Trumbull County Planning Commission and Warren ink deals to encourage business, improve city’s downtown

Staff report

WARREN

The Trumbull County Planning Commission and city of Warren entered into separate contracts Wednesday to update the city’s architectural design guidelines for the Central Business District and update the city’s Community Reinvestment Area.

A city ordinance recognizes Warren Redevelopment and Planning as the designated agency to create architectural standards for the central part of the city and the Design Review Board to review proposed sign and building improvements there.

But the guidelines were written in the 1980s and never comprehensively updated.

“This update is long overdue. Situations have changed over the last 30 years, and we need to address those,” said Anthony Iannucci Jr., executive director of WRAP.

Design guidelines enhance Warren’s downtown by protecting the city’s historic and architectural resources, according to a news release from the planning commission.

“A vibrant county seat is important to Trumbull County,” said Trish Nuskievicz, executive director of the planning commission, which operates out of the county’s new office building on East Market Street, the former Talmer Bank building.

Several members of the planning commission have experience in working with historic structures and design guidelines, Nuskievicz noted.

Work on the guidelines is expected to wrap up in spring 2017.

The city’s Community Reinvestment Area allows it to offer tax incentives on the increased value from improvements to properties within the boundaries of the area. The city last updated its CRA in 2003.

The present CRA is roughly bounded by Dana Street in the north, Chestnut Street and Niles Road on the east, Palmyra Road and Tod Avenue on the west and follows the city’s southern border.

But Mayor Doug Franklin said he’d like the district to expand as much as possible.

The planning commission recently worked with Liberty Township to establish a three-square-mile CRA along Belmont Avenue that has been credited with helping with the development of several projects – an 87-room Comfort Suites Hotel, Dunkin’ Donuts and office and shop for CR Electric, Nuskievicz noted.

The planning commission expects to complete Warren’s CRA in the fall.