Vacating right-of-way for Colony development on Toledo City Council agenda

​By Tim Schneider, Toledo Regional Chamber of Commerce

At its regular meeting at 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday, August 11, Toledo City Council is expected to give first reading to four ordinances that would approve vacating certain right-of-way to facilitate the Colony development planned by ProMedica and Continental Real Estate Co. The overall project will include two apartment buildings, a hotel, and a mixed-use structure near ProMedica Toledo Hospital. Ordinance 312-20 would approve vacating a strip along Central Avenue, Ordinance 313-20 would approve vacating portions of Brian Cliff Road, Ordinance 314-20 would approve vacating a portion of Kelly Avenue, and Ordinance 315-20 would approve vacating portions of Rathburn Drive. The requests have been recommended for approval by the Toledo Plan Commission and the Lucas County Board of Revision.

Also at the meeting, Council is expected to vote on the following:

• Ordinance 286-20 which would allow for an alternate to serve on the Board of Zoning Appeals on behalf of the member of the Toledo Plan Commission that is represented on the Board. The alternate would be appointed by the Plan Commission and be required to have a background or specialization in land use planning. According to the proposal, the change would be consistent with other city review boards that allow for alternates to be selected by officials to represent them on those bodies. 
• Ordinance 287-20 which would remove the minimum square footage per unit requirement for developments in Downtown Commercial zoned areas, and decrease the minimum square footage per unit requirement in Mixed Commercial-Residential zoned areas. 
• Ordinance 291-20 which would approve the appointments of all council members not currently under voluntary suspension to Council’s recently created Ad Hoc Ethics Review Committee. Council Member Katie Moline would serve as chair, and Council Member Dr. Cecelia Adams would serve as vice chair of the committee.

 
Council is expected to give first reading to the following:

• Ordinance 294-20 which would establish the right of a tenant to avoid eviction by paying all past due rent and late fees prior to an eviction action being filed by their landlord. It would also establish the right of a tenant to avoid eviction by paying all past due rent, late fees and court costs following an eviction action but prior to a judgement being issued. In addition, it would require a landlord to provide the tenant with a signed receipt for security deposits and rent payment not made by personal check. 
• Ordinance 297-20 which would approve ProMedica’s removal of the pedestrian concourse over Summit Street downtown currently connecting buildings at 300 Madison Avenue and 3 SeaGate. Removal would begin mid-September and involve a three-day road closure over a weekend in early October. The removal is part of the overall reconstruction of Summit Street between Lafayette Street and Jackson Boulevard, and is meant to encourage pedestrian access of downtown businesses. 

Council is also expected to give first reading to the following ordinances that would levy special assessments for various public service expenses in 2019. The assessments will appear on calendar year 2021 property tax bills. Frontage determines the assessment amount per property.

• Ordinance 307-20 which would levy $17,749,080 for sweeping, leaf pick-up, and removing snow on streets and alleys. Only properties along improved streets and alleys are assessed for sweeping. All properties are assessed for leaf pick-up, with the cost being different for properties on improved streets and unimproved streets. Unimproved streets are those with minimal to no road base depth or curbs. All properties are assessed for removing snow regardless of whether or not a street is cleared. 
• Ordinance 308-20 which would levy $3,582,866 for providing street lighting outside of downtown, and Ordinance 309-20 which would levy $241,533 for providing street lighting within downtown. All properties along a street with lighting are assessed. 
• Ordinance 310-20 which would levy $4,089,397 for controlling the blight and disease of shade trees within public rights-of-way as well as planting, maintaining, trimming and removing trees in and along streets. All properties in the city are assessed for these services. 
• Ordinance 311-20 which would levy $602,162 for the repair or construction of new sidewalks. Only properties where sidewalk work occurs are assessed. Properties are assessed for the actual cost of the work that occurred on the property.

 
The public may watch the Council meeting online by visiting https://toledo.legistar.com and scrolling down to the August 11 city council meeting and clicking on “in progress”.

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​​​Tim Schneider
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​As Manager for Local Government Advocacy, Tim Schneider advocates for local policies and laws that safeguard and foster a pro-business environment in the Toledo Region. Tim has more than 10 years of legislative and public policy experience with the local, state and federal levels of government.