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Council adopts three TIF ordinances; staff outlines sidewalk plan and budget timing
Summary
Strongsville City Council caucus advanced and adopted three TIF ordinances tied to Brewsters, Dollar General and Sheets, clarified that TIF funds may pay for sidewalks only within TIF boundaries, and confirmed a forthcoming sidewalk master-plan RFP to prioritize projects tied to TIF eligibility.
Strongsville City Council members at a caucus meeting advanced and adopted three tax-increment financing (TIF) ordinances — Ordinances 2025-120 (Brewsters TIF), 2025-121 (Dollar General TIF) and 2025-122 (Sheets TIF) — and debated whether TIF revenue can be used for sidewalk construction.
Council members and staff said TIF funds may pay for curbs, sidewalks, lighting and stormwater improvements only where the TIF district covers the property. Legal and finance staff pointed to Exhibit B in the Sheets TIF ordinance, which describes “widening and other improvements to Prospect Road … including curbs, sidewalks, lighting, and stormwater management facilities,” as consistent with prior TIFs and sufficient to allow sidewalk work where the TIF area applies.
Why it matters: Councilors seeking to expand sidewalks asked whether the language in tonight’s TIF ordinances would permit sidewalk projects. Finance staff said the city will publish an RFP for a citywide sidewalk master plan that will identify priority areas and map which sidewalks, if any, fall within TIF boundaries and are therefore eligible for TIF funding.
Details: Finance staff reported that money became available after a Parkway extension project came in under budget; those funds are in the same budget category and could be reprogrammed to sidewalk construction with council approval. Staff emphasized that TIFs are organized by areas and project buckets, so a TIF that covers Prospect Road might not cover every adjacent block or neighborhood. Council members noted that if an area is not in a given TIF, the TIF funds cannot be used there.
Budget timing: Council also discussed the 2026 budget (Ordinance 01/5130). Some members requested additional time to review the budget; staff said they had earlier asked for more time and would incorporate sidewalk allocations into next year’s line items once priorities are identified by the master plan.
What’s next: Staff will issue the sidewalk master-plan RFP and return recommendations to council about which sidewalk projects are eligible for TIF funding. The adopted TIF ordinances remain the framework for funding eligible capital improvements in their respective districts.
