Columbus, Georgia

Georgia's First Consolidated Government

Post Office Box 1340
Columbus, Georgia, 31902-1340
(706) 653-4013
fax (706) 653-4016

Council Members

AN ORDINANCE

NO.________





An ordinance amending Ordinance No. 98-30, No. 00-106, No. 01-29 and No. 08-69

to expand the existing Enterprise Zone, known also as the Columbus Business

Development Center in accordance with the 2010 U.S. Decennial Census Data.



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WHEREAS, the Council of Columbus, Georgia proposes to expand the

existing boundaries of the enterprise zone to include the designated area

(shown in stripped area on Exhibit A) which is contiguous and meets the

requirements of the Enterprise Zone Employment Act of 1997, O.C.G.A Section

36-88-1 et.seq.





NOW THEREFORE, THE COUNCIL OF COLUMBUS, GEORGIA HEREBY ORDAINS:



SECTION 1.



That the Council has found that the area designated in Exhibit A attached

hereto and incorporated herein meets the qualifications of the Enterprise Zone

Employment Act of 1997 and hereto amends to the existing boundaries of the

enterprise zone to include this area as part of the ?Columbus Business

Development Center.?



SECTION 2.



That this ordinance shall take effective on January 1, 2015.



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Introduced at a regular meeting of the Council of Columbus, Georgia, held on

the 26th day of August, 2012, introduced a second time at a regular meeting of

said Council held on the _____ day of ______, 2014, and adopted at said meeting

by the affirmative vote of _____ members of said Council.





Councilor Allen voting___________.

Councilor Baker voting___________.

Councilor Barnes voting__________.

Councilor Davis voting___________.

Councilor Henderson voting_______.

Councilor Huff voting____________.

Councilor McDaniel voting________.

Councilor Pugh voting____________.

Councilor Thomas voting__________.

Councilor Woodson voting_________.





__________________________ ____________________________

SANDRA T. DAVIS TERESA PIKE TOMLINSON

DEPUTY CLERK MAYOR









EXHIBIT A

boundaries to include US Census Tracts 111, 27, 33.02, 33.01, and parts of

others.



EXHIBIT B

ENTERPRISE ZONE ADMINISTRATIVE POLICIES



1.Incentives and Planning Department Responsibility

The incentives outlined in the ordinance above will be administered by the

Columbus Consolidated Government Planning Department. The department will have

the responsibility to process applications, convene a preliminary review

committee as applications are received, confer with the Council, and prepare

final documents for Council approval. The department will keep the Georgia

Department of Community Affairs informed of Enterprise Zone designation and

will maintain annual employment records to be filed with the department by

qualifying companies by April 1 of each yew. Additionally, the department will

coordinate all marketing and communications regarding the Enterprise Zone.

2.Description of the Incentives and Qualifying Businesses

The Consolidated Government of Columbus, Georgia, in agreeing to create the

Enterprise Zone shown in Exhibit A, agrees to abate ad valorem property tax for

qualifying businesses for ten years as outlined in the preceding ordinance and

in accordance with the definitions of qualifying business as set forth the

State of Georgia Enterprise Zone Employment Act of 1997 as follows:

A. ?Business enterprise? means any business that is engaged primarily in

manufacturing, warehousing and distribution, processing, telecommunications,

tourism, and research and development industries, new residential construction,

and residential rehabilitation.?.

B. ?Service enterprise? means an entity which is engaged primarily in finance,

insurance, real estate activity, and day-care or activities listed under the

Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) Codes 160 through 67 according to the

1987 edition of the Federal Office of Management and Budget Standard Industrial

Classification Manual

i. A qualifying business or service enterprise which increases employment by

five or more new full-time job equivalents in an area designated as an

Enterprise Zone and which provides additional economic stimulus in such zone.

Whenever possible, 10 percent of new employees shall be low income or

moderate-income individuals. Such qualifying business or service enterprise may

be new, an expansion or reinvestment of an existing qualifying business or

service enterprise, or a successor to such qualifying business or service

enterprise.

ii. Any qualifying business or service enterprise which employs at least 5,000

persons and which creates ten or more new full-time job equivalents that did

not exist prior to July 1, 1997, and which provides additional economic

stimulus in such zone.

iii. Any business receiving tax abatements according to the schedule outlined

above must maintain a minimum of five new full-time job equivalents to maintain

eligibility for the tax exemption. A form for reporting annual employment must

be filed with the Department of Community and Economic Development for its

review and records.

iv. Any project that consists of the rehabilitation of an existing structure

that results in the value of the improvement exceeding the value of the land by

a ratio of five to one is eligible for the incentives offered whether or not

the project is carried out by a qualifying business or service enterprise.



4. Additional Considerations

The Enterprise Zone Employment Act of 1997 Section 36-88-4(b) empowers the

local governing body to make a case-by-case determination of the eligibility of

each business for Enterprise Zone tax abatements and other incentives. Among

the considerations may be the following:

A. The value of the business to the economic health and well being of

Columbus/Muscogee County and its citizens.

B. Capital investment or reinvestment by the business equal to or greater than

the amount of ad valorem tax abated over the first five years of the tax

incentive.

C. Consideration for meeting some or all of the following criteria:

i. Locating in a vacant building

ii. Demolishing an existing or abandoned structure

iii. Assembling four or more tracts of land for one project

iv. Creating jobs above the state threshold

v. Creating jobs for residents of the Enterprise Zone and surrounding area

vi. Incorporating aesthetic enhancements (i.e.: landscaping, type of fa?ade

materials used, exclusion of billboards)



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