Last night, Powell City Council adopted the 2023-27 Capital Improvements Program (CIP), allocating $18.8 million toward improvements to City infrastructure over the next five years. As we look to the future, the adoption and announcement of this year’s CIP is an especially exciting time for Powell!
Why? Read on!
First, what’s a CIP?
CIP (or Capital Improvements Program) is an annual document municipalities create to map out infrastructure projects they want to tackle over the next five years. City staff and City Council meet several times over the course of a year to evaluate projects, carefully considering funding sources, length and timing of design and construction, and the changing needs and priorities of a city.
A lot of work goes into a CIP, but the end result is a five-year roadmap detailing which infrastructure projects have been prioritized, the anticipated cost of each, how each will be funded, and when completion is expected.
So, why is this year especially exciting for Powell?
In 2021, voters approved a restructuring of the municipal income tax, and in 2022, the City of Powell began to see new revenue from that restructuring. The City’s financial policy allocates 25% of the prior year’s municipal tax revenue to the Capital Improvements Fund and that is the major source of funding for the CIP.
This means the 2023-27 CIP is the first program to reflect and benefit from the increased tax revenue, allowing for bigger possibilities for Powell!
What infrastructure projects made the list?
While City Council and City staff revisit the CIP many times over the course of a year and may make revisions based on a variety of factors, here are the projects included in the 2023-27 CIP:
Northeast Quadrant Parking – $3.2 million/projected completion 2026
Downtown parking is a big concern for residents, business owners, and visitors to Powell. This project creates a 137-space parking area behind the businesses at the northeast corner of Liberty and Olentangy Streets (think Oishii Japanese Bistro and the Powell Liberty Antique Mall).
Scioto Street Extension – $2.7 million/projected completion 2025
This extension of Scioto Street from Liberty Street to Grace Drive (a new east/west road constructed just south of the Powell Cemetery) will help alleviate congestion on Powell Road (750), creating sidewalks on both sides of the street and adding 15 new parking spaces at the northeast corner of Liberty and Scioto.
South Depot Street Connection – $2 million/projected completion 2024
Extending the existing Depot Street, curving south around Village Green Park and connecting to Liberty Street, will also help alleviate Powell Road (750) congestion.
North Depot Street Reconstruction – $1.1 million/projected completion 2024
This project improves the road, walkways, and lighting on the north side of Depot Street (Powell Road to Case Avenue – think Nocterra Brewing and Pup-A-Razzi Pet Salon) and adds more parking.
Scioto Street Reconstruction – $1 million/projected completion 2026
Reconstruction of Scioto Street between Depot and Hall Streets will widen the existing street to allow for new parking spaces on the north side.
Liberty Road Multi-Use Path – $1 million/projected completion 2025
This project connects the existing multi-use path on the east side of Liberty Road to the existing multi-use path on the west side of Murphy Parkway through the construction of a new connector with traffic signs and signals, allowing pedestrians to safely cross over the CSX railroad tracks.
Lechler Building Remodel – $1 million/projected completion 2024
Currently a storage site for the City, many consider the Lechler building to be the “gateway” to Powell. With the addition of a connector between the Liberty Road and Murphy Parkway pedestrian paths, a remodel of the Lechler into a public space opens up all kinds of the possibilities for the Delaware County District Library in adjacent Library Park or other community events!
That may seem like a lot, but wait, there’s more!
While those are the largest projects in the 2023-27 CIP, additional projects include the reconstruction of Hall Street ($735,000/projected completion 2026); repair and reconstruction of the CSX railroad tunnel in Adventure Park ($440,000/projected completion 2024); construction of six pickle ball courts in Adventure Park ($300,000/projected completion 2023); a signage and wayfinding plan ($168,000/projected completion 2023); and improvements to Village Green Park’s amphitheater ($75,000/projected completion 2023).
Last, but certainly not least…
The 2023-27 CIP also approves the transfer of $3.3 million to Powell’s Community Improvement Corporation (CIC) for potential land acquisition over the next five years.
What’s a CIC?
Powell’s CIC (or Community Improvement Corporation) is a 501(c)(3) corporation established in 2010 under the Ohio Revised Code to advance, encourage, and promote the industrial, economic, commercial, and civic development of Powell.
All that is to say, the CIP funds transferred to the CIC are set aside for the purpose of purchasing real estate when opportunities arise that makes sense for the economic development of the City. The funds are already allocated and available!
So, what’s all this mean for Powell?
Exciting times ahead! These are big projects and will take time, but you know what they say, the days are long but the years are short. Before we know it, we’ll be enjoying the benefits of these completed projects as they make Powell’s parks and downtown even better places to shop, dine, work, and play!