Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Economic Development topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Council amends CRA resolution to allow abatements up to 75% as staff prepares legal map
Summary
Mariemont councilors amended a draft community reinvestment area (CRA) resolution to change a fixed 50% abatement to 'up to 75%,' directing staff to supply the legal description and map before final action.
Councilors on the Village of Mariemont voted to amend a second‑reading resolution on the creation/expansion of a commercial community reinvestment area so the abatement language reads 'up to 75%' instead of a fixed '50%.' The amendment passed during debate on the resolution and members asked staff to provide the legal description and Exhibit A showing which parcels are covered at the next meeting.
The Economic Development, Planning and Zoning Committee reported earlier that three parcels in the village’s industrial area were undergoing change — Pease Doors had moved into Mariemont, Haney Packaging closed, and Cincinnati Gear was acquired by a German company — prompting a recommendation to include the industrial zone in the CRA. Committee chair Marcy Lewis said the committee voted unanimously to move the matter forward and staff is preparing legislation and related materials.
Councilors pressed for clarity about whether the measure should be characterized as an expansion of an existing CRA or the creation of a new commercial CRA; several members said the resolution’s text referenced attachments (a legal description and Exhibit A) that were not included in the packet. They asked staff (Rod and Ed) to bring a map and the legal description for review at the next meeting.
On the substance of incentives, council members noted that the percentage of abatement and the abatement term are negotiated for each project; the amendment simply gives staff and future negotiations greater flexibility by permitting abatements up to 75%, which is allowable under state law but may involve additional review steps. Council directed the mayor and staff to consult with the tax incentive review counsel after the resolution is passed so the counsel can make recommendations on terms and conditions when individual projects apply.
Council did not adopt final terms for any specific project; the amendment changes only the template in the resolution. The council asked that future packets include the map and the legal exhibits referenced in the resolution so members can confirm which properties are affected before a final vote.
What happens next: staff will supply the legal description and Exhibit A and return the item on the next regular meeting agenda for further consideration and possible final action.
