Mayor opens public hearing on proposed TIF ordinance that would create Ridgefield incentive districts

The City Council of North Ridgeville opened a public hearing on Ordinance 2026-73 on Aug. 17, 2026, the presiding official announced. The ordinance, read aloud by the clerk, would create tax increment financing (TIF) incentive districts for the Ridgefield subdivision and establish a municipal public improvement tax increment equivalent fund.

According to the ordinance text read by the clerk, "Ordinance number 2026-73, an ordinance creating the Ridgefield Ridgefield uh subdivision tax increment financing incentive districts, declaring improvements to the parcels within each incentive district to be a public purpose, and exempt from real property taxation, requiring the owners of those parcels to make service payments in lieu of taxes, establishing a municipal public improvement tax increment equivalent fund for the deposit of such of those service payments, requiring the distribution of a portion of those service payments to the North Ridgeville City School District, and the Lorraine County Joint Vocational School, specifying the public infrastructure improvements that benefit or serve parcels in the incentive district." The clerk read those provisions during the hearing.

If adopted, the ordinance would require owners of parcels in the designated incentive districts to make service payments in lieu of property taxes and would direct a portion of those payments to the North Ridgeville City School District and the Lorain County Joint Vocational School (as stated in the ordinance). The text also identifies public infrastructure improvements intended to benefit parcels located inside the district. The council invited public comment after the reading.