Agenda Item # 1
A RESOLUTION
NO._____
A RESOLUTION BY THE COUNCIL OF COLUMBUS, GEORGIA TO CREATE COLUMBUS, GEORGIA
CONSOLIDATED GOVERNMENT TAX ALLOCATION DISTRICT #1: BENNING TECHNOLOGY PARK; TO
DESIGNATE THE BOUNDARIES OF THE REDEVELOPMENT AREA AND TAX ALLOCATION DISTRICT;
TO ESTABLISH THE TAX INCREMENT BASE AND ADOPT A REDEVELOPMENT PLAN FOR THE
AREA; TO ESTABLISH THE INTENT TO ISSUE AND SELL TAX ALLOCATION BONDS AS
NECESSARY TO EFFECTUATE THE REDEVELOPMENT OF THE AREA; AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.
WHEREAS, the Redevelopment Powers Law, O.C.G.A. ? 36-44-1 et seq., provides for
the exercise of redevelopment powers and the creation of redevelopment plans
and tax allocation districts by counties, municipalities, and consolidated
governments in the State of Georgia; and,
WHEREAS, the purpose of the Redevelopment Powers Law is to improve economic and
social conditions within economically and socially depressed urban areas that
contribute to or cause unemployment, limit the tax resources of local governing
authorities while creating a greater demand for government services, and have
deleterious effect upon the public health, safety, morals, and welfare; and,
WHEREAS, in accordance with O.C.G.A. ?36-44-4(a), the Columbus Council
(?Council?) previously designated itself as the redevelopment agency to
exercise the provisions of the Redevelopment Plan and the Redevelopment Powers
Law with the delegation of certain administrative functions to the Columbus
Development Authority (Ordinance No.15-51); and,
WHEREAS, it is in the public interest of the Columbus, Georgia Consolidated
Government (the ?CCG?) that the Redevelopment Powers Law be exercised to enable
public-private partnerships to improve economic and social conditions in
certain areas of Southeast Columbus constituting 1,230 acres (hereinafter the
?Southeast Columbus Redevelopment Area?) by supporting development of the
planned Benning Technology Park, a 183 acre development site located between
I-185 and Fort Benning all as more fully described in the Redevelopment Plan
(as defined herein), attached hereto as Exhibit ?A?, in order to abate or
eliminate deleterious effects of its current depressed state; and,
WHEREAS, Council recognizes that the Southeast Columbus Redevelopment Area is
an area located within a developed area that is substantially underutilized and
is adversely affected by environmental factors that retard and impair
redevelopment and that the area substantially impairs the sound growth of the
community (O.C.G.A. ? 36-44-3(7)); and,
WHEREAS, the Council has determined that it is in the best interest of the CCG
and its citizens, and that redevelopment of the Southeast Columbus
Redevelopment Area will best be served by the separation and creation of one or
more smaller Tax Allocation Districts within the boundaries of the overall
Redevelopment Area, and has designated the boundaries of Tax Allocation
District #1: Benning Technology Park (the ?TAD?)to include 51 tax parcels and
299 acres located within the boundaries of the Southeast Columbus Redevelopment
Area; and,
WHEREAS, the Columbus, Georgia Consolidated Government Tax Allocation District
#1: Fort Benning Technology Park/Southeast Columbus Redevelopment Plan (the
?Redevelopment Plan?) has been prepared for the Southeast Columbus
Redevelopment Area in accordance with the requirements of O.C.G.A ? 36-44-3(9);
and,
WHEREAS, the Council held public hearings at the meetings of December 8, 2015
and December 15, 2015 duly noticed as prescribed by law and published in the
Columbus Ledger Enquirer and as set forth in the minutes of said meetings. The
purpose of the meetings was to receive suggestions and comments on the proposed
redevelopment plan and tax allocation district; and,
WHEREAS, Council desires to adopt the Redevelopment Plan and create the
Columbus, Georgia Consolidated Government Tax Allocation District#: Benning
Technology Park (the ?TAD?).
NOW, THEREFORE, THE COUNCIL OF COLUMBUS, GEORGIA HEREBY RESOLVES AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. Council finds that the Southeast Columbus Redevelopment Area has
not been subject to growth and development through private enterprise and would
not reasonably be anticipated to be developed without the approval of the
Redevelopment Plan.
Section 2. Council finds that the improvement of the Southeast Columbus
Redevelopment Area is likely to enhance the value of a substantial portion of
other real property in the area.
Section 3. Council adopts the attached Redevelopment Plan, attached to this
Resolution as Exhibit ?A? and incorporated herein by reference, as the
Redevelopment Plan for the aforesaid area.
Section 4. Council creates the TAD pursuant to the Redevelopment Plan and the
Redevelopment Powers Law and designates the boundaries of the district as
indicated in the Redevelopment Plan.
Section 5. The TAD is hereby created as of December 31, 2015, and shall
continue in existence until all redevelopment costs, including financing costs,
are paid in full.
Section 6. The CCG hereby establishes the estimated Tax Allocation Increment
Base to be $2,339,293, subject to the certification of the State of Georgia?s
revenue commissioner as provided O.C.G.A. ? 36-44-10. The property taxes to be
used for computing tax allocation increments for the Columbus, Georgia
Consolidated Government shall include all M&O Millage on real property within
the TAD as specified in the attached Redevelopment Plan and incorporated herein
by reference. Any property taxes levied to repay bonded indebtedness, property
taxes on personal property or motor vehicles and ad valorem taxes collect from
public utilities and railroad companies will be excluded from the Tax
Allocation Increment Base in accordance with O.C.G.A. ?36-44-3(1).
Section 7. Council intends where feasible and cost effective to authorize the
issuance of Tax Allocation Bonds or other forms of financing as determined by
CCG for any and all eligible uses as permitted under the Redevelopment Powers
Law as may be necessary to implement provisions of the Redevelopment Plan.
Section 8. The property proposed to be pledged for payment or as security for
payment of tax allocation bonds will include the positive ad valorem tax
allocation increments derived from real property within the TAD for the life of
the district.
Section 9. All resolutions and parts of resolutions in conflict with this
resolution are hereby rescinded to the extent of any such conflict.
_____________
Introduced at a regular meeting of the Council of Columbus, Georgia held on the
15th day of December, 2015, and adopted at said meeting by the affirmative vote
of ______ members of Council.
Councilor Allen voting __________.
Councilor Baker voting __________.
Councilor Barnes voting __________.
Councilor Buck voting __________.
Councilor Davis voting __________.
Councilor Henderson voting __________.
Councilor Huff voting __________.
Councilor Thomas voting __________.
Councilor Turner Pugh voting __________.
Councilor Woodson voting __________.
_______________________________ __________________________
Tiny B. Washington, Clerk of Council Teresa Pike Tomlinson, Mayor
EXHIBIT ?A?
REDEVELOPMENT PLAN
Attachments