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HomeMy WebLinkAbout04-21-2025 Council MinutesMinutes of Dublin City Council RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Meeting OVERNMENT FORMS & SUPPLIES 844-224-3338 FORM NO. 10148 Held April 21, 2025 CALL TO ORDER Mayor Amorose Groomes called the Monday, April 21, 2025 Regular Council Meeting of Dublin City Council to order at 6:30 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. Ashrawi, Chief Paez, Ms. Weisenauer, Ms. Rauch, Mr. Gable, Ms. Wawszkiewicz, Ms. Willis, Mr. Dilsaver, Mr. Rayburn, Ms. Hoffman, Mr. Hounshell, Mr. Barker, Mr. Earman, Mr. Hammersmith, Mr. Myers, Mr. Anderson, Mr. Gracia. Others present were Ed Sharrer and Brooke Klejnot of Yard & Company via Webex; ADJOURN TO EXECUTIVE SESSION Mayor Amorose Groomes moved to adjourn to executive session for the purposes of: e To consider Confidential Information related to a request for Economic Development Assistance that involves Public Infrastructure Improvements that are directly related to an Economic Development Project, and which Executive Session is necessary to Protect the Possible Investment or Expenditure of Public Funds to be made in connection with the Economic Development Project; 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: 7:06 p.m. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE Mayor Amorose Groomes invited Mr. Keeler to lead the Pledge of Allegiance. SPECIAL PRESENTATION/RECOGNITION e Arbor Day Proclamation Mayor Amorose Groomes read the proclamation for Arbor Day which is April 25, 2025 and presented it to Mr. Myers and Mr. Anderson. She encouraged all citizens to celebrate Arbor Day and support efforts to protect our trees and woodlands. Mr. Myers announced the City’s plans for celebrating Arbor Day at the Dublin Cemetery and Earth Day festivities at Monterey Park on Saturday, April 26. e Earth Month Proclamation Mayor Amorose Groomes invited Aimee Wang and Afi Jibat forward to accept the Earth Month Proclamation. Miss Wang and Miss Jibat were winners of an art challenge about Earth Month. Mayor Amorose Groomes read the proclamation and proclaimed April as Earth Month in the City of Dublin. She also made note of the Mayor’s Monarch Pledge to bring awareness and help protect the Monarch Butterfly. CITIZEN COMMENTS There were no citizen comments. CONSENT AGENDA e Minutes of the April 7, 2025 Regular Council Meeting Minutes of RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Dublin City Council Meeting GOVERNMENT FORMS & SUPPLIES 844-224-338" FORM NO, TOTs Held April24, 2025 Page 2 of 17 20 e Excuse the Absence of Council Member De Rosa from the April 7, 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. SECOND READING/ PUBLIC HEARING - ORDINANCES Ordinance 09-25 Authorizing the City Manager to Enter into a Development Agreement and other related Agreements for the Development of J Block with Crawford Hoying Development Partners, LLC Ms. Rauch stated that there have been no changes to this Ordinance since the first reading. Staff recommended approval. There were no public comments. Vote on the Ordinance: Mayor Amorose Groomes, yes; Mr. Reiner, yes; Ms. Fox, yes; Ms. De Rosa, yes; Mr. Keeler, yes; Vice Mayor Alutto, yes; Ms. Kramb, yes. INTRODUCTION/ FIRST READING — ORDINANCES Ordinance 10-25 Authorizing the City Manager to Execute Necessary Conveyance Documentation to Accept the Dedication of a 0.197 Acre, more or less, Easement; and a 0.145 Acre, more or less, Temporary Easement, from the Dublin City School District for the Muirfield Drive at Sells Mill Drive Pedestrian Crossing Improvements (22-021-CIP) Vice Mayor Alutto introduced the Ordinance. Ms. Wawszkiewicz stated that during the April 7 Council meeting, Council approved the funding agreement for the Muirfield Drive — Sells Mill Drive pedestrian crossing improvements. These improvements include a High Intensity Activated Crosswalk (HAWK), new curb ramps, street lighting, pavement resurfacing, signs, pavement markings, and a new sidewalk connection between the existing path and Scottish Corners Elementary School. The easements required for the project are located within a parcel owned by Dublin City Schools. The school district is donating the necessary land to the City in the form of a 0.197-acre permanent easement for the long-term operation and maintenance of the system and a 0.145-acre temporary easement for construction. Staff recommended approval. There were no public comments. Ms. De Rosa asked about these easements being located on only one side of the roadway and whether additional easements were necessary. Ms. Wawszkiewicz stated that there is enough existing permanent right-of-way along the other corners that additional easements were not necessary. Mayor Amorose Groomes stated that the construction will start but may not be finished in time for school to start in the fall. Ms. Wawszkiewicz stated that was correct and added that there is a longer lead time on the overhead equipment. Second reading/public hearing is scheduled for May 5, 2025. Minutes of RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Dublin City Council Meeting GOVERNMENT FORMS & SUPPLIES 844-224-3338 FORM NO. 10148 Held April 21, 2025 Page 3 of 17 20 Ordinance 11-25 Adopting and Enacting a Supplement (S-56) to the code of Ordinances for the City of Dublin, Ohio Vice Mayor Alutto introduced the Ordinance. Mr. Ashrawi stated that this supplement includes the new local legislation through December 31, 2024 and any state legislation through June 6, 2024. Staff recommended approval at the second reading on May 5. There were no public comments. Ms. Fox asked about the board and commission sections. Mr. Ashrawi stated that these changes were part of a cleanup. Ms. Kramb stated that in previous supplements different colors were used to differentiate the local legislation from the state legislation. She asked if this could be the practice moving forward. Mr. Ashrawi stated that he would make that request to'American Legal. Second reading/public hearing is scheduled for May 5, 2025. INTRODUCTION/PUBLIC HEARING/VOTE — RESOLUTIONS Resolution 28-25 Accepting the Lowest and Best Bid for the School Zone Beacons and Driver Feedback Signs Citywide Communications Project (24-026-CIP) ° Vice Mayor Alutto introduced the Resolution. Mr. Dilsaver stated that staff conducted a competitive bid for a portion of the school zone beacons and driver feedback signs citywide communications project. This project upgrades the time-based flashing beacons and driver feedback signs in school zones to allow for easier maintenance and programming. The start and stop times of the signs will be more reliable and consistent. Applied Information was chosen as the preferred solution due to its ability to integrate with the majority of the existing infrastructure and to further expand the City’s connected vehicle and smart city environments. The Applied Information platform allows staff the ability to monitor the health of the system, program the school zone signage remotely and perform proactive maintenance. On April 2, 2025, one bid was received and publicly opened. Path Master, Inc. submitted the lowest and best bid of $182,820 which is 1.6% over the engineer’s estimate. The tota project cost is $521,255, which is under the intended project cost as Bodseten in the 2024-2028 CIP. Staff recommended approval. There were no public comments. Ms. Kramb clarified that the City is purchasing the software that will allow the City to regulate each of these signs individually. Mr. Dilsaver stated that this will be controlled by the City. He added that a big proponent of this system is the ability to program the signs remotely specifically during periods of inclement weather. 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. . Resolution 29-25 Extending the Micro-Mobility Program and Permitting the Operation of Low-Speed Micro-Mobility Devices on Low-Speed Streets, Sidewalks and Shared Use Paths for an Additional 12-Month Period Vice Mayor Alutto introduced the Resolution. Mr. Rayburn stated that as part of the overview of the micro-mobility demonstration pilot, the City launched the pilot on May 1, 2022 to test the viability RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Dublin City Council Minutes of Meeting GOVERNMENT FORMS & SUPPLIES 844-224-3358 FORM NO. 10148 Held April 21,2025 Page 4 of 17 20 of micro-mobility in Dublin. Council most recently adopted Resolution 29-24 which extended the micro-mobility pilot program for another 12-month period. Mr. Rayburn shared ridership data from Bird between 2022 and 2024 which shows an increase in rides taken of 10%. Mr. Rayburn also noted that in 2022, when the program was launched 11 complaints were received and in 2024, only one complaint was received. This decrease in complaints is a mark of success in addressing the needs of the program. During the April 7 Council meeting, Veo was introduced with a different operating model for micro-mobility than we have had with Bird in the past. Most notably, Veo’s operations include a revenue chain for the City and a diverse fleet of vehicles. The contract with Veo is next on Council’s agenda and will deploy in time to celebrate Bike Month. Staff intends to launch a “Tell Dublin” online survey to gather feedback from the community regarding Veo. The results and feedback will be shared as part of the review of Code modifications later this year. Staff recommended approval. There were no public comments. Mr. Keeler asked for the definition of “low speed.” Mr. Rayburn stated that they are devices that are regulated to no more than 15 miles per hour. Mr. Keeler stated that he is starting to see electric motorcycles with top speeds of 77 miles per hour, riding on sidewalks. Mr. Keeler would like to stop these higher speed vehicles from using the sidewalks. Mr. Rayburn stated that staff will continue to work on education as well as good etiquette with the Police. Private devices cannot be regulated by the City, but staff can educate the public on what is expected behavior for safety. Mr. Keeler stated that he recalled motorized vehicles being prohibited from using sidewalks and shared-use paths. He added that the ordinance may need to be tightened or tighten enforcement, so the word gets out that these vehicles are not tolerated on sidewalks and shared use paths. Mayor Amorose Groomes stated that a speed limit on our shared use paths is something that Council may want to entertain. Mr. Rayburn stated that staff can address that in the code modifications that will be coming forward later this year. Ms. De Rosa suggested that when the Code modifications are brought forward, the program be implemented permanently rather than these 12-month extensions. Ms. O'Callaghan stated that is the plan. Mayor Amorose Groomes stated that it is not a bad idea to have etiquette:“rules of the road” for these kinds of devices on shared use paths. 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 30-25 Authorizing the City Manager to enter into a Service Level and Revenue Sharing Agreement between Veoride, Inc. and the City of Dublin, Ohio Vice Mayor Alutto introduced the Resolution. Mr. Rayburn stated staff provided an overview of the Central Ohio Shared Micro-mobility program at the April 7 Council meeting. The Central Ohio Shared Micro-mobility program supports Dublin’s bicycle-friendly community designation and having a bike share will help to maintain Dublin’s silver status and demonstrate our advancement toward gold. Six proposals were received and evaluated by the steering committee which consisted of the cities of Columbus, Upper Arlington and Dublin as well as representatives from the Ohio State University. Veo was selected based on the strength of their proposal, its financial model, operational abilities and vehicle types. Veo launched operations in Columbus in March of this year. The draft agreement with Veo includes operational restrictions, parking management, fleet distribution, revenue sharing, and does not require a public subsidy. The initial launch period for this program will be approximately 45 days Minutes of RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Dublin City Council Meeting GOVERNMENT FORMS & SUPPLIES 644-224-3858 FORM NO. 10148 Held April 21,2025 Page 5 of 17 20 from April 30 to June 15. In preparation for the Memorial Tournament, Veo will increase the number of devices available to provide citywide micro-mobility. The agreement's term ends December 31, 2029 and Dublin may terminate or extend the agreement at that time. Using the data from 2024, staff estimated trip revenue fees for the City this year to be about $3,800. There will be a seamless experience from what riders had with the Bird program, such as no ride zones, parking garages and slow zones. The dockless system requires parking compliance at designated locations such as bike racks and bike corrals. The local Veo team is based in Columbus and will manage the Dublin fleet for device rebalancing and replacing batteries that are low. The team also monitors the devices for performance. He stated that the focus will be the tidiness of the right-of-way and rebalancing in the high-use areas for access as the system is deployed. Staff recommended approval. 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. OTHER BUSINESS e Community Events Roadmap — Benchmarking Ms. Blake stated that the Events Roadmap Project is in furtherance of one of Council’s goals. Included in this discussion is a high-level overview of the status of the project, as well as the benchmarking that supports the consultant’s recommendations and receiving any additional feedback before the final report is brought before Council. Ms. Blake stated that this project was discussed at two previous work sessions (November 12 and February 25). The consultant, Yard and Company (Yard) attended the Dublin Irish Festival (DIF) in 2024. Their preliminary recommendations were presented at the February work session. They are present virtually to provide the data behind their recommendations as requested by Council. She introduced Ed Sharrer and Brooke Klejnot from Yard who were present Virtually. Mr. Sharrer shared that they looked at peer cities to benchmark. The peer cities chosen were high growth suburban communities of comparable household income that have a high expectation for quality of life and quality of place. They chose a local, regional and national example for comparison. The local example is Westerville, Ohio; the regional example is Carmel, Indiana; and the national example is actually a pair of two neighboring suburbs in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex, Grapevine and Southlake, Texas. Between the two cities in Texas, they have a nice compliment of events that parallel what is done in Dublin. Mr. Sharrer reviewed the City’s signature events and provided the recommendations and rationale for each: o Holiday Tree Lighting » The recommendation is to continue investing at the current level. Dublin’s investment is comparable to benchmarked cities. » Explore ways to coordinate/combine efforts with the future Holiday Market to create an enhanced experience for attendees. Benchmarked cities use their tree lighting event to drive foot traffic to local merchants. o Halloween Spooktacular = The recommendation is to try to bring the cost down. This event is currently at a higher investment than the | benchmarked cities. RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS blin City Council Minutes of Meeting GOVERNMENT FORMS & SUPPLIES 644-224-3308 FORM NO. 10148 Held April 21,2025. Page 6 of 17-20 » Additional recommendations were to continue growing the sponsorship dollars and consider reducing the scale of the event from 2 days back down to 1 day. Two of the benchmarked cities have one-day free events. Westerville, Ohio has a 4-day event, but with paid admission. = Yard suggested weighing the benefits of changing the event location to Riverside Crossing Park. Carmel, Indiana hosts their event in a new public gathering space next to commercial activity which simplifies their event production. o St. Patrick’s Day Parade = The recommendation is to continue investing in this event at current levels. The direct costs are comparable to other St. Patrick’s Day parades. Mr. Sharrer stated that they looked at comparable St. Patrick's Day parades around the country, including three other cities named Dublin. The costs are comparable, but Dublin, Ohio is the most well-known and most resourced. » This event is important for promoting the City’s identity. The other Dublin cities do a much larger festival around St. Patrick’s Day. Doing the parade and then the DIF in more temperate weather months as Dublin, Ohio does is a good idea and the other Dublins are in warmer climates. = Revenue generated from the St. Patrick’s Day parade is lower than our peer cities. Yard recommended continuing to grow sponsorships and in-kind donations to offset costs. Yard noted that of the benchmarked parades, Dublin, Ohio was the only city that was actually producing the parade as opposed to a committee or nonprofit. o Independence Day Celebration » The annual total cost of this event is out of scale due to the headline entertainment at a high level of subsidization. Yard recommended that the City either continue as-is with a clear understanding of the out-of-scale investment, or consider the following: e Reduce costs by booking less expensive acts. All benchmarked cities book local or regional acts. e Keep the big-name headliner and offset costs by increasing wristband prices. None of the other benchmarked cities charge admission, but none of the other cities have a national headliner as entertainment. e Continue the fireworks and parade/in-kind staffing as the municipal investment and the concert piece could be managed by a private operator. Two of the benchmarked cities have this arrangement with their local Rotary Clubs. o Dublin Irish Festival (DIF) Mr. Sharrer shared some observations regarding the DIF. He stated that it has reached maturity and likely won’t see exponential attendance growth. Year-over-year it is getting more expensive to produce the same experience. Direct costs are outpacing revenue growth. The DIF is likely to cost the City around $300,000 most RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Minutes:of Dublin City Council Meeting GOVERNMENT FORMS & SUPPLIES 644-224-0008 FORM NO. 10148 Held April 21,2025 Page 7 of 17 20 years and much more in weather-impacted years. Yard’s recommendations are to: = Increase revenue by $150,000 and reduce expenses: by $150,000 and create a revenue backstop so there are reserve funds in case there is a bad-weather year. = Two specific festivals of scale were compared to the DIF: the first is the Zeeco Oktoberfest in Tulsa, Oklahoma and the second is the Grapefest in Grapevine, Texas. These benchmarked festivals have noticed the following trends: e The rental costs have exploded in the past three years for both festivals; e Alcohol sales are up at both festivals, but tips were down at Oktoberfest; e VIP packages are hit and miss; e Going cashless allowed both festivals to use standardized point-of-sale for food/beer and take a percentage of the sales. = Recommendations to increase the revenue by $150,000 were: e Hire a consultant to develop a sponsorship strategy to grow sponsorships; e The size of the attendance will probably see incremental growth, but it is highly weather dependent; e Incrementally raise prices: DIF admission is slightly higher than benchmarked festivals and DIF concessions are slightly lower than the Oktoberfest example. Mr. Sharrer added that it is wise to tread lightly. e Incrementally raise fees: He advised that the City should tread lightly here also. = Recommendations to create a revenue backstop were: e Start up a separate 501 (C)(3) for sponsorships and a reserve fund. e Mr. Sharrer suggested an initial campaign goal of raising $400,000 for the fund by the DIF’s 40" Anniversary. = Recommendations to reduce expenses by $150,000 include: e Explore outsourcing specific aspects of the DIF to reduce staffing costs; e Continue to bid services for the lowest possible cost. e Continue the path toward being a cashless event and explore subtle tweaks to the entertainment scheduling such as reducing the international bands and book some regional/local bands. o Riverside Crossing Park Ms. Klejnot shared the background benchmarking that Yard conducted for the recommendations tied to Riverside Crossing Park. She stated that Yard understood from community members, Council and staff that this is the Dublin signature park. A park of this importance requires dedicated resources and attention now and into the future. She shared Yard’s recommendations for Riverside Crossing Park. Minutes of RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Dublin City Council Meeting GOVERNMENT FORMS" UPPLIES 844-224-3338 FORM NO. 10748 Held April 21,2025. Page 8 of 17 20 = They recommend considering an activator/operator partner for the park. This operator would be responsible for everyday activation and programming; maximizing rental, concession and sponsorship income and strategic partnership in Historic Dublin, Bridge Park and others. = Leveraging public/private partnerships. Ms. Klejnot shared the methodology behind the benchmarking for the park. A peer park for the purposes of benchmarking would be situated along a river or waterway, urban or downtown adjacent, a signature park serving as the community's gathering place, that emphasizes design quality and is highly activated. She added that there were two types of Park Manager which include City-run and nonprofit. The comparisons are as follows: Comparison Table City Size Operator Dublin, OH Riverside Crossing Park 36-acre City of Dublin Parks & Rec (city department) Louisville, KY Waterfront Park 85-acre Waterfront Park (nonprofit) Omaha, NE The RiverFront 72-acre Metropolitan Entertainment & Convention Authority (nonprofit) Cincinnati, OH Sawyer Point & Smale 22-acre,32-acre Cincinnati Parks (city department) / Park, Washington Park /8-acre 3CDC (nonprofit) Dayton, OH RiverScape Park 22-acre MetroParks (independent political subdivision of the state of Ohio) She stated that there are two paths — keeping the programming under the City’s umbrella or engaging an outside management partner. Ms. Klejnot summarized the pros and cons of each of the options. She stated that the benefits of keeping the programming with the City would be to keep control and maintain the personal touch and relationships with its residents and corporate residents. She noted the capable events staff and that the City is a highly attractive place to work. On the downside, there would be an additional staffing requirement in the Events Division for additional capacity. The recommendation to engage a management partner to program and activate the park would allow a focus on the park’s best interests that would be isolated from shifting priorities. A dedicated staff for one park would ensure quality control. There is a potential to access grant funds and donations and a new operator may bring opportunities for innovation and diversity. The cons for this option would be a loss of control, although the City would be developing the request for proposals (RFP), which would set expectations. There could be a loss of personal touch and relationships with residents and corporate residents. This option does still require City participation and investment. This is the option that Yard is’ recommending. Mayor Amorose Groomes stated that there are three questions before Council for feedback. She invited Council discussion. Mr. Keeler stated he was going to go through the list of events. He is in favor of moving Spooktacular to a one-day event and leveraging more RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Dublin City Council Minutes of Meeting GOVERNMENT FORMS & SUPPLIES 844-224-3338 FORM NO, TOTSS Held April 21, 2025. Page 9 of 17 20 sponsorships. He stated that there is a marketing opportunity for our events and if we charge a little more for the tables or booths, we could recoup some of the expense. Regarding Independence Day, it is important to determine if it is for the residents. He added that he does not think it is about trying to draw crowds from around Central Ohio. He is hesitant to charge more for the event because it is a perk for residents. He, as a Rotarian, offered to speak with the Rotary Club about partnership opportunities. He stated the Rotary Club has taken on projects with the City in the past and they are a big-hearted, hardworking people. He offered to begin those conversations if that is Council’s direction. Regarding the DIF, he is supportive of either charging more for alcohol or reducing the pour. Dublin has been pouring 20-ounce cups where other festivals have been pouring less for similar prices. He added that there are likely more sponsorship opportunities as well. He would like to see more involvement from corporate sponsors. Ms. Kramb stated she supports moving Spooktacular back to a one-day event and trying to get more sponsorships. St. Patrick’s Day was recommended to keep as it is and she agrees with that recommendation. Regarding the Independence Day event, she stated she is not supportive of increasing the budget for it. She stated that she understood that the price of entertainment keeps increasing. She suggested using local or regional entertainment instead of trying to get the national headliners. She would be supportive of raising table prices, but not much. She agrees it should be for the residents. Increasing sponsorships is important as we try to figure out how to get more for the money. She reiterated that she is fine using regional or local acts. Regarding the DIF, she agrees that increasing revenues $150,000 and decreasing expenses $150,000 makes sense, but how to do it is the question. She added that she believes we have hit our limit for what can be charged per ticket. Changing ticket prices or beer prices alone will not solve the problem. A sponsorship or partnership is needed. Ms. Fox stated she would not want to reduce the premier events to the point where the residents are disappointed with the results. She stated that people have an expectation that because we are successful in the work we do, we give back to the community and have great events. She expressed that she would not want to see that watered down in any way. She stated that the relationships that are built with our community residents and businesses create community loyalty. The relationships that have been developed in Dublin are important and she does not wish to lose that. Regarding Independence Day celebrations, it is not a Central Ohio music festival, so we do not need the biggest bank. She stated her support for keeping the price reasonable and not increasing it. It is a great community building event. She suggested a change in the booking agent. Regarding the DIF, she is wondering if the winter market booths would help with infrastructure savings. She likes the idea of keeping the sponsorship strategy in-house to preserve relationships. She suggested looking at Irish bands within the U.S to reduce expenses. She is not supportive of raising prices. She is concerned that people will stop coming if it is not affordable for families. With respect to Riverside Crossing Park operations, she is supportive of having a park activator, but she would want that person to work in a strategic partnership with the schools and the Chamber of Commerce for example. She suggested a coordinator that works with the Events team. Minutes of RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Dublin City Council Meeting GOVERNMENT FORMS & SUPPLIES 644-224-3338 FORM NO. 10148 Held April 21,2025 Page 10 of 17 20 She stated her support for Spooktacular being a one-day event and would like it to stay at Coffman Park. She would like to see some sort of amphitheater or stage at Riverside Crossing Park. The Tree Lighting Ceremony should go back to Riverside Crossing Park. She would like to see the St. Patrick’s Day Parade remain the same. Circling back to Independence Day, Ms. Fox expressed her support for trying a private operator for the concert portion, but on a trial basis to see how it works. Mr. Reiner stated that people have come to expect a certain high quality of entertainment here. He agreed that the Spooktacular event should be a one-day event. He expressed support for working through this information with Events staff and then deciding what approach is best. He stated that the fireworks and the parades are must-dos. He is proud that Dublin does everything to the maximum. He agrees that some of the expenses could be boiled down and he would like to take some time to think about the best way forward. Vice Mayor Alutto stated that she is fine with the Holiday Tree Lighting and would not change it. Whether it is to be combined with the Christmas Market can be discussed as that gets closer. She expressed her support for Spooktacular being a one-day event. She agrees with the St. Patrick’s Day parade continuing as it currently is but would welcome additional opportunities for revenue. She stated her support for using local and regional acts for Independence Day celebrations. She stated it is not about cutting costs for the sake of cutting costs, rather it is about being fiscally responsible. She is more concerned with making sure we have durable amenities than having a big headliner act at the 4" of July. She suggested doing a national headliner act every five years rather than every year. She is always supportive of finding sponsorships for all events. She stated that, referring to the DIF, she is hesitant to raise prices more. She expressed appreciation for the creativity in designing the different levels of VIP packages. She expressed support for having a reserve fund to help offset weather impacted years. She is supportive of having ongoing dialogue about how to establish a fund and grow sponsorships. Regarding Riverside Crossing Park recommendations, she stated that the City has always had an intimate relationship with our parks. She would be reluctant to relinquish any control. She would rather hire a staff member. She reiterated that the amenities that are most important to our residents are more important than what kind of entertainment we have at events. Ms. De Rosa stated that she concurs with her colleagues that Spooktacular as a one-day event makes sense. Regarding Independence Day celebrations, she believes there is a strong correlation between the sale of the tables and the headliner. If the switch is made from national to regional, it may impact table sales. She is supportive of the idea of getting a national headliner act every other year or every third year and seeing what impact that would have. She stated that there has been a standard formula for most of these events for some time. The only way to change the outcome is to change the formula. Regarding the DIF, Ms. De Rosa stated that the recipe has been consistent. She suggested finding a way to increase the number of vendors and the types of vendors. She is supportive of the percentage fee on the food because she believes that will bring a good amount of revenue. She stated that when looking at the Holiday Market Study, all of them were getting revenue from a percentage of food sales. She is supportive of growing sponsorships and wondered if there was Minutes of RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Dublin City Council Meeting GOVERNMENT FORM SUPPLIES 844-224-3338 FORM NO, TOT Held April24, 2025 Page 11 of 17 20 a way to create an overall corporate sponsor for name recognition at events. Riverside Crossing Park is an opportunity to experiment. She is supportive of having someone help figure out how to have artists in the park or vendors, or a small festival. She stated she is interested in seeing more activity there. Mayor Amorose Groomes stated that the Tree Lighting, Spooktacular and the Irish Festival all happen at Coffman Park, and she believes that an investment should be made in permanent structures there and permanent facilities that could raise revenue in other times of the year. There are some structures in the park that generate revenue, but there could be more permanent facilities. They create a sense of stability and raise the level of the experience of the event. If there were permanent structures and infrastructure, we would not need as many tents or generators. She supports spending money on a capital project that could be enjoyed for the other events in the park. She stated that St. Patrick’s Day is uniquely Dublin and sets us apart. She stated there are two days that she believes are worth the spend and those are St. Patrick’s Day and Independence Day. She is supportive of additional sponsorships. She stated that comparatively, purchasing a table at the Independence Day celebration is less expensive than buying concert tickets for the whole family. She suggested making the tables seat ten rather than eight and raise the price to $300. Regarding Riverside Crossing Park and outsourcing, she stated that she believes the park is a space where people can go and enjoy. She feels strongly that it should be a space of the people. She stated at times it is difficult to navigate from Bridge Park to the Bridge because there are so many things going on. She stated that she would be fearful that if we outsourced and they commercialized the park that it would lose the feel of being a community park. She stated that there is room at the north end of the park for events and activity and advocated for putting permanent facilities in that area of the park. Mayor Amorose Groomes agreed that Spooktacular should only be a one-day event. Ms. Blake sought clarification regarding the national act for Independence Day versus a local/regional act. She stated that she heard four Council Members in agreement for a national act and three that agreed with a regional/local act. Ms. Kramb clarified that she does not want to spend more money, so a conversation needs to be held regarding who can be booked for the money we have. If a national act can be found for the money, she is fine with that. She is not supportive of increasing how much the City pays for this event. Mr. Reiner complimented Ms. LeRoy and Events staff on the events that have made Dublin stand out as a community. Ms. De Rosa stated that if we are saying to keep the cost where it is then that could mean doing a regional act sometimes and a national act sometimes. She agrees with Ms. Kramb’s comments and stated that this is the budget for the event and it is not increasing. Ms. O'Callaghan stated that each year we go through the annual operating budget process and a discussion could be held each year to determine the budget that the City will allocate for the musical act for the upcoming year. She stated that could also provide more timely information about sponsorships to inform those budget discussions. She added that our agent is a Dublin resident and he did provide Council with insights on this process RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Dublin City Council Minutes of Meeting GOVERNMENT FORMS & SUPPLIES 644-224-3588 FORM NO, 10141 Held April 21,2025 Page 12 of 17 20 and budgets about ten years ago. She offered to bring him in again in the coming year. e Bridge Park, J Block — Concept Plan Mr. Hounshell stated that before Council is the concept plan for Block J. City Council approved a Code amendment on April 7 that will not require concept plans to come to Council, so this is likely the last concept plan before Council for approval. This concept plan is before Council for a determination and has received a recommendation for approval from the Planning and Zoning Commission (PZC). The applicant has submitted a Preliminary Development Plan that is currently in review. They are anticipating that to go before PZC at the May 1 meeting. This site is just over five acres in size and is zoned Scioto River Neighborhood. The requirements of the Scioto River Neighborhood are a balanced mix of uses, residential presence to compliment and support a strong mix of uses and a comfortable walkable street network. This site does not have any additional requirements such as gateway locations or open space. Block J currently has three buildings that are proposed with Phase One. Phase Two would have an additional condo building as shown below. OFFICE/RESTAURANT FUTURE PHASE 2 ~ 3 GARAGE CONDO DEVELOPMENT Phase Two is not being considered at this moment as it is still under negotiation. The three buildings contain office up in the northwest corner, condos in the northeast and then the garage building in the southeast. The site is enclosed by Bridge Park Avenue to the north, which is a public street. Dale Drive is to the west which is a public street and Banker Drive to the south which is an existing private street owned by the property owner to the south. Dave Thomas Boulevard is shown as “Street B” above on the far-right side which is going to be a public street from a private drive. There is one new street proposed with this which is Street A. It is a north-south connection and is planned to be private and maintained by Crawford Hoying. There is over an acre of open space at the center of the site. Mr Hounshell provided a few elevation illustrations that were submitted with this concept plan showing the four-story mixed-use building. The parking garage is a five-story parking structure including a perforated metal scrim which will have an art installation on it. The parking garage also requires a conditional use because it does not have a liner building on it. This conditional use has been approved in other blocks when not along principal frontage streets. Mr. Hounshell provided an Minutes of RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Dublin City Council Meeting GOVERNMENT FORMS & SUPPLIES 844-224-3338 FORM NO. 10148" Held April 21.2025 Page 13 of 17. 20 r T J illustration showing the height comparisons between this proposed block and the surrounding areas. There are some grade changes in elevation moving further east on Bridge Park Avenue. PZC reviewed this application and recommended approval with three conditions: 1. The applicant continues to work with staff on the conversion of Banker Drive and Street B (Dave Thomas Boulevard) to public streets; 2. The applicant submits a Conditional Use Permit with the submission of the Preliminary Development Plan; and 3. The applicant continue to work with staff to explore alternative designs for Street A, based on the comments provided by the Commission. Staff recommended approval. Ms. Fox stated that regarding the third condition and in reviewing the PZC minutes, she is in agreement that Street A should not be a through street. She added that the Bridge Street Code provides for a pedestrian byway to break up a block without using a through street. She stated access points to accommodate the need for loading and getting into the garage can be at the north or south end. She encouraged the applicant and staff to make it a pedestrian roadway and still get the functionality that is needed. She is concerned that to answer the question of parking, green space might be lost. She is hopeful that the corner will have an unusual presence. The renderings show the first floor looking the same as the upper floors. The corner design needs to be impressive and noticeable so people want to walk toward it. Ms. Kramb asked if there was on-street parking on the east-west streets. Mr. Hounshell stated that there will be parking provided on the north side of Banker Drive. Although they do not control whether Banker Drive can be public or private, they are still making the effort to proceed as if it is going to follow the Bridge Street Design Standard. There will also be on-street parking on the west side of Street B. Currently there is parking being shown on Bridge Park Avenue, but staff and the applicant are still working through that detail. Ms. Kramb is concerned it could be a safety issue due to the grade change. She stated she would not want to count on parking on Bridge Park Avenue as part of their parking requirement numbers. Ms. De Rosa asked if Street A will meet all the requirements of a public street. Mr. Hounshell stated that it would be designed to the standards that are required by the City. Referring to Ms. Fox’s comments, he added that the applicant is still working on the transition to the open space. Mayor Amorose Groomes stated that when the open space is designed, there needs to be something there to meet the Code. Whether it be a terminal vista, it must be some item of interest because the further we get away from the pedestrian bridge, it will need architectural features to draw people in. She stated it sounds like this meets the criteria consistent with the adopted plans and aligns with the uses identified in the Code. Referring to the renderings of the parking garage, Mayor Amorose Groomes stated that the garage really looks like a garage. She prefers to see something that does not look like a parking garage. She referenced one of the parking garages in Bridge Park that looks like an old warehouse building that she is very fond of. She stated that these renderings do not look exceptional, so the project really does not conform to that item of the review criteria. She commented on the amount of open space and is hopeful that the design lives up to allowing for public or private infrastructure. She added that she also wants to make sure that conforming to the neighborhood standards, in terms of visual massing, that there are still finishes at the top of the building that would draw your eye up and make it look like enduring architecture. Minutes of RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Dublin City Council Meeting GOVERNMENT FORMS & SUPPLIES 844-224-3338 FORM NO. 10146 Held April 21,2025. Page 14 of 17 20 STAFF COMMENTS Ms. O'Callaghan did not have a report. COUNCIL REPORTS Mr. Reiner stated that the intention with the creation of Bridge Park was that the signage be unique and interesting. He is also supportive of incorporating some kind of sculptural element or tile on the side of one of the buildings. He agreed that the parking garage should be unique. The landscaped open space should be executed to a high standard. Ms. Fox noted that Bailey is right next door. The Bailey is a very expensive, senior citizen condo building that is six stories. These buildings are four or five stories. One of them has parking on the roof. The Community Development Committee had a conversation about rooftop aesthetics. She stated that she wants to make sure that the Bailey residents that live in those higher floors are not looking at parked cars on an ugly roof next door to them. The applicant, Matthew Staff, 6640 Riverside Drive, came forward and stated that regarding the open space, it is the largest open space and they look forward to developing it into a great space. Street A has garnered a lot of discussion. The challenge with that office building and the restaurant in particular is that there must be a way to get trash to the east end of the building. They agree that the level of safety for pedestrians is important. The other topic that has received debate is parking. The entrance to the restaurant is on the northwest corner. In their research, they have discovered that most people will come from the west and park elsewhere versus parking in the garage and walking to the restaurant. He expressed appreciation for Council’s comments and feedback and stated that they will work to incorporate them. In response to Ms. Fox’s question about the middle section of Street A and not allowing trucks to go through, Mr. Starr stated that the trucks have to be able to get back out, so a cul-de-sac or some way to turn around instead of having to back out on Bridge Park Avenue is necessary. Mayor Amorose Groomes asked if the applicant if he is in agreement with the three conditions as stated. He responded affirmatively. Mayor Amorose Groomes moved to approve the concept plan with the three conditions: 1. The applicant continues to work with staff on the conversion of Banker Drive and Street B (Dave Thomas Boulevard) to public streets; 2. The applicant submits a Conditional Use Permit with the submission of the Preliminary Development Plan; and 3. The applicant continues to work with staff to explore alternative designs for Street A, based on the comments provided by the Commission. Vice Mayor Alutto seconded. Vote on the motion: Mayor Amorose Groomes, yes; Mr. Reiner, yes; Mr. Keeler, yes; Vice Mayor Alutto, yes; Ms. Fox, yes; Ms. Kramb, yes; Ms. De Rosa, yes. Committee Reports o Community Development Committee: Mr. Reiner stated that the Community Development Committee met on Tuesday, April 15 to review 6 applications to receive Beautify Your Neighborhood Grant funding. Those applications will be coming to City Council on May 5 for approval. The second agenda topic was roof aesthetics, specifically green roofs. Staff will gather some research and benchmarking and then the topic will come back to the Committee. RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Dublin City Council Minutes of Meeting GOVERNMENT FORMS & SUPPLIES 844-223-3330 FORM NO, TOTS Held April 21,2025 Page 15 of 17 20 e Liaison Reports o Ms. De Rosa stated that Ms. Fox would provide the report for the US 33 Corridor Group. She did not have a report regarding Planning and Zoning Commission. o Ms. Fox stated that the US 33 Corridor Group met on April 11, hosted by Plain City. The representatives from the multiple jurisdictions shared information about development pressures. The discussion ‘highlighted the areas within the corridor experiencing significant growth and infrastructure demand. Some of the highlights from the meeting include: = Mill Creek, Jerome Township and Union County are all looking at their long-range planning efforts and finalizing their comprehensive plans; = Jerome Township requested comments on its draft plan by May 19; = There is continued interest in development of residential areas within the 33 corridor including Jerome Village, Marysville east and south, Jerome Township’s Innovation District, Hyland Croy Road Corridor and the Madison Gateway. = The infrastructure improvements including SR 42 and Industrial Parkway construction and the completion of the US 33/SR 161 Interchange construction should be coming to a close this year. = Water, sewer and gas line improvements are going into the corridor all the way up to Delaware County. = Discussion around data centers and the impacts surrounding development is being discussed in Marysville as well.and the potential for design strategies that could be used by the various communities. = Collaboration on future development within Madison County and the opportunities to collaborate with partners was discussed. Staff from Dublin, Marysville, Jerome Township and Plain City reported on recent meetings including public utility service and traffic impacts to the 161 corridor in Madison County. = The economic development staff from the various jurisdictions including Madison County, are meeting later this week to gain a better understanding of the development plans within the Madison Gateway area, including the development standards and the infrastructure needs that will be coming. = On May 13, 2025, the Beta District is hosting a multi-day mobility conference which is being coordinated by all Beta District partners with events happening in Marysville and Dublin. o Mr. Keeler stated that the Board of Education Liaison meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, April 23. Logan/Union/Champaign Council Regional Planning Commission had six applications at their last meeting; four within Union County, Jerome Township. They were all single-family residences, but not all Dublin City Schools. ‘ o Mr. Reiner shared that the Dublin Arts Council search for a new Executive Director has identified the seven finalists. o Ms. Kramb shared that the Washington Township Renewal Levy will be on the ballot on May 6. The Architectural Review Board will be seeing a remodeling of what was formerly the Oscar's site. The 84 North High Street remodel is back and there is also some remodeling to 16 North High Street where the Cupcakery used to be. Minutes of RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Dublin City Council Wactine GOVERNMENT FORMS & SUPPLIES 644-224-3588 FORM NO, 10148 Held April 21, 2025 Page 16 of 17 20 COUNCIL ROUNDTABLE o Mr. Reiner stated that last week the State Board of Landscape Architects, who o Mayor Amorose Groomes provided an update regarding MORPC. She shared that on Wednesday, April 23, a delegation will be traveling to the Dallas- Fort Worth Area. They will be holding meetings with the Trinity Metro representatives. They have recently added Amtrak rail in the area. The trip will help inform how they were able to accomplish this successful project. They will also meet with the Northeast Texas Council of Governments to learn about their process, state budgets, etc. She will be having lunch with City Manager Bruno Rumbelow from Grapevine, Texas while she is there. Additional meetings will be held at two of their stations and then she returns to Ohio on Friday, April 25. oversee the licensure for Ohio met. Three people petitioned to come to the meeting from the International Society of Culture. What they shared was interesting and something that Dublin will have to address someday. They said the average tree in Ohio lives seven years. The reason why our trees don’t live very long is because 85-95% of all our plant materials is really bought in the Florida, Texas and Tennessee areas. The hardiness zone is different than Ohio. The growing season is longer in those areas and you can grow a tree longer and pay less taxes. They require less care and are in the field for a shorter period. There is no federal law against the transportation of plant material though five different hardiness zones. He stated that it is sad to think that when a tree is planted it may not survive. He stated that Dublin will need an ordinance that we do not accept trees that are not in our hardiness zone. Mr. Reiner shared his personal experience with buying a tropical plant recently that died. He suggested having the Community Development Committee explore an ordinance that requires plants be bought from our area or above where it is colder. He stated that this is a way to protect the investment. Mr. Keeler thanked the Hidaka’s for the Cherry Blossom Luncheon. They are a shining example of light manufacturing in the heart of Dublin. Ms. De Rosa stated that relative to Mr. Reiner’s comments, staff is working on a green sustainability plan. The discussion is underway and interesting. She mentioned the Stone Pine Trees in Rome that are very large historic trees, but unfortunately, they are going through disease concerns there. Vice Mayor Alutto shared that she attended the ribbon cutting for Salon Suites. She and Mr. Reiner attended the Taiko Performance on April 12, and it was phenomenal. Mayor Amorose Groomes shared the following: o April 9 was the US Conference of Mayors meeting largely about the preservation and documentation of federal funded projects and their status. o April 10 was a MORPC meeting. Also on April 10 was Mt. Carmel’s ribbon cutting. o April 11 was the Hidaka Cherry Blossom Luncheon which was delightful as always. It was also a great opportunity to welcome our new Consul General of Japan in Detroit Jimmy Kishimori. o April 15 was the Legends Luncheon. She congratulated Barbara Nicklaus on being the honoree for the 2025 Memorial Tournament. o April 15 was also a meeting to select the next Grand Marshal which will be announced soon. © Today (April 21) she had the opportunity to welcome the Governor to Dublin. He was at Hopewell Elementary launching the new MRSS which is a platform that will make mental health services available in emergency situations within an hour's time anywhere in the state of Ohio. Rollout should be completed by June 1. fe} RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Minutes of Dublin City Council Meeting GOVERNMENT FORMS & SUPPLIES 844-224-3558 FORM NO, 10148 Held April 21,2025 Page 17 of 17 20 ADJOURNMENT There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 9:18 p.m. A h- B—~ Mayor — Presiding Officer le Old i Coyf ”cil