ARTICLE
At its regular meeting at 4:00 p.m. today, Toledo City Council is expected to vote on Ordinance 279-18 which would allow an expedited timeframe for the city’s review of a special use permit application for a solar field project at Overland Industrial Park. The ordinance would waive the 30-day wait period required between an application’s review by the Plan Commission and Council’s Zoning & Planning Committee. Once constructed, the solar project will produce electricity that Dana Inc. will purchase for its nearby Toledo Driveline facility. Those dollars will be reinvested in the surrounding neighborhood via grants issued through the Toledo Community Foundation. Other legislation expected to be voted on by City Council include the following: • Ordinance 246-18 which would direct the Department of Public Utilities and Toledo Municipal Court to implement and administer a voter registration program for individuals served by those agencies. As part of the program, the Human Relations Commission would support compliance and issue reports. The ordinance would appropriate $5,000 annually for materials and implementation costs. • Ordinance 262-18 which would approve $300,000 from the Capital Improvement Program (CIP) fund for various citywide bridge and levee restoration projects. The appropriation is being requested to meet strict deadlines for 2018 work. • Ordinance 267-18 re-appropriating $1,858,376 from the Roadway Matches and Planning Program, and $500,000 from the Various Improvements Projects, into the 2018 General Resurfacing Program. The additional funds are needed to complete planned projects which are above originally estimated costs. A hearing on the ordinance will take place in Council Chambers just prior to the start of the Council session. • Ordinance 275-18 which would approve $1,350,000 from the CIP fund to replace fleet response and fire ambulance transport vehicles for the Toledo Fire & Rescue Department. It is expected that action on Ordinance 209-18 will likely be postponed until August 14. The ordinance would approve $30,000 for professional services on behalf of City Council for advice concerning negotiations to develop a regional water agreement. A series of ordinances levying special assessments for various public service expenses in 2017 will likely be referred to Council’s Finance & Debt Oversight Committee. These include the following: • Ordinance 270-18 which would levy $17,753,811 for sprinkling, sweeping, cleaning and removing snow on municipal streets, alleys and public ways. • Ordinance 271-18 which would levy $3,454,543 for street lighting improvements outside of downtown. • Ordinance 272-18 which would levy $249,868 for street lighting improvements within downtown. • Ordinance 273-18 which would levy $4,008,107 for controlling the blight and disease of shade trees within public rights-of-way as well as planting, maintaining, trimming and removing such trees. • Ordinance 274-18 which would authorize assessments for cutting and destroying noxious weeds on vacant properties. The properties receiving weed services are assessed individually. All Council meetings are held in Council Chambers on the first floor of One Government Center, located on Jackson Boulevard in downtown Toledo.