(a) Based upon the aforesaid recommendations and upon said housing survey, on this Council's own knowledge of the facts and conditions existing in the proposed expanded CRA #3A, this Council hereby finds and determines that: proposed expanded CRA #3A constitutes an area in which housing facilities are located and new housing construction and repair of existing facilities or structures is discouraged.
(b) Pursuant to Ohio R.C. 3735.66, proposed expanded CRA #3A is hereby established as a Community Reinvestment Area meeting the requirements of Ohio R.C. 3735.65 through 3735.70, and proposed expanded CRA #3A is hereby established and designated in the area described and depicted in Exhibit A attached to Ordinance 10-28, passed 2-3-10.
(c) Within the proposed expanded CRA #3A, new construction and remodeling of existing commercial and industrial structures are hereby declared to be a public purpose and eligible for an exemption from real property taxation. Only commercial and industrial improvements consistent with the applicable zoning regulations within proposed expanded CRA #3A will be eligible for exemptions.
(d) Commencing upon the effective date of this Ordinance and within the proposed expanded CRA #3A, the percentage of tax exemption on the increase in the assessed valuation resulting from improvements to commercial and industrial real property and the period of those exemptions shall be negotiated on a case-by-case basis in advance of the commencement of construction or remodeling consistent with Ohio R.C. 3735.67, and there shall be no exemption for single-family or multi-family residential improvements; provided, however, that CRA #3 and existing CRA #3A shall continue in effect for any properties located within CRA #3 and existing CRA #3A with respect to which prior to the effective date of this Ordinance, construction has been commenced or completed, or an application for a building permit was filed with the City. The results of such negotiations as approved by this Council will be set forth in writing in Community Reinvestment Area Agreements as outlined in Ohio R.C. 3735.671.
(e) All commercial and industrial projects are required to comply with the State application fee requirements of Ohio R.C. 3735.672(C).
(f) To administer and implement the provisions of proposed expanded CRA #3A in accordance with Ohio R.C. 3737.65 through 3737.70, the City Manager is hereby designated as Housing Officer. The Housing Officer is authorized and directed to receive applications and grant real property tax exemptions for new structures or remodeling after the date of passage of this Ordinance, and is further authorized and directed to make annual inspections of properties within the proposed expanded CRA #3A for which exemptions have been granted, and to keep the Housing Council and Tax Incentive Review Council apprised of any revocations of CRA tax exemption made for lack of adequate property maintenance or compliance with a CRA agreement in accordance with Ohio R.C. 3735.68.
(g) A Community Reinvestment Area Housing Council (the "Housing Council") shall be established, consisting of two members appointed by the Mayor, two members appointed by the City Council, one member appointed by the Planning Commission and two residents of the City, appointed by a majority of the first five members, which appointments are hereby authorized to be made. Terms of members of the Housing Council shall be for three years. An unexpired term resulting from a vacancy in the Housing Council shall be filled in the same manner in which the initial appointment was made. The Mayor, the City Council and the Planning Commission are hereby authorized and directed to make their respective appointments to the Housing Council and those five appointed members are authorized to appoint the final two members. The Housing Council shall make an annual inspection of the properties within the proposed expanded CRA #3A for which an exemption has been granted and shall hear appeals under Ohio R.C. 3735.70 from property owners whose CRA applications have been denied or tax exemptions revoked by the Housing Officer. The City previously has established a Tax Incentive Review Council.
(h) This Council reserves the right to re-evaluate the designation of the City CRA after December 31, 2010, and on an annual basis therefore, at which time this Council may direct the Housing Officer not to accept any new applications for exemptions as described in Ohio R.C. 3735.67, with respect to any additional construction or remodeling thereafter commenced.
(Ord. 01-33. Passed 3-7-01; Ord. 10-28. Passed 2-3-10.)