Columbus children younger than 18 have a year to get used to bicycle helmets.

Compromise legislation approved last night by the City Council will delay enforcement of the rule until next summer. It also caps fines at $25 and allows police to issue warnings instead of tickets.

Although the ordinance won unanimous council approval, Public Safety Director Mitchell Brown remained opposed, saying it would be too costly and difficult to enforce.

The department already is under orders from Mayor Michael B. Coleman to rein in police and fire overtime.

WBNS-TV (Channel 10) reported last night that Coleman is considering canceling both divisions' recruit classes scheduled for December.

Chief of Staff Michael D. Reese said a decision will be made in October.

Councilwoman Charleta B. Tavares insisted the new helmet law won't add to police duties. Like jaywalking laws and others, she said, it will be weighed by police as they go about their jobs.

At least 20 other cities in Ohio have adopted helmet laws, Tavares said. Nationally, 10,700 children are hospitalized annually from bike-related accidents.

Councilman Andrew J. Ginther and Councilwoman Maryellen O'Shaughnessy, who opposed earlier versions of Tavares' proposal, joined the other five members in approval.

"The perfect is not the enemy of the good," Ginther said.

Coleman hasn't decided yet whether to sign the legislation, let it become law without his signature or veto the proposal, Reese said.

Coleman, Brown and Ginther wanted the health department to enforce the law, not the police. They advocated for a system similar to the one used by the Cleveland suburb of Shaker Heights.

Council aides, Coleman administration officials and City Attorney Richard C. Pfeiffer Jr. huddled in pairs for more than three hours before council members began debate on Tavares' proposal.

In other business, council members approved plans for a new city-owned parking garage at 4th and Elm streets Downtown. Their action allows the Capital South Community Urban Redevelopment Corp. to move forward with plans to levy a special assessment on about 50 property owners within 800 feet of the project.

One of them, Due Amici restaurant owner Jeff Mathes, said a few big developers are forcing the financing scheme on everyone else. Former Capital South Director John Rosenberger said property owners accounting for 80 percent of the $5.7 million expected to be raised are on board with the plan.

In addition to the assessment, parking income and property taxes on new and renovated Downtown buildings will pay for the $15.3 million garage.

Council members also gave their final approval to put a six-question bond package totaling $1.66 billion on the Nov. 4 ballot. The bond issues would allow the city to borrow money for sewer projects, street repairs, recreation centers and other public improvements.

Officials have vowed to keep a 6-decade-old promise to repay bonds through existing city income taxes, not by raising property taxes. Millage rates will be included on the ballot, however, and those tallied by Franklin County Auditor Joe Testa show that the six issues would add $260 in property taxes for every $100,000 in property values if the city couldn't keep its promise.

rpierce@dispatch.com

rvitale@dispatch.com

The council also approved a six-question bond package totaling $1.66 billion for the Nov. 4 ballot.