HomeMy WebLinkAbout08-28-2023 Council MinutesMinutes of
RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Dublin City Council Meeting
GOVERNMENT FORMS & SUPPLIES 844-224-3338 FORM NO. 10148
Held August 28, 2023 30
CALL TO ORDER
Mayor Fox called the Monday, August 28, 2023 Regular Meeting of Dublin City Council to order at 7:00 p.m.
ROLL CALL
Present were Ms. Alutto, Ms. Amorose Groomes, Vice Mayor De Rosa, Mayor Fox, Mr.
Keeler, Ms. Kramb and Mr. Reiner.
Staff members present were Ms. O'Callaghan, Mr. Ranc, Ms. Weisenauer, Mr. Gable, Mr. Stiffler, Mr. Earman, Chief Paez, Mr. Smith, Ms. Goehring, Ms. Willis, Ms. Wawszkiewicz, Mr. Rayburn, Ms. Rauch, Mr. Althouse, Mr. Gable and Deputy Chief Tabernik.
Others present: Matt Davis, CSD Dublin, LLC; Greg Daniels, Squire, Patton, Boggs; Jeff Siefker, Kalmbach Feeds; Duncan Webb, Webb Mgmt.
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
Mayor Fox invited Mr. Reiner to lead the Pledge of Allegiance.
CITIZEN COMMENTS
Lauri Hyland, 5525 Olde Dublin Woods Drive, Dublin, came forward to discuss the landscaping in the roundabout in her neighborhood. She stated that in the past three years, she has called four to six times a year to have the grass cut and the landscaping trimmed. The bushes are too high to see if someone is in the roundabout. She stated that she would like help to get the old bushes out and replant. They do not have a
homeowners’ association. She wants help getting their roundabout up to the standard
that she sees in other areas of the City.
Ms. O'Callaghan stated that coming forward and making staff aware is helpful to
understand what needs addressed. She stated that Mr. Ranc reached out to Ms.
Hyland earlier in the day and he is following up with staff to see what maintenance
might be needed. Regarding the landscaping and bushes, Ms. O’Callaghan added that
there are standards for roundabout design and staff will assess the landscaping as well
as the health of the vegetation.
Mayor Fox mentioned the Beautify Your Neighborhood grants that are available and
stated that Mr. Ranc will make sure that you have all you need for that option as well.
David Lenker, 5352 Indian Hill Road, Dublin, came forward to talk about the sober
living home that opened at 5252 Ashford one month ago. He stated that a
neighborhood meeting was held, but not much was accomplished. He shared two
concerns that the residents have about this facility moving into the neighborhood. The
first concern is for the safety of the families and children in the neighborhood. The
second concern is for their property values. He stated this used to be a coveted
neighborhood, but now there will be a stigma attached to our neighborhood. Within
the month the facility has been in the neighborhood, they have had an overdose, there
have been a slew of break-ins and his neighbor saw two masked men wandering
around at 2:00 a.m. His van has been broken into as well. He is aware that these
facilities are protected with federal fair housing and ADA because they are classified as
disabled people. He asked if there was anything that the City could do with zoning
that could protect the citizens from the issues that are caused by these facilities. Mr.
Smith stated that there was not anything further that the City can do regarding zoning.
He stated that this is a state issue. This is not within the City’s control.
Ms. Amorose Groomes stated that she reached out to State Senator Stephanie Kunze
about this issue and that she was setting up a meeting with the neighborhood to hear
their concerns.
Mr. Lenker asked about a zoning ordinance that would not allow non-related members
living in a single family home. Mr. Smith stated that those type of ordinances are
heavily scrutinized when it comes to fair housing. He added that to pass an ordinance
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like that after the facility is already established in the neighborhood would be problematic.
Mr. Lenker asked about looking at this as a business in a residential neighborhood and whether or not there are restrictions that could be placed on them through zoning or taxing them in a different way. Mr. Smith stated that the Fair Housing Act and the Dublin Code recognizes this as a residence. Mr. Smith noted that this type of facility could go anywhere in the State of Ohio. Mr. Smith stated that the City has done what can be done with regard to the Fair Housing Act, and we cannot be more restrictive.
Mr. Lenker asked about fire code and inspections. Mr. Smith stated that they did have an inspection; there was only one violation, which the owner corrected immediately.
Mr. Lenker stated that the fight is at the state level.
Mr. Reiner stated that the City has looked at this issue extensively to see what could
be done, but it is a protected facility under the federal statutes.
Mayor Fox thanked Mr. Lenker for bringing his concerns forward.
CONSENT AGENDA
° Minutes of the August 14, 2023 Regular Council meeting
There was no request to remove the item from the consent agenda.
Ms. Alutto moved to approve the consent agenda.
Mr. Keeler seconded.
Vote on the motion: Mr. Keeler, yes; Ms. Kramb, yes; Ms. Alutto, yes; Mr. Reiner, yes;
Vice Mayor De Rosa, yes; Mayor Fox, yes; Ms. Amorose Groomes, yes.
SECOND READING/PUBLIC HEARING - ORDINANCES
Ordinance 30-23
Authorizing the Provision of Certain Incentives to Kalmbach Feeds, Inc. to
Induce it to Lease a Facility to Create an Office and its Associated
Operations and Workforce, all Within the City; and Authorizing the
Execution of an Economic Development Agreement
Ms. Goehring stated that there are no changes from the first reading of the Ordinance.
She provided a brief review of the proposed incentive and recommended approval.
She introduced Jeff Siefker, Vice President of Human Resources and Customer Service,
Kalmbach Feeds. Mr. Siefker thanked Council for the support and stated that they
have experienced strong growth in the last 60 years. Having an office in Dublin will
help recruit the people they need to sustain and fulfill the growth. He stated that they
have grown from approximately 500 employees to 850 employees in five years.
Mayor Fox welcomed Kalmbach Feeds to Dublin.
There were no public comments.
Vote on the Ordinance: Mr. Reiner, yes; Mayor Fox, yes; Vice Mayor De Rosa, yes; Mr.
Keeler, yes; Ms. Kramb, yes; Ms. Amorose Groomes, yes; Ms. Alutto, yes.
INTRODUCTION/FIRST READING — ORDINANCES
Ordinance 31-23
Appropriate a 0.070 -Acre Fee Simple Warranty Deed for Right-of-Way,
Without Limitation to Existing Access Rights, and a 0.225 Acre Fee Simple
Warranty Deed for Right-of- Way, Without Limitation to Existing Access
Rights, from Arthur G. Wesner and Elizabeth L. Wesner, For Their Joint Lives,
Remainder to the Survivor of Them, From the Property Located at 7455
Hyland-Croy Road and 7485 Hyland-Croy Road, for the Public Purpose of
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Constructing Roadway Improvements, Which Will be Open to the Public Without Charge
Ms. Alutto introduced the Ordinance.
Mr. Gable stated that the Hyland-Croy Road improvements include widening Hyland- Croy Road to a three-lane roadway from Post Road to north of Park Mill Drive. It also installs turn lanes where Hyland-Croy road intersections with Springview Lane, Moorland Drive, Holbein Drive and Park Mill Drive. This project requires acquisition by the City from four parcels with two owners. One owner has agreed to a donation. Staff will continue to work with the other property owner to reach a mutually agreeable resolution. This ordinance begins the appropriation process and allows the Project to remain on schedule. Staff recommended approval at the second
reading/public hearing on September 11, 2023.
There were no public comments.
Second reading/public hearing is scheduled for the September 11, 2023 regular
meeting.
Ordinance 32-23
Amendments to Zoning Code Sections 153.002, 153.071, and 153.074 to
address open and uncovered structures (22-178ADMC)
Ms. Alutto introduced the Ordinance.
Mr. Hounshell stated that in February 2022, the Board of Zoning Appeals received an
application for an administrative appeal based on a determination staff had made
regarding open and uncovered porches. The Code Section states, “Open and
uncovered porches may project beyond the front building setback line or into a required
rear yard a distance not to exceed five feet.” Staff made the determination that a
pergola would not count as an open and uncovered structure so it would not be able to
encroach that five feet. The Board of Zoning Appeals upheld the determination by staff,
but requested staff to provide more definition to the Code to address elements such as
pergolas, awnings, patios and trellises. Planning and Zoning Commission
recommended approval of this Code amendment with some modification to the
definitions as well as clarification regarding artificially increasing the height of
structures. Staff has modified the definitions as recommended to undefined accessory
structures. The more significant changes involved the lot and yard requirements. Staff
removed any reference to open or uncovered structures. This concerns what can and
cannot encroach into the rear yard or front yard setback. Only at-grade patios and
seating walls, not to exceed 18 inches, can encroach into the rear yard setback.
Mr. Keeler suggested in Section 153.002 B, adding “at-grade” to that section in the
definition of patio.
Ms. Kramb stated that the way the Code reads, you cannot have a patio on the front of
your house. Mr. Hounshell stated that the intent with patios is that for residential
structures they would be rear amenities. He added that there are commercial
properties in the City that do have patios in front of the building. The intent was that
porches that are uncovered, based on how it was currently written, would be able to
encroach. He clarified that there could still be porches or patios forward of the building,
but they would have to be within the building setback.
Ms. Kramb stated that the way it is written, it is not permitted to have a porch on the
back of a house that encroaches. Mr. Hounshell stated that was correct and added
that the intent behind this is to eliminate any vertical or overhead structures that may
create visual impacts into setbacks. Ms. Kramb asked why a distinction has to be
made between a porch and a patio when neither one of them have a roof. Ms. Rauch
stated that porch and patio could be synonymous. She reiterated the intent is to not
have covered pieces of a patio, porch or seating wall encroach. Ms. Kramb stated that
the only difference between a porch and a patio is that a porch is connected and a
patio is not. Mr. Hounshell responded affirmatively.
Mayor Fox asked Ms. Rauch if staff is finding that the setbacks are creating too much
density between the lots. She stated that we encourage people to use their outdoor
spaces, but we are limiting what they can have on their patio. A big red umbrella or a
pergola both have a visual impact. Ms. Rauch stated the difference between an
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umbrella versus a pergola is an umbrella is temporary and a pergola is more permanent.
There were no public comments.
second reading/public hearing is scheduled for the September 11, 2023 regular
meeting.
Ordinance 33-23
Authorizing the City Manager to Enter into a Real Estate Transfer and Development Agreement for the Development of Riverview
Village with CSD Dublin LLC (Community Space Development LLC
dba COhatch)
Ms. Alutto introduced the Ordinance.
Ms. O'Callaghan stated that the City currently owns properties along Riverview Street,
just north of Bridge Street. There are six properties along the west side of the street
and two along the east side of the street, totaling just shy of three acres. An Advisory
Committee was created in 2021 and tasked with guiding a request for proposal
process. Two proposals were received and the Committee recommended the proposal
by Community Space Development (COhatch) to Council for further consideration as
this concept best addressed historic preservation, vibrancy and pedestrian activity,
historical character and the public experience goals. In September 2022, Council
approved the recommendations of the Advisory Committee to select COhatch’s
proposal and directed staff to evaluate and negotiate the proposal through the
development process. In February 2023, COhatch presented an informal request to the
Architectural Review Board (ARB). All eight of the properties were included at that
time and the Board provided feedback on the potential to rezone the area to the
Historic Core. COhatch’s Riverview Village concept proposes one-of-a-kind working
and entrepreneurship community and represents many aspects of the future of work.
This concept includes a walkable district that attracts people with amenities and
provides an opportunity to restore and revitalize the North Riverview neighborhood.
The three southernmost properties were identified as an option for others to own and
renovate, so on July 31, 2023 Council approved Ordinance 24-23 authorizing the City
Manager to auction the properties. Ms. O’Callaghan provided a brief history of
COhatch. In their seven years of existence, they have grown to 40 locations across six
states. While not all of their locations are on historic properties, they do specialize in
restoring historic buildings in town centers to bring new life and energy to the
community. The company’s mission includes giving back to communities and often
supports local charities and entrepreneurs through scholarships. She introduced Matt
Davis, co-founder and CEO of COhatch who was present.
Ms. O’Callaghan shared the proposal from COhatch of the Riverview Village concept.
The concept includes co-working office collaboration, event spaces, food and beverage
experiences, innovation spaces, meeting spaces, start-up programming and pitch
competitions and seasonal vendors.
Ms. O’Callaghan reviewed the developer commitments in the terms of the development
agreement. She then reviewed the City’s commitments. She shared the estimated
project revenues to the City as well as the estimated project expenditures by the City.
Mr. Davis stated that COhatch has been blessed to grow through inflation and rising
interest rates. He complimented the City and staff. He stated that they have been able
to grow because of their true total commitment to what they stand for - strengthening
communities, improving lives and equipping people to be greater. He stated that this is
a truly innovative project because there is nothing like this in the country. He reiterated
that the way the terms are written, COhatch has given the City the control and
approvals at every step. This is the largest project that COhatch has undertaken. He
is very excited about this concept, innovative companies, activity along the river and
keeping the area vibrant for years to come.
Vice Mayor De Rosa asked Mr. Davis to share what he has seen happening with
entrepreneurship and the future of work. Mr. Davis stated that the remote work was a
knee-jerk reaction to COVID. He stated that as things get back to normal, people will
start to return to their normal behavior of working outside the home. The problem is
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that large companies gave their employees that remote work freedom which is hard to ratchet back. It appears as though they are trying to reverse that now and at the very least make it more of a hybrid structure. COhatch brings people together for meetings and collaboration. They are seeing an increase in tenants who want to come on board and shed the 10,000 square foot office space. COhatch offers month-to-month, one- year and two-year options to provide more flexibility. He stated that when people talk about the future of work, they are talking about the future of work for large companies.
Mayor Fox asked about, in addition to the collaborative work spaces, the pedestrian fun, friendly, activity along the river that invites people to the area. Mr. Davis stated that they are developing several different concepts that will be brought forward in the future. He is passionate about the red cabin house. He could foresee some sort of cocktail lounge food place. It is a unique area and experience. There will be areas open to the public and once things are built along the river, people will want to come down there. He stated that they intend to use the streets for maker’s markets, festivals,
crafts and workshops.
Mayor Fox stated that this would eventually be rezoned to Historic Core. She stated that ARB suggested that the houses going up for auction not be segmented, but for the
entire area to be Historic Core. She wanted to know the Planning Department’s view on that suggestion. She added that having it zoned Historic Core would open it up to
some uses that would not necessarily be able to be used.
Ms. Rauch stated that the Historic Core does not permit single family residential as a
use, So we would not want to rezone those three southern properties that are being
auctioned. She stated that staff is trying to make sure that all uses are very compatible.
She will double check her information, but staff's intent was to keep the zoning of the
three houses as Historical Residential.
Mayor Fox stated that the Historic South zoning includes both commercial and
residential properties, which makes it more flexible. She asked what would be the
most beneficial zoning for the remaining street. Ms. Rauch stated staff would look into
that and provide more clarity at the second reading. Ms. O’Callaghan stated that the
successful bidders of those three southern parcels would have the option to pursue a
rezoning process.
There were no public comments.
Second reading/public hearing is scheduled for the September 11, 2023 regular
meeting.
Ordinance 34-23
Establishing the Bridge Street/Riverside Drive Business District for the
Purposes of Creating Safer and More Comfortable Streets
Ms. Alutto introduced the Ordinance.
Ms. Willis stated that the Speed Management Program was adopted at the July 31,
2023 Council meeting. The program’s purpose is to create safe and comfortable
streets for all residents and road users. One way to support this is to create a
business district. This type of legislation was included in the action items identified for
the third quarter of 2023 in the projected implementation plan of the program. The
business district will help establish and support the urban walkable areas that make a
healthier and more vibrant City. It will also support the ample sidewalks, shared use
paths, transit stops, bike racks, shared mobility devices and the Pedestrian Bridge. The
formal business district also serves Citywide key transportation and mobility initiatives
such as the Speed Management Program and the silver level Bicycle Community
Award. This business district is proposed to encompass the Bridge Street and Historic
Dublin Zoning Districts, generally bounded by Sawmill Road to the East, I-270 to the
North and West, and Bridge Street/State Route 161 to the South. Once the Bridge
Street/Riverside Drive Business District is defined, the process to lower a speed limit in
the defined area is relatively easy. Staff would submit a Speed Limit Revision Form to
the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT). This legislation defining the business
district and map would remove any outstanding journalized speed limits that may be in
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place. The first core pedestrian area that staff proposed to address is the Riverside Drive Corridor between the North side of Martin Road and north to Tuller Road. Staff is focused on lowering the speed limit on Riverside Drive from the current 40 mph to 25 mph. U-Turn violations along Riverside Drive have also been another common concern and establishing this business district will support police enforcement of these types of violations within the business district. Under Dublin Code Section 72.014, as the Urban Mixed Use Character and Development further extends through the business district, the City will be able to easily update the speed limit to reflect the environment
that would be in place. Ms. Willis reviewed the education campaign for drivers prior to enforcements. Message Boards and speed trailers will be used to inform the public of
the upcoming changes. Staff recommended adoption at the second reading.
There were no public comments.
Ms. Kramb thanked staff for moving so quickly on this legislation. She pointed out that
this does not mean that the speed on all streets would be reduced to 25 mph in this
area; it just means we have the option.
Ms. Amorose Groomes asked about the process should Council decide to change the
speed limit on other streets within the business district. Ms. Willis stated that staff
would complete the required forms from ODOT, provide the legislation and map and
specify that it is now defined as a business district under ORC 4511.21. Speed limits
within a business district are 25 mph. ODOT reviews the submitted materials and
sends back with their signature. Staff would then erect signs, and send back
documentation to ODOT showing signs have been changed.
Ms. Amorose Groomes asked about the public process. Ms. Willis stated that staff
would work with our Communications and Public Information (CPI) team and our Police
Department team regarding an action plan that would include public education. Ms.
Amorose Groomes encouraged staff to have a public conversation on these as we go
street by street so everyone has the opportunity to be heard.
Mayor Fox expressed her support for this legislation especially on Riverside Drive.
She asked about the circumstances under which staff would feel the need to change
the speed limit on other roads. Ms. Willis stated that she would look to the
development pattern, the density and the character of the environment. She added
that we will experience an increased number of pedestrians and vulnerable road users
and as those conditions expand, we would look at reducing the speed limits at that
time.
Vice Mayor De Rosa thanked staff for bringing this forward. She asked what the
residents could expect from an enforcement perspective.
Deputy Chief Tabernik stated that education will be started first, and then once some
time has passed, we will address enforcement in furtherance of soeed management.
He added that it depends on the violation as to whether or not a citation will be issued.
Police will aggressively enforce this area with the goal at making it a safer area.
Vice Mayor De Rosa asked if the Police Department has the staffing level needed to do
the enforcement that we have now committed to the residents. Deputy Chief Tabernik
stated that the Traffic Unit is fully staffed with officers. He added that they are currently
in the process of filling the Community Impact Unit Traffic Sergeant position, as well.
He explained that they are very well situated to be able to address not only this
business district, but all other parts of the City and the neighborhoods.
Second reading/public hearing is scheduled for the September 11, 2023 regular
meeting.
Ordinance 35-23
Adopting the 2024-2028 Five-Year Capital Improvements Program (CIP)
Ms. Alutto introduced the Ordinance.
Mr. Stiffler reviewed the scheduled of discussions regarding the Capital Improvement
Project (CIP). The second reading of this Ordinance will be September 25, 2023 where
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staff will provide a memo addressing the comments and concerns that have been raised in previous discussions.
Regarding the CIP, staff identified 147 projects totaling just over $240 million across the City. The largest year of CIP execution will be the second year, and that is predominantly due to the bridge over I-270 in that second year. Mr. Stiffler stated that projects are well-funded and supported across a variety of revenue sources, the largest of which, is the income tax and property tax revenue from the Capital Improvements Tax Fund. Staff is also proposing some debt financing in the first three years and some grant funding for federal and state projects and water projects regarding maintenance. This CIP continues the policy and process of prioritizing the maintenance of our current assets. The CIP includes almost $100 million in maintenance, including $44 million for streets and parking. In terms of new infrastructure, the program proposes to spend $142.1 million on new infrastructure. Not surprisingly, the largest component of this is streets and parking but there are also significant contributions to mobility, parks, city facilities and sanitary sewer/storm water programs.
There were no public comments.
Second reading/public hearing is scheduled for the September 25, 2023 regular
meeting.
OTHER BUSINESS
e Performing Arts Center Feasibility Study Update
Mr. Ranc introduced the topic and the progression of this item through the
Community Development Committee. He introduced Duncan Webb, Webb
Mgmt. Mr. Webb stated that he was presenting the second half of the
feasibility study on the need and opportunity to develop new live arts and
entertainment facilities in and for the City of Dublin. He stated he would be
reviewing the work that was presented in June, and then discuss the physical
planning and the business planning work that they have been doing to help
Council think about how new facilities might be built, at what cost, how it
would be programmed and operated, and then what it will take to financially
sustain it.
Mr. Webb stated that Dublin is attuned to providing a high quality of life to
residents and this effort supports creativity and innovation. Webb Mgmt.
recommended an arts and innovation hub, combining the ideas of economic
and community development as well as cultural development. They
recommended a main theater, which could have capacity of 4,800 seats, a
second smaller space, classrooms and other program space. In April 2023, 12
arts organizations and educators joined Mr. Webb and staff to engage in a
speculative discussion about the use of a facility. Key physical planning issues,
such as the need for rehearsal space, as well as key operating issues were
discussed. Mr. Webb shared the highlight of the discussion was an exercise to
determine potential use of the facility. This exercise showed evenly spaced
utilization of a main theater. They used surveys to solicit feedback from those
who were not able to participate in the April discussion. Armed with this
information, Mr. Webb engaged their partners Schuler Shook. Schuler Shook is
a theater planning firm with offices around the world. It was decided to bring
back to Council and Dublin staff two different scenarios. The first is a fully
developed concept with a 700-seat theater, as well as a second theater and lots
of support spaces. The second scenario is a trimmed back version that would
still meet the essential needs of the City. It would be a 500-seat theater with a
robust multipurpose space. A capital budget was then developed based on
three ranges: $800, $900 and $1,000 per square foot options. Mr. Webb
stated that $1,000 doesn’t build the Taj Mahal, but it is higher quality
professional. $800 would be considered high school quality. For the fully
developed concept with construction costs and soft costs, the total cost range
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would be from $95 million to $119 million. The trimmed down version (500- seat) total cost range would be from $67 million to $83 million. A preliminary business plan has developed starting with these goals: e Attract and support wonderful programs for the benefit of Dublin
residents and visitors;
e Provide great facilities for Dublin and regional arts organizations to
advance their work;
e Contribute to the economic vitality and vibrancy of Dublin, enhancing the quality of life, attracting visitors and driving economic development; and
e Sustain the building with a reasonable balance of earned income and
contributing income based on the value that the building provides to the
community and region.
A number of different ways the Center could be operated were considered,
such as government operated, non-profit operated, or hired management
companies. Mr. Webb stated that he wants to make sure that the City makes
the choice that manages the level of financial risk, creates opportunities for
ongoing external fundraising to sustain operations, and ensures that local
artists and arts organizations are able to access facilities. Building the rental
business both for non-profit users and for-profit users is critically important to
drive sustainability. Volunteer opportunities are also critically important to build
a labor force. These buildings are labor intensive, so it takes a lot of people
working a lot of hours in very different skilled positions to sustain these
buildings.
Mr. Webb stated that he provided the City with a pro forma operating budget
for both scenarios. The philosophy of these budgets is that activity drives
earned revenue, which in turn drives staffing and operating expenses, which
then dictates the amount of contributed income that is required to sustain the
building. The question then becomes, is the contributed income requirement
viable and possible in this community. The answer can depend on a number of
things such as: how much of the activity is more commercial, how many non-
profits are supported (discounted rental rates), and how aggressively the
building is staffed and programmed. He provided a five-year summary of the
pro formas. The operating deficit or additional funding requirement for the 700-
seat theater is about $862,000, and for the reduced size concept, it would be
$283,000. He stated the decision to make is whether or not it is reasonable to
expect to raise $500,000 a year in this community to sustain the building. Mr.
Webb stated that this is a reasonable target based upon the benchmarking he
has done with other facilities.
To measure the economic impact of a facility such as this, Mr. Webb stated that
the larger facility would result in approximately $3.9 million in new sales in
Franklin County with $950,000 in new earnings and 24 new jobs created in
addition to the people working in the Center. The smaller facility would result
in approximately $2.9 million in new sales, $700,000 in earning and 18 new
jobs. Mr. Webb reiterated that these numbers are at the County level because
that is the way the Bureau of Economic Analysis gathers these multipliers.
Mr. Webb stated that they started to look at potential sites. A downtown
location, a civic campus located close to City Hall and a corporate campus
located with other redeveloped entities were all considered. He provided
examples of each in other cities and mentioned the advantages and
disadvantages of each.
Finally, the final analysis completed by Webb Mgmt. was to develop a Critical
Path Plan to move the project forward. There are three parallel tracks: the
first track is around fundraising, forming some kind of committee and
embarking on a capital campaign. The second track is planning, design and
construction. The third track is planning for operations.
Mr. Webb concluded his presentation by saying that there is user demand, the
market is strong and there are gaps in the market. He also stressed the
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importance of designing an operating model that can sustain operations with a reasonable balance of earned and contributed income.
There were no public comments.
Mr. Keeler stated that he could make a case for either the 700-seat or the 500- seat facility. He stated that Coffman High School facility already seats over 700. He stated that the New Albany facility seats 786. The groups that were
interviewed that use the school facilities do not need 700 seats. That said, is it more profitable to have the Abbey Theater have a performance for 10 or 15 nights for 200 people or for four nights for 500 or 700 people? He stated that
it would be more profitable to have fewer performances but have higher critical
mass. He stated it comes down to what can we pay for. If you ask anyone if
they want a Performing Arts Center, the answer will always be yes. He
expressed his belief that this community could raise $500,000 to operate this
type of facility. He added that the City gives over $800,000 a year to the
Dublin Arts Council. This facility would be a cultural arts center that brings the
Abbey Theater and the Dublin Arts Council together. The visitors to the facility
would have the benefit of not only a performance, but also the art that the Arts
Council has on display. There are nine offices in each of the scenarios that
could accommodate the Dublin Arts Council and could even promote
collaborative working spaces. He stated he is willing to offer seed money and
lead by example. He added that the Recreation Center is an amenity, it is not
an economic development tool. A Performing Arts Center is both and the
economic impact that it can bring to a community is very wide and broad. He
stated the City subsidizes the Recreation Center 50% for the 20-30% of our
residents that use it. He stated in 2015 when this was explored, the demand
was questioned as was the ability to raise money. During the Parks and
Recreation Master Plan update process, the percentage of people who were
interested in the Performing Arts, Art Camps, and visual arts was at 25-30%. It
is a multi-purpose facility. He suggested the City “shoot for the moon” and go
for the larger facility. He added that he is good with the Critical Path Plan that
the consultant introduced.
Vice Mayor De Rosa agreed that if you ask people if they want it, the response
will be yes. The fundamental question is about funding. She stated that the
two largest revenue generating sources under the earned revenue were rental
income and theater use. She asked Mr. Webb to speak to who those customers
would be and were they asked if they would be willing to pay. Mr. Webb stated
that ticket sales are when the building books an artist, you pay the artist fee
and advertise and market the event, but then you collect the ticket sales and
hope they exceed the programming costs. The rental fees are charging
someone to come in a base rate and then you could charge them additional
user fees associated with what they use, such as technical labor, ticketing
office, etc. He added that it is roughly about $3 a seat for a base rent for non-
profit users. The school groups are not used to paying anything, but the
professional groups that use other facilities in the region felt that the rental
rates were comparable. Vice Mayor De Rosa clarified that the model provided
assumes that the schools would have to pay to rent the space. Mr. Webb
stated that some assumptions have been made about some schools utilization,
but the demand they represent is not completely factored in. In response to
Vice Mayor De Rosa’s question regarding who the big rental customers would
be, Mr. Webb stated that there are at least a dozen that were not the schools.
He added that this is similar to the sport field concept, where it would be built
more for tournaments, but there may be a night a week that is open to
residents to use. There were organizations that Mr. Webb spoke to that were
not affiliated with the schools, but using the schools for performances. The
total number of days that those groups could use is around 450 days. The core
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group of resident users are the non-profit organizations from Dublin and the area that were identified apart from the schools. Class Acts Entertainment participated in the scheduling charrette that was held which was very helpful as they book some large and more well-known bands for Independence Day and events like that. Vice Mayor De Rosa stated that this has been helpful to understand who has the ability to pay.
Ms. Alutto stated that this feels similar to the process that was done in 2015. There is clearly a desire for a Performing Arts Center. She would like to understand how the pro forma is impacted factoring in a multipurpose center as Mr. Keeler suggested and what it could look like for the Dublin Arts Council to be the non-profit that would operate it. She expressed doubt about the City wanting to operate the facility. She agrees it is for the community, there is a
broader, larger regional impact. She stated that there are some other potential
financial mechanisms that could be used. She was unsure whether it would be
a 500-seat or a 700-seat, because it depends on the financial information. She
stated that she agrees it should be more about a cultural arts center. She
thanked Mr. Webb for the information.
Ms. Kramb agreed that everyone would want to have a facility like this. She
stated that the report shows a demand. She feels the City should not be
building or operating a facility like this. She would like to see this opened up to
any nonprofit or for-profit company that would like to take this idea and run
with it. She expressed that the City should not be spending this money on
another amenity when we are cutting out sewer services to residents in the
CIP. She thinks the facility is a great idea to hand off to someone else.
Mr. Reiner is interested in further exploration of this facility and the idea of
having the Dublin Arts Council operating it. He would like to get more feedback
from David Guion, Executive Director of the Dublin Arts Council (DAC), and the
DAC Board. He expressed some concern over the funding to build and
maintain the facility.
Ms. Amorose Groomes stated that, as she reviewed the list of participants in
these discussions for this type of a facility, she is not sure any of them could be
paying users. She found that concerning. She expressed concern over the City
of Dublin going to residents and corporate residents asking for money for this
purpose. She state that it was more appropriate from a different body such as
the Dublin Arts Council or whoever we would deem appropriate. She stated
that there should be a fundraising campaign led by champions in the
community. She feels it is important to identify some champions early that
would be willing to have those conversations. She expressed concern
regarding the Critical Path Plan because it appears that the design team would
be selected before the capital campaign is started. She understands the
timeline and urgency, but there is a fiduciary responsibility not to design
something that cannot be funded. She reiterated that community champions
should be identified, conversations held, but that it should not be the City
making those requests.
Ms. Alutto agreed that the community champions should be identified, much
like the capital campaign for the Library. She also added that the design piece
is a bit premature. She agreed that the City should not be the capital
Campaign.
In response to Vice Mayor De Rosa’s question regarding the funding of the
McCoy Center, Mr. Webb responded that he did not have that information. Vice
Mayor De Rosa asked about the approach to build an endowment first. She
wanted to know more about the sequence of things. Mr. Webb stated that the
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McCoy Center hired the person who ran the Overture Center in Madison to come and finish the fundraising, which was driven mostly in the private sector to get the building open. He added that there is significant private sector support for operations. Mr. Webb stated that the current practice around endowments is to add a component to the capital campaign, generally a minimum of about 20% more, to start an endowment and an operating reserve.
Mr. Keeler stated that, regarding operations, he believes the Columbus Association for Performing Arts (CAPA) is best suited to operate this because this is what they do. He agrees that the City should not own the facility. He sees the City as being the catalyst that helps this initiative along. He agrees
that a Capital Campaign Committee should be formed.
Mayor Fox agreed the City needs a performing and cultural arts center to balance it out and bring arts to the forefront. She added that many of the groups that Mr. Webb interviewed can’t pay. However, this would be a cultural art center, and we have a diverse community of people, who put resources toward elevating their cultural traditions and arts. This would be an important element as the conversation turns to forming a Capital Campaign Committee. Mayor Fox also expressed a desire to have the space be flexible, so that it could be rented out for larger events that may or may not be related to the arts. She
would like to keep the studio theater because dinner theaters are very popular
among the facilities that exist. She would like to break away from the
traditional Performing Arts Center and look at the different ways the space
could be utilized to make money and create interest. She is also interested in
partnerships, specifically with the schools.
Mr. Ranc stated that Webb Mgmt. has completed the draft consolidated report.
He stated that he heard questions about the Critical Path Plan and offered to
bring it back if Council wished to see something different. He stated that he
would like direction regarding what the model for a Capital Campaign
Committee should look like and who would lead that effort when it comes to a
fundraising strategy and a firmer design to get better numbers on cost.
Ms. Amorose Groomes stated that she is not comfortable with the City being
the entity that is doing the feasibility studies and the capital campaigns.
Whoever does those things needs to own it, and whoever examines these next
steps is the body that has to own them. She is not supportive of that being a
City initiative. She is not sure it is fair to do these feasibility studies and tell
someone else what the outcome should be.
Ms. Alutto agreed that she is not opposed to the City facilitating the
conversation, but it should not be the City’s conversation. She suggested that
the composition of the Capital Campaign Committee be discussed at the
committee level.
Ms. Kramb agreed that the City should facilitate someone else taking this to the
next step.
Vice Mayor De Rosa agreed that the logical next step is to have a body that can
see who will take the lead and be responsible. She requested that the
endowment be part of the capital campaign.
Mayor Fox stated that the City has to be the catalyst or it will never get off the
ground. She agreed that maybe the Community Development Committee
(CDC) should continue the conversation in identifying who could champion this
with us.
Mr. Keeler stated that there was a fundraising study as part of the package
done previously (2015). He stated that there are questions and comments, but
where do we start? He asked if the City should work with a nonprofit, create a
separate entity, activate the Dublin Community Foundation, etc. There is a lot
of opportunity here, but he feels there needs to be a team of 10 to 20
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connected individuals. He stated that the City needs to be involved or it feels like we are telling others to go build a performing arts center. Mr. Ranc stated that when the topic was before the CDC, Committee members determined that City Council feedback was needed. There was new information as well regarding the economic impact analysis. The next steps are to put together a fundraising strategy for the capital campaign and get better costs. The Committee can facilitate this discussion of who should be approached. Ms. Kramb clarified that the group that will be doing the fundraising needs to determine how the fundraising will be done. Ms. Kramb also asked that the report include definitions that can speak to what
assumptions were made and how rental cost was calculated. Ms. O'Callaghan stated that staff will also adjust the Critical Path Plan as discussed this evening.
STAFF COMMENTS
Ms. O'Callaghan announced that Dublin has received the Gold Level award as part of the Ohio EPA’s Encouraging Environment Excellence in Communities program. This
recognition speaks to our commitment to be the Most Sustainable Global City of
Choice. The application process required a significant amount of research and
collaboration amongst staff. She recognized Management Interns, Mason Althouse and
Hayley Griggs, who were integral in compiling over 400 pages of documents. Dublin is
one of, if not the first, community in Ohio to achieve the highest-level award in this
program.
COUNCIL REPORTS
e Community Development Committee: Mr. Reiner shared that the Committee
discussed the US 33/I-270 Interchange planting beds. The Committee provided
feedback and staff will be providing options that incorporate the Committee’s
feedback when we meet tomorrow at 5:00 p.m. The Committee will bring
forward a recommendation on these planting beds to Council at an upcoming
meeting.
e Liaison Reports:
o 33 Corridor: Vice Mayor De Rosa stated that there is continued
conversation regarding development and the roles and responsibilities
that everyone plays in mutual collaboration.
Mr. Keeler added that the National BMX Event that occurred was a joint
event with Dublin and Union County this past weekend. Marysville is in
the process of annexing 1800 acres east of the City. He sees a great
opportunity in the 33 Corridor for Honda’s commitment to change over
to electric vehicles by 2040. He also mentioned that the Avalon
Theater in Marysville has a speaker series. He spent some time with
Jerome Township Administrator Brandon Stanley. He complimented Mr.
Stanley on the contributions he will bring to the area. Finally, Mr.
Keeler stated that the roundabout plan at Mitchell Dewitt has been
experiencing issues with bids.
o Dublin Arts Council: Mr. Reiner stated that Elise Sanchez is currently
showing her art show “Behind the Surface”. The show features bold,
exciting patterns and will be available to be viewed through September
8. There will be an artist talk with Ms. Sanchez on September 5 at 6:00
p.m. Sundays at the Scioto started on the 27" and will run until
October the 8",
o Washington Township: Ms. Kramb shared that an e-mail was sent to
Council Members looking for some stakeholders to participate in a
stakeholder meeting. She asked each Council Member to identify one or
two people that they would recommend be invited to participate.
o MOQORPC: Ms. Amorose Groomes reported that a new body is being
formed; it is the Statewide Ohio Passenger Rail Coalition. She will
attend their inaugural meeting.
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o Envision Dublin: She stated that meetings are coming up relative to the Envision Dublin Community Plan update. On Tuesday night, there is a
public input session and on Wednesday evening, Council will have a
joint meeting with planning boards to discuss the Envision Dublin
project.
COUNCIL ROUNDTABLE
Ms. Kramb reminded everyone that on September 6" is a candidate night that the Chamber of Commerce is hosting at the BMI Federal Credit Union at 6:30 p.m.
Mr. Keeler stated it was a great turnout for the Boat in the Field dedication. There
were members of Red Trabue’s family there, which was touching.
Mr. Reiner commented on the public art piece, as well, and is happy it will bring a
strong reputation to Dublin.
Vice Mayor De Rosa stated that she noticed people stopped to have a conversation
around the Boat in the Field, which was wonderful to see.
Mayor Fox stated that, Sherry Smith, Chief Nursing Officer at Dublin Methodist and
O'Grady Memorial Hospital, is a 20 year Air Force veteran, and Ohio Health is
sponsoring her to accompany the September 28" Honor flight to Washington D.C.
ADJOURNMENT
The meeting was adjourned at 9:39 p.m.
Mayor — P siding Officer’