MANSFIELD — Barrett Thomas said companies ask two main questions when making a site decision.
The first relates to the site itself. Is there a place for the interested company? If so, does the site have access to utilities? Is the land zoned to align with the companies work?
“The second question is always (about) workforce,” said Thomas, senior director of economic development for Richland Area Chamber & Economic Development.
“We’ve been winning the workforce in ways we didn’t 10 years ago,” he said of Mansfield and Richland County at-large.
On Tuesday night, Mansfield City Council passed legislation related to answering these questions. Local lawmakers unanimously approved a 321-acre rezone to help open doors to future high-quality, heavy manufacturing jobs in the city’s north side.
The change will convert 16 parcels around Airport West and Cairns roads to I-2 from I-1.
The idea is to create more land that is zoned I-2 (heavy industrial) rather than the current I-1 and A (airport development). This change may entice more manufacturing companies, rather than just logistics, trucking and light assembly.
Two closed public landfills that cannot be developed are part of the land being rezoned. Thomas said plans the plan is to place solar energy panels on those two locations.
“We can’t use that land for anything else forever … so a solar array is a great use of that land that can’t be reused,” he said.
Infrastructure ready to support growth
The city’s Planning Commission on April 22 unanimously recommended the rezone after hearing from Thomas.
“We’ve already invested in the infrastructure — such as water, sewer and workforce training partnerships — to support this kind of growth,” he told the commission in April.
First Ward Councilwoman Laura Burns said with several quality trade schools around the county, the rezone could increase job opportunities for local graduates.
“I think we are setting ourselves up for success long-term,” Burns said.
Mansfield Mayor Jodie Perry added that the 321-acre rezone was not thought of with a specific project in mind, but rather to increase attractiveness to businesses — of which there’s been a “healthy outreach.”
Existing landowners within the 321 acres are supportive of the change, the mayor said.
“We’re really trying to be strategic,” Perry said. “With the land that we have left there, we really want to bring in good-paying jobs.”
Christine Bell, who lives on Cairns Road, spoke against the rezone during a public hearing on the request, which preceded Tuesday’s meeting at 6:45 p.m. She complimented council and the mayor for the job they’ve been doing, but asked council members to vote against the change.
Bell cited concerns about the impacts heavy industrial companies may have on her and several other residents’ homes due to their nearby location. She specifically voiced concern about the risks of contamination and environmental factors.
At-large Councilman David Falquette said it’s impossible to guarantee there won’t ever be a problem, but he’s confident in the restrictions, rules and oversight in place to make sure contamination is a non-issue.
Fifth Ward Councilman Aurelio Diaz said he’s spoken with other concerned residents in Bell’s area and thanked her for coming to share her concerns with council.
In other action Tuesday, City Council voted to:
— grant 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.
— vacate a portion of Highland Avenue Street between lots 3089 and 3090, retaining the utility rights and easements.
— 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.
— appropriate $9,955.85 from the unappropriated safety services fund to the police department operations fund to purchase additional covert operations equipment.
— 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.
— 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.
— accept a gift from Chuck Hahn for the maintenance, mulching and fertilization of trees and shrubs on Fourth and Main streets.
— proceed with 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.
— allow the public works director to seek bids for power activated carbon for the city’s water treatment plant.
— appropriate $81,399.43 from the unappropriated grant fund to the police department to provide continuing professional training for officers.
— accept and appropriate a $170,621 grant from the United States Department of Justice under the DNA Capacity Enhancement Backlog Reduction Program (fiscal year 2024).