City staff outlines Citywide New Community Authority as financing tool for Dayton projects

Cole Hetman, Development Coordinator, told the City Commission and members of the public that the proposed Citywide New Community Authority would create a dedicated funding source for public improvements such as streets, sidewalks, parks, community facilities, parking and utilities without relying on the City’s General Fund.

Hetman said the authority would operate on a voluntary basis: property owners would not pay a community development charge unless they agreed in writing to participate. “The NCA is not limited to downtown projects and is intended to provide opportunities for investment throughout the City,” Hetman said. He explained that participating parcels need not be contiguous and that charges would be negotiated on a per‑project basis rather than applied uniformly across the NCA.

Hetman reviewed examples of permitted charges under state law — including assessed valuation charges, business revenue charges, lodging charges, parcel fees and retail charges — and described eligible uses under Ohio Revised Code Section 349.07, such as land acquisition, construction and maintenance of community facilities, parking and water/wastewater infrastructure. He cautioned that while the NCA has statutory authority to issue bonds, no projects currently anticipate bond financing and any NCA debt would be repaid only from NCA revenues.

The presentation also outlined governance and transparency safeguards: a six‑member governing board appointed jointly by the City Commission and City Manager, public availability of NCA records and financial information, and City Commission approval and a public hearing before any parcel may be added. Hetman said approved community development charges would be recorded with the County Recorder and would transfer with the property.