MANSFIELD — The future — and type — of economic development around Mansfield Lahm Regional Airport is on the agenda for Mansfield City Council on Tuesday evening.
Local lawmakers are expected to vote on a request to rezone 321 acres in a move officials have said will help open doors to future high-quality, heavy manufacturing jobs in the city’s north side.
The change would convert 16 parcels around Airport West and Cairns roads to I-2 from I-1. A public hearing on the request is scheduled for 6:45 p.m.
The idea is to create more land that is zoned I-2 (heavy industrial) rather than the current I-1 and A (airport development), which may entice more manufacturing companies, rather than just logistics, trucking and light assembly.
According to the city’s zoning code, the purpose of an I-2 district “is to create and preserve areas where a full range of industrial uses with moderate to high nuisance characteristics may locate. Typically, these uses would be found at locations where large land acreages are available and where the impacts associated with unsightliness, noise, odor and traffic, and the hazards associated with certain industrial uses would not have an impact on residential or commercial areas.”
The city’s Planning Commission on April 22 unanimously recommended the change after hearing from Barrett Thomas, senior director of economic development for Richland Area Chamber & Economic Development.
“We’ve already invested in the infrastructure — such as water, sewer and workforce training partnerships — to support this kind of growth,” Thomas told the commission.
(Below is a PDF explaining a rezoning request City Council is scheduled to vote on Tuesday evening.)
“When companies consider locating here, the top factors are speed, risk and cost,” said Thomas, who took over economic development work for the city under a contract with the chamber when long-time economic development director Tim Bowersock retired near the end of 2024.
“By proactively zoning for heavy industry now, the city removes delays and uncertainty from the development process. Companies won’t have to gamble on variances or rezoning. They will know from day one that they’re welcomed and their project fits,” he told the Planning Commission.
“When we tell (new prospective) companies not to worry about getting needed changes in zoning … they don’t know us. They have never been here,” he said. “This would remove that concern.”
Part of the land being rezoned includes two closed public landfills that cannot be developed. Thomas said plans are in the works to place solar energy panels on those two locations.
He is confident the city has proper infrastructure to meet needs of prospective industrial companies.
“Every project is different, but I think we have nearly everything in place to meet the needs of any new companies,” Thomas said.
“(The rezoning) sends a strong message that we are a ready, capable and business-friendly community — exactly what today’s manufacturers are looking for,” he said.
Also on Tuesday, City Council is scheduled to:
— vote on the granting of a license to David Perry, 1077 Country Club Drive in Madison Township, to tap into the city’s water and sanitary sewer systems at his own expense for a .4649-acre parcel and the adjacent contiguous parcel.
— vote on a request to vacate a portion of Highland Avenue Street between lots 3089 and 3090, retaining the utility rights and easements.
— vote on a request to appropriate $65,000 from the unappropriated Mansfield Municipal Court’s computerization fund to the court’s contractual services ($55,000) and capital ($10,000) funds.
— vote on a request to appropriate $9,955.85 from the unappropriated safety services fund to the police department operations fund to purchase additional covert operations equipment.
— vote to accept a $136,875.032 grant from the Ohio Office of Criminal Justice Services for use by the METRICH Enforcement Unit’s drug enforcement efforts. The city has to provide a 25-percent match ($45,625.01) in order to receive the grant.
— vote to accept a $100,000 Recovery Ohio Law Enforcement Grant from the Ohio Office of Criminal Justice Services for METRICH operations. There is no local match required for the grant.
— vote to accept a gift from Chuck Hahn for the maintenance, mulching and fertilization of trees and shrubs on Fourth and Main streets. No dollar amount for the gift is listed in the legislation.
— vote on the annual improvements of Glenwood and Parkwood boulevards by sprinkling, mowing, cleaning, etc. the grass plots or lawn strips in the middle of the boulevards. Property owners there are assessed for the work.
— vote to allow the public works director to seek bids for power activated carbon for the city’s water treatment plant.
— vote to appropriate $81,399.43 from the unappropriated grant fund to the police department to provide continuing professional training for officers. The city previously accepted the grant money for the training purpose from the Ohio Attorney General’s Office and the Ohio Peace Officer Training Academy.
Council’s agenda begins with a safety committee meeting at 6:30 p.m., followed at 6:45 p.m. by the public hearing on the rezoning request. Council 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 of legislation scheduled for consideration by City Council on Tuesday evening.)
