WHEREAS, the Upper Arlington Area Chamber of Commerce has an active interest in preserving and expanding upon the business base of this community and has on several occasions supported issues accordingly through endorsements, education and financial resources; and

WHEREAS, the Board of Directors previously took a position on , 2010 that supported the maximization of AOL/CompuServe property for commercial uses so as to grow the commercial tax base and adequately support city services and the school district; and

WHEREAS, the Board further worked cooperatively with other aggrieved parties to concur with the position of the City of Upper Arlington that the proposed Tree-of-Life Project didn't constitute a "residential use" or a "church" through a series of administrative appeals and believes that the proposed project was best defined as a "school" and should seek the rezoning required by the Unified Development Ordinance of the City of Upper Arlington; and

WHEREAS, as the Project continues to be reviewed and its impacts weighed within the community, it is important for the broader community to fully understand the ramifications of this proposal and the opportunities that the AOL/CompuServe property has to offer our business community and the tax payers of Upper Arlington; and

WHEREAS, upon recommendation of the Business Advisory Committee (BAC), the Board believes it is part of our mission to present our position on this matter and provide factual information to our members and the broader public;

NOW THEREFORE, be it resolved by the Board of Directors of the Upper Arlington Area Chamber of Commerce:

• The Board reaffirms its support for utilization of the AOL/CompuServe property in a manner that maximizes its potential for commercial growth and development.
• The Board supports the BAC's recommendation to prepare the strategy for an Awareness Campaign to articulate the merits of the property and the Chamber's position on this matter.
• The Board sanctions the utilization of the PAC to potentially implement the proposed Awareness Campaign.
• The Board charges the BAC to return with a strategy to implement the Awareness Campaign. The strategy will provide a reasonable estimate of costs and financial resources capable to implement the Awareness Campaign.

UACSD Resolution - Commercial Tax Base

CIC Presentationcompuserve part 2

Fact sheet