CITY OF TRENTON - RESOLUTION 17-2025 Notice

CITY OF TRENTON - RESOLUTION 17-2025 Notice is hereby given that on July 17, 2025, the Council of the City of Trenton, Ohio adopted the following resolution: This resolution establishes a Community Reinvestment Area (CRA) in the City of Trenton and repeals Resolution No. 17-2019. A copy of the resolution, together with the CRA map, is on file with the Clerk of Council, 11 East State Street, Trenton, Ohio, and is available for public inspection. RESOLUTION NO. 17-2025 A RESOLUTION TO REPEAL RESOLUTION 17-2019 AND ESTABLISH A COMMUNITY REINVESTMENT AREA IN THE CITY OF TRENTON, OHIO, RESTATING ITS GEOGRAPHIC BOUNDARIES, RETAINING THE EXISTING COMMUNITY REINVESTMENT AREA HOUSING COUNCIL AND TAX INCENTIVE REVIEW COUNCIL, CONFORMING TO ALL APPLICABLE LEGAL REQUIREMENTS FOR ADOPTION UNDER CITY ORDINANCES AND THE OHIO REVISED CODE, AND DECLARING AN EMERGENCY. WHEREAS, the Council of the City of Trenton previously enacted Resolution 17-20 I 9 establishing a Community Reinvestment Area (CRA) within the City to encourage the revitalization and redevelopment of ce11ain areas through property tax incentive; and WHEREAS, pursuant to Ohio Revised Code §§3735.65 through 3735.70, the City caused a survey of housing within the proposed CRA and determined that the area contains housing facilities or structures of historical significance and that new housing construction and the repair of existing housing within the area have been discouraged, thus qualifying the area as a "Community Reinvestment Area" under Ohio Revised Code §3735.65(8); and WHEREAS, the Ohio General Assembly has enacted permanent changes to the Ohio CRA program to streamline its administration and update its requirements, including among other changes eliminating the prior requirement for state approval of local CRA designations and amendments, increasing the maximum tax exemption percentage allowed without school board approval from 50% to 75% for commercial or industrial CRA agreements, and increasing the threshold for mandatory school district income tax revenue sharing agreements from $1,000,000 to $2,000,000 in new annual payroll; and WHEREAS, the City of Trenton desires to incorporate all revisions required or permitted into its CRA program so that the program remains in full compliance with current state law and continues to effectively encourage reinvestment in the community; and WHEREAS, the City further desires to maintain the Community Reinvestment Area Housing Council and the Tax Incentive Review Council as previously established, with their existing structures and memberships, to oversee and review the implementation of the CRA, consistent with Ohio Revised Code requirements; and WHEREAS, the Council of the City of Trenton finds and determines that adopting this Resolution is in the best interest of the City to promote economic and community development, housing maintenance, and revitalization of areas that have not enjoyed reinvestment through remodeling or new construction. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Trenton, County of Butler, Ohio: SECTION 1. The City of Trenton hereby establishes a Community Reinvestment Area (CRA) pursuant to Ohio Revised Code §3735.66 within the municipal corporate limits, to be known as the "City of Trenton Community Reinvestment Area." The boundaries of the CRA encompass the area described and depicted in "Exhibit A" (attached hereto and incorporated by reference). Council hereby finds that the above-described area contains housing facilities or structures of historical or architectural significance and that new construction and repair of existing facilities have been discouraged in the area, based on the aforementioned housing survey and analysis, thereby meeting the requirements of Ohio Revised Code §3735.65(8) for CRA designation. Upon adoption of this Resolution, the Clerk of Council is directed to send by certified mail a copy of this Resolution, along with a map of the CRA in sufficient· detail to identify its boundaries, to the Director of the Ohio Department of Development, in compliance with Ohio Revised Code §3735.66. The Clerk shall also cause this Resolution to be published in a newspaper of general circulation in the City once a week for two consecutive weeks immediately following its adoption, as provided by law. SECTION 2. The City hereby designates the Trenton City Manager (or designee) as the Housing Officer for the CRA, pursuant to Ohio Revised Code §3735.66. The Housing Officer shall administer the provisions of the CRA program, including receiving and processing applications for tax exemption, verifying project compliance, and monitoring ongoing compliance with CRA requirements. The Housing Officer shall maintain all records, file required annual reports to the Ohio Department of Development summarizing CRA activities, and unde1take such other administrative duties as necessary to implement this program in accordance with the law. SECTION 3. Within the designated CRA, both new construction and the remodeling of existing structures are eligible for property tax exemption as provided herein, to the extent authorized by Ohio Revised Code §3735.67. All new structures and all improvements by remodeling that meet the requirements of Ohio Revised Code §3735.67 are eligible for exemption, whether classified as residential, commercial, or industrial, unless otherwise stipulated in this Resolution. The classification of a structure (or the remodeling thereof) as residential, commercial, or industrial for purposes of CRA exemptions shall be consistent with the zoning regulations applicable to the area. If not expressly provided otherwise in this Resolution, the maximum permissible term and percentage of exemption for any given project shall be the same for all classes of property, subject to the specific limitations and procedures set forth below and in state law. SECTION 4. The following terms, conditions, and limitations shall apply to prope1ty tax exemptions granted under the City of Trenton CRA: (A) Residential Property Exemptions: For residential structures (dwellings) located within the CRA, a tax exemption on the increased assessed value resulting from qualified improvements is hereby authorized at 100% of the improvement's assessed value, for the period specified below, provided that the project meets the minimum cost criteria set forth in Ohio Revised Code §3735.67. The minimum cost of improvements to qualify for a residential remodeling exemption shall be $2,500 for one- or two­family dwellings, or $5,000 for multi-family residential structures with three or more units. The term of the exemption for residential property shall be as follows: Remodeling of 1-2 Unit Dwellings: Up to ten ( I 0) years ( annual years tax exemption) for the remodeling of an existing one-family or two-family dwelling, where the cost of remodeling is at least $2,500. Remodeling of Multi-Unit Residential (3+ units): Up to twelve (12) years for the remodeling of an existing multi-family residential structure containing three or more units, where the cost of remodeling is at least $5,000. New Construction of Residential Structures: Up to fifteen (15) years for the construction of new residential dwelling structures (including single-family homes or multi-unit residential buildings) within the CRA. In each of the above cases, the exemption shall apply to 100% of the increase in assessed valuation attributable to the remodeling or new construction (as applicable) during the specified term. The tax exemption shall first apply in the tax year in which the improvements would first be taxable were it not for the exemption (typically, the year construction or remodeling is completed and value added). In accordance with Ohio Revised Code §3735.67(0)(1), if a dwelling unit structure receiving a CRA exemption is a structure of historical or architectural significance (for example, a certified historic structure under federal law) and meets the further criteria set f011h in Ohio Revised Code §3735.67(0)(1) (including continuous occupancy of units for five years), the Council may by ordinance or resolution extend the period of exemption for that dwelling by up to an additional ten (10) years beyond the standard term. Any such extension for a historic structure shall require a finding by Council of the structure's qualifications under the law and shall be approved before the original exemption period expires. (B) Commercial and Industrial Property Exemptions: For commercial or industrial projects within the CRA, tax exemptions on the increased value resulting from new construction or remodeling of such properties are hereby authorized up to 100% of the improvement's assessed value, for the period specified below, subject to project­specific approval and agreement as described herein. A written CRA Agreement between the property owner and the City shall be required for each commercial or industrial project seeking an exemption, to be executed prior to the commencement of construction or remodeling of the facility. The terms of each such agreement (including the exact percentage of exemption and the number of years the exemption will apply) shall be negotiated on a case-by-case basis by the City, but shall not exceed the following maximum durations for the respective categories: Remodeling of Commercial/Industrial Structures: Up to twelve ( 12) years for the remodeling of existing commercial or industrial structures, provided the cost of remodeling is at least $5,000 (increased assessed value). New Construction of Commercial/Industrial Structures: Up to fifteen (15) years for the construction of new commercial or industrial structures. All commercial/industrial CRA exemptions shall be implemented via the CRA Agreement, and no such exemption shall be effective unless and until City Council has approved the CRA Agreement by resolution or ordinance and the agreement is fully executed. The exemption percentage and term for each project will be specified in the agreement and, once granted, will apply annually for the term agreed. Any CRA agreement for a commercial or industrial project that proposes to exempt more than 75% of the assessed value of the improvement, or that proposes an exemption term longer than fifteen years (up to the maximum allowed by law, e.g. a special case "megaproject"), shall require approval from the board of education of the affected school district before the City can finalize and formally approve the agreement. For any commercial or industrial CRA agreement that will generate new employee payroll subject to the City's income tax above the threshold set by Ohio Revised Code §5709.82, the City shall negotiate and enter into a revenue sharing agreement with the Edgewood City School District as required by Ohio Revised Code §5709.82. If the school board has passed a resolution waiving the requirement of such a compensation agreement for the project or generally, the City may proceed in accordance with the provisions of Ohio Revised Code §5709.82. Nothing in this Resolution shall preclude the City from including additional terms or stricter requirements in a CRA Agreement as deemed necessary or appropriate, so long as they do not conflict with the minimum requirements of state law. All CRA Agreements will be approved by City Council via resolution or ordinance and signed by the City Manager ( or other authorized official) on behalf of the City. SECTION 5. The Community Reinvestment Area Housing Council (hereinafter "Housing Council") previously established for the City's CRA pursuant to Ohio Revised Code §3735.69 shall continue in existence and shall oversee the CRA program as required by law. The Housing Council shall consist of the membership as determined under Ohio Revised Code §3735.69(A)(l), to wit: two members appointed by the Mayor of the City of Trenton, two members appointed by City Council of the City of Trenton, and one member appointed by the City of Trenton Planning Commission, who together shall appoint two additional citizen members, all serving staggered three-year terms. The current members of the Housing Council as already duly appointed shall continue to serve for the remainder of their respective terms, and future appointments or reappointments shall be made in the same manner as the initial appointments, consistent with Ohio Revised Code §3735.69. The Housing Council shall have all powers and duties provided by Ohio Revised Code §3735.69, including making an annual inspection of prope11ies within the CRA that have received exemptions, and hearing appeals from the decisions of the Housing Officer (as provided in Ohio Revised Code §3735.70). It is the intent of Council that the existing Housing Council structure and membership be retained without change under this Resolution, and that the Housing Council continue to function as the oversight body for the CRA program in accordance with state law and local policy. SECTION 6. The Tax Incentive Review Council (TIRC) established pursuant to Ohio Revised Code §5709.85 to review all tax incentives within Butler County, including those in the City of Trenton, shall continue to review the performance of all agreements and exemptions granted under the City's CRA. The TIRC membership shall include all members required by Ohio Revised Code §5709.85. The TIRC shall annually review all CRA exemptions and agreements and make formal recommendations to the City Council as to whether each such tax incentive should continue, be modified, or be terminated, in accordance with ORC 5709.85(C). The City Council shall then vote to accept, reject, or modify the TIRC's recommendations as required by law. By this Resolution, the City reaffirms the continuation of the TIRC for the City's CRA program with the existing structure and membership appointments previously in place, and directs the City's administrative staff to coordinate with the applicable governmental and school entities to fill any vacancies on the TIRC when they arise. SECTION 7. It is the intent of the City that this Resolution and the CRA program be administered in full conformity with the Ohio Revised Code and any rules or guidelines of the Ohio Department of Development applicable to the CRA program. This Resolution shall be construed and implemented consistent with the provisions of Ohio Revised Code §§3735.65 through 3735.70, 5709.82, 5709.83, 5709.85, and all other applicable sections of Ohio law. Any reference in this Resolution to a specific provision of law shall include that provision as it may be subsequently amended. In the event of any conflict between the terms of this Resolution and the Ohio Revised Code or future mandatory state requirements, the state law provisions shall govern. SECTION 8. Council hereby authorizes and directs the City Manager, Housing Officer, Law Director, and other appropriate officials of the City to take any and all further actions necessary to implement and administer the CRA program in accordance with this Resolution and state law, including but not limited to executing CRA Agreements with property owners as approved by Council, providing required notices to affected school districts, filing reports or certifications to state agencies, and making minor administrative adjustments to forms or procedures as needed to comply with state requirements. The City Manager is further authorized to promulgate administrative guidelines or application forms consistent with this Resolution to assist property owners in seeking CRA incentives. SECTION 9. If any section, subsection, clause, or provision of this Resolution is found by a court of competent jurisdiction to be unlawful or invalid, such invalidity shall not affect the remaining portions of this Resolution, and those remaining portions shall continue in full force and effect. Council declares that it would have adopted this Resolution and each section, subsection, sentence, or clause thereof irrespective of the fact that any one or more of the same may be declared invalid. SECTION 10. All prior resolutions or parts of resolutions inconsistent with this Resolution, including but not limited to Resolution 17-2019, are hereby repealed as of the effective date of this Resolution. SECTION 11. That this Ordinance is hereby declared to be an emergency measure necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, safety, and welfare of the City and for the further reason that this Ordinance must be enacted for the to encourage economic stability, maintain real property values, and generate new employment opportunities. Therefore, this measure shall take effect and be in full force immediately upon its adoption. Ryan Perry, Mayor PASSED 07/17/2025 AYES 7, NAYS 0 ABSENT 0 First Reading 07/03/2025 Second Reading 07/17/2025 ATTEST: Stanislav Beresford CLERK OF COUNCIL CERTIFICATE I, the undersigned Clerk of Council for the City of Trenton, Ohio, Ohio, hereby certify that the foregoing Resolution No. 17-2025 is a true and correct copy as passed by the Council of the City of Trenton, Ohio on the day of 17th day of July, 2025 and that at least two-thirds of the elected members voted in the affirmative on said motion. Stanislav Beresford Clerk of Council This resolution establishes a Community Reinvestment Area (CRA) in the City of Trenton and repeals Resolution No. 17-2019. A copy of the resolution, together with the CRA map, is on file with the Clerk of Council, 11 East State Street, Trenton, Ohio, and is available for public inspection. 8-22/2025