Mayors differ on I-90 agreement
By Jeff Gallatin
Westshore
Published Oct. 17, 2007

Three area mayors are on different paths when it comes to describing the agreement on a joint economic development zone plan for the Avon I-90 interchange plan announced at last Friday’s meeting of the Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency.

Bay Village Mayor Debbie Sutherland said the long, hard road to an agreement on the I-90 interchange by Avon can lead to a better future for not only her city, but the entire area.

Westlake Mayor Dennis Clough said the agreement does his city no good because it does not cover the major economic player — The Cleveland Clinic. The agreement exempts the Clinic’s already announced health care center to be located near the interchange. In addition, Clough remains concerned about the potential impact of the project on roadways in his city.

Avon Mayor Jim Smith said he still believes the Cuyahoga County governments pushed their interests too much at the expense of his city but said he agreed to a final proposal because he is committed to getting an interchange.

After a group of officials from Cuyahoga and Lorain counties announced the joint economic development zone on the Avon I-90 interchange at last Friday’s meeting of the Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency, Sutherland said her city will utilize aspects of the agreement which provide for roadway improvements in Bay Village and Westlake. Officials in both communities have been expressing concern for months about the potential impact of the project on roadways in their communities.

The agreement ends months of wrangling and conflict between different governmental bodies about the interchange. Cuyahoga County officials had indicated earlier this month they were likely to block approval of the interchange unless their concerns about loss of businesses and potential road problems were dealt with.

Sutherland said from Bay’s perspective, the primary concern remains keeping good roadways after the work is done.

“We will be looking to NOACA and other agencies to help obtain the funds for dealing with any potential problems on our roads,” Sutherland said. “The agreement can help us seek those other sources of funding.”

She said studies indicating anticipated heavier traffic problems in the Bradley Road area indicate where some of the potential problems can develop.

“We just want to make sure that we have means of fixing any problems which develop,” she said.

Smith said the Cuyahoga County governmental agencies were too focused on their needs and were ignoring Avon’s.

“It’s still pretty frustrating,” Smith said. “I don’t believe that it was the best deal  for us. But I’m committed to getting an interchange, so this is a deal I can live with. If we didn’t do an interchange, nobody will remember in five years who did what to who. They’ll only remember we didn’t get the interchange.”

Sutherland, who has been heavily involved in the talks as the current president of the Cuyahoga County Mayors and Managers Association, said the proposed agreement affects more than just Bay Village and Avon. She said the joint economic development zone set up by the agreement should benefit many different communities.

“There have been a number of concerns throughout all of this from loss of business, income to communities, dealing with road issues and working with neighboring communities,” she said. “However, the revenue sharing aspects should help all of them deal with potential problems.”

Clough, however, said he doesn’t see Westlake as benefiting at all from the agreement.

“It doesn’t cover the only announced project which has the payroll figure of more than $750,000 – the Clinic project,” Clough said. “It doesn’t consider our community and how the Clinic affects us with what it has here now. That clinic project out in Avon will be taking jobs from the Clinic in Westlake.”

He said the provisions for roadway improvement also don’t offer assistance to Westlake and the roadways it is concerned about being affected by the project.

NOACA officials voted to approve the interchange subject to confirmation of all terms by Avon’s City Council within 30 days. Councils in the designated cities along the I-90 corridor will need to approve the economic development agreement for those cities to share in the benefits of the tax sharing plan.

Under terms of the proposed agreement, for any businesses with an annual gross payroll exceeding $700,000 that relocates from one of the participating cities, Avon would share half of the income tax with the affected city for five years, unless the property was refilled with another business. The overall economic development agreement would be in effect for the next 30 years.

Avon further agreed to place limits on its use of tax incentives to lure existing regional businesses to locate in the interchange zone. Real estate tax abatement would not exceed 75 percent and for no more than 10 years, and income tax abatements would be prohibited.

Specifically exempted from the agreement is the already announced Cleveland Clinic healthcare center project and the first 500 jobs at that center. The Clinic has stated that building this facility is not contingent on the interchange and that the facility represents an expansion of service and not relocation.

   Sutherland said city of Cleveland officials, the Cuyahoga County Commissioners and officials from the Cleveland Clinic all played an important role in getting the work done. She said officials tried to be as fair as possible in the deal. She said other aspects of the deal, such as making the deal reciprocal if any Lorain County businesses moved to Cuyahoga County, could still be dealt with.

“We would be willing to go back and include something like that in any agreement,” she said.

Smith said the entire process has been tough for all parties, particularly Avon and Lorain County.

“It’s strained our relations with other communities,” Smith said. “But we wanted the interchange, so we got something done to do it.”

Clough said Westlake’s interests just weren’t taken care of.

“It doesn’t take us into account,” he said.

Sutherland said officials tried to make the deal as complete as possible but noted that not everybody will be completely happy.

“This affects a large number of people and communities,” she said. “It’s a compromise. You don’t get all that you want in a compromise.”