Youngstown plans to create new zoning code


By David Skolnick

skolnick@vindy.com

YOUNGSTOWN

The city plans to hire a firm, to be paid up to $250,000, to create a new zoning code.

City council voted Wednesday to permit the board of control to hire a consultant for the work. The zoning code was last written 40 years ago.

The city is negotiating with Clarion Associates, a land-use and real-estate consulting firm, to be the company that creates the new code.

Clarion has seven offices nationwide, including one in Cincinnati.

The city wants to hire a firm in the next few weeks, said Bill D’Avignon, its community-development agency director.

The city received proposals from 10 firms.

The money to hire a consulting firm comes from a $200,000 Ohio Housing Finance Agency grant and $50,000 from the city’s federal Community Development Block Grant.

The new code would complement the city’s Youngstown 2010 land redevelopment plan adopted six years ago, said Mayor Jay Williams.

Like the 2010 plan, the city will have meetings to receive input and feedback from the public, he said.

“A professional agency will guide us along,” but city officials and the public will be heavily involved in creating the zoning code, Williams said.

It would take about 12 to 18 months for the new code to be written because the company hired and city would first have several meetings to receive input from the public on the plan, D’Avignon said.

Council also agreed to give the board of control authority to waive 65 percent of the building, sewer, water and zoning permit fees for the construction of V&M Star’s $650 million expansion project.

City Finance Director David Bozanich said he estimates the company’s permit fees total $2 million.

The city would receive about $700,000 from V&M for the fees. Bozanich had incorrectly estimated the amount Monday at $400,000.

By using this site, you agree to our privacy policy and terms of use.

» Accept
» Learn More