HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOUNCIL - AGENDA ITEM - 07/01/2014 - SECOND READING OF ORDINANCE NO. 085, 2014, AMENDIAgenda Item 5
Item # 5 Page 1
AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY July 1, 2014
City Council
STAFF
Helen Matson, Real Estate Services Manager
SUBJECT
Second Reading of Ordinance No. 085, 2014, Amending Article IV, Division 2 of Chapter 23 of the City Code
Regarding Disposition of Real Property.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
This Ordinance, unanimously adopted on First Reading on June 3, 2014, amends the City Code to authorize
the City Manager to approve certain leases on City-owned property. The existing language in the City Code
specifies that any disposition of real property, including leasing of real property, must be approved by City
Council, with the exception of property at the Fort Collins-Loveland Airport.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends adoption of the Ordinance on Second Reading.
ATTACHMENTS
1. Copy of First Reading Agenda Item Summary, June 3, 2014 (w/o attachments) (PDF)
2. Ordinance No. 085, 2014 (PDF)
Agenda Item 12
Item # 12 Page 1
AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY June 3, 2014
City Council
STAFF
Helen Matson, Real Estate Services Manager
SUBJECT
First Reading of Ordinance No. 085, 2014, Amending Article IV, Division 2 of Chapter 23 of the City Code
Regarding Disposition of Real Property.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The purpose of this item is to amend Article IV of Chapter 23 of the City Code to authorize the City Manager to
approve certain leases on City-owned property. The existing language in the City Code specifies that any
disposition of real property, including leasing of real property, must be approved by City Council, with the
exception of property at the Fort Collins-Loveland Airport.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends adoption of the Ordinance on First Reading.
BACKGROUND / DISCUSSION
Division 2 of Article IV of Chapter 23 of the City Code gives the City Council authority to sell, convey or dispose of
any interest in City-owned property. Previously, Chapter 23 was amended by City Council to authorize the City
Manager to approve certain leases at the Fort Collins-Loveland Airport. This Chapter was also amended by City
Council to authorize the City Manager to grant certain permits and licenses to enter on real property.
The City owns various properties that are leased to private citizens. Most of these are residential, with a few
commercial properties. City staff is frequently taking leases to Council for approval. The current situation is not an
effective use of Council's time, and the timing required to process a lease through Council could affect the ability to
conclude a lease transaction that is in the best interests of the City. Therefore, the City Manager has
recommended that the City Code be amended to authorize the City Manager to grant certain short-term leases.
The proposed Code change authorizes the City Manager to approve certain leases on City-owned property when
the lease term is five years or less. Airport leases would not be subject to the five-year limit as the Code already
permits the City Manager to authorize such leases regardless of length. If a lease needing approval does not fit
within these guidelines, it would be presented to City Council for its approval. In addition, the City Manager would
be required to inform the City Council of all leases that are approved under the provisions of this Code section.
The proposed changes would also change the current limit on leases that the City Council can approve by
resolution rather than by ordinance. Staff is proposing that this limit be changed from two years or less to twenty
years or less. Another change is an addition of a new section establishing guidelines for either the City Council or
City Manager, as appropriate, to use to make a finding that a public purpose is being served when City property is
leased, sold or otherwise conveyed for less than fair market value.
While working on these proposed amendments, City staff and the City Attorney identified additional changes that
could be made that would improve Division 2 of Article IV of Chapter 23. These changes include moving the
definitions into one Code section and placing those definitions at the beginning of the Division. Language was
Agenda Item 12
Item # 12 Page 2
simplified in Section 23-114 and a subsection of 23-114 was determined to be no longer necessary because of
the other proposed changes.
Potentially affected departments have reviewed the proposed Code changes and staff supports this amendment.
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ORDINANCE NO. 085, 2014
OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS
AMENDING ARTICLE IV, DIVISION 2 OF CHAPTER 23
OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS
REGARDING DISPOSITION OF REAL PROPERTY
WHEREAS, under Article IV of Chapter 23 of the City Code, all leases of City property
must be approved by the City Council by ordinance, except that leases for two years or less of
property that is not part of the City’s utility systems can be approved by resolution, and the City
Manager has authority to enter into leases for property at the Fort Collins-Loveland Airport
without prior City Council approval; and
WHEREAS, in the interest of efficiently managing the administrative affairs of the City,
the City Manager has recommended revising the existing Section 23-114 of the City Code
regarding leases of City property to permit the City Manager to sign additional short-term leases
of City property without formal action by the City Council; and
WHEREAS, the proposed amendments would permit the City Manager to enter into
leases of City property for a term of five years or less, although this time limit would not apply to
Airport leases, as the City Code currently permits the City Manager to authorize Airport leases
regardless of term length; and
WHEREAS, the City Manager would be required to notify the City Council of all leases
that he or she approves pursuant to this authority, just as the City Manager is currently required
to do when granting a permit or license to enter on real property under Section 23-116 of the City
Code; and
WHEREAS, the proposed amendments would also change the current limit on leases that
the City Council can approve by resolution rather than by ordinance from a lease term of two
years or less to a lease term of twenty years or less; and
WHEREAS, the proposed amendments would include a new section establishing
guidelines for either the City Council or City Manager, as appropriate, to use to make a finding
that a public purpose is being served when City property is leased, sold or otherwise conveyed
for less than fair market value; and
WHEREAS, in the process of drafting the proposed amendments City staff and the City
Attorney identified additional changes that could be made to Division 2 of Article IV of Chapter
23 to improve its organization and clarity; and
WHEREAS, such changes include: putting definitions currently located in different
sections of Division 2 into one Code section and moving that section to the beginning of the
Division, simplifying the language in Section 23-114, and deleting a subsection of 23-114 that
was determined to no longer be necessary in light of the other proposed changes; and
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WHEREAS, the City Council has determined that the proposed changes are in the best
interests of the citizens of the City.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL FO THE CITY OF
FORT COLLINS as follows:
Section 1. That Article IV, Division 2 of Chapter 23 of the Code of the City of Fort
Collins is hereby amended by the addition of a new Section 23-110 to read as follows:
Sec. 23-110. Definitions.
The following words and phrases, when used in this Division, shall have the meanings
ascribed to them in this Section:
Lease shall mean a contract by which the City grants to another the right to possess, use
and enjoy any real property owned by the City for ten (10) days or longer, in exchange
for the payment of rent in a stipulated amount.
Real property shall mean lands, lands under water, buildings, permanent structures and
any and all easements, incorporeal hereditaments and every estate and right therein, legal
and equitable, including terms for years and liens by way of judgment, mortgage or
otherwise.
Section 2. That existing Section 23-112 of the Code of the City of Fort Collins, “Real
property defined,” is hereby deleted in its entirety.
Section 3. That existing Section 23-113 of the Code of the City of Fort Collins,
“Form of deeds; signature and seal,” is hereby renumbered as Section 23-112.
Section 4. That existing Section 23-114 of the Code of the City of Fort Collins is
hereby repealed and reenacted as Section 23-113 to read in its entirety as follows:
Sec. 23-113. Leases.
(a) Interests in real property owned in the name of the City that are part of the City’s
water or electric utility system may be leased only in the manner provided in Section 23-
111.
(b) Interests in other real property owned in the name of the City may be leased
subject to the following provisions:
(1) The City Council may lease any and all interests in real property owned in
the name of the City if the City Council first finds that the lease is in the best
interests of the City. Such leases may be approved by the City Council by
resolution unless the proposed term of the lease exceeds twenty (20) years, in
which event the lease must be approved by the City Council by ordinance.
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(2) The City Manager may lease, for a definite term of five (5) years or less,
any interests in real property owned in the name of the City. This five (5) year
limitation shall not apply to the lease of real property located at the Fort Collins-
Loveland Municipal Airport.
(3) Any lease of an interest in real property owned in the name of the City and
located at the Fort Collins-Loveland Municipal Airport shall be subject to the
following requirements:
a. The use to which the real property is to be put under the lease is an
aeronautical or general aviation use or a use which directly augments an
aeronautical or general aviation use;
b. The use to which the real property is to be put is permitted by any
land use or zoning codes or regulations applicable to the real property; and
c. The lease and the use to which the real property is to be put are in
compliance with all Federal Aviation Administration and state laws,
regulations, and agreements applicable to the property to be leased.
(4) The City Manager shall promptly notify the City Council of the execution
of any lease agreement entered into by the City pursuant to Subsection (b)(2).
(5) Nothing in this Section shall preclude the City Manager from referring any
proposed lease to the City Council for a determination as to whether the lease
would be in the best interests of the City, which determination may be made by
the City Council by resolution.
Section 5. That Article IV, Division 2 of Chapter 23 of the Code of the City of Fort
Collins is hereby amended by the addition of a new Section 23-114 to read as follows:
Sec. 23-114. Disposition of property interests for less than fair market value.
Any sale, lease or other conveyance of property interests approved under Section 23-
111(a) or (b) or Section 23-113 must be for an amount equal to or greater than the fair
market value of such interest unless the City Council or City Manager, as applicable,
determines that such sale or lease serves a bona fide public purpose because:
(1) The use to which the property will be put promotes health, safety, or general
welfare and benefits a significant segment of the citizens of Fort Collins;
(2) The use to which the property will be put supports one or more of the City
Council’s goals, adopted policies, projects or plans;
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(3) The financial support provided by the City through the below-market disposition
of the property will be leveraged with other funding or assistance;
(4) The sale or lease will not result in any direct financial benefit to any private
person or entity, except to the extent such benefit is only an incidental consequence and is
not substantial relative to the public purpose being served; and
(5) Selling or leasing the property for less than fair market rent will not interfere with
current City projects or work programs, hinder workload schedules, or divert resources
needed for primary City functions or responsibilities.
Introduced, considered favorably on first reading, and ordered published this 3rd day of
June, A.D. 2014, and to be presented for final passage on the 1st day of July, A.D. 2014.
__________________________________
Mayor
ATTEST:
_______________________________
City Clerk
Passed and adopted on final reading on the 1st day of July, A.D. 2014.
__________________________________
Mayor
ATTEST:
_______________________________
City Clerk