Tipp City council adopts redevelopment plan for Tipp Plaza, clears path for TIF; urges public review of UD‑1 framework

TIPP CITY, Ohio — The Tipp City Council on a unanimous vote adopted an urban redevelopment plan for the Tipp Plaza, Tipp Center, 1400 West Main Street and the Long property, a step the city says is required before pursuing tax increment financing for redevelopment.

The redevelopment plan was approved as Ordinance 11‑25 after City staff described the document as a broad framework for future development. City staff said the plan is “a requirement under the ORC if we want to move forward with tax increment financing.”

The ordinance matters because tax increment financing, or TIF, would allow the city to recoup infrastructure investments in the plaza and the Long property as future development generates incremental tax revenue. City staff told the council the redevelopment plan does not set specific developer terms but provides general guidance about the kinds of uses and infrastructure the city expects to see.

City staff member Mr. Mack, who presented the ordinance, told council that the plan is a general framework and that the Ohio Revised Code requires such a plan before TIF can be used. Council member Mr. Liddy said he planned to vote for the measure and encouraged residents to read the plan and offer feedback. “I would encourage all of our citizens to read this development plan to get an idea of exactly the framework that city council is looking forward to,” Liddy said. Liddy added that council has spent the past year and a half working on improvements in the area and wants community input.

Council also acknowledged earlier work to create a new zoning district, Uptown UD‑1, and associated guidelines for the plaza property. City staff said creating UD‑1 is necessary because the existing zoning for the plaza property does not match the redevelopment objectives; the UD‑1 ordinance and design criteria were presented for first reading and sent forward for further review.

The vote on the redevelopment plan was unanimous: Mr. Slagle, Mr. Liddy, Mr. Insulin, Mayor Rogers, Mrs. Pittenger and President Huffman all voted yes. The council opened and closed a public hearing on the ordinance with no public speakers.

The council asked residents to review the redevelopment plan and provide feedback to councilmembers or staff during the upcoming review period. The passage of the redevelopment plan establishes the statutory framework needed to consider TIF incentives but does not itself authorize any particular project or financing agreement.

Council members said further public hearings and more detailed developer proposals will follow if and when the city pursues TIF or specific redevelopment projects.

For people interested in details, city staff indicated the full redevelopment plan and the proposed UD‑1 zoning guidelines are available from the city and the council requested citizens submit comments or questions to staff for consideration.