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HomeMy WebLinkAbout03-03-2025 Council MinutesRECORD OF RROGEEDINGS Minutes of Meeting GOVERNMENT FORMS & SUPPLIES 844-224-3338 FORM NO. 10748 ' 20 Held Marci 3, 2025 CALL TO ORDER Mayor Amorose Groomes called the Monday, March 3, 2025 Regular Council Meeting of Dublin City Council to order at 5:00 p.m. ROLL CALL Members present were Vice Mayor Alutto, Mayor Amorose Groomes, Ms. De Rosa, Ms. Fox, Mr. Keeler, Ms. Kramb and Mr. Reiner. Staff members present were Ms. O'Callaghan, Mr. Hartmann, Chief Paez, Ms. Weisenauer, Ms. Rauch, Ms. Singh, Mr. Hendershot, Mr. Gable, Ms. Blake, Ms. Willis, Mr. Anderson, Ms. Goliver, Ms. Hoffman, Mr. Earman, Mr. Barker, Mr. Ashford, Ms. LeRoy, Mr. Ament and Ms. Steiner. Others present were Brian Kinzelman, MKSK; Bill Adams, Bright Road Partners LLC; Jerome Barth, TownSquare; Jim Arnold, Sports Facilities Companies ADJOURN TO EXECUTIVE SESSION Mayor Amorose Groomes moved to adjourn to executive session for the purposes of discussing the employment of a public employee and the appointment of a public official. Vice Mayor Alutto seconded. Vote on the motion: Ms. De Rosa, yes; Ms. Kramb, yes; Mr. Keeler, yes; Vice Mayor Alutto, yes; Mr. Reiner, yes; Ms. Fox, yes; Mayor Amorose Groomes, yes. RECONVENED: 7:00 p.m. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE Mayor Amorose Groomes invited Ms. Kramb to lead the Pledge of Allegiance. CITIZEN COMMENTS There were no citizen comments. CONSENT AGENDA e Minutes of the February 18, 2025 Regular Council Meeting There was no request to remove an item from the Consent Agenda. Mayor Amorose Groomes moved to approve the Consent Agenda. Vice Mayor Alutto seconded the motion. Vote on the motion: Mr. Keeler, yes; Ms. Kramb, yes; Vice Mayor Alutto, yes; Mr. Reiner, yes; Mayor Amorose Groomes, yes; Ms. De Rosa, yes; Ms. Fox, yes. INTRODUCTION/FIRST READING — ORDINANCES Ordinance 04-25 Rezoning approximately 14.2 acres (PID 273-008618 and PID 273-011149) from R-1, Restricted Suburban Residential to PUD, Planned Unit Development District for development of 20 single-family lots with 5.8 acres of open space and associated site improvements under the provisions of Zoning Code Section 153.050 (Case 24-135Z/PDP) Vice Mayor Alutto introduced the Ordinance. Ms. Singh stated that the 14.2-acre site (outlined in yellow below) is comprised of two parcels and are zoned R-1 Restricted Suburban Residential. This is surrounded by Residential Suburban District to the northeast and west. Hopewell Elementary School is located across Bright Road to the southeast and Ferris Wright Park to the southwest. Minutes of RECORD OS ROGEEDINGS ounc F Meeting GOVERNMENT FORMS & SUPPLIES 844-224-3338 FORM NO. 10148 Held March 3, 2025 Page 2 of 20. 20) ac Outtiw: rs i Grande} Cliffsoy The eastern parcel includes a steep wooded ravine and a floodplain. Previously, a single- family home was located on this parcel and was demolished in 2018. There is a grove of mature trees where the former home site was located and there is an existing asphalt driveway at the intersection of Bright Road and Grandee Cliffs Drive which provides access to the site from Bright Road. Bright Road has a very rural character. There are no curbs; there is a ditch, some trees and there are homes with large setbacks. Ms. Singh stated that the Community Plan is the key policy document which assists in the evaluation of development proposals that come forward and helps to ensure that the proposed development aligns with the community's long-term goals and objectives. The recommended future land use for this site is residential low density. This use envisions large-lot residential developments that take into account environmentally sensitive areas that integrate natural features within the development. The goal is to create a transition from a rural setting to suburban single-family residential neighborhoods. The principal use for this area is single family homes and the proposed density is .5 to two dwelling units per acre. The proposed density for this subdivision is 1.4 dwelling units per acre, which aligns with the recommended density within the Envision Dublin Plan. The site is not under any special area plan and no new connections through the site have been identified in the Thoroughfare Plan. The City adopted the Neighborhood Design Guidelines in March 2023 to ensure that the Residential Planned Unit Developments are meeting the intent as outlined in the Code and to produce more creative and sustainable neighborhoods around a very purposeful open space network. The Guidelines focus on preservation of natural historic features, pedestrian-oriented streetscape and very unique neighborhoods with a variety of dwelling types. This proposal meets the intent of the Neighborhood Design Guidelines. The most prominent natural features present on this site are Billingsley Creek, the West Wood reserve area, and the trees along the north and south of the property. Planning and Zoning Commission acknowledge that the proposal meets the intent of the conservation design resolution. The site is accessible from Bright Road at the intersection of Bright Road and Grandee Cliffs Drive. The proposed development consists of 20 single-family lots. Sidewalks are proposed on one side of the street. Four reserves are proposed, which total approximately 5.8 acres of public open space. The development is intended to be sensitive to the established character of the surrounding single-family neighborhoods while conserving the existing natural features on the site. The smallest lot is .22-acre and the largest lot is close to half an acre. Side setbacks are the minimum six feet with a total of 14 feet per lot. The minimum private open space varies from 20 feet to 25 feet depending upon the lot location. The existing tree rows along the north and south of the property are well preserved as no-build zones and they are well preserved on the individual lots. The subdivision regulations require land dedication for open space and recreational facilities. A RECORD OF FROGEEDINGS Minutes of Meeting GOVERNMENT FORMS & SUPPLIES 844-224-3338 FORM NO, 10148 Held March 3, 2025 Page 3 of 20 20 minimum of .88 acres of open space is required based on the site acreage and the number of single-family lots. Open Space Open Space required: 0.88-acre Open Space provided: 5.8-acre West Wood 24 Gty of Dublin City of Dublin Tt Billingsiey BAL City of Dublin City of Dublin Central Court 0.29 ‘Oty of Dubin HOA | (Reserve C) | East Court 0.027 Cty of Dublin HOA (Reserve 0) Reserve A will be preserved as passive community open space and will include all necessary stormwater management facilities. The City is best suited to maintain the proposed residential stormwater management basins to ensure that it is properly maintained and in good working order. Reserve B includes a portion of Billingsley Creek and is primarily comprised of a FEMA designated special flood hazard area. The City of Dublin is best suited to maintain the waterways on Reserve B to ensure that it is properly maintained and there is proper operation of waterways. This reserve will be maintained in its natural state. The other two reserves are designated to be open space connections and will be maintained by the homeowners’ association (HOA). Five-foot sidewalks are proposed along the eastern side of the street and the remainder of the neighborhood is proposed with ADA accessible driveways to provide access to the sidewalk on the opposite side of the street. Envision Dublin requires six-foot sidewalks on both sides of the street in any new development. The applicant requested to intentionally depart from the required standards to preserve the green spaces and maintain the rural character of the proposed development. Staff recommended a condition of approval that the applicant provide six-foot sidewalk on both sides of the street in the subdivision and revise the text at the Planning and Zoning Commission (PZC) meeting. Given the rural character of the neighborhood and the intent of the community, PZC supported five-foot sidewalks on one side of the street and the condition was removed. Staff would like Council’s feedback on the sidewalk locations. Envision Dublin recommends that the pedestrian and bike facilities be included on both sides of the road. The City is currently working to extend the shared use path on the south side of Bright Road. This path will cross Billingsley Creek and terminate at Grandee Cliffs Drive. Given the character of Bright Road with creeks and mature trees, staff stated they are satisfied with the shared use path on one side of the street, which will be on the south side to ensure that it is connected to the future shared use path. To maintain open space network connections, one crosswalk is proposed at the intersection. The applicant proposed an additional crosswalk which was required by the staff along the southwest portion of the site. The applicant has since removed the second crosswalk. Staff suggested that both the crosswalks are necessary to ensure connectivity to the shared use path and recommended that the plan be revised to ensure that these connections are well shown. An access is also required for the maintenance of the stormwater basin in the West Wood area. Staff recommended a continuous shared use path to be constructed per City standards within the reserve. Staff requested Council’s feedback regarding the crosswalks and the path. The development is intended to be 172 to two story single family high quality custom homes with two or three car garages and they will be themed on the European country architecture. The materials would include bricks, stone and stucco. Ms. Singh shared the RECORD OF FROGEEDINGS Minutes of blin City Council Meeting GOVERNMENT FORM UPPLIES 844-224-3338 FORM NO, TOTS Held March 3, 2025 Page 4 of 20 20 preliminary development plan criteria and stated that most of the criteria were either met or met with conditions at the February 6, 2025 PZC meeting. Planning and Zoning Commission recommended approval to City Council with nine conditions. The applicant has met all the conditions with the exception of one involving the shared use path per the City maintenance standards. Staff recommended approval of the Ordinance at the second reading/public hearing on March 17 and requested Council feedback on the sidewalk locations, crosswalks and the shared use path within the reserve. She also noted that the applicant is present and has a presentation as well. John Rahm, 4273 Hanna Hills Dr., Dublin, came forward and stated that he is not opposed to this development proposal. He stated this development seems to be in line with the other neighborhoods. His neighborhood does not have sidewalks. He stated the homes are all “cottage-like” and the road does not experience heavy traffic. He is concerned about the paving that the City wants to put in the water runoff areas. He has water issues in his backyard. He suggested a gravel path rather than paved so he will not have water run-off. Randy Roth, 6987 Grandee Cliffs Dr., Dublin, came forward and thanked Mr. Adams and the team for meeting with the Civic Association repeatedly and listening to the concerns. They have been attentive to concerns. He appreciated the conversations regarding buffering and the southeast corner of this property which floods a lot. He is confident that this will be a nice development. He thanked Council for their support for the Community Plan in East Dublin. Bill Adams, 4338 Bright Road Partners LLC, came forward as the applicant. He stated there are nine conditions coming out of the Planning and Zoning Commission meeting. He stated they are in agreement with all but one of the conditions, which is concerning the shared use path in the West Wood Reserve area. Staff would like to see an eight- to ten- foot-wide asphalt paved path and he is adamantly opposed to that. He introduced Brian Kinzelman from MKSK to speak on behalf of the applicant. Brian Kinzelman, MKSK, 462 S. Ludlow Alley, Columbus, stated that Ms. Singh did a great job presenting, so he would not be reiterating all that has been presented. Rather, he would be focused on the issue of the asphalt trail. He stated that the goal is to preserve as many trees and as much of the natural environment as possible in this development. The wooded areas are to remain as they are, except for the West Wood Reserve area where a detention basin (a dry basin) will be placed and then relandscaped. He stated that they agree that maintenance access to the detention basin is needed, but they proposed it should be compacted aggregate and not asphalt paved. They want to make sure that it is not confused as a shared-use path or multi-use trail. They do not want to encourage pedestrian or bicycle traffic into the area because it backs up to existing residents’ backyards. He stated a casual path to connect to the central community gathering area is planned. This trail is at the edge of the woods and not through the woods. This is a deviation from what staff has asked for. He stated that this is a PUD zoned area, and they are very sensitive to the environmental quality of this wood lot and the neighbors. He stated there is sufficient bicycle and pedestrian access through the front intersection that is on the south side of Bright Road. He stated that their opinion is that another pathway trail is not needed into the site. He reiterated that they agree that access to the detention basin and its discharge device is necessary, but a paved asphalt path is not appropriate. Mr. Reiner asked if the HOA will maintain the detention basin. Mr. Kinzelman stated that there have been many discussions with staff about who will be responsible for maintenance. Staff indicated that because stormwater management is involved, the City would like to own and maintain it. He stated that the applicant does not have compelling arguments one way or the other. It is currently stipulated in the application that the City will own and maintain all four reserves. Mr. Reiner stated he cannot understand why the City would have to take that on that responsibility. Mayor Amorose Groomes stated that it has been the City’s practice to own and maintain retention basins, but not so much RECORD OF PROGEEDINGS Minutes of ublin City Council Meeting GOVERNMENT FORMS & SUPPLIES 844-224-G338 FORM NO, 10128 Held March 3, 2025 Page 5 of 20 20 detention basins. This would be a dry basin outside of a water event. Mr. Reiner stated that this should be given back to the HOA and let the homeowners be responsible for maintaining it. Mr. Kinzelman stated that they are fine with switching the responsibility back to the HOA. Mr. Reiner stated that if they do take over the maintenance, then maybe the access does not have to be an eight-foot-wide trail any longer. Mr. Kinzelman stated that this should not be asphalt for the sake of periodic maintenance and they do not want to encourage pedestrian and bicycle traffic. Mr. Hendershot stated that his staff is responsible for the operation and maintenance of stormwater management facilities that the City has responsibility for maintaining across Dublin. He described the Vac Haul which is basically a combination of a vacuum truck and a jetting truck. He stated that there have been situations where staff needs to access a basin that is overfilling with water. Many times, it is in the winter months, so the conditions are not great. Staff’s concern is that to not have a hard surface path to access the area with the required equipment is problematic. It would also be a problem not to be able to traverse around that stormwater management facility. He stated it will be difficult regardless due to the number of trees that the equipment has to get through. He is concerned about the connectivity and the material being used not being sufficient to withstand city maintenance vehicle traffic. He added that the Stormwater Management Design Manual requires a stable path to all stormwater management facilities. Ms. De Rosa asked about the flooding in the area and what needs to be done about that. She also asked about staff’s perspective on the City’s history of maintaining these facilities versus the HOA. Mr. Hendershot stated that for the past several years, the City’s practice is to own the reserves due to the maintenance aspect. If the City needs to get into an area to address an emergency, there may be a legal concern with accessing the property if the City does not own the land. Additionally, Mr. Hendershot explained that the City is better equipped to handle the stormwater management function of the basins. Regarding the flooding, Mr. Hendershot stated that as part of the City’s Waterways Maintenance Program, the City intervenes when there are blockages or if there is a stream stabilization issue. This is specific to waterways on City property or waterways on private property where the City has drainage responsibilities. Franklin Soil and Water Conservation District is working with the City to reinspect the over 50 miles of waterways that are in the City of Dublin. Staff has been working with them to prioritize inspection of the waterways on this property (Bright Road) so staff can assess the condition. If any deficiencies are identified, staff would work with the developer to get them corrected. He reiterated that the City is best equipped to maintain waterways through the implementation of the Waterways Maintenance Program. Mr. Reiner asked if the City is reimbursed by any of the HOAs for the City’s time, materials, or staff. Mr. Hendershot stated that if it is determined and agreed upon through the process that the City is taking over maintenance responsibilities, it would be the City maintaining those facilities. He added that the dry basin is a large dry basin and there are some nuances with the maintenance of those. Mr. Reiner asked if the City ever splits the work with the HOA so the City does the drainage of the basin, but the HOA maintains the landscaping, mowing etc. Mr. Hendershot stated that there is quite a bit of history on this subject. Several years ago, City Council referred the topic of stormwater management functionality and maintenance to the Community Services Advisory Committee (CSAC). Ms. O'Callaghan stated that before the referral to CSAC, this topic goes back to a series of in- depth conversations with the Public Services Committee and the practices that Mr. Hendershot just spoke about. She stated that the discussions at the Committee were due to several neighborhood HOAs coming to the City requesting financial assistance or requesting that the City take over the maintenance because they did not have the resources. The HOAs were not set up to cover that extensive of a cost. These practices are consistent with what came out of those discussions. Mr. Hendershot explained the Stormwater Grant Pilot Project that is in the current Capital Improvement Plan (CIP). So far, no applications have been received. RECORD OF PROGEEDINGS ounc Minutes of Meeting GOVERNMENT FORMS & SUPPLIES 644-224-3538 FORM NO, 10146 Held March 3, 2025 Page 6 of 20 20 Ms. Fox asked if Mr. Hendershot was proposing to have a paved path around the circumference of the basin. Mr. Hendershot stated that the Stormwater Management Design Manual requires a maintenance berm around the perimeter of a basin. The intent behind that is so the utility crew has a flat surface around the perimeter of the basin for access. The Manual also requires a stable path. Mr. Hendershot reiterated his concerns about having to traverse the equipment in weather conditions or at night in this area without a stable surface. Ms. Fox stated that people coming out of Ferris-Wright Park that see a black asphalt path may mistake it for a shared use path. She asked if there was a surface that was more rural looking that the equipment could be on safely. She would like to figure out a way to achieve the design aesthetic that is desired and still provide for maintenance access. Ms. Kramb asked if it is possible to make a compacted gravel path stable if there was a turnaround as well. She added that in this area of town, none of the open reserve spaces have shared use paths on them. She stated that there is a trend in this area of natural areas with trees that are City-owned but do not have paths. She stated that she was supportive of the least amount of path possible. She stated that if access is needed for maintenance, then access should be granted, but it should not be a shared use path. She stated that she does not see this as a connection issue since none of the neighborhoods in this area are connected that way. Mr. Keeler stated that he agrees with Ms. Kramb’s comments. He stated that he is supportive of the crosswalk for safety purposes and the sidewalks in the neighborhood. With respect to the path, he suggested using very large aggregate covered in dirt and grass that is planted over it. He stated he understands that the equipment has to be able to turn around or back up through the area. He agrees that this area should be kept as natural as possible. Mr. Kinzleman stated that what Mr. Keeler suggested is what is in the development text now; eight-foot-wide compacted subgrade, compacted aggregate, clearing place for turnaround. Ms. De Rosa stated that the challenge is that staff engineers are advising us to adhere to the standards. Past experience has shown that flooding and maintenance issues will fall to City Council. She stated that it is all fine until something happens and then the residents want something done. She recalled the discussions on the Public Service Committee about this topic and how these standards were established. She suggested paving the path and then covering it with something that looks more natural. She recommended that Council respect the advice of the engineering staff. Ms. De Rosa also noted that if during the floodplain review, flooding is found to be an issue, then a condition should exist on this development for that as well. Mayor Amorose Groomes stated that grass pavers could offer a simple solution. She stated that they are made of concrete. She described that it is installed on a compact subgrade with soil over top and it provides a solid surface that can be driven on. She shared that it is a stable surface but accomplishes the goal of keeping it natural as well. Mayor Amorose Groomes stated that given the measurements of the drain body, it would appear as though this will require maintenance. She stated that in her opinion, dry basins are more difficult to maintain than wet because of the sediment moving through that has the opportunity to dry there. She stressed the importance of access for when these maintenance issues arise. She asked if staff believed the grass pavers to be an option. Mr. Hendershot stated that in his experience working with Washington Township Fire Department, he is aware that they have stopped using grass pavers because they found it problematic trying to find the grass paver areas in the middle of February when it is snowing. Mr. Hendershot stated that for context, the vac haul equipment is 33 tons, so it is a large heavy vehicle similar to a fire truck. Mayor Amorose Groomes summarized by stating that the applicant is in agreement with eight of the conditions. There is still work to be done on the access path to find a material that will suit the needs for access in inclement weather while maintaining the naturalized RECORD OF RROGEEDINGS ounc! Minutes of Meeting JOVERNIVIENT FORM UPPLIES 844-225-3338 FORM NO, 1018 Held March 3, 2025 Page 7 of 20 20 area. Mr. Kinzelman stated that if the asphalt paved path is off the table, then they are happy to work with engineering staff to get something that will work for both staff and the applicant. He agreed that access is important and needs to be clearly marked. Mayor Amorose Groomes stated that she agrees that the City should have the maintenance of this as is consistent with our practices, but the HOA can maintain the balance of everything but the drainage body. Ms. Fox stated that these detention basins are not only necessary but can also be a beautiful feature. Many times, the goal is to maintain the water quality and the drainage part, but the ability for them to become a neighborhood amenity with plantings and an overlook should be explored as well. Mayor Amorose Groomes stated that the applicant has indicated that they do not want to encourage people to come through the site. Mr. Kinzelman stated that there is a casual walk that could be decomposed granite, limestone or flagstone to get not only the homeowners in this development but the neighbors coming into the central court area to take in the larger landscape. Ms. Fox stated that she would be supportive if the homeowners wanted to landscape around the basins and make them better amenities. Vice Mayor Alutto stated that she agrees that the City should maintain the detention basin. She also agreed that the area should try to stay as natural as possible. She does believe that we need to find a solution that addresses the advice of the engineering staff as well as the desire of the development. She clarified that if the City owns the property, then technically it is public property and people can go there. Mr. Kinzelman stated that another option is to have the property owned by the HOA and they could grant the City an easement for access to the facility as needed. Council’s feedback was sought regarding the sidewalk on both sides of the street or just one side. Mr. Kinzelman stated that Planning and Zoning Commission agreed to sidewalk on one side due to the size and scale of this development. Ms. Kramb stated that if the PZC agreed to only one side, then she is supportive of one side. Mr. Reiner agreed that sidewalk on one side makes sense. He added that if the street arrangement were more linear, then he would do both sides. Mr. Reiner also commented on the housing style and noted that he is hopeful to see some variation in the housing. Mr. Kinzelman stated that they are all custom homes with one builder. Mayor Amorose Groomes clarified that many details will be covered in the development text. Ms. De Rosa stated that this does not feel like a compact development to her with these large lots. The City has a standard for sidewalks on both sides of the street. She stated that this feels inconsistent that bigger homes are not required to have sidewalks but smaller homes are. She was supportive of sidewalk on both sides of the street. Vice Mayor Alutto stated that she would normally agree with Ms. De Rosa’s comments, but this area is different because of where it is. She stated that she is supportive of sidewalk on one side of the street. She also expressed support for the crosswalks that are proposed. Mr. Keeler stated that one side of the street for sidewalks is adequate. Mayor Amorose Groomes stated that she would support sidewalk on both sides of the street. She stated that residents have been told that this is our standard. She added that Council required both sides so they had to have trees removed in order to make room for sidewalk on both sides of the street. There are currently no homes built yet and this is an appropriate time to apply the standard uniformly across the City. RECORD OF RROGEEDINGS ounc: Minutes of Meeting GOVERNMENT FORMS & SUPPLIES 644-224-3808 FORM NO, 10148 Held March 3, 2025 Page 8 of 20 20 Ms. De Rosa stated that she would like to see some comparisons of size for neighborhoods where Council required sidewalk on both sides of the street. Ms. Kramb added that none the adjacent neighborhoods around this area have any sidewalks. Ms. De Rosa stated that she is looking at the standards that are being applied to other neighborhoods. Ms. Fox stated that in cases where the goal is to create a mood and bring in architectural concepts then it would ruin the aesthetic to introduce suburban sidewalks on both sides. She stated that she understood that we have a precedent in some places but there are traditional suburban streets so it looks fine. She advocated using stamped concrete or another color to carry through the aesthetic. She is in favor of sidewalk on one side of the street. Ms. Willis stated that there is a project in the CIP that does include a study to consider adding sidewalks on Bright Road and in the area neighborhoods where it could be on one side or both sides. The original thought was to have sidewalks on both sides of the road. Second reading and public hearing is scheduled for March 17, 2025. Ordinance 05-25 Amending the Annual Appropriations for the Fiscal Year Ending December 31, 2025 (Q1) Vice Mayor Alutto introduced the Ordinance. Ms. Hoffman stated that this Ordinance contains reappropriations of capital projects approved in prior years but not executed or encumbered by the expirations of those appropriations. It also contains financial adjustments and requests to appropriate funds that have been identified as opportunities to utilize restricted funding for police seizure monies. There were no public comments. Ms. Kramb asked how many acres the Carter Farms property is because the money to update the rail study because of that property seems high. Ms. Willis stated that the Carter Farms property is 137 acres which doubles the area that is being contemplated for rail. In addition to the rail itself, Ms. Willis stated that staff is also contemplating both sides of the rail with regard to land use and how it all fits together. In response to Mayor Amorose Groomes’ question regarding whether the money anticipates the local contribution to phase two study, Ms. Willis responded that it does not. Ms. Fox asked about the cost on the monument signs, specifically regarding the design. She stated that she thought the design was already paid for. Ms. Willis stated that the work that has been done to date has been developing the conceptual drawings and the idea of what the monument signs would look like. The money in this legislation is for the detailed construction drawings. Ms. O'Callaghan added that the construction drawings are for each individual location. Ms. De Rosa stated that she had the same question and asked that the information on what has been spent on design be included in the memo. Ms. De Rosa asked about Section 7 of the Ordinance showing $1.5 million in appropriations for the Fiber to the Home project. She asked if this was new money or reappropriated. Ms. Hoffman stated that it was reappropriated. Ms. De Rosa also asked about the $2.3 million for the Dublin Community Recreation Center and asked if there has been a change to that figure. Ms. Hoffman stated that there is no change to the amount and that the $2.3 million is the balance left of the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding. In response to Ms. De Rosa’s question regarding no new dollars in this appropriation list, Ms. Hoffman clarified that the only new dollars are for the Police seizure money. RECORD OF PROGEEDINGS ouncil Minutes of Meeting GOVERNMENT FORMS & SUPPLIES 644-224-3308 FORM NO, 10148 Held March 3, 2025 Page 9 of 20. 20 Second reading and public hearing is scheduled for March 17, 2025. INTRODUCTION/PUBLIC HEARING/VOTE — RESOLUTIONS Resolution 11-25 Accepting the Lowest and Best Bid of the 2025 Shared Use Path and Parking Lot Maintenance Project, (25-003-CIP) Vice Mayor Alutto introduced the Resolution. Mr. Gable stated that staff conducted a competitive bid for the shared use path and parking lot maintenance program for 2025 which provides annual maintenance in various locations in the shared use path network and in City parking lots. This project is funded from the 2025-2029 CIP. The Engineer's Estimate for this project is $742,900 which included two alternates. On February 5, 2025, seven bids were received and publicly opened. Burn Jones submitted the lowest and best bid of $551,971.47. After the bids were received, staff elected to include the performance of alternate one and two. Staff recommended approval. There were no public comments. Mr. Reiner asked about the Engineer’s Estimate and whether it is based on square footage and the price per square foot. Mr. Gable stated that staff considers past years’ work and looks at any trends they are seeing. Ms. Kramb asked about whether staff removes a couple of layers of tar before resealing. She has noticed that it looks like it has been sanded off before they fill in the cracks. Mr. Gable stated that he was not certain why they would have sanded the area. He added that there is preparatory work that goes into sealing the path or parking lot. He described the preparatory work that can be a part of this work. In response to Ms. Kramb’s question regarding staff inspecting the work that was done on shared use path maintenance for 2024, Mr. Gable responded affirmatively. Vote on the Resolution: Mayor Amorose Groomes, yes; Mr. Reiner, yes; Ms. Fox, yes; Ms. De Rosa, yes; Mr. Keeler, yes; Vice Mayor Alutto, yes; Ms. Kramb, yes. Resolution 12-25 Accepting the Lowest and Best Bid for the Streetlight Improvements - Historic District & Tuller Rd (23-026-CIP) Vice Mayor Alutto introduced the Resolution. Mr. Dilsaver stated that staff conducted a competitive bid for the streetlight improvements project in the Historic District and Tuller Road project. This project combines two projects from the CIP in an effort to attract a larger pool of potential bidders along with maximizing efficiency of construction. The Historic Dublin portion of the project includes wiring improvements and implementation of a dimming system to enhance efficiency, reliability and adaptability of the streetlights. The Tuller Road portion involves wiring improvements and upgrading the lighting controller along Tuller Road between Riverside Drive and Village Parkway. This work will improve the reliability and stability of these streetlights as well. The 2025-2029 CIP includes $390,000 for the construction of the project. On February 14, 2025, five bids were received and publicly opened and Jess Howard Electric Company submitted the lowest and best bid of $300,477 which is 7.6% under the Engineer's Estimate. Staff recommended approval. There were no public comments. Vote on the Resolution: Ms. Fox, yes; Ms. Kramb, yes; Mr. Keeler, yes; Mayor Amorose Groomes, yes; Ms. De Rosa, yes; Vice Mayor Alutto, yes; Mr. Reiner, yes. RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Ity Council Minutes of Meeting GOVERNMENT FORMS & SUPPLIES 844-224-3338 FORM NO, 10128 Held March 3, 2025 Page 10 of 20. 20 Resolution 13-25 Accepting the Lowest and Best Bid for the 2025 Street Tree Pruning Contract and Authorizing the City Manager to Enter into a Contract for the Project Vice Mayor Alutto introduced the Resolution. Mr. Anderson stated that this resolution is accepting the bid regarding the 2025 Street Tree Pruning contract. This contract is executed on a one-year turn. The program goal is to focus on increasing the City-wide pruning cycle from its previous five-year cycle to a three-year cycle. Current progress shows that this goal will likely be met in 2026. This contract includes the street pruning of 2,943 trees on 40 residential streets. Residents can find additional information about the program on the street tree pruning landing page and access the interactive map on the trees identified in this year’s program. This year, language was modified in the contract to establish specific timeframes for the completion of street groupings so progress can be at a more predictable pace. The City’s certified Arborist will be on-site during all pruning operations and the importance of final structural appearance will be stressed. Three bids were received, Davey Tree Expert Company was the lowest and best bidder for the total amount of $142,780 which is within the overall budget of $540,000. Mr. Anderston reported that staff is currently preparing an additional bid package for the utilization of the remaining 2025 funding. Staff recommended approval. There were no public comments. Mayor Amorose Groomes stated that she is fully supportive. She appreciates that the City has been playing catch-up, which is why some of the pruning cuts look larger than normal pruning cuts that would ideally be made. She stated that it looks as though we will be caught up at the completion of this work, but she advocated for keeping the dollars in the budget, so we do not fall behind again. Mr. Anderson stated that staying strong with the budget will allow staff to keep up with the maintenance moving forward. Ms. De Rosa stated that since the bid came in so low, she was wondering why staff only bid half of the work. Mr. Anderson stated that costs came in much lower than anticipated which is why staff is preparing another bid package to use the funding and extend the program. Ms. De Rosa asked why the costs came in lower than expected. Mr. Anderson stated that pricing has corrected over the last few years and bids came in even lower than expected. It puts the City in a great position to get about 6,000 trees pruned this year if the next bid is just as good as this one was. Ms. De Rosa stated that there is pruning that did not get done on some mature trees, so the larger pruning cuts are disturbing to residents. She asked how often the Arborist and supervisors inspect the work being done. Mr. Anderson stated that the Arborist is on-site multiples times throughout the day while work is going on. Vote on the Resolution: Ms. Kramb, yes; Vice Mayor Alutto, yes; Mr. Reiner, yes; Ms. Fox, yes; Ms. De Rosa, yes; Mayor Amorose Groomes, yes; Mr. Keeler, yes. Resolution 14-25 Accepting the Lowest and Best Bid for the Dublin Community Recreation Center Ultraviolet Sanitization System Replacement Project Vice Mayor Alutto introduced the Resolution. Mr. Earman stated that on January 29, 2025, two bids were opened for the Dublin Community Recreation Center (DCRC) Aquatics UV System Replacement Project. This project includes removal and disposal of the existing UV systems and the installation of new UV systems in all three bodies of water at the DCRC. These UV systems act as a secondary disinfection method to enhance the disinfection mechanisms of chlorine and reduce the chemical usage. This project was initially bid on January 7, but only one response was received and exceeded the budget amount. Staff rebid the project and has determined that the lowest and best bidder is OP Aquatics in the amount of $86,288.44 which is approximately 4% below the budged amount of $90,000. Staff recommended approval. RECORD OF | TROGEEDINGS unc Minutes of Meeting GOVERNMENT FORMS & SUPPLIES 644-224-0568 FORM NO, 10146 Held March 3, 2025 Page 11 of 20 20 There were no public comments. Vote on the Resolution: Mr. Keeler, yes; Ms. De Rosa, yes; Vice Mayor Alutto, yes; Ms. Fox, yes; Ms. Kramb, yes; Mr. Reiner, yes; Mayor Amorose Groomes, yes. Resolution 15-25 Authorizing the City Manager to Enter into an Agreement with Washington Township for the Drone as First Responder Program Vice Mayor Alutto introduced the Resolution. Deputy Chief Lattanzi stated that Sergeant Clark was present for the meeting and he is the resident expert in drones and played an integral part in developing the drone program at the Police Department. There are now over 20 officers Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) certified in piloting drones. Deputy Chief Lattanzi stated that this resolution is for the purpose of installing and maintaining equipment relating to the Drone as First Responder Program. The Drone as First Responder (DFR) Program is an FAA authorized program that enables our officers to send autonomous drones to emergency calls for service that are beyond an officer's visual line of sight. Drone technology enables first responders to increase their situational awareness, operate more effectively and save lives. Public safety technology such as DFR supplements police operations and safety programming. DFR can safely guide our officers into scenes using real-time information, monitoring large crowds ‘during events and provide critical details about traffic congestion or patterns. This license agreement would allow the City of Dublin to install and maintain DFR Program equipment on the Washington Township Administration Building located at 6200 Eiterman Road. The program will operate drone docking stations at four strategic locations in the City allowing coverage of the entire City. This agreement allows access to building rooftops as needed and states that the licensor (Washington Township) would provide power and internet access, while the City would pay for instillation costs. The Dublin Police Department is the first DFR Program in the nation to partner with both the school district and the Fire Departments for its launch sites. Staff recommended approval. There were no public comments. Ms. Fox stated that it will take 90 seconds for the drone to lift off and get to the site. Deputy Chief Lattanzi stated that was correct. Ms. Fox wanted the public to be aware of the new technology that the Police Department has initiated. Ms. De Rosa asked about the data that the drone will collect and record. Deputy Chief Lattanzi stated that the data will be stored and maintained by the company that we are partnering with. There is an auditing trail with each of the recordings to be stored securely in a similar platform as the body-worn camera footage. Vote on the Resolution: Mayor Amorose Groomes, yes; Mr. Reiner, yes; Mr. Keeler, yes; Vice Mayor Alutto, yes; Ms. Fox, yes; Ms. Kramb, yes; Ms. De Rosa, yes. Resolution 16-25 Authorizing the City Manager to Enter into an Agreement with Dublin City Schools for the Drone as First Responder Program Vice Mayor Alutto introduced the Resolution. Deputy Chief Lattanzi stated that this Resolution is similar to the previous Resolution (15- 25) regarding the DFR Program but it is entering into an agreement with the Dublin City Schools for the same purpose. This agreement would permit the installation and maintenance of the DFR equipment at the Dublin Scioto High School located at 4000 Hard Road and Grizzell Middle School located at 8705 Avery Road. Staff recommended approval. There were no public comments. RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Minutes of Meeting OVERNMENT FORMS & SUPPLIES 644-224-3336 FORM NO. 10148 Held March 3, 2025 Page 12 of 20 20 Vote on the Resolution: Vice Mayor Alutto, yes; Mayor Amorose Groomes, yes; Ms. De Rosa, yes; Ms. Fox, yes; Mr. Keeler, yes; Ms. Kramb, yes; Mr. Reiner, yes. Resolution 17-25 Declaring Support for the Preservation of the Federal Tax Exemption of Municipal Bonds Vice Mayor Alutto introduced the Resolution. Ms. Hoffman stated that this resolution declares the City’s support for preserving the federal exemption of municipal bonds. This exemption is set to expire in 2025 under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, which would significantly impact municipalities by increasing the cost of bond issuances, limiting the ability to finance infrastructure projects and leading to an increase in taxes and fees for taxpayers. Staff recommended approval. There were no public comments. Vote on the Resolution: Ms. Fox, yes; Mr. Reiner, yes; Ms. De Rosa, yes; Vice Mayor Alutto, yes; Ms. Kramb, yes; Mayor Amorose Groomes, yes; Mr. Keeler, yes. Resolution 18-25 Adopting the Community Health Needs Assessment Strategic Action Plan Vice Mayor Alutto introduced the Resolution. Ms. Steiner stated that a draft of the Community Health Needs Assessment Strategic Plan was presented at the February 18 Council meeting for feedback and review. This plan included detailed information on the four health priority areas along with specific objectives, action steps, organizational frameworks and target measurements. The feedback provided at the last meeting has been incorporated into the plan. At the February 18 meeting, Council requested additional information about the cost of the determined objectives. The majority of the objectives will not have a true dollar cost but will require staff time and effort and/or time contributions from other various work groups and partners. Ms. Steiner provided the following information: Financial Cost Estimates Health Priority Objective ‘Staff/Work Estimated Cost Group Time _ Deploy mare Community Health Workers to places where Dublin $12,000 - $15,000 2025 Funding: residents gather. based on number of visite Operating Budget = $40,293.12 Create and share GIS map that shows locations of key health X care and wellness resources In Dublin. Poli ™ Bae = 0,000 Inform new residents about the hoalth care and wollness x olice Seizure Funds = $30, resources that are available to them. Expand outreach efforts for micro-transit services to residents xX TOTAL = $70,293.12 over age 55. Expand outreach efforts for micro-transit services to X employers/employees. Re-energize an existing collective-impact initiative to provide $10,000 - $12,000 Information to parents of Dublin youth. Davelop a deeper understanding of why non-connectod people xX fael that way and how to communicate with them more offectivaly. ‘Offer National Good Neighbor Day programming to Dublin $5,000 residents. Increase community capacity for engagement opportunities X (including volunteering). TOTAL ESTIMATED COST: ‘$27,000 - $22,000 Sustainable | Connected | Resilient (ts) She stated that the work can be completed within the City’s existing budget allocations and the use of Dublin Police seizure funds. The combined operating budget allocation for 2025 is just over $40,000 and the current Police seizure funds are $30,000 for a total available budget of just over $70,000. The estimated cost for the objectives is less than half of what is allocated. RECORD OF FROGEEDINGS Minutes of Meeting GOVERNMENT FORMS & SUPPLIES 842-225-3338 FORM NO. TOTaS Held March 3, 2025 Page 13 of 20 20 Ms. Steiner shared that each work group also identified multiple process measures and at least one outcome measure that will help determine success and guide future work. Process measures indicate what an organization or community does to maintain or improve health. Process measures are particularly valuable during the implementation phase of a new program or initiative. By conducting future follow-up surveys, the data can be used to compare measures of success. Staff recommended approval. There were no public comments. Vice Mayor Alutto stated that the feedback was incorporated into a product that is very digestible. She appreciated the approach of this work. She also appreciates the opportunity to look at the baseline and begin to measure successes to determine if the goals were set appropriately and then adjust from there. She thanked staff for the work on this project. Ms. Kramb was appreciative of the changes that were made after feedback was provided. She asked about the costs and expressed concern that the costs are low. She stated the hard costs might be higher than originally thought. Ms. Fox stated that she commented at the last meeting that she was concerned about communicating this work to the community. She stated that the City and our partners will be out in the community doing this work, but there is no branding to it. She would like to make sure that the community is aware that this work is a result of a City initiative. She suggested that the Dublin Go App would be a great place to have all these resources. She would like to see this branded, but did not see any budget for that. Ms. Steiner stated that a meeting is scheduled with Communications and Marketing to determine a communications plan. Ms. De Rosa expressed concern over another brand because there are three brands that were named by Ms. Fox. It may not be helpful to add another brand. She suggested picking an existing brand and adding to it or associating it with the Community Health Needs Assessment. Ms. De Rosa stated that she appreciated the work and thought it was clear. She stated that it sounds like Council is communicating that the funding is too low. She appreciated seeing the cost information. Ms. Fox clarified that she does not want to brand everything but would like this initiative to be identifiable. Mr. Keeler stated that staff did a nice job breaking this down into actionable tactics. The fact that there is $70,000 in the budget and only half will be spent gives room to play and see how it goes. Mayor Amorose Groomes thanked staff for the work and navigating this process well. She asked that staff time be included into the budget numbers as we go through the budget cycle, so Council understands what the true costs are. She stated the importance of accurately representing what the spend is for this plan. Vote on the Resolution: Ms. De Rosa, yes; Ms. Fox, yes; Mr. Keeler, yes; Vice Mayor Alutto, yes; Ms. Kramb, yes; Mayor Amorose Groomes, yes; Mr. Reiner, yes. OTHER BUSINESS e 2025 DIF and Independence Day Maximizing Cost Recovery & Ticket Pricing Ms. LeRoy updated Council on staff's efforts to control costs and on the ticket pricing for both the Independence Day event as well as the Dublin Irish Festival (DIF). She shared that festivals have not been as financially successful since the pandemic. Staff had planned on making some improvements in 2023 and 2024, but in 2024, the weather created an issue RECORD OF FROGEEDINGS ounc Minutes of Meeting GOVERNMENT FORMS & SUPPLIES 844-224-3338 FORM NO. 10148 Held March 3, 2025 Page 14 of 20 20 for festival goers. Costs have outpaced inflation. To date, Ms. LeRoy shared that staff has identified a way to reduce costs by $78,000. Some of the strategies staff has explored include: e Programming and Infrastructure reductions will result in $30,000 savings. e She stated that the technology has changed since implementing the Irish Festival App so there was a cost savings of $10,000 and some services added. e Reducing staff and outsourcing are two strategies that are often revisited. e Transitioning to cashless event operations is a savings of $20,000 in staffing. She shared that ticket sales have gone down dramatically on-site since most people elect to purchase them online. Ms. LeRoy shared the strategy for increasing revenue by $65,000. She listed the following strategies: e Sponsorship - $25,000 estimate, e Vendor Fees - $17,000, and e Beverage Pricing - $23,000 net. Ms. LeRoy stated that staff just recently signed a new sponsor for $20,000. She stated that anytime attendance at the event is increased by 5,000, that is a net increase of about $81,000. Regarding vendor fees, Ms. LeRoy stated that staff explored a percentage-based system and did some benchmarking. She discovered that only two festivals in the Central Ohio area use the percentage system. Staff gathered the data and weighed the pros and cons. She stated that the flat fee provides consistency in revenue. It is one of the highest cost recovery items and that includes staffing costs. Vendor fees were raised this year by 5% on average. She is anticipating a 17% increase in revenue. She shared that they will be requiring all vendors to use credit cards this year. She stated that this is something that staff will continue to explore and benchmark. Regarding beverages, Ms. LeRoy stated that a $.50 cost increase will not make any money. Charges for soft drinks and water have been at $3 since 2020 even though the cost to the City has gone up 20% in that time. This price increase falls in line with other festivals and events. Beer costs have not been finalized yet. She shared that she is anticipating an increase. The last three years have shown a 3-6% increase in price depending on the product. Market comparisons have revealed that Dublin’s pricing is a little low. Dublin does a 20-ounce pour, but most other events do a 16- or 18- ounce pour. She estimated that a price increase of $.50 would be $23,000 new net income. Nationwide comparisons show Dublin is still on the low end in pricing. The price is based on the cost of the product to the City. In terms of ticket pricing, staff recommended leaving ticket prices the same. The last time tickets were changed was in 2020. The attendees seem to be taking advantage of the pre-sale ticket prices. Staff implemented the price cutoff of 14 days last year which is outside the normal weather report range. This is not unusual and Ms. LeRoy noted that many events cut off pre-sale ticket sales a month out from the event. She also noted that last fall, staff no longer included the school district resident in the period of lower price ticket sales. She noted that the Ohio State Fair is cheaper entry tickets, but they charge extra for all their concerts. The DIF ticket pricing is in line with other events/festivals. The first flash sale will begin March 18- March 31. Last year increases were implemented for the VIP Club tickets. Saturday is still the strongest day of the festival because it is a full day. Ms. LeRoy provided some cost recovery goals by attendance. She stated that Minutes of RECORD OF FROGEEDINGS Meeting GOVERNMENT FORMS & SUPPLIES 844-224-0538 FORM NO. 1014 Held March 3, 2025 Page 15 of 20-20 with 83,000 attendees, the City would have 93% cost recovery with these strategies. In response to Mr. Keeler’s question regarding how attendance can be increased, Ms. LeRoy stated that staff began working with a new marketing and public relations firm last year. This new arrangement has gone well and they are reaching new markets. Visit Dublin Ohio has also been helpful and has been working on outreach. Mr. Keeler stated that the City uses an app to track attendees based on cell phone data to see where they are from. He asked if we have that data for 2024. Ms. LeRoy stated that she does not have that data yet. Mr. Keeler asked what percentage of attendees are Dublin residents versus anywhere else. Ms. LeRoy stated that it is typically around 40% Dublin residents. Mr. Keeler stated that the costs for soft drinks and beer are a little low. He suggested raising the price more than what was proposed across the board. He stated that he believes that it is easier to add revenue than control expenses. Ms. De Rosa expressed appreciation for staff looking into the vendor percentages. She asked about the attendance and the flash sale prices. She suggested raising the price during the flash sale. For her final question, she asked how staff could bring in more or new vendors. Ms. LeRoy stated that staff tracks the attendees versus number of vendors. She stated they are seeing numbers that are close to pre-pandemic numbers, but at this point, there are still less people per vendors. This would not be a scenario conducive to adding vendors. She stated that a few food vendors could be added along with a few marketplace vendors, but staff tries to keep the number within a certain range. Ms. Fox stated that the prices were raised last year on the beer products and there were complaints that things were more expensive. She suggested keeping the prices the same but reducing the quantity. If 16 ounces is typical, why are pouring 20 ounces? She is not supportive of raising prices too fast. She stated that beverage revenue has fallen and she stated she does not think raising the price will sell more beer. Ms. LeRoy stated that one of the reasons that the pour has stayed at 20 ounces is because they were selling reusable mugs that people could bring back to the festival with them. Ms. Fox expressed concern over raising ticket prices and the short flash sale. She would rather see more marketing that targets audiences with lower attendance numbers. Ms. Fox stated that there were complaints last year about the increased prices for VIP experiences. She expressed concern over additional increases could push people to decide that it is too expensive to attend. Ms. Fox noted that in 2024, almost $96,000 came back into the community through the Sharing O’ The Green, $13,000 cash came to the Dublin Food Pantry and 8.5 tons of food. Vice Mayor Alutto stated that she is fine with the prices and she appreciates the option of the non-alcoholic tickets and the alcohol tickets. She is supportive of the flash sale. She asked about the Sharing O’ The Green agreement and if it was based on gross. Ms. LeRoy responded affirmatively. Ms. Le Roy agreed that the Sharing O’ The Green Agreement needs to be looked at for next year and subsequent years. Vice Mayor Alutto stated that she is excited to see what the new marketing firm will suggest and was happy to hear about the partnership with Visit Dublin Ohio. Minutes of RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS ublin City Council Meeting GOVERNMENT FORMS & SUPPLIES 644-224-3558 FORM NO, 10148 Held March 3, 2025 Page 16 of 20. 20 Ms. Kramb stated that she would not be supportive of raising beer prices. She is supportive of a smaller pour. People will notice a price change quicker than four ounces missing. She stated that people should still be able to bring their mugs back to get them filled. It is great incentive to buy a mug and encourages sustainability. Ms. Kramb noted that the pricing has come to a point where most people are only going to come for one day. The weekend pass should not be raised, it should stay at $50 and maybe people will come two days. She is not in favor of continuing to raise the prices. Mayor Amorose Groomes stated that it would be easy to take the flash sale price from $15 to $17 because it is around St. Patrick’s Day. Ms. LeRoy summarized that Council consensus was $17 for the flash sale tickets, leaving the weekend ticket pricing at $50 and taking another look at beer pricing. She was not certain if the cups had been already ordered for this year or not. If there is time to make a change, Council consensus was to keep the price of beer the same but reduce the size of the cup and still allow people to fill their reusable mugs. Independence Day Ms. LeRoy stated that staff is open to discussing a price change if Council would like, but they are currently recommending the same prices as the past two years. Mayor Amorose Groomes stated that the policy decision will be regarding the entertainment moving forward. Holiday Market Feasibility Study Final Report Ms. Goliver stated that at the July 1, 2024 Council meeting, Council directed staff to enter into contract negotiations with Town Square for the Holiday Market Feasibility Study. Through the course of the study, there were over 120 points of input as well as dedicated discussion at the November 12, 2024 Council work session. At that meeting, Council was supportive of supplying capital investment towards the market for decorations, booths and selecting a third-party firm to operate the market. Riverside Crossing Park was the unanimous choice for the primary location of the market with the option to expand as the market grows. Council consensus was to have a ChristkindImarkt with a focus on German culture and the booths should be traditional in nature. She introduced Mr. Barth who would walk through the recommendations in the final report (attached hereto and incorporated herein by reference as Exhibit A). Mr. Barth reviewed the final report with Council. The recommendations are as follows: e 40-50 booths; e 20 days in duration; e Traditional market design; and e Ice rink, children’s activities, photo op areas and special events to occur. He stated that the proforma, which will be discussed later in the presentation, is based on 40 vendors. Mr. Barth stated that the administration of the market options were explored. There were four options which are: City-run; City contracts with a private firm; City invests capital and then selects a third-party operator; or a third-party operator without City involvement. The recommendation is that the City would invest some capital and then select a third-party operator. Capital means decoration, booths and other critical elements, but it would be a third-party operator who is in charge of vendor selection and operations. The City cares strongly about the appearance of the market and the way it is presented, so this allows the City to still have some Minutes of RECORD OF FROGEEDINGS ublin ounci Meeting GOVERNMENT FORMS & SUPPLIES 644-224-3308 FORM NO, 10146 Held March 3, 2025 Page 17 of 20 20 oversight. This arrangement will be attractive to a third-party operator because they do not have to generate the start-up capital themselves. Mr. Barth shared the proforma from initial investment to year 5 (Exhibit A). This proforma assumes an increase in vendors over the years and an increase in booth rental fees over the years. He stated that there is potential to have a corporate sponsor and the impact of the market on hotel-motel tax is estimated to be around 4% due to market attendees. Mr. Barth shared the proforma for the third-party operator. He stated if they do not make money then they will not provide good service. Mr. Barth recommended not charging the operator rent to the City the first year and letting them get established. Both the operator and the City should start making money in year two. He recommended having a scaled rent proposition based on the operator’s income. Finally, Mr. Barth shared the proforma for the City. If the City were to keep investing into the market, the potential of booths by year 5 is almost double the initial investment. Mr. Barth reviewed the scope of service for the operator. He shared the criteria that Town Square would recommend the City take into account when making the selection on an operator, such as experience finding diverse vendors, making payments on time, etc. Mr. Barth explained the conceptual timeline of activities to complete in 2025 should Council decide to move this initiative forward. He then provided a timeline for year two (2027) because there are two elements that are critical: deciding upon adding booths and debriefing with everyone involved to determine what is working and what is not working and making any needed changes. Mr. Barth stated that the next step if Council determines that they would like to proceed is convening a search committee to find an operator. Ms. Fox stated that she was fortunate to travel to Germany and see the markets and what appealed to her is that the market is more than just booths. The proforma allows enough money for booths, but not creating the entire experience like is seen in Carmel, Indiana. She expressed her concern that the amount for décor may not be enough to make the market come alive. She believes more money will need to be invested for décor in order to compete with the best markets in the United States. She stated that it is important that it is a Christkindlmarkt but that it has a unique twist that makes it a Dublin experience. Ms. Goliver clarified that the Riverside Crossing Park has about $80,000 already spent on lights. The décor funding is in addition to what is already going to be there. She stated that staff believes the funding will go far in terms of the theme for the event. The hope is that the operator will be able to inform the decisions also based on experience and what is successful and what is not. Mr. Barth added that there is a provision for décor on an on-going basis as well. He added that the markets that succeed tend to be the markets that are well thought out and well considered and take a long-term view. Ms. De Rosa expressed appreciation for the work and the specific numbers to respond to. She stated it is her hope that the investment by the City will entice quality people who bring ideas to us about how to spend the money with the greatest success and the best investments to make. She stated that there are many creative options with corporate sponsorships. She stated that the Request for Proposals (RFP) will help inform how we do this without it being City operated. Learning about this will help to inform other events in our City as well. She stated that these numbers are not set in stone. Mr. Barth stated that their recommendations are deliberately conservative. Mr. Keeler asked if there is adequate parking for a successful market. It seems like the time of year for this market would be slower around Bridge Park which could provide adequate parking. He also mentioned the booths and wondered where those would be stored when not in use. Ms. Goliver stated that the operator would be responsible for storing the booths and setting them up annually. Minutes of RECORD OF RROGEEDINGS ounc Meeting OVERNMENT FORMS & SUPPLIES 844-224-9338 FORM NO. 10148 Held March 3, 2025 Page 18 of 20 20 Mayor Amorose Groomes thanked Mr. Barth and Ms. Goliver for the presentation. Athletic Complex Management Services RFP - SportsOhio Steering Committee Recommendation Ms. Blake stated that at the July 1, 2024 Council meeting, Council approved the acquisition of 243 acres in the West Innovation District comprised of Carter Farms, Shepherd Excavating and SportsOhio. The City closed on the properties in late September. Staff executed a temporary management agreement with the previous owners of SportsOhio to continue to operate the facility, generally consistent with the previous operations. Staff proposed forming a steering committee to help guide the future for SportsOhio. The committee was intentionally structured to represent a broad range of community stakeholders and regional partners to ensure the property uses align with the community direction. She thanked all members of the committee for their time and participation. Specifically, she thanked Vice Mayor Alutto and Mr. Keeler for participating. Ms. Blake provided a list of meeting dates and activities completed by the steering committee. The committee agreed that the complex should strive for financial sustainability, foster community engagement and generate an economic impact. A competitive transparent RFP process was completed. At the request of the committee, a virtual tour of each building was developed by staff to assist the respondents in preparing their proposals. Three proposals were received. The committee unanimously determined that the Sports Facilities Company’s proposal and interview aligned more closely with the goals and criteria outlined in the RFP. Sports Facilities Company (SFC) manages over 65 venues with nearly half being pre-existing facilities. They are unique in that they are a service provider with no desire to own these facilities. SFC has developed a comprehensive 90-day transition plan to ensure a seamless takeover of the Dublin facilities. Their approach prioritizes transparent service, strong financial oversight in diverse programming to maximize local engagement and economic impact. SFC will provide continuous financial reporting, strategic planning and operational support to align with Dublin’s goals. SFC emerged as the recommended partner for its expertise and strategic planning with a collaborative approach. Staff is working with our public finance advisors and legal counsel to explore using the Dublin CIC to help structure a sustainable financial approach for the complex. Staff, with the SportsOhio Steering Committee, recommended Council direct staff to proceed with negotiating and executing a management agreement with Sports Facilities Company. She introduced Jim Arnold, Sports Facilities Company who was present. Mr. Arnold thanked the Committee for this recommendation. He complimented the process, and he appreciates the opportunity to partner with the City of Dublin. He stated that this is a true opportunity for this to not only be an asset that continues to really serve the community and offer huge amenity to the residents who live here, but the community has everything it takes to be a true regional and national destination on the sprots tourism scene. There were no public comments. In response to Mayor Amorose Groomes’ question regarding the depth of the management agreement, Ms. Blake stated that the agreement is not only promotion, but also operation so they would advise the City on what assets are needing replaced or improved. Mayor Amorose Groomes asked whether the operator would be the decision maker regarding what fields are open during inclement weather (as an example). Ms. Blake stated that they have the most experience running these facilities all over the country so they would know best whether or not play is possible. Mr. Arnold added that they would create standard operating procedures and maintenance of care for assets. These procedures would be reviewed by the City, so the City can still make decisions. RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Minutes of Meeting GOVERNMENT FORMS & SUPPLIES 844-224-3338 FORM NO. 10148, Held March 3, 2025 Page 19 of 20 20 Mayor Amorose Groomes moved to direct staff to proceed with negotiations and enter into a management agreement with Sports Facilities Company. Vice Mayor Alutto seconded. Vote on the motion: Mr. Reiner, yes; Ms. Kramb, yes; Vice Mayor Alutto, yes; Ms. Fox, yes; Mr. Keeler, yes; Mayor Amorose Groomes, yes; Ms. De Rosa, yes. STAFF COMMENTS Ms. O'Callaghan shared the following: e The City has contracted with Trees are My Business to perform tree clearing operations at Earlington Park, primarily around the perimeter of the drainage basin south of the Brand Road and Bristol Parkway intersection to accommodate the Earlington Park Drainage Basin Improvements project. Tree clearing operations are expected to commence on Thursday, March 6, and be completed within one to two days. The overall Earlington Park Drainage Basin Improvements project will be advertised mid-summer, with construction expected to commence in late summer of this year. e Dublin’s Greenest Grand Parade will take to the streets on Saturday, March 15. The day starts at 9 a.m. at the Lions Club Pancake Breakfast and the parade will start at 11 a.m. Our Grand Leprechaun, Barb Anderson, will be recognized at a lunch provided by J. Liu. Later in the day, Downtown Dublin is hosting the St. Paddy’s Day Pub Crawl with participating businesses on both sides of the river. COUNCIL ROUNDTABLE e Ms. Kramb provided no report. e Ms. Fox provided no report. e Mr. Reiner stated that A Journey of Iceland - from Darkness to Light is an exhibit that will be available to view from March 8 through April 30. e Mr. Keeler stated that he would like to see some green roofs in Metro Center. e Ms. De Rosa thanked audience members for sitting through the meeting and the partners that were present. Vice Mayor Alutto provided no report. Mayor Amorose Groomes shared the following: o There was a Ohio Mayors Alliance meeting on February 20; o She and Ms. De Rosa met with Senator Beth Liston; o February 21% she administered the Oath of Office for a new Mayors Court Magistrate; o February 24‘ a Dublin CIC meeting was held; o She thanked the Dublin Chamber of Commerce for the Economic Forecast Breakfast on February 25; o She attended the CMC's luncheon entitled, The Power of Two Chambers on February 26; o February 27, a National League of Cities meeting was held where discussions were held regarding possible funding streams to fill gaps that are not currently being filled by the federal government; o She congratulated the Dublin Education Foundation on a great event on February 28". and o Today, (March 3) she had the opportunity to welcome Lt. Governor Tressel to Grizzell Middle School. ADJOURNMENT Vs Yi adjo t 10:17 p.m. Mayor — Presiding Officer Minutes of ounc RECORD OF RROGEEDINGS Meeting OVE! \T FORMS & SUPPLIES 844-294-3338 FORM NO. 10148 Held March 3, 2025 Page 20 of 20 20 ZA optk of Cfdncil U/