Comprehensive Plan will help improve Lorain

The city of Lorain’s new comprehensive land use plan which highlights an eight-point strategy to guide city planning and new construction for the next 10 to 20 years, is a worthy initiative for advancing the International City economically.

On Oct. 15, Lorain City Council voted 9-0 to adopt the Lorain Comprehensive Plan.

Council’s Building and Lands Committee, with all of Council, met Sept. 24 for a presentation about the Lorain Comprehensive Plan by Jason Sudy, a principal of the firm OHM Advisors.

The firm is a “community advancement” company that specializes in architecture, engineering and planning.

Council followed up on Oct. 15 with questions about how the city would implement the Lorain Comprehensive Plan.

Councilman at Large Mitch Fallis has some concerns with the plan, calling it “massive.”

Fallis said it’s so comprehensive that Council needs to take a look at putting some sort of timeline together and on when they want to start projects, and who’s going to be responsible for what.

He also said he doesn’t know where the city could start and how would it get the plan off the ground.

However, by adopting the findings, Law Director Pat Riley said Council approved an ordinance that directs the executive officers of the city administration to implement the recommendations “as may be practicable.”

Mayor Chase Ritenauer said Fallis’ point is well-taken, given the amount of information in the plan.

Ritenauer said the city already has started adding some of the recommendations in the plan. But, he said, the plan needs consistent monitoring and revision for the city to advance the goals.

Ritenauer is correct to insist that a review of the plan should take place in the middle of 2019.

It’s a good plan and Council must follow through and make sure the plan is progressing and the goals are met.

It won’t happen if years go by and nothing is being done with the plan.

The Lorain Comprehensive Plan also is a companion to the city’s new zoning code, which is in draft form.

Fallis came up with a valid suggestion that Council and the administration could prioritize top three goals and work on those.

And Ritenauer said he is open to Council and the administration setting benchmarks to meet based on the land use plan.

Councilwoman at Large Mary Springowski said it would be foolish to try to go too far, too fast, then have to re-do city actions.

Springowski adds Council should be cautiously optimistic about the plan and moving forward with it.

Ritenauer, Fallis and Springowski all make good points about the plan, but working together, it can get done.

The eight priorities of the Lorain Comprehensive Plan are:

• Make the waterfront development ready. For new development, the plan suggests 601 new residential units, 83,100 square feet of commercial space, 244,700 square feet of offices, 103,400 of mixed use space and 1,200 parking spots.

• Make downtown development ready. Buildings on the National Historic Register can be catalysts and focal points for development along Broadway.

• Strengthen connections. An action plan would include designing alleys and paths connecting Broadway to the Black River.

• Parks. Lorain should maintain parks with prime locations and the most visitors. The city could hold parks with low visitation but future potential, and sell or donate key parks to new champions of green space.

• Stabilize vacant properties. Lorain needs to develop criteria for acquiring or controlling land through the Lorain County Land Reutilization Corp.

• Gateway and signage. Lorain “has little sense of identity and no significant points of entry.” New signage at the city entrance points and the entrance to downtown can begin to alter the perception of Lorain.

• Annexation strategy. Lorain lacks freeway access, but as outlying areas develop along state Route 2 could bring new land, tax revenues into Lorain while raising awareness of the city.

• Promote Lorain. The city will have much to promote, but now it is difficult to find information about Lorain.

The Lorain Comprehensive Plan is a start for bringing more energy and life back to Lorain.

If the Council and the administration stay on top of the plan and make sure the goals are met, whether it takes two years, or five years, the city will improve.

Lorain residents deserve a better and improved city.