MANSFIELD — Mansfield City Council is scheduled Tuesday to discuss a plan to spend public funds as part of a brownfield remediation effort at 474 Bowman St.
Local lawmakers are scheduled to discuss in caucus spending $91,868.35 in PRIDE taxes as matching funds used by the Richland County Land Bank in seeking state brownfield cleanup money.
The building has already been demolished, according to Land Bank Executive Director Amy Hamrick. The PRIDE funds would be joined with a state grant to remediate the former gas station site, which includes underground fuel tanks.
Total mitigation costs for 474 Bowman St. are estimated at $361,595.35 — 75 percent of which would be state funds, according to Hamrick.
The property at 474 Bowman St. was a gas station from 1929 to 1972, Hamrick said. It was forfeited to the State of Ohio in 2017 due to delinquent property taxes.
The Ohio legislature set aside $500 million through the Ohio Department of Development (ODOD) to offer grants for counties for both brownfield remediation programs and/ or site revitalization and building demolition.
If the land bank receives an ODOD grant, Hamrick said it would likely take a few months for the property to be cleaned up and ready for redevelopment, depending on recommendations and the work schedule of environmental consultants.
ODOD guidelines state only 75% of total mitigation costs can be awarded as a grant — which is approximately $270,000 of the Bowman Street estimate. The Land Bank must provide a “satisfactory allocation of additional funding” to make up the other 25% of costs.
The Land Bank will apply for an ODOD grant for the Mansfield Brownfield Remediation Project. The legislation council will discuss in caucus will only take effect if the Land Bank secures the $270,000 in grant funding.
If ODOD denies an application for its first round of grant funding, the City of Mansfield and Richland County Land Bank will resubmit an application if other opportunities for funding applications are offered.
If ODOD grants the land bank 75% of estimated remediation costs, the land bank will inform the city of a schedule for starting and completing the project. The city agrees to provide timely payment of its declared allocation commitment if city council agrees to the legislation.
Council begins its evening at 6:20 p.m. with a public hearing on Community Development Block Grant/HOME funding requests.
Caucus is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. with the legislative session following immediately thereafter.
Local lawmakers continue to meet in Mansfield Municipal Courtroom 1 while council chambers is being renovated. Residents planning to attend should park in the upper lot off Park Avenue and enter through the Park Avenue entrance.
(Below is a PDF with legislation scheduled for Mansfield City Council on Tuesday.)