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.
---------------
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.
---------------
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)
Attachments
No attachments for this document.