The City of Avon Lake must make job preservation, creation and economic development a top priority. Now is the time to position Avon Lake as a welcoming community that is willing to work with the existing businesses that call our city home and ready to welcome new businesses. Generating revenue from new businesses is the way to keep taxes low and maintain the level of service we currently enjoy. Avon Lake can no longer wait for business owners to approach it about coming to town - we need to be proactive and seek them out ourselves.
We have a number of strengths and opportunities: the lakefront; excellent city services; a first rate school system; a good mix of housing; land available for development; core industries; beautiful parks; a new I-90 interchange; American Greetings’ decision to move to Crocker Park; and, some of the lowest water and sewage rates in the region. Most importantly, Avon Lake has an untapped array of talented residents who each have the ability to define the community’s needs and, its plans for the future.
Now is the time for Avon Lake to seize these opportunities and develop a long-term economic development strategy to capitalize on our strengths and minimize our weaknesses.
City Council’s Economic Development Committee and the mayor have discussed the option of contracting with a third-party expert to draft an economic development strategy for Avon Lake. However, a plan is only as good as its implementation. We cannot spend time, and more importantly, tax dollars, on a plan that does not reflect the desires of the residents and business community. To ensure the plan is implemented, it must be flexible enough to be utilized by different mayors and councils and it also needs the support and buy-in of the community.
To ensure the plan is flexible and represents the community, the Economic Development Committee is planning a series of listening sessions to obtain input and guidance from the community – from YOU.
First, on June 1, the Committee will meet with some of the commercial property owners and business leaders in Avon Lake. On June 9, the Committee will meet with residents that wish to provide input. Finally, a yet to be scheduled meeting will be held with local business owners. All meetings are open to the public will be at 6:30pm in the Council chambers at City Hall.
It is my hope that the resident meeting will be standing room only. One thing I learned while campaigning is that the residents – the true stakeholders of Avon Lake – are very intelligent people. The other thing I learned is that no single person has all the good ideas and it is vitally important for the mayor and to hear from you. This plan will shape our economic development strategy for the next few years and have a tremendous impact on our City. Now is the time for you to step up and help shape the future of Avon Lake.
With the tremendous strengths and amenities of Avon Lake there is no reason why the city can’t attract the types of businesses that “fit” our community. But without a plan, any growth and/or change will be by happenstance, not by design. Without attracting more appropriate type businesses, there will be an undue burden placed on the homeowner to produce the needed revenue for the city. Good luck in your efforts - this is one resident that believes this effort is long overdue!
I will sum up my issues with the city with 1 simple statement : I barely spend any money within Avon Lake's city limits. There is just not enough of anything here. Not enough shopping, not enough restaurants, not enough entertainment,etc. I have to spend all my money in neighboring Avon and Westlake. It upsets me to no end to see the growing number of empty strip malls in this city. The Town Center is a great example of that. We have heard rumblings of the Town Center getting an "anchor" store for years, but nothing gets done. In the mean time, the Giant Eagle center is empty and the Drug Mart center is not far behind. As far as I can tell, this city should not have any problems attracting business, unless its the actual city's fault for "not playing ball" with tax credits and what not. The moral of the story is, the city has amazing potential and it is not living up to it.
The lake is not in any way,shape, or form a hinderance. In the case of Avon Lake, the lake serves as a back drop for dozens of very wealthy individuals that I'm fairly certain would love to spend their money within the city if there was anywhere worth spending it. Avon and Westlake are thriving because they are doing things that our city is not. I assure you that if Avon Commons was somehow incorporated into Avon Lake instead of Avon, it would have been met with equal success.
I own a beautiful small Pub north of Lake Road, have you ever been there. It's called Sally's Westshore Pub, its the oldest Pub in Avon Lake 87 years old, with great food. Sally Keating
As to David : You can grow frustrated if you wish, but my comments are the unfortunate truth. While I realize there is a loyal base of local citizens that frequent the businesses within the city, I'm afraid they are a minority. This is very evident in the businesses that have disappeared from the area in the last 2-3 years. I try to spend my money within the city, but it is getting more and more difficult. In all honesty, the only area restaurant I do frequent is Casa Del Lago (no offense to any other places in the area). I do golf at Sweetbriar from time to time, and I am somewhat forced to shop at Giant Eagle (although I am finding myself more at Avons Marc's) . I wasn't trying to offend anyone with my comments, I just wanted people to take an honest look at the business state of their community. I do not want my city to turn itself into a Westlake, or really even an Avon (I cant stand the traffic), but if you want the community to thrive you have to harbor businesses that not only can keep the interest of local citizens, but can also attract individuals from other neighborhoods.