MANSFIELD — Ellen Heinz said Tuesday she thinks potential financial investment in Richland County is “off the charts.”
Heinz, president and CEO of the Richland Area Chamber & Economic Development, said she feels the course is set for a period of “very unprecedented growth.”
Heinz and six others from the Richland Area Chamber & Economic Development briefed the Richland County Board of Commissioners during a biannual review.
“Just even from the year and a half that I’ve been here, the number of projects in the pipeline and potential investment is really off the charts,” Heinz told commissioners.
Donnie Clark, economic development project manager for RCDG and owner of Elzy Milling & Trade in Bellville, said he can sense the upward trajectory the county is riding.
Clark highlighted a high level of interest from developers in the Ohio 97 corridor in southern Richland County, situated near Bellville, Butler and Lexington.
Financial specialist Tom Vanderhorst has worked closely with Clark to establish a village-wide community reinvestment area in Bellville.
“That’s (CRA) going to be instrumental in activating the intersection at I-71 and (Ohio) 97,” Vanderhorst said.
“With all these projects, it’s really conceivable that there could be a couple hundred million dollars of development in Richland County pretty quick,” he told commissioners.
Port authority is off and running
Within the past few months, the county’s newest economic development tool — the Richland County Port Authority — was formed and began making deals quickly.
At the end of July, the Port Authority approved $23 million in revenue bonds that will assist with two local economic development efforts — one in Mansfield and one in Ontario.
Heinz said the new governmental entity hopes to have a few more projects in the pipeline within the next few months.
“Sometimes port authorities don’t have one project on an annual basis, so we’re excited about that (Port Authority activity),” she said.
(Below is a YouTube video of the biannual economic development review Tuesday between the Richland County Board of Commissioners and the Richland Area Chamber & Economic Development. The conversation begins at 5:33 and concludes around the 36-minute mark.)
Thomas talks U.S. 30 broadband, Airport West rezone
Barrett Thomas, senior director of economic development, said an RFP (request for proposal) should be issued soon for the U.S. 30 broadband project.
The state’s recently approved two-year, $60 billion budget includes $20 million in funding for the planned U.S. 30 broadband project between Canton and Lima.
Thomas has also been actively involved with efforts to rezone 321 acres on Mansfield’s north side to help open the doors to future high-quality, heavy manufacturing jobs. Mansfield lawmakers passed legislation in June approving the rezone from I-1 to I-2.
He said the zoning shift places Mansfield in a better position to attract more manufacturing companies. Two closed public landfills that cannot be developed are part of the land being rezoned.
Thomas said the plan is to place solar energy panels on those two locations — a project which commissioners have publicly supported, he said.
The growth of CICs around the county
Jessica Gribben, economic and community development director, discussed some of the opportunities the Shelby Community Improvement Corporation has created in the northern portion of the county.
Gribben said that a CIC has recently been formed in Ontario and also in Mansfield. Lexington also has a CIC.
“I think everybody is seeing how that (a CIC) can be beneficial,” Gribben said.
