Richland County Economic Development Strategic Plan - 2014

1 Richland County Studio
Richland County
Economic Development Strategic Plan
The Ohio State University
City and Regional Planning
Undergraduate Studio

Team 1
Kwabena Agyekum
Katie Ashbaugh
Thomas Stipkovich
Phillip Tacket
Britny Ylisaari
The Ohio State University
City and Regional Planning
Richland County
Economic Development Strategic Plan
Team 3
Elizabeth Brady
Eric Gayetsky
Pearl-Jean Mabe
Aaron Smith
Team 5
Thomas Isabella
Mohaned Jallaq
Corinne Jones
Team 2
Terry Barr
Michael Bickley
Lauren Subler
Team 4
Keenan Harmon
Andrea Hong
Levi Koehl
Andrew Laurent
Roxyanne Burrus, Lecturer , Instructor
OSU City and Regional Planning
Michael B. Caldwell, AIA , Director
OSU Knowlton School of Architecture
Rachel Garshick Kleit, PhD, Section Head
OSU City and Regional Planning
John Brown
Marilyn John
Megan Kroger
Bridget McDaniel
Brian Thompson
Amy Warren
The Ohio State University Studio
Spring 2014
Richland Community Development Group
Matt Huffman, Executive Director,
Richland County Regional Planning Commission
Stephen M. Gavazzi, PhD, Dean and Director
OSU Mansfield

Contents
Executive Summary 5
Introduction 7
Vision Statement 7
Guiding Principles 7
Strategic Planning Process 8
Methodology 9
County Overview 11
Surrounding Counties 12
Similar Counties 14
Literature Review 16
Strengths, Opportunaties, Weaknesses, and Threats 17
Implications 18
Business Development 21
Overview 21
Fostering New Business 22
Ontario Retail Corridor 23
Shelby Industrial Sites 23
Brownfield Redevelopment 25
Mansfield Lahm Regional Airport 26
Farm Finance Tools 26
Be Focal, Buy Local 27
Kehoe Center 28
Housing Diversification 31
Young Professionals 31
Afordable Housing 33
Campus Housing in Ontario 34
Shelby Housing Stock 35
Organizational Tools 37
Vision Planning 37
Land Banking 38
Historic Preservation 40

Improvements in the Downtown 41
Complete Streets 43
Online Resources 44
Partnerships 47
Employer Connections 47
High School and Beyond 48
Farm to School Program 49
Food Hubs 50
Tourism Partnerships 51
Mansfield Campus Busing 52
Potential Projects 55
Gateways in Lexington 55
Facade Improvements in Shelby 57
Downtown Improvements in Mansfield 59
Appendix A: References 63
Appendix B: Literature Review 71
Appnedix C: Hydraulic Fracturing 77

5Economic Development Strategic Plan
Executive Summary
Richland County seeks a robust solution to
the problem of a declining population facing
the county in recent history. This has been
largely a result of a struggling economy and
to combat this, an economic development
strategy is needed. This plan seeks to develop
a repertoire of tools for organizations
throughout the county to utilize and at the
same time, promote partnerships between
those organizations to best serve the needs of
the county. These efforts should be combined
with an effort to diversify the economic base
in Richland County and develop new housing
stock to attract younger workers.
Richland County, Ohio was established as
a county in 1813 and the county seat of
government is Mansfield. It shares a common
boundary with the following counties: Knox,
Crawford, Huron, Ashland and Morrow.
Richland County is situated so that it has prime
access to two major roadways, I-71 that runs
north to south and US Route 30 that runs
east to west. The two intersect in Mansfield,
which puts this city as well as the county at
a crossroads of two major regional hubs.
Cleveland is approximately an hour and a half
north on I-71 and an equal amount of time to
reach Columbus to the south. Another of the
county’s assets is the fact that it is home to a
large airport, Mansfield Lahm Regional Airport,
and two institutions of higher education:
North Central State College and The Ohio State
University at Mansfield. Both universities are
looking for opportunities to grow and expand
with the county.
Richland County’s economy experienced a
fundamental transformation during the latter
part of the 20th century fueled by a decline in
the area’s traditional manufacturing base and
aggravated by the loss of major employers.
This decline was the result of a larger
economic shift, which occurred as a result of
manufacturing activities moving to a more
global market and service-based jobs steadily
replaced manufacturing ones. Though industry
remains in Richland County, it demands a more
technically trained workforce in much smaller
numbers. Currently, the major industrial
and commercial centers in the county are
Mansfield, Ontario and Shelby.
Separate from the shrinkage of the industrial
sector, Richland County has faced subsequent
other problems over the course of the last
decade, which have contributed to a stall
and eventual decline in its growth. These
problems include the lack of growth in small
business, aging infrastructure, increased
dilapidated and inadequate housing and a
positive outlook towards the future can help
solve these challenges. While these issues
need addressed, there are many opportunities
for growth. These include the potential for
a strong, prosperous University District, a
growing downtown in Mansfield and the
redevelopment of available land within many
urban areas reinforced by diversification of the
job market.
To establish benchmarks of progress, the
Richland Community Development Group’s
Long Range Planning Team developed four
targets for development in educational
attainment, employment, median income
and population growth, seeking to eventually
surpass the state’s rates for each.
Richland County has surpassed Ohio’s average
of educational attainment in high school
graduation rates. The percent of people with
at least some college experience is higher
in Richland County than in the rest of the
state. However, when looking at the trend for
completion of degrees, Richland County lags
behind. Increasing the attainment of higher
education in Richland County is a critical goal
to ensuring economic improvement, which
the Mansfield Campus is already attempting
to address. An educated workforce is a tool to
attracting new businesses to the county and
developing a local source of entrepreneurship.

Due to the fact that Richland County has
had a higher unemployment rate than the
rest of Ohio, it should seek to decrease that
percentage. By fostering new jobs and making
the county more attractive to new businesses,
this is an achievable goal. In collaboration
with the decrease in the unemployment rate,
Richland County should also aim to increase
the median household income by attracting
living wage jobs. Currently the median
household income in Ohio is 12% higher than
the county.
Similarly, the county hopes to reverse its
declining population in the near future to a
point where it is growing faster than the state
average in the long-term. This plan outlines
suggestions to revitalize the local economy to
make the county more robust and improve
resiliency as future challenges present
themselves.
Richland County has many assets to accomplish
these goals including Mansfield Campus, a
growing downtown in Mansfield and affordable
land for both commercial and residential use.
Both universities provide the opportunity to
increase the quality and quantity of potential
employees for businesses. Additionally, having
a larger pool of college graduates will also aid
in the diversifying of the economy. Along with
a diversified economy, they also provide an
entire population that will likely utilize newer
and more unique businesses throughout the
county, including the downtowns of Mansfield,
Shelby, and Ontario.
The potential for an entertainment district
is also a resource that both college-age
students and young professionals will utilize.
Brownfields and vacant lots provide the county
with versatile options for new business and
residential developers. They are also potential
locations for public parks, mow-to-own lots,
and community gardens. All of these new
opportunities for growth help to provide more
positive press for the county. This is important
in that it will help news regarding the new
growth to spread not only throughout Richland
County, but become a competitor in the
regional market.
Upon completion of this plan, OSU-Columbus
has agreed to include The Ohio State
University Fisher School of Business to plan
the implementation of the recommendations
outlined in this document. They will be
responsible for identifying the costs associated
with each proposal as well as the entity
responsible for implementation. Together,
these two plans will provide a framework for
economic development across the county and
help to meet the established development
goals.

Introduction
Section 1
Vision Statement
This plan seeks to provide a holistic and robust economic development strategy to provide the tools necessary to build a
better future for Richland County. Looking forward, the county seeks a diverse population and skilled workforce to help
attract jobs and enhance the quality of life for all residents.
1. An understanding of all aspects of Richland
County, including opportunities and challenges,
is essential to any meaningful analysis and
thus we will begin with an in-depth research
process.
2. Using information from our research, goals
should be realistic and within the capacity
of Richland County to implement. Economic
growth should focus on areas the county can
develop a comparative advantage.
3. Changes to Richland County could be
significant and existing citizens need to be
included in the planning process to build a
future everyone can benefit from.
4. Long-term goals should be kept in mind at
all times and all short-term decisions should be
made in line with long-range objectives.
5. Resources to implement change are scarce
and any plan needs to prioritize goals and
ensure that programs are implemented with
enough resources to succeed.
Guiding Principles
Richland County has long been a hub of industry and commerce in north-central Ohio. However, as decades of economic
restructuring have taken their toll across the country, Richland County has not been immune. The common theme of
improving technology leading to declining industrial employment has played out in the county, with its own unique
challenges. Unlike other areas, the employment gap hasn’t led to a significant increase in poverty throughout the county,
but instead manifests with a declining population.
Revitalization of the local economy has proven to be quite a considerable challenge to overcome. This led the presence
of OSU-Mansfield in the heart of the county to foster a partnership with The Ohio State University in 2013 to begin an
assessment of conditions in the area. The following year, the Richland Community Development Group partnered with
The Ohio State City and Regional Planning Program to embark on a process to develop a plan using the lessons learned
from the previous study.
6. Success needs to be measurable with
several steps along the implementation process
to evaluate the efficacy of any program.
7. Employers require employees capable of
filling open positions and so education and
housing in Richland County needs to reflect the
needs of a modern workforce.
8. A stable and diverse economic base,
which provides an array of employment
opportunities, community amenities and
business opportunities, is beneficial for a
healthy community.
9. Public image and perception are important
facets to attract residents and business as well
as visitors; therefore efforts should be made to
improve that.
10. Government action or private interests
alone cannot fix every problem facing Richland
County. Partnerships between the public and
private sector as well as different levels of
government are essential to build collaboration
and ensure successful programs.

Strategic Planning Process
The Ohio State Studio members followed a planning process using the established guiding principles.
In an effort to create an economic development strategic plan with these guidelines in mind, studio
members developed a 10-step process and worked with leadership from the RCDG and other Richland
County representatives throughout the process.
1.Preliminary Research Period
Between January 7th and 14th of 2014 the
studio members conducted basic research
into the history, structure, amenities, points
of interest, and a media review for Richland
County.
2.Starting the Process
An introductory meeting was held at The Ohio
State University on January 14th of 2014. The
studio members sat down with three RCDG
representatives to initiate the collaboration
and create a baseline for research.
3. County Site Visit
The studio members were taken on a guided
bus tour of Richland County on January 23rd of
2014. Richland County representatives guided
us through all of the major cities and points
of interest in the county while noting possible
issues, history, and important details along the
way.
4. SWOT Analysis
Representatives of the studio attended the
RCDG Leadership Board Meeting on February
4th of 2014 and facilitated a SWOT analysis.
5. Downtown Mansfield Site Visit
On February 4th of 2014, representatives
from the studio attended a brunch with
representatives of Richland County’s Young
Professionals Group and John Brown
of Richland Bank to discuss the young
professional presence in Richland County.
Afterwards the representatives were also
taken on a walking tour around Downtown
Mansfield, led by John Brown. During the tour
we visited many points of interest, discussed
past revitalization efforts, current struggles,
and possible solutions.
6. Review of Literature
Studio members reviewed all current plans
and recent reports with concern to economic
development within the county. A summary of
this review is included in this document and a
list of documents reviewed can be found in the
appendices.
7. Video Conferencing
Studio members at The Ohio State University
held a video conference with Richland County
Representatives on February 18th of 2014.
During the conference the SWOT analysis was
reviewed and both parties were able to ask
questions and share progress.
8. Midpoint Presentation
Richland County representatives were invited
by studio members to attend an event on
March 6th of 2014. At this event the studio
members presented the research, issues
identified, and suggested solutions that had
been developed up to this point. Feedback
was received from the Richland County
representatives that guided further research to
be gathered and steps to be taken.
9. Developing the Plan
The studio members developed a detailed
economic development strategic plan drawing
from research conducted, meetings with
representatives, the SWOT analysis, review of
literature and studied successful cases from
other places.
10. Next Steps
This plan will be transferred to a team in The
Ohio State University Fisher College of Business
to determine possible financing strategies and
thereby create an effective timeline for the
plan.

Methodology
In order to develop the plan in the most
inclusive way possible, Richland County was
divided into four main quadrants to serve
as a structure for team division. Countywide
issues were identified and addressed by
another team focused on county economic
development strategies. The quadrants were
divided geographically using the two major
highways and the county perimeter as borders.
In addition to these regions, Mansfield as the
county seat was found to have a concentration
of development issues and therefore treated
as a separate region so the others would not
be overshadowed by its influence. And since
Mansfield is the county seat, improvements
and upgrades will positively impact the
outcome of the county.
These quadrants were used for our initial
analysis to identify issues and assets all
throughout the county and a method of
ensuring that a full range of issues were
addressed and assets identified. After meeting
with RCDG representatives to discuss our
initial findings, we collaborated our results and
identified a combination of challenges affecting
the county as a whole in addition to specific
sites for recommendation. Issues addressed in
this plan include:
• Large firms have left Richland County,
creating significant job loss in the
community, which a more diverse
economic base could have limited.
• Richland County produces and provides
a variety of local goods and services;
however, their connection to resident
consumers could be improved upon.
• Residents and visitors to Richland County
could be better informed of available
amenities.
• While the housing stock in Richland County
serves current residents, there is an
abundance of detached housing units less
attractive to young professionals.
Northwest Northeast
Central
Southeast
• With the amount of large, historic
properties present in Richland County,
many municipalities face deteriorating
housing and infrastructure. Blight is
damaging to the economic vitality and
future growth of areas in which it is
present.
• Within its urban cores, Richland County
contains sites with unique character that
lack connectivity and a strong identity.
• Stronger ties are needed between
all institutions in the county. This will
help to ensure that the populace is
receiving appropriate training for future
employment and will reduce the current
need for many residents to look outside of
the county for jobs that meet their skill set.
• Relationships between polities and
institutions throughout the county lack
unity. Stronger partnerships would help to
advance county goals.

Richland County Political Map

129997
131205
126137
128852
124475
1970 1980 1990 2000 2010
County Overview
Section 2
10652017
10797630 10847115
11353140
11536504
1970 1980 1990 2000 2010
-5.00% -4.00% -3.00% -2.00% -1.00% 0.00% 1.00% 2.00% 3.00% 4.00% 5.00% 6.00%
1970-1980
1980-1990
1990-2000
2000-2010
Ohio % Change
RichlandCounty % Change
Richland County Population
Ohio Population
Percent Change in Population
In 2013, it was estimated that Richland
County’s population totaled 121,773, a
change of -0.66% from the 2012 estimate.
This negative growth is consistent with the
downward trend the county has experienced
since the 2000 census. Of this population,
87.8% identify as White, 9.4% identify as
Black or African American, and less than 1%
identified as Asian, American Indian, or any
other ethnicity
There is a noticeable age gap in Richland
County. Richland County has a larger
percentage of persons aged 50+ and a smaller
percentage of younger persons, specifically
between the age of 20 and 40. This can be
seen in the population pyramid below. The
county’s graph is top heavy due to the higher
percentage of older residents. Further, there
is a significant shelf at age 20-24 signifying
that young people are leaving Richland County
when they come of age.
5% 4% 3% 2% 1% 0% 1% 2% 3% 4% 5%
Under 5 years
5 to 9 years
10 to 14 years
15 to 19 years
20 to 24 years
25 to 29 years
30 to 34 years
35 to 39 years
40 to 44 years
45 to 49 years
50 to 54 years
55 to 59 years
60 to 64 years
65 to 69 years
70 to 74 years
75 to 79 years
80 to 84 years
85 years and over
5% 4% 3% 2% 1% 0% 1% 2% 3% 4% 5%
Male Percents
Female Percents
Population Distribution Pyramid
Richland County Ohio

When compared to the Ohio average, Richland County has a lower median household and per capita
income, as well as a significantly lower median value of owner-occupied housing units as demonstrated
in this chart. However, Richland County is close to the average of its surrounding counties in median
household and per capita income with a higher median value of owner occupied housing.
Richland County boasts higher rates of homeownership as well as a lower percentage of persons
living below the poverty line when compared to the Ohio average. Shown above, differences in
homeownership and poverty rates are negligible when compared to the averages of surrounding
counties.
Surrounding Counties
$0
$50,000
$100,000
$150,000
Median household income Per capita money income Median value of owner-occupied
housing units
Richland County
Ohio
Ashland County
Crawford County
Huron County
Knox County
Marrow County
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Persons below poverty level Homeownership rate
Richland County
Ohio
Ashland County
Crawford County
Huron County
Knox County
Marrow County
The following charts are comparing Richland County to all neighboring counties: Ashland, Crawford, Huron, Knox and
Morrow County. The state of Ohio is left as a baseline on all charts to compare between these two sections.
Income and Home Values for Surrounding Counties
Homeownership and Poverty Levels for Surrounding Counties

This chart shows Richland County’s percentage of persons having attained a college degree is lower
than the Ohio average. Not surprisingly, this means that Richland’s percentage of persons with only
high school diploma is higher. Richland County actually has a slightly higher percentage of people
with associate and bachelor’s degrees or some college than the regional average, but a slightly lower
percentage of those with a master’s degree or above. Richland has a lower population of people with
only a high school diploma than the area average.
0%
20%
40%
60%
9th to 12th grade High school graduate Some college Associate's degree Bachelor's degree Graduate or
professional degree
Richland County
Ohio
Ashland County
Crawford County
Huron County
Knox County
Marrow County
0%
5%
10%
15%
Richland
Ohio
Ashland
Crawford
Huron
Knox
Morrow
Shown here is Richland County’s unemployment rate, which is only slightly higher than Ohio as a
whole. However, the county has the second highest unemployment rate in the region, with the others
having under 10% unemployment with the exception of Ashland County. Both have significant urban
populations and Richland County has struggled with employment in recent history.
Educational Attainment for Surrounding Counties
Unemployment for Surrounding Counties

Richland County has a similar median household, per capita income, and median value of owner-
occupied housing units to Allen County as seen here. These three values are significantly lower in
Richland and Allen County.
This figure reinforces that Richland County’s large stock of single family homes means the county has a
slightly higher homeownership rate than both Allen and Wood County. When it comes to percentage of
persons below poverty level Richland County falls between Wood and Allen County with Allen having the
highest.
Similar Counties
$0
$50,000
$100,000
$150,000
$200,000
Median household income Per capita money income Median value of owner-occupied housing
units
Richland County
Ohio
Allen County
Wood County
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
Persons below poverty level Homeownership rate
Richland County
Ohio
Allen County
Wood County
The following charts compare Richland County with two counties chosen as similar. Ohio is again left as a baseline for
comparison. Allen County was chosen as a similar county because it has a comparable type of college campus that
similarly affects its population. Wood County was chosen for its similar population size as well as to show the difference
that a larger, more centralized college campus makes on its population so that Richland County can see what differences
can occur as they develop OSU-Mansfield and North Central State.
Income and Home Values for Similar Counties
Homeownership and Poverty Levels for Similar Counties

As demonstrated above, Richland County and Allen County are very similar in terms of educational
attainment with both having a significantly smaller percentage of college graduates when compared to
Wood County. These results show that even though Richland County is lagging significantly behind the
state, it is not so different from its geographic neighbors.
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
High school graduate Some college Associate's degree Bachelor's degree Graduate or
professional degree
Richland County
Ohio
Allen County
Wood County
9%
10%
11%
12%
13%
Richland
Ohio
Allen
Wood
Allen County is shown here with a higher unemployment rate relative to the other counties shown and
has a large urban population. Richland County has similar challenges and stands out next to Wood’s
relatively low unemployment rate which is suggestive of its more robust economy around a major
university campus.
Educational Attainment for Similar Counties
Unemployment for Similar Counties

As part of the research process, a review of
previous planning efforts and initiatives was
conducted. Prior efforts collected a great deal
of useful information and helped to build a
better image of conditions on the ground and
how they came to be. The history of planning
and, in particular, economic development in
the county was an important consideration
to develop proposals that complimented
existing initiatives and learn lessons from less
successful efforts.
The 2035 Comprehensive Plan for Richland
County established a solid framework to
guide future developments. By establishing a
holistic perspective on the matter of county
development goals, it allows for a much
more inclusive process of improvement. The
Richland County Regional Planning Commission
established resident quality of life as an overall
goal, a theme this plan compliments by seeking
to improve employment opportunity and offer
suggestions for growth in living wage jobs.
Preservation is also a common theme in
regional planning efforts, at the county level by
working with townships to establish zoning to
protect farmland and municipal governments
around the county have established
conservation zoning districts to limit outward.
Literature Review
This plan recognizes and reinforces this with
the suggestion of developing agriculture into a
more organized and stable economic tool. The
county already has ample, yet underutilized,
commercial and industrial space, which other
suggestions seek to remedy with a variety of
approaches. Preservation extends further than
just farmland and rural character, but each
community’s historic and social fabric should
be maintained as well.
Before any serious efforts to promote the
unique character of a community can take
root, they need to be defined. The Mansfield
Consolidated Plan 2010 has taken a city-
wide perspective and not placed focus on
any particular neighborhoods. Such a broad
focus risks straining resource and spreading
them too thin in all communities, not only
Mansfield. As a result, this plan suggests a
focus on smaller target areas and directed
development to specific places. This helps
both to concentrate resources for maximum
effect and allow future-focused developments
without sacrificing the existing character.
The recommendations to follow complement
and enhance prior efforts while striving to
emphasize new focuses beneficial to the
specific goal of economic development and job
creation.

Strengths Weaknesses
Opportunities Threats
• Location (US 30/71, Airports, CLE-
COL)
• Arts/Entertainment District
• NCSC/OSU (Secondary Education)
• Agriculture (Fertile land, mature
agricultural presence, land
availability)
• Parks and Recreation (Snow trails)
• Medical Community
• Lack of “young professionals”
• Negative attitude/Resistance to
change
• Lack of small businesses
• Infrastructure (Housing, old
buildings)
• Identity Crisis
• University District
• Land availability (Affordable land,
business space, housing)
• Downtown Mansfield/
Entertainment District
• Diversify the economy or job market
• Positive Press
• Drug problem
• Skill/age gap growing
• Losing industry to surrounding larger
communities
• Potential closure of Air National
Guard Base
• Negative attitude/ resistance to
change (Such a big issue its listen
twice
These are the results of the SWOT Analysis conducted at the Richland County Development Group
meeting on Tuesday, February 4th. This method of analysis gathers the Strengths, Weaknesses,
Opportunities, and Threats related to the county from the members of the RCDG. The results are the
topics most discussed in each section, throughout the analysis. One item that requires special mention is
the “Negative attitude/resistance to change”. Due to the frequency of mentions, it has been listed in the
analysis twice, in both Weaknesses and Threats.
Strengths, Opportunaties, Weaknesses, and Threats

The current trend in population suggests a
continuing decline. With no concrete plans to
slow the flow, Richland County will continue
to lose residents. The county’s tax base will
dwindle and this, combined with already
low tax rates, will make it increasingly more
difficult to dig out of the economic slump
Richland County currently finds itself in.
While it is true that Richland County is not
alone in its downward trend in population, the
downturn has been more severe. The county’s
makeup makes it strongly procyclical and more
volatile in response to economic depressions.
This is because, in the past, Richland County’s
economy has been largely homogenous and
dependent on large employers. This does
not make for a very resilient market and the
population and employment statistics show
this.
Highly educated residents are vital to
establishing a strong tax base of sustainable,
high paying careers; currently Richland County
is lacking these residents. Current education
levels are strong indicators of future education
levels. This is because there is a strong
correlation between parental educational
attainment levels and the attainment levels
Implications
of their children. Children whose parents
hold a bachelor’s degree or higher are much
more likely to attain a postsecondary degree
themselves than a child whose parents have
only a high school education or less.
In Richland County, attainment levels in higher
education are lower than would be ideal. The
strong intergenerational attainment correlation
suggests that Richland County’s current
attainment levels will be similarly low in the
future. This is especially true in the short term
considering the county’s smallest age group in
terms of population is the 20-29 year olds.
A strong, diverse economic base is a key factor
in weathering future economic changes. With
employment opportunities, residents will be
drawn to the county. Stable jobs and long-
term residency helps to build community
spirit in a neighborhood or city, especially in
cities with the well-connected, small-town
feel present across Richland County. Well-
established communities give residents an
incentive to remain in and strive to improve
their hometown, providing a foundation
for the next-generation of innovators and
entrepreneurs in Richland County.

Business Development
Section 3
Overview
The Richland County economy took a
significant blow during the recent recession,
from which employment has struggled to
recover. While businesses in the county
cover a range of industries including financial
and professional services, education,
healthcare, manufacturing, construction,
goods production, trade, transportation and
utilities, the largest employers are Ohio Health
(formerly MedCentral Health System), Richland
County government, Gorman-Rupp, Newman
Technology, Century Link and Jay Industries.
Half of these firms are heavy industry
manufacturers and the local economy remains
manufacturing-focused supporting nearly 1 in
5 jobs.
Agriculture is a significant portion of the
local economy as well, with two-thirds of the
county’s land area being cultivated. However,
this fraction reduces every year and it does not
support a large number of jobs, being largely
export-oriented. Retail is strong in Ontario, but
aside from a few sparsely distributed pockets,
is not present in the rest of the county. The
lack of diverse employment opportunities
drives many residents to commute to other
cities for work.
Richland County’s location in the state’s
transportation network and status as a
regional hub afford it a significant market for
the time being, but as development in other
areas grows, this market is at risk due to the
difficulty for Richland County to compete with
identical chain franchises in more accessible
areas. There exist a number of opportunities
to expand businesses and encourage
diversification of the economy across the
county, most of which involve fostering small
business.
Traditional, large-employer firms serve as a
powerful economic force in the community,
but come with many disadvantages. Such
large firms are capable of leveraging their
employment potential as a negotiation tool to
the potential detriment of a community. Large
firms also require large sites and significant
infrastructure investments before they can
begin operations. Bringing in branch operations
from nonlocal firms can also lead to a drain of
capital and assets from the local economy and
reliance on a few large employers leaves the
economy vulnerable to severe shocks in the
event of a closure or recession.
The balance between large firms and small
business should be carefully maintained to
ensure the county has a resilient economic
base. A strong, local economy with a
variety of local businesses, especially local
entrepreneurship, keeps money in the
community to be reinvested and produces
unique experiences to keep the county
competitive in a regional market.


Star, North Carolina is a community
near the South Carolina border whose
economic history is self-described as
being a one-buffalo town with a heavy
reliance on a single industry. First, it was
railroad development, then textile mills,
and with economic restructuring of recent
decades, they found themselves with a
lack of jobs and a stagnant mindset. They
joined into a partnership with a regional
redevelopment initiative and developed
a two-pronged approach to economic
revitalization.
The first was to find a creative use for
their abandoned textile mills. One of
these was redeveloped into a business
incubation center which has achieved
a significant level of success. Alongside
this center, they undertook a downtown
redevelopment project as well, to give
businesses a home after their incubation
period. In order to achieve success with
this, they found that the community
needed to shift their mindsets and change
the expectations of employment. Small-
business can be a struggle in a community
used to the cohesion of a large-employer,
but it provides a more resilient economic
base to weather future changes.
Fostering New Business
As educational recommendations seek to
develop a pool of resident entrepreneurs,
support from the government is needed to
realize this potential. Each municipality should
establish a business assistance center to collect
all the resources and services a business might
need under one roof, such as land availability,
building and zoning regulations, permits,
grants and tax incentives. Such centers would
be an ideal liaison between local businesses
and government and promote confidence and
longevity in local enterprises.
Incubation centers are an excellent location
to house a resource center. There are already
a few of these in various forms in Richland
County. The Braintree Business Development
Center in Mansfield offers space, support and
microloan financing for start-up businesses
producing manufactured goods. On the smaller
end of the spectrum, North Central State
College offers entrepreneurial space in their
Urban Center as part of their Entrepreneurship
Certification Program. This is an effort to
develop the entrepreneurial spirit they found
in many of their students. These endeavors
could be more effective at helping small
business grow and generating jobs with
support from local government.
Playing to existing strengths and assets is
important to developing new businesses
and finding new niches for the industrial
infrastructure of the county. The acquisition
of MedCentral by Ohio Health represents a
significant investment in the healthcare field
along with the Avita Health System moving
into Richland Mall. Developing educational
offerings to complement this industry is
key to developing the county’s position as
a regional healthcare hub, but this involves
more than nursing programs. Richland County
has a history of industry and innovation with
a workforce and infrastructure well suited to
developing a medical manufacturing industry,
producing goods that can be marketed to a
much wider area than healthcare services.
Similarly, as interest in hydraulic fracturing
grows, the industrial capacity of the region
could become a provider of equipment and
materials for the drilling operations whether
or not they are active within the county.
(See Appendix C for a discussion of hydraulic
fracturing in the context of Richland County).

Ontario Retail Corridor
A key asset in Ontario is an existing retail
corridor with plentiful national chains as well
as a redeveloping mall. These attractions make
it a popular destination for shoppers all over
north-central Ohio. However, this position is
threatened by the northern development of
Columbus, primarily Polaris Fashion Place and
the under-construction shopping center at the
I-71/US 36 interchange. Both of these locations
have the same national brands that Ontario
houses and are in convenient locations. If
Ontario wishes to remain popular for residents
of surrounding counties, diversification of their
retail is essential.
In line with general suggestions, Ontario
should foster local businesses to complement
their existing retail corridor. Smaller, more
intimate shops intermixed with existing
franchises would help to build a unique
local character and maintain Ontario as a
destination attraction. Striking a balance
between franchise developments and local
boutique shops and restaurants paired with
an effective marketing of the area will position
Ontario to retain the thriving retail business
that has allowed the city to prosper.
Shelby Industrial Sites
Shelby is a key region behind Richland County’s
rich industrial history and critical to revitalizing
the Shelby economy is effectively utilizing the
industrial space abundant in different parts
of the city. Shelby’s infrastructure is well
equipped for light industries and poised to fill
the gap from the historically important, yet
declining, heavy industries.
The primary sites for this recommendation
are the Central Ohio Industrial Park on the
northern edge of the city as well as the Martin
Drive Warehouse in southern Shelby. The
Central Ohio Industrial Park currently sees
occupancy of 67% and covers 2.5 million
square feet under roof with abundant rail
connections and ample utility connections
through Shelby’s reliable public utilities. The
Martin Drive Warehouse is 270,000 square
feet of industrial space formerly occupied
by American Machine and Foundry to
manufacture bowling equipment but is today
completely unoccupied despite utility and
transportation connections comparable to
other facilities in the area. Both sites suffer
from reduced interest from tenants because of
low ceiling heights.
The first possibility for these locations is to
market them towards light manufacturing

In Grand Rapids, Michigan, a 300,000
square foot building in excellent condition
sat vacant for 5 years with a 16 foot
ceiling. The owners investigated the
possibility of demolishing the building to
cut their losses and found that the value
would be the equivalent of $1.71 per
square foot. Instead, they pursued a roof-
lifting project and marketed the structure
with a 32 foot ceiling height. In under a
year, they secured a long-term lease on
the property with a value of $42.94 per
square foot after a $7 million investment.
firms that do not require as much vertical
space to be successful. The productive
agricultural land around Shelby and
transportation infrastructure makes these
warehouses attractive sites for food packaging
and distribution firms. Other industries such
as textiles, printing or plastics manufacturers
could also be well served by these locations
and the local workforce while the proximity to
rail and interstates make distribution centers
an attractive option.
Light industries are beneficial for many
reasons. First, light industry employs more
women than heavy industry, promoting
diversity in the workplace. Secondly, light
industry is quieter and has little to no pollution
associated with it. Light manufacturing would
strengthen the economy in an environmentally
friendly manor. A smooth transition from a
depleted heavy industry business to a green,
diverse light industry business would be very
beneficial to Shelby as well as Richland County
as a whole.
Some potential tenants, however, may require
greater ceiling heights. Raising the heights
of ceilings in industrial buildings has a better
return on investment than demolishing and
rebuilding the structure. This is a cheaper
option than traditional expansion methods,
both in terms of the investment required for
either project, but elevated ceilings also keep
property taxes low by keeping square footage
the same. Elevated ceilings also allow efficient
usage of existing building infrastructure such
as heating and lighting. Businesses are often
able to continue normal operations during the
construction process.

Brownfield Redevelopment
There are numerous underutilized former
industrial sites in Richland County which
may need to convert to new land uses.
These brownfields are difficult to redevelop
because of concerns about contamination.
Many of these brownfields could be turned
from possible liabilities into successful
developments but residents have concerns
about the safety of the environment and
reduced property values. Similarly, new
businesses often overlook brownfields
and instead develop on “green fields” or
undeveloped land, which encourages sprawl.
These issues can be addressed by initiating
remediation and redevelopment projects.
When they are taken care of, brownfields have
the potential to bring new jobs and higher tax
revenues to Richland County, on top of the
jobs the project itself would generate. The
county can clean and redevelop its brownfields
and use them as a tool to create new economic
growth. Mixed use developments, office
space, and commercial development can allow
room for growth both in population density
and economically.
Evaluation of these sites can be a lengthy
process and remediation is a costly one. As
a result, developers are often reluctant to
undertake this endeavor alone. In addition,
due to lack of funding, it can be difficult for
local governments to start the process without
a use for the site. Beginning the process with
a future tenant already interested eases this
process to the benefit of both the business
and the county, bringing investment into the
county to revitalize an underutilized space.
Ohio operates the Clean Ohio Fund through
the Ohio Office of Redevelopment for a
number of purposes including brownfield
revitalization and boasts an average return
on investment of over 10 times the grant
amount. These funds are available to any
community seeking assessment or remediation
assistance, but are awarded on a competitive
basis through assessment of the project’s job
creation potential and economic benefits.
Additionally, Richland County has been
designated a “Distressed County” by the
Office of Redevelopment and thusly qualifies
for Clean Ohio Assistance Fund grants as
well. These funds are generally allocated
for environmental assessments while the
Revitalization Fund can offer larger grants for
remediation projects.
Both of these programs are discretionary
and assess the potential benefit of projects,
making it difficult to secure funding without
an established use of these properties.
Communities at all levels in Richland County
have demonstrated a familiarity with grant
proposals and experience with financing
legislation a potential tenant might lack.
This can be a useful tool in negotiations with
businesses looking to move into Richland
County, or growing local businesses needing
more space. Grant proposal assistance can
be an important part of a suite of community
amenities offered to foster business
development.
Richland County and potential developers both
can benefit from cleaning up and reusing a site.
Contamination concerns are a problem for the
community if the property is left idle, and it
is also a potential site for business that isn’t
generating jobs. Remediation solves both of
these concerns and makes the property more
valuable and marketable to developers. Once
the site is cleaned, developers may save money
by using the pre-existing infrastructure.

Mansfield Lahm Regional Airport
Farm Finance Tools
Mansfield Lahm Regional Airport is an
underutilized asset with potential to grow
significantly. Introducing education programs
could bring jobs to the community as well as
attract attention to the airport and Richland
County. This will encourage more community
involvement, provide learning opportunities
and attract outside attention from visitors.
The airport currently sees the bulk of use
from the 179th Airlift Wing as well as general
aviation and corporate flights. Previous
attempts to negotiate cargo service contracts
with the US Postal Service have fallen through
due in part to aging infrastructure. Resurfacing
the runway has been an issue facing the
airport, but the significant level of investment
should be carefully considered in context of
potential clients. Another option available
to the airport could be to offer educational
programming and develop a relationship
with OSU-Mansfield to provide a site for an
expanded OSU Flight School.
The airport generates $130.1 million in annual
economic impact and supports over 1,300
jobs. Establishing a position tasked with
promoting and developing the airport would
enable a better allocation of resources and
event programming. By further developing the
airport, it could become a vital component of
the Richland County economy.
From the initial land purchase onward,
keeping a farm up and running is an expensive
operation, and consequently large debt is
not uncommon. Due to the disruption that
the loss of small farms leads to within the
greater community and the local economy, it
is beneficial to the farmers and the community
they live in to reduce farmers’ debt and make
agricultural finance tools more accessible to
residents.
Collecting financial tools and information
relevant to farmers and putting them in one
central location, such as the county website
or an affiliated and promoted associated site,
would be of great benefit to the community
especially in coordination with organizing
food hubs, discussed previously. Additionally,
removing the stigma surrounding Chapter 12
bankruptcy by increasing public awareness and
alerting people to its true nature and value
would help to ensure that those who find
themselves in tough financial situations do not
discount any options.
The United States Department of Agriculture
has provided a very comprehensive list
of resources for farmers. They provide
information on accessing capital through the
Farm Storage Facility Loan Program for small
and medium sized farms. Additionally, the
Microloan Program administered by the Food
and Drug Administration since 2013 allows
farmers to access up to $35,000 in loans and
cost share support for farmers pursuing organic
certification.
The USDA’s Risk Management Agency
provides tools to reduce crop insurance costs.
Furthermore, the National Institute of Food’s
Agriculture and Food Research Initiative
assists small farmers in their decision-making
with respect to management, technology,
sustainability, competiveness and viability.
The USDA and Natural Resource Conservation
Service have created a series of educational
resources, the Learning Guide Series and Small
Scale Solutions For Your Farm.

Chapter 12 bankruptcy is a special section
of the bankruptcy code that provides debt
restructuring for family farms and family
fisherman. First created in 1986 during a
nationwide farm financial crisis, Chapter 12
was made permanent in 2005. Chapter 12
allows family farms to reduce debt load and
restructure debt so that the farm may become
viable into the future.
Lastly, depending on the level of public
interest, in addition to the compilation of
financial tools and information, community
programming is something the county should
look into facilitating. A weekend workshop or
seminar on the topic of farm finance might
be helpful for those residents who do not feel
comfortable or cannot easily access online
resources. In the past, the Richland County
extension of the Ohio Farm Bureau has had
great success at hosting joint workshops with
entities such as the RCDG on topics such a
running a successful farmer’s market and such
a pairing would likely be adept at presiding
over a financial workshop.
These recommendations will help maintain
the solvency of smaller farms in line with the
farmland preservation goals set forth in the
Richland County 2035 Comprehensive Plan
as well as retaining a key facet of the local
economy.
Be Focal, Buy Local
Alongside financial assistance and education
for farmers, it is important to develop local
markets for produce. With the recent upswing
in consumer conscientiousness and sustainable
practices, many consumers are placing a higher
premium on the ability to buy local food and
products within their community. In a place
such as Richland County, many food products
are grown and local artisans reside. The issue
is not proximity; rather it is making current and
future residents more aware of local options.
Currently, there is a fantastic local food map
on the Cultivate Richland website. Visitors
to the site are able to review a list of farms
and businesses that have added themselves
to the map. The goal of the map and the
organization is to create a network of farmers,
businesses and community partners who work
together to support one another and identify
opportunities to grow the local food system.
New farms and businesses can register and
add themselves in the map and instantly get
connected to other farms and businesses. This
map is a phenomenal tool that all Richland
County residents should be made aware of;
however, unless one was looking specifically
for it, it is rather unlikely it would be found.
Including a similar map or linking to the
original map on the Richland County or an
affiliated and promoted website would benefit
to both consumers and producers.

Kehoe Center
One of the opportunities Shelby can capitalize
on is the current function of the Kehoe
Center and the available adjacent space. The
Kehoe Center, a part of North Central State
College, is currently used for conference and
banquet rooms, technology laboratories, and
some degree completion programs through
university partners. An opportunity exists
for expansion within this area of Shelby.
By building off the existing technological
aspects of the area, there is a possibility for
establishing this area as the research and
development core of Richland County. By
creating an area dedicated to research and
development and technology, it can create a
new job sector for the county.
The purpose of RD is for businesses to come
up with new, groundbreaking products. Firms
spend years on researching market needs in
order to introduce a new product. While it is
a speculative and potentially lengthy process,
it is shown that companies, which invest
considerably in RD, consistently outperform
those who invest little or nothing at all.
An individual firm can provide their own
research in house using their own resources
or they can outsource those responsibilities
to an outside partner. For Richland County
with easy access to two large metropolitan
areas, it would be advantageous to try to
develop infrastructure for outsourced RD
to new firms organized around the Kehoe
Center’s resources. Local industrial capacity
and growing investment in healthcare make
it particularly attractive as a site for medical
device development and manufacturing.
Outsourcing RD efforts through partnerships
between the Kehoe Center’s resources and
regional firms has the potential to develop new
industries and foster innovative businesses in
the county.

Young Professionals
Housing Diversification
Section 4
Boise, Oregon introduced new urban
housing in its downtown as part of
a revitalization strategy. Targeting
apartments and condominiums
successfully attracted new renter
households, developers and young
professionals. They discovered that over
half of all renters are younger than 35,
while fully half of all the owners are older
than 55 years of age. This reflects both
the younger population’s more transient
lifestyle and their common lack of a down
payment to purchase a home.
Young professionals are typically those who
are recently graduated and starting careers
in white-collar professions. As previously
discussed, Richland County has an unbalanced
age distribution, which is highly influenced by
the lack of young professionals in the area and
an aging population. Increasing the percentage
of young professionals can help to strengthen
the economy as they are an extremely mobile,
well educated, and relatively inexpensive
workforce that is prone to entrepreneurship
as stated by CEOs for Cities. Many businesses
look for the amount of young professionals
in an area when considering where they will
locate, due to the beneficial attributes of
this workforce. There are many factors that
contribute to the solutions that can help retain
and attract young professionals for Richland
County.
While the county can provide more
professional career opportunities through
educational partnerships, there is a shortage
of places that are well suited for the lifestyles
that young professionals are seeking. The
VISIONsixonefour Studio at The Ohio State
University has conducted extensive research in
the Columbus area to determine what young
professionals are seeking. They have found
that the key interest of young professionals
is to be connected. This connectedness
comes in the form of every aspect of living
and is intrinsically tied to the identity of the
“internet” generation with access to the world
at their fingertips.
Connections
Young professionals want to be connected to
each other through access to a diverse and
exciting mix of spaces that allow for gathering
and interaction, which is often embedded
in a higher density urban setting. There
is a macro trend of a growing preference
for living in cities, and this should have
implications for where economic development
will be leveraged with success. Mixed-use
development can be effectively used for
making easily walkable and multi-functional
spaces that can include housing, dining,
entertainment and various other amenities
that make for an active and exciting lifestyle
that is attractive to young professionals.

To create a successful urban community,
walkability should be a priority. Walking is
the default mode of transportation for young
professionals who seek to spend less time with
their hands tied to a steering wheel, preventing
them from using valuable minutes and assets
that could be spent connecting to the world.
Expanding on the options for transportation
outside of individual vehicular travel allows
for an extension of walking that provides
connections to a larger physical space and
access to more amenities. Vehicular flow and
access is important even within urban areas,
but the safety and comfort of pedestrians
should be the priority if it is desired for people
to enjoy and live in the urban areas of Richland
County.
Connections are also sought through culturally
unique and visually appealing communities
that create a sense of pride and allow them
to document and share their experiences
through the vast social networks that are used
to connect to the greater plexus of individual
lives and experiences. Place making and
beautification should be used to create inviting
spaces and rejuvenate the urban landscapes of
Richland County. In addition to the marketing
improvements previously discussed, it is
imperative that information about community
activities be continuously updated and easily
available through social media and a strong
web presence. The young professionals in
Columbus asked for community amenities
that were present and simply unknown to
them. Richland County has many activities
to participate in and enjoy, but they may be
underutilized if they are not conveyed through
the bevy of communication systems that
people use in their daily lives to connect with
information.

Afordable Housing
Living on Main Street
Many historic buildings in Main Street districts were constructed with a store on the first floor and a residence for
the proprietor’s family upstairs. In most Iowa communities, much of that second-floor space has sat empty for
a generation or is used as storage space for the business below. But following a national pattern in downtown
revitalization, Main Street communities in Iowa began encouraging property owners to return that space to the
residential use for which it was originally constructed.
While many property owners (and their bankers) were skeptical at first, some were willing to take a chance. And
taking that chance proved to be a good investment. There are now hundreds of upper-floor housing units in Main
Street Iowa communities of every size. The majority rent for between $500 and $1,000 per month and the units are
often the most highly-prized rental housing in town.
But the biggest economic beneficiary of upper-floor housing isn’t the person who collects the rent–it’s the entire
downtown. For a downtown that has the goods and services available, here’s the impact on the downtown of that
upper floor unit.
Annual Benefit to a Downtown Economy from an Upper-Floor Housing Unit Rented to a
Couple for Between $500 and $1,000/month
Food at home $1,898 – $3,795
Food Drink out $807 – $1,613
Rent $6,000 – $12,000
Other housing costs, including utilities, maintenance, insurance, and upkeep $4,606 – $9,213
Furniture, equipment and electronics $560 – $1,121
Apparel and apparel services $655 – $1,310
Vehicular and transportation-related $1,909 – $3,819
Health-related $789 – $1,577
Entertainment $934 – $1,868
Personal services $314 – $629
All others $997 – $1,994
Total Annual Downtown Economic Impact of an Upper-Floor Apartment $19,469 – $38,939
Benefit from an Upper-Floor Housing Unit
Rented to a Couple for Between $500 and $1000 per Month
Economic Impact of Main Street Iowa, 1986-2012
While connectivity is most prevalent in the
attributes of a community that caters to
young professionals, the form of the available
residences they can call home is also pertinent.
Of the 54,459 housing units in Richland
County, only 18.9% of them consist of multi-
unit buildings. The existing housing stock in
the county is very appealing to those who
desire a more permanent and stable place
to settle down and possibly raise a family. A
balance should be sought between this type
of development that is currently abundant
and the rentable units that are more suited for
young professionals as well as empty nesters
who seek similar attributes in housing options.
The currently aging population of Richland
County and the desired young professionals
can equally benefit from housing that allows
them to maintain their independence
in smaller affordable spaces with less
responsibility for upkeep.
Reports such as America’s Rental Housing:
Evolving Markets and Needs, emphasize
that affordability is becoming increasingly
stressed, as the demand for rentable units
continues to grow. For young professionals
in particular, the development of these
rentable units should be focused in highly
connected urban areas described previously.
Existing vacant or underutilized second floor
structures in both Shelby and Mansfield can
be renovated to provide these spaces that
are suited specifically for young professionals.
Main Street Iowa found that the annual
benefit to a downtown economy from an
upper-floor housing unit rented to a couple
for between $500 and $1,000 per month
amounted to between $19,469 and $38,939.
These economic benefits are further broken
down in the table from the report, shown
above. Owners of these properties, the local
government, and the surrounding businesses
should work together to ensure that this is
possible and to catalyze any steps that must be
taken to ensure the community is successful
and livable for prospective residents.

The economic growth of Richland County will
be largely dependent on its ability to house
college students and young professionals
that will be living there. With a plan in place
for the Mansfield Campus to grow, campus
living needs to be more of a possibility. A large
number of the students from both universities
commute for part of their education, and then
transfer to another school to complete their
degrees. These students are leaving in part
because there are very limited options for
them to live near campus at this time and lack
community engagement.
College housing should be made a priority to
attract more students to not just attend the
early part of their education, but to complete
their entire program in Richland County or
at least, if they seek a degree that must be
completed elsewhere, give them a community
to come back to. Providing expanded
housing options for younger residents in
denser, downtown areas will help to retain
students and build a community for the
young professionals needed for an educated
workforce.
Providing an adequate supply of housing
for OSU-Mansfield and North Central State
students is an issue that Richland County as
a whole has had challenges with. Insufficient
housing encourages students to commute to
Mansfield Campus and does little to promote
any sense of community among students,
doing nothing to help student retention
before and after graduation. The Ohio State
University Columbus Campus had similar issues
during the 1990s, and addressed them with
the University Neighborhoods Revitalization
Plan developed in 1996. It was developed
by a committee of businesses called Campus
Partners.
There are specific recommendations in this
plan that would also benefit the Mansfield
Campus. Policy 6.5 states, “Ensure that
revitalization efforts maintain a balance
of market rate to affordable homeowner
and rental properties within the University
Neighborhoods”. Tompkins County in New
York, also had a similar housing situation for
its student population for Cornell University.
The Affordable Housing Needs Assessment
prepared by the Tompkins County Planning
Department advocated for growth areas to be
established to guide housing development.
Housing developments around the Mansfield
Campus would benefit from these points and
following general housing recommendations
already established, including higher density
and smaller units since the existing housing
stock is largely inappropriate for students for
the same reasons that it is inappropriate for
young professionals. As noted in the Mansfield
Campus Framework Plan, “On-campus housing
at the regional campuses is not a current Ohio
State funding priority, and thus we do not
expect on-campus housing to be developed
in the near term.” Student housing should
be 1 and 2 bedroom units in the form of
townhouses or low-rise structures to blend to
minimize impact on the natural landscape.
Campus Housing in Ontario

Shelby Housing Stock
Housing diversity is a key component to
attracting economic development. According
to the US Census Bureau, the 4,354 housing
units in Shelby, Ohio are a majority of
detached, single-family homes and the median
resident age is 37 in Shelby. The current
housing stock is great for families and the
elderly population. However, to fulfill the
long-term goal for an increase in the young
professional demographic in Richland County,
other types of housing stock such as high-
density apartments and condominiums are
needed. Zoning codes should respond by
allowing for greater housing diversity, smaller
units, smaller lots, and accessory dwelling
units to recruit new businesses and a highly
educated workforce.
If young professionals cannot afford to
get started in a community by finding an
appropriate rental, it is unlikely that they
are going to relocate there, much less plant
roots. Shelby should pursue the addition of
high-density apartments with a focus on low-
cost rentals near downtown Shelby or in the
southern parts of Shelby where they would be
in close proximity to Ontario and Mansfield.
Without decent, affordable housing, those
young professionals and businesses that are
hoping to relocate to a community may be
forced to consider an alternative location.

Unzoned
R1 - Detached Residential
R2 - Residential
R3 - Multi-Family Residential
R4 - Dense Residential
B1 - Light Commercial
B2 - Commercial
B3 - Commercial Corridor
I1 - Light Industrial
I2 - Industrial
I3 - Heavy Industrial
A - Agricultural
CD - Conservation
S - Special
Richland County Consolidated Zoning Map

Organizational Tools
Section 5
The first step to building a better future is to
know where you want to be. Comprehensive
planning is the cornerstone to economic
prosperity in a community and it is a powerful
tool to guide future growth. Plans allow
communities of all sizes, from neighborhoods
to the entire county, adapt to change and take
hold of opportunities. However, in order to
accomplish this, communities must first have
established a vision for the future established.
Every community is different and comes
with its own assets and challenges, which
make a unique identity, distinguishing it from
neighbors. It is important to recognize this for
all types of communities and encourage the
establishment of community visions through
civic engagement and community planning.
Vision planning allows communities to decide
what they want to become in the future and
consequently helps policymakers to best
serve their constituents with a clear direction.
As a result, the community can adapt to
change and thrive when faced with changing
macroeconomic conditions. Without any
kind of vision established, a community may
struggle to maintain their identity and succeed
as new challenges present themselves. As an
old planning adage goes: If you fail to plan,
you’re planning to fail.
While every community is distinct and visions
can differ greatly from place to place, the
planning process to develop them can be
applied across all communities. The Richland
County Regional Planning Commission has
already established a planning process at the
county level to develop a comprehensive plan
to organize the various county initiatives,
Key features of successful plans can be
summarized with an acronym, SMART.
Specific Plans should be specific in
their goals. Generalizations are hard to
implement.
Measureable Plans should establish a
way to measure progress towards goals
to know if they’re being met.
Attainable Plans should be realistic in
their goals so they can be met, but not so
easy as to feel empty.
Relevant Plans should include goals that
matter to the community. If no one cares,
why do it?
Time-bound Plans should also establish
a timeline for goals to commit to
accomplishing them.
and could take the lead in helping smaller
communities get started planning their future.
With a clear vision and comprehensive
plan in hand, a community has taken a step
forward, but without implementation plans to
accompany their vision, a comprehensive plan
is unlikely to be useful.
Vision Planning

After a lengthy period of decline, a growing
inventory of vacant structures becomes
a compounding barrier to revitalization.
Vacant properties deteriorate from lack of
maintenance and neighboring property values
drop. Declining values are often accompanied
by tax-delinquency and sometimes increased
crime rates. This can become a self-reinforcing
trend and it becomes ever harder to reverse.
A number of programs exist to combat this
issue; most prominent in recent years has
been the Neighborhood Stabilization Program.
The county has already seen a significant
level of investment from this program
and a similar Ohio program, Moving Ohio
Forward. This has led to the demolition of
more than 230 structures. As the demolition
funds dwindled, a collaborative effort came
together to form the Richland County Land
Reutilization Corporation. This new effort will
use land banking to revitalize the deteriorated
properties in the county.
Land banking is the process of acquiring,
managing and repurposing underutilized,
abandoned or foreclosed property through
a public entity. Land banks are equipped
with streamlined procedures to clear title,
acquire properties without risking their
sale to speculators and easily transfer these
properties. These measures help to prevent
and remove blight by acquiring properties
before they can fall into disuse and ultimately
rehabilitating or destroying those that do. Land
banks can find new uses through a variety of
tactics including infill development, public
parks, community gardens or side-lot transfers
including mow-to-own programs.
As the county moves forward with structuring
a land bank, it is important to balance
resources and efforts to equally benefit all
communities across the county. Currently, the
RCLRC is meeting the minimum requirements
of a five person board, but they have the
option of a seven or nine person board. The
addition of two or four members could be
used to give representation to the larger cities
in Richland County. However, the majority
of vacant properties and associated issues
are located in Mansfield and so care should
be taken to avoid devoting the resources of
a countywide land bank to Mansfield alone
because of its concentration of properties.
Therefore, the establishment of a Mansfield-
specific land bank alongside the county land
bank would be beneficial to the county goals.
There are a variety of programs in place to
help combat vacancy; many are housing and
business rehabilitation projects administered
through a land bank. These programs can be
found at the national and state level, with the
Ohio Housing Trust Fund and Department of
Housing and Urban Development being the
primary sources.
The Ohio Housing Trust Fund is a state-funded
program that provides affordable development
options and improves conditions throughout
the state of Ohio. Money is allocated based on
the recommendations of a fourteen member
advisory committee to support low-income
working Ohioans. There are a number of
grants, loans, bonds, and tax credits available
for assistance. Some of the programs offered
provide help for economic development, public
infrastructure improvement, neighborhood
revitalization, and community development.
The United State Department of Housing
and Urban Development also has programs
to provide assistance. The Neighborhood
Stabilization Program helps stabilize
communities that have been affected by
abandonment and blight. It is a part of
the Community Development Block Grant
program, which assists with community
improvements. A primary function of the
program is to assist in creating jobs through
expansion and retention of businesses. The
program encourages public participation by
providing access to local meetings to review
activities and programs performance.
Land Banking

These programs can be utilized to fund land
bank programs in Richland County and return
vacant properties to productive use either as
new housing, gardens or other public uses.
Building Owner
According to Main Street Iowa, a vacent building costs a community $222,340 annually. This value is
based on the alternative of the building holding a potential business tenant that sells $250,000 in goods
annually, pays typical rents and has typical local expenditures.
Costs to the Community
$8,400 in rents
$5,040 in property value
Though improvement projects such as these,
neighboring properties can improve their
values as well as improve amenities in the
neighborhood.
Local Government
State Government
Utility Companies
Banks
Suppliers
Professional Services
Media
Workers
$100 in property tax
$5,000 in sales tax
$15,000 in sales tax
$4,700 for utilities, telephone and internet
$39,500 in loan demand
$2,200 in bank fees and interest
$17,000 in deposits
$1,300 in maintenance and repairs
$500 in printing and copying
$900 in supplies
$2,700 in insurance premiums
$900 in legal and accounting fees
$500 in property management fees
$6,200 in advertising, marketing and PR expenditures
$56,800 as employees of that business
$31,500 in business owner’s compensation and profit
$24,100 workers elsewhere in the community

Another tactic to break the cycle of
disinvestment and deterioration is historic
preservation. Historic sites and landmarks are
vital to the economic growth of a community.
Merely having these structures increases
nearby property values due to the unique
qualities, distinctive and valuable to the
community. They are determined to be historic
based on their social, economic, cultural,
political, or architectural significance.
For those structures that qualify, property
owners may apply to obtain either State or
National Historic Tax Credits. At this time,
Richland County does have a significant
number of properties on the National Register
and the Ohio Historical Inventory. Properties
that are not designated significant at the
national or state level can still be locally
significant and a local historic district can be
designated such as was already done with the
Mansfield Carousel District.
Applying for Historic Tax Credits at the state
and national level is an option for any site in
Richland County that is already listed on the
National or State Register, respectively. There
are standards that a rehabilitation plan must
adhere to in order to receive the credit, but it
is a valuable asset if pursued.
Navigating the process of establishing a
historic neighborhood can be a complicated
undertaking, but it begins with the residents
of the community. Local committees of
residents can organize to advocate for their
Historic Preservation
community to see them improve and grow.
These committees can serve as the basis for
further efforts. A relatively simple first step
for concerned citizens is to make an effort
to educate residents about local history.
Promoting significant sites in context of the
county as well as the state and country can
help build a community identity.
As they uncover history and work to define
the district, it may be useful to designate new
landmarks or districts and apply for State and
National Register recognition. With recognition
of a district even at the local level, concerned
citizens should form an architectural review
board. This board would be educated on the
time period structures originate from and
their architectural style. This board should
According to the Ohio Historic Tax Credit
2012 Annual Report, the Ohio General
Assembly renewed the Ohio Historic
Preservation Tax Credit Program for the
2012-2013 budgets to provide $60 million
in tax credits annually. It lists all of the
counties in Ohio that utilized this resource
and the projects’ total costs. Richland
County did not have any projects on this
list.

The carousel district in downtown Mansfield
has seen an increased level of activity recently
with development along north Main Street
but the success of a few businesses does not
scale well without the support of the city
behind them. While this is most apparent in
downtown Mansfield where these conditions
currently exist, these recommendations are
equally important to the other cities and
villages in the county as they see reinvestment
take place.
Special Improvement Districts
A special improvement district could be
used to encourage economic development
along this Main Street corridor, through
various services and programs such as
beautification initiatives, snow removal, and
collective marketing for businesses in the
downtown area. Active property owners in
downtown Mansfield could establish a district
to generate funding for projects through a
pool of self imposed taxes. These districts
are formed through the collaboration of the
local government and property owners. The
government administers the collection and
distribution of the district assessment to the
organization tasked with allocating the funds
for improvement.
By organizing such a district in the private
sector and building a partnership with the local
government, the framework for cooperation
Improvements in the Downtown
publish a collection of guidelines considered
when reviewing projects to maintain historic
character. This process will not only maintain
the appearance of the district, but also help
satisfy requirements for State and National
Historic Tax Credits, which share many of the
same regulations. National Register subsidies
can cover 20% of rehabilitation costs while
Ohio’s is a slightly more generous 25% for
restoration.
In May 2011, Cleveland State University
completed an economic impact study of the
state’s tax credit program and found that $40
million of economic activity resulted from
every $1 million Ohio awarded in tax credits.
With the state budget including $60 million
annually for these tax credits, over 22,000
jobs are created every year from historic
preservation. Preserving historic structures
has the opportunity to provide unique housing
options as well as attractive and distinctive
locations for business owners in addition to
construction industry jobs generated by the
rehabilitation process.
Selma, North Carolina and the economic
development strategy the town used to
draw tourists into their downtown is a
working example of this process in action.
While historic preservation was not a key
strategy, tax grants as an incentive for
preservation and property maintenance
is a key tool. Selma’s specific historic
preservation plan, however, is mentioned
in the 2009 Town of Selma: Land Use
Plan. It mentions designating the Uptown
Selma area as a National Register Historic
District, ensuring that historic buildings
are adapted for different uses in order to
conserve the integrity and character of
neighborhoods, and recognizing historic
properties and events that occurred in the
town. While the steps are not identical
to those suggested, they are similar and
have proven to be successful in Selma.

Main Street Program
On a broader scale, Downtown Mansfield Inc.
has implemented the National Main Street
Model of revitalization and preservation for
the purpose of revitalizing the communities in
Mansfield. The approach encompasses a four
point approach with eight guiding principles
that serve as a strategy for revitalization
efforts. An important part of the National Main
Street Center’s methodology is a powerful
network of partner programs across the
county. Mansfield does not currently have
a main street program that is affiliated with
the state main street coordinating partner,

Reinvestment Statistics for the
Ohio Main Street Programs
1998 thru 2012

AVERAGE INVESTED PER COMMUNITY
$2.4 Million

NET NEW BUSINESSES: 1,011
NET NEW JOBS
4,125 Full-Time
3,377 Part-Time
BUILDING REHABILITATION PROJECTS: 2,640
REINVESTMENT RATIO: $23.00 to 1.00
NEW HOUSING UNITS CREATED: 1,138
Heritage Ohio. Mansfield previously had an
affiliated main street program, and at the
time they were making progress towards
revitalization. In 2001, they became a
Great American Main Street Award winner.
Connecting to the larger main street network
provides training, assessment, and assistance.
The training that is provided through this
organization provides information concerning
historical preservation, effective utilization
of building codes, and various other topics.
Reinvestment statistics are collected by
Heritage Ohio to assess the success of
the program, and Main Street Programs
have the opportunity to take advantage
of the services and advice offered by the
organization for improving revitalization and
preservation efforts. These benefits of being
active members of the larger organizations
are substantial on their own merit, however
revitalization requires active participation and
cooperation of the public officials, residents,
and businesses in the community to be
successful in following the National Main
Street strategy.
on policy objectives exists while removing
much of the administrative burden from
the city because the businesses in the area
manage the improvement projects directly.
This allows local businesses to maintain control
over the improvements and capitalize on the
strengths and opportunities of the area. Giving
business owners a level of control over their
environment can be a powerful tool to keep
the corridor prosperous.

Lancaster, California, saw a 26% increase
in sales tax revenue and 800 new jobs
from $125 million in private investment
triggered by a $10.6 million public
investment in pedestrian infrastructure
and traffic calming in this mid-sized city.
Complete Streets
Underpinning the downtown areas across
the county is a network of well-connected
road infrastructure. However, these are
primarily auto-oriented roadways and while
the transportation improvement plan includes
multimodal options, they are generally
separate from existing road networks such as
the BO trail which runs through the south of
the county.
Complete streets, which incorporate many
different forms of transportation, including
pedestrians, cyclists and public transportation
into street design, are not only a benefit for
the mobility of residents and an appealing
feature in attracting the young professional
demographic, but an economic boon as well.
Making it easier for residents to move about
cities by offering different options can allow
residents to make different mobility choices
and research has shown that modes other than
private automobiles are cheaper. By switching
away from private automobiles, residents in
Cleveland save an average of $9,576 a year
in transportation expenses. This is additional
money that individuals can put towards other
things such as housing and entertainment,
keeping money circulating within the local
economy. This effect is amplified by the effect
that bicycle and pedestrian traffic have on
improving visibility and access to businesses
along streets with bike lanes and improved
sidewalks.
The implementation of complete street
projects can have effects before road
improvements are finished due to the fact that
projects including sidewalk improvements and
bike lanes generate more construction jobs
than traditional roadways. Twice as many jobs
were generated by stimulus money spent on
public transportation projects than highway
projects of the same cost.
As complete street projects are adopted
and cities transform more of their roadways
into multimodal-friendly spaces, it forms a
network of safer streets, accessible to cyclists
and pedestrians. This ultimately results in
more walkable spaces, which a survey of 15
real-estate markets across the country found
translates to improved property values. A one-
point, out of 100, increase in the walkability
index compiled by WalkScore.com was found
to increase property values of homes in the
neighborhood by $700 to $3000 with the
impact greater for walkable neighborhoods
near other walkable neighborhoods. This is a
key feature in housing attractive to 25 to 34
year olds, whose presence in these kinds of
neighborhoods has increased 26% in the last
decade and is likely to continue to grow.
However, these increases in housing value and
rents are not detrimental to existing residents.
Even though a study in Delaware found a
likely $8000 increase in home values near
proposed bikeways, the possibility of reducing
transportation costs alongside any complete
street project more than compensates for
increases in housing costs as a result of
improvement projects.

For anyone looking for information on Richland
County, whether a prospective employer
looking for somewhere to locate his business
or a potential tourist looking for something to
do, the most easily located websites are those
of the governmental entities with Mansfield
and Richland County are the most visible. With
such prominent positions at the top of search
engines, these websites are an important tool
for getting all relevant information in the hands
of those that need it. Unfortunately, these
government websites are often stuck pulling
double duty, acting as not only the primary
marketing channel for the polity but also a
clearinghouse for any government functions
required of them.
However, many websites successfully
navigate this problem through efficient use
of navigation. With a clean, easy to use page,
a user can find exactly they are looking for
quickly which benefits all involved. The user’s
time is not wasted and the service he or she
was looking for, whether that is a government
agency or a local amenity, gets his or her
business. However, it generally is not the duty
of a municipal government to keep track of
all the business amenities and events located
nearby and so it becomes useful to provide
links to other entities that can do this.
These services are well-handled by private
entities in Richland County, with the RCDG
and Richland Area Chamber of Commerce
compiling many services for businesses under
their respective roofs including available space
and organizational support. Both of these
entities, however, have a loose connection
to the political leadership in the community
and do not form a strong web of connected
resources for a potential business, resident or
tourist seeking information about the county.
Similarly, the Mansfield/Richland County
Convention and Visitors Bureau serves as a
centralized office to collect data related to
the tourism economy and acts as the primary
marketing organizer for the entire county’s
attractions. They serve an important function
in the county, but in being organized as a
not-for-profit organization separate from
the government, they are completely absent
from the websites of both Richland County
and Mansfield. Each polity’s website includes
a listing of amenities within the area, but
makes no mention of the Richland CVB or
their Mansfield Tourism website, thus missing
out on an up-to-date calendar of events to
complement their attractions. Given that
government websites are easier to find, this
creates a gap of information for any who find
Online Resources

their way through these websites and fails
to direct users to the more comprehensive
information and very well could represent a
lost customer.
In line with this plan’s goals and general
strategies, a strengthened relationship
between public and private entities would
be beneficial in this case. By partnering more
closely with the Richland CVB and directing
users seeking tourist amenities to their website
in addition to the commercial and industrial
support information provided by the RCDG and
Richland Area Chamber of Commerce, public
entities could offer timely information more
easily to serve the needs of all users. It would
also allow a streamlining of marketing efforts
due to a reduced risk of failing to meet a need
if all websites could direct users to the relevant
other agencies. Effectively directing users to
the resources they seek is the basic purpose
of any website. Some resources can be served
by a given entity, but some may best be found
elsewhere. The online presence of polities and
organizations throughout the county should
realize where overlaps are likely to occur and
provide redirections to resources.
As part of facilitating this, cooperation in
the service of larger goals for the county as
a whole is needed. The younger generation,
which several recommendations in this plan
aims to attract and retain, has a much heavier
reliance in online sources of information
than previous generations. Ensuring that
information on county and municipal services
as well as upcoming events is easy to access
online is part of the multi-faceted approach
to attract and retain this vital segment of the
workforce.

Partnerships
Section 6
Employer Connections
The link from education programs to
employment should be transparent to ensure
that students are finding jobs upon graduation
and businesses are finding educated
employees. Business and economic growth
requires a skilled workforce suited for the
needs of industries in the county. Therefore,
making the transition from school to the
workforce should be made simple in order
to keep young professionals in the county.
Understanding that an educated workforce,
which correlates with jobs and business needs,
places the county ahead of the curve.
Creating an internship or apprenticing program
that specifically caters to Richland County
businesses and students pursuing associates
and bachelors degrees would help effectively
put students in jobs directly in the county.
Higher education and businesses would
collaborate and place students in programs
that fit their field of study in order to gain
professional experience before they even
graduate.
Educational institutions and other involved
entities should create a county specific
database that would serve multiple functions
including organize internship and apprenticing
programs, local business job openings,
student resumes and certifications, contact
information, and students’ current enrolling
institution. It would serve as a Richland County
employment connection with the overarching
idea of helping people who were born, raised,
and educated in Richland County start their
professional careers in the county as well.
The database would be intended for not only
students to search for job and internship
opportunities but also for employers to seek
out students that they see as a good fit for
their businesses.
Every successful educational system follows
a strategic plan that was put in place to
drive that success and build their workforce.
Richland County could benefit from the
creation of an education specific plan in
regards to their countywide educational
system, universities, and technical schools.
The plan would help to create a population
base that is educationally prepared to fill jobs.
Richland County has an employment base that
seeks employees educated in STEM (Science,
Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) related
skills. Improving STEM-oriented programs into
all levels of education could help focus the
future workforce toward employment in the
county. The county should also implement
a way of evaluating the success of these
suggestions to identify effective strategies and
those that failed and need to be reexamined.
By building a strong partnership between local
high schools and higher education institutions,
as well as connections with students and
parents, the county stands to improve
graduation rates and keep motivated and
intelligent students in Richland County.
Alongside this, a transparent path from
education to employment will help keep recent
graduates in the county and establish a well-
educated population base to reinforce the next
generation’s education. Ultimately, educating
students on the benefits of various degree
programs and offering a realistic understanding
of what employers are looking for will help
build a more educated workforce and place
them in jobs.

High School and Beyond
Education is a driving force behind community
success. It is well worth the investment of time
and resources for a strong education system
since good results build quality communities
with a knowledgeable workforce. Workforce
development is a key component toward
achieving county economic success. Richland
County boasts a business sector that thrives
upon the employment of technically skilled
workers. The county also contains excellent
educational institutions where aspiring
students can attain degrees and certifications
making themselves attractive to employers
throughout the county. The promotion of
appropriate degrees and the importance
of academically accomplished people to
fill open positions is important to building
a capable workforce. Targeting education
toward existing and growing industries will
spur economic development and attract
businesses to an experienced work force.
These recommendations also aim to foster
connections between high schools and higher
education as well as the business community
in order to enhance students’ education and
the county’s ability to attract new business.
Local universities and technical schools can
improve visibility to students through county
high schools. A partnership between these
entities would help to encourage students to
stay in the county beyond high school and to
further their education. This plan suggests that
institutes of higher education have recruiters,
speakers, and previous high school alum
encouraging these students to reach their
academic potential. These influences would
inform students on how they can obtain jobs
directly in Richland County through education.
Students should also be knowledgeable of the
type of workforce Richland County jobs require
and what form of higher education is needed
to gain employment.
For example, Riverside High School in
Painesville, Ohio allows the Auburn Career
Center to present during a class period
and promote the advantage of pursing an
associate’s degree and entering into workforce
within Lake County. These sessions draw
large interest from juniors and seniors in high
school and many end up taking advantage of
attending their local technical school. Richland
County has a workforce that thrives upon
technically skilled workers and by advertising
these programs to high school students the
county will continue to build an educated work
force.
A further step to fostering strong partnerships
between county high schools and higher
education is the recommendation that high
school students should have numerous
opportunities to engage with these institutions
before enrollment. Careful collaboration
between high schools and higher education
institutions could result in academic
competitions, information sessions, presenters,
or shows occurring on their campuses catered
towards local youth. An additional proposal
would be the implementation of a shadowing
program. This would entail a structured
schedule where high school students would
get a holistic view of what a typical day entails
through a pairing with a current student in a
higher education program.
A key component of higher education
success rates is a supportive home life.
Seeking higher education typically requires
a partnership between parents and their
student. Student success often hinges on the
direction they receive from their parents.
As such higher education institutions should
sponsor general information sessions for
parents and guardians of students considering
furthering their education beyond high school
graduation. The premise is that parents
should be well informed of the application
process, financial obligations, and benefits of
obtaining associates and bachelors degrees.
It is important to involve those who have the
resources to make higher education possible
for these students. Ideally, these information
sessions should occur on the higher education
institution’s campus in order to familiarize
residents with the facilities and atmosphere of
the institution.

Farm to School Program
Another opportunity to expand local
agriculture through building partnerships
with local institutions is a Farm to School
program. Though it does not prescribe any
required practices, typically the Farm to
School program involves schools buying and
featuring fresh foods from local farmers,
incorporating nutrition and agriculture based
curricula and provide students experiential
learning opportunities through farm visits,
gardening and recycling programs. After school
and summer programs can incorporate this
model, creating a local source of fresh food for
healthy snacks and meals that can be paid for
by federal child nutrition programs. Currently
there are over 2500 farm to school programs
across the country and for the 2015 fiscal year,
federal funding will be available for the Farm to
School Grant Program.
Farm to School programs offer many benefits
to not only the students but also the farmers
and community as a whole. In these programs,
children have the opportunity to experience
great tasting, farm-fresh produce. They benefit
from a closer connection between their food
and local agriculture. The more a child is
involved with healthy food, the more likely he
or she will adopt healthy eating behaviors as a
lifelong practice.
Local farmers benefit from increased sales
opportunities. Farmers are always looking for
more nearby, higher value markets. By selling
their products locally, farmers have lower
transportation costs, which are further reduced
when they sell directly to the customer. Local
schools give farmers a chance to diversify their
markets, with a reliable and steady demand
that is known to them in advance. Farm to
School also allows farmers to interact in their
community. Local purchasing often translates
into farmers visiting the classroom, field
trips to farms, or other kinds of educational
experiences. Farm to School builds broader
support in the community for the school
district and for the child nutrition programs.
Communities benefit from more locally-based
agricultural marketing. When farm sales stay
within a community or a region of limited size,
the local economy can benefit from keeping
food spending in the local economy. Healthy
farms provide jobs, pay taxes, and keep
working agricultural land open.
Wikipedia
Hartford, Connecticut, Public School
District serves 20,000 students, including
approximately 5,000 children in the
Summer Food Service Program. They
work with local farmers and a local
produce distributor to promote healthy
options. End Hunger Connecticut and
other community organizations helps with
outreach for these programs.

Richland County Economic Development Strategic Plan - 2014

Richland County Economic Development Strategic Plan - 2014

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