By Christine Bryant
Staff Writer
The city of Reynoldsburg will host two public hearings this month over a proposed JEDD agreement with Etna Township.
The Ohio Revised Code allows municipal corporations and townships to enter into Joint Economic Development District (JEDD) contracts, establishing an arrangement between the two to work together to develop township land for commercial or industrial purposes.
There are two proposed JEDDs the city and township are considering – a 5-parcel, 230-acre piece of undeveloped property located east of Mink Road, south of East Broad Street and north of the existing Prologis corporate park; and 9 parcels of approximately 328 undeveloped acres located east of Mink Road, south of East Broad Street and primarily north and to the east of the existing Prologis corporate park.
Although no plans have been approved for property within either of the proposed JEDDs, Dan Havener, development director with the city, said the JEDD contracts will permit the city to administer and impose a 1.5 percent income tax on employees of future businesses that develop within the districts, as well as on the net profits of the businesses that locate there.
“The city and township then share the local income tax revenue for these districts based on a formula they agree to in the JEDD contract,” Havener said. “The city of Reynoldsburg will receive 20 percent of the net revenue of the businesses within the JEDD districts.”
He said the city has no interest in annexing any portion of the property included in either of the JEDD areas, and is unable to do so because the areas are not contiguous to the city and therefore utilities and other services are not available to these properties.
“The proposed JEDDs will provide the tools, primarily funds, to facilitate economic development, to create and preserve jobs and employment opportunities, to improve the economic welfare of the people in the area of the contracting parties and the state, and to create and provide for the operation of the districts,” Havener said.
The first public hearing will be held at 9 a.m. Dec. 19 at 81 Liberty St. in Etna. The second is scheduled for 7 p.m. Dec. 21 at the city of Reynoldsburg’s Municipal Building, 7232 E. Main St.
Execution of the JEDD contracts and all filings of necessary documents to governing authorities will immediately follow the public hearings, Havener said. The JEDDs should be finalized by early 2016.
