total unless passed by emergency. True emergency legislation may be limited as is his ability as City Manager to issue an Executive Order on this matter. By the time legislation can be put in place, the weather would be improving and enabling outdoor seating again. 3. He does not believe the City can truly administer or monitor compliance well with either legislation or an executive order. We do not have the capacity for monitoring, as do larger cities. He has checked with peer suburban communities in Central Ohio, and none is currently contemplating this action. 4. The City cannot effectively enforce either legislation or an executive order in a way that would change the actions of these service providers in short order. In lieu of legislation or an executive order at this time, he asks and encourages our residents to support Dublin restaurants by using their services and encouraging residents to be cognizant of the rates they are being charged for delivery services. If such rates exceed 15 percent, which is the suggested cap, he urges residents to complain directly to the food delivery company or to not use their services at all. This would be a more effective way to address this situation. Cleveland City Council limited delivery charges to 15 percent; Door Dash then imposed a $1 "Cleveland fee." Part of the statement issued by Door Dash in response to Cleveland backlash was that "in select cities where lawmakers have imposed price regulations that limit our ability to work with restaurant partners, Door Dash is considering various measures to offset their unintended consequences." That is an example of how a company could put more burden on a customer due to new legislation. The City of Dublin supports local restaurants and has implemented expedited review processes and is allowing outdoor seating where possible. We remain committed to work with our restaurants to enable them to accommodate and serve customers. We continue to consider a Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area (DORA) moving forward. The City did fund a $300,000 marketing effort to be deployed by Visit Dublin Ohio, focused on the hospitality industry and the restaurant industry. The City remains open to assisting any of its businesses but recognizes its abilities may be limited as well as the impact. The City will continue to monitor this situation. Mayor Amorose Groomes stated the Cleveland narrative was interesting in terms of the unintended consequence. Mr. Keeler asked why Door Dash or other such entities would not allow the customer to pay the delivery fee themselves and take that burden off a restaurant. Have any of these companies explored that option? Mr. McDaniel responded his understanding is that many of these arrangements are contractual between the restaurant and the delivery service. The extent to which an individual customer can do that on their own might be challenging. Form 6101 RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Minutes of Dublin City Council Meeting BARRETT BROTHERS - DAYTON, OHIO Form 6101 Held Ms. Readler agreed. January 19, 2021 Page 12 of 13 COUNCIL COMMITTEE REPORTS Planning & Zoning Commission: Ms. Fox reported on recent PZC cases: 1. They completed an informal review of an 8,000 sq. ft. building on Emerald Parkway near Parkwood to serve adults with disabilities. There was good feedback from PZC and the developer is moving forward on their concept plan. 2. Heartland Bank on the corner of Bridge and Frantz brought forward a final development plan review and master sign plan review. Everything related to the renovation and master sign plan was accepted except for one detail related to the cladding material. It did not pass PZC review. There is ongoing conversation among the parties involved to identify options. 3. The Dublin Plaza shopping center submitted an amended sign plan to improve visual continuity across the front. They are also freshening lighting fixtures across the entire front of the shopping center and are installing consistent lighting color, based on a request from PZC. Administrative Committee: Vice Mayor De Rosa reported the following: 1. Council agreed at the last meeting to modify the annual retreat scheduled in February until later in the year, hoping an in-person meeting would be available at that time. After checking schedules, the retreat dates are now set as the evening of Thursday, September 9 and all day Friday, September 10. Those are included on the Council calendar. 2. Due to term limits and terms ending for board and commission members, there will be openings available on April 1. As the report from the December 4 committee meeting indicated, the committee will be working with staff and the Clerk's office to be more proactive on promoting and recruiting for those openings. There will be announcements shortly and an effort to provide more information to those interested in serving. Council will need to meet in early March to interview applicants in order that appointments can be done on Monday, March 22. 3. As Council is well aware, the Clerk of Council will retire at the end of January and therefore Council needs to appoint an Acting Clerk of Council while the process for her replacement continues. As Council is aware, succession - planning efforts have been underway for several years and she thanked the Clerk for her efforts to ensure continued excellence of the Clerk's office. Vice Mayor De Rosa moved to appoint Deputy Clerk of Council Jennifer Delgado as Acting Clerk of Council, effective January 30, 2021. Mayor Amorose Groomes seconded the motion. Vote on the motion: Mr. Peterson, yes; Mayor Amorose Groomes, yes; Ms. Fox, yes; Mr. Reiner, yes; Ms. Alutto, yes; Mr. Keeler, yes; Vice Mayor De Rosa, yes. Community Development Committee: Mr. Reiner reported the Committee will meet tomorrow evening at 5 p.m. US 33 Corridor Group: Vice Mayor De Rosa noted that Mr. Keeler has indicated his interest in serving with her as Council representatives to the US 33 Corridor group. He would replace Ms. Fox in this capacity. Vice Mayor De Rosa moved to appoint Mr. Keeler as one of two Council representatives to the US 33 Corridor Group. Mr. Keeler seconded the motion. Vote on the motion: Ms. Alutto, yes; Mr. Keeler, yes; Ms. Fox, yes; Mr. Reiner, yes; Mr. Peterson, yes; Mayor Amorose Groomes, yes; Vice Mayor De Rosa, yes. Board of Education: Mr. Peterson stated his 17 -year old son is back to in person learning at Dublin Coffman High School after all of the remote learning! COUNCIL ROUNDTABLE Ms. Alutto again thanked Ms. Clarke for her service. She also hopes that everyone stays safe! Mr. Peterson echoed Ms. Alutto, wishing Anne well in her retirement. Mr. Reiner thanked Anne again for her 30 years of service. RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Minutes of Dublin City Council Meeting BARRETT BROTHERS - DAYTON, OHIO Held Form 6101 January 19, 2021 Page 13 of 13 Ms. Fox concurred! She also reported that she is asking all of the nurses or medical professionals to be part of the COVID vaccination team. The Dublin website has a link to the Franklin County Medical Reserve Corps website where they can sign up to volunteer. It is simple to volunteer and she encouraged all health professionals to participate. Mr. Keeler encouraged the Clerk to dust off her musical instruments for the celebration later this year! Best of luck! Vice Mayor De Rosa: 1. Congratulated the Clerk and thanked her for her service. 2. Thanked all the members of Council and the Dublin staff for everything they do to serve our community. Since Council's last meeting, we have witnessed unthinkable and intolerable actions of violence against our government and our Constitution. We have also witnessed unselfish acts of courage and heroism by those who stepped up to stop the violence and protect those they serve. As we witness the Inauguration tomorrow and the continuity of our government, it is important to say thank you to Council, to the staff and to all of those who serve on active duty to ensure our freedoms. Mayor Amorose Groomes wished the Clerk Godspeed and thanked her for sharing this journey with Council for so many years. ADJOURNMENT The meetin was adjourned at 9:13 p.m. TAayor —Presiding Officer Clerk of Council