Through a new program created by the State Of Ohio and Insight Consulting to increase business attraction opportunities across the state, the Regional Chamber’s Economic Development team—in partnership with JobsOhio and TeamNEO—has submitted 40 land sites in Mahoning and Trumbull counties for review and consideration to be marketed as client-ready for future investment and job opportunities.   

Along with identifying and selecting the sites, Chamber staff was also responsible for separate mapping and completing property forms consisting of more than 290 line items for each property featured, through the new SiteOhio program, which was formed through JobsOhio and is being managed through consulting firm Insite Consulting.   

“Over the past month, the entire Economic Development staff spent a considerable amount of time gathering the property and community details for each site,” said Sarah Boyarko, senior vice president of Economic Development at the Chamber. “We worked with brokers and owners, utility and rail companies and communities where the sites are located. This entire process was managed by Economic Development Specialist Sandy Homrighouse and Research Specialist Michelle Phillips.”    

The 40 sites that the Chamber submitted—which represent 25 percent of the 161 sites submitted among the 18 counties of northeast Ohio—were chosen based on three initial program requirements: availability of at least a 30-acre site; access roads that are of industrial quality, i.e., can accommodate truck traffic; and proposed truck routes to the site that are free of weight or height limitations/restrictions.   

From all submissions across the state that meet these initial requirements, Insite will then review each one for additional requirements, such as whether there are full utilities at the site, and perform site studies that include complete environmental testing, soil testing, archeological information and more. Sites that meet all requirements will become certified.   

Because of the numerous and precise requirements, it is likely that only a few sites will actually become certified across the state this first go-around. However, those not selected will receive feedback about how they may become certified.   

Boyarko feels this feedback will be helpful and valuable to those that don’t make the cut. 

“Understanding that Insite Consulting will be reviewing sites submitted from all across Ohio, this will be a long process, but we look forward to receiving the feedback. Once received, we plan to sit down with every property owner/broker and the community to determine how we can collectively resolve the potential issues at each site so they can become certified in the future,” said Boyarko.   

In the meantime, though, Boyarko and the Economic Development team will continue to aggressively market the local 40 properties to their contacts and those who enlist their services to identify property for potential projects.