5/12/2026 CPED Committee Meeting

The City of Youngstown's CPED Committee met on May 12, 2026, to discuss several key economic development and community planning issues. A significant portion of the meeting focused on a proposed ordinance (26-121) related to investing nearly $2 million to install essential utilities and a pump station to make a 12-acre property shovel-ready for industrial redevelopment. The committee discussed the financial rationale, potential return on investment through increased property value and utility revenues, and the requirement for City Council approval before any land sale. Additionally, the committee reviewed the management contract with JAC for the Covelli Center and related venues, emphasizing the mandate for the facility to be self-sufficient and the reinvestment of excess revenues into capital improvements. Other procurement-related topics included the potential creation of a Downtown National Historic Tax District to incentivize property renovations through federal and state tax credits, which would require city investment in consulting and administrative costs. The committee also addressed housing ordinance amendments to prevent unlawful discrimination and discussed scheduling a meeting to review Community Development Block Grant funding recommendations. The meeting concluded with a motion to advance ordinance 26-121 to the full City Council for consideration.