Avon Lake and Power Plant Site Owners Discuss Development Agreement That Includes City Ownership of 23 Acres of Lakefront Land

10/08/2024 – On Monday, October 7, Avon Lake’s City Council began its public review of an Interim Development Agreement between the City and Avon Lake Environmental Redevelopment Group (ALERG), setting in motion a significant project to transform the city’s lakefront.

The agreement paves the way for the City to acquire 23.22 acres of the 43.23-acre power plant site, which will be repurposed into a public lakefront park. The land purchase, valued at $15 million, will be financed exclusively through Tax Increment Financing (TIF) revenues—ensuring no direct use of City funds.

This move addresses the long-standing call from Avon Lake residents for greater access to Lake Erie, marking a major step in the City’s vision for a revitalized lakefront. The agreement outlines collaborative efforts between public and private entities, involving environmental remediation professionals and financial partners, to ensure the site is remediated before the acquisition is finalized. Importantly, the City retains full discretion to approve or decline the purchase based on its evaluation of the site’s environmental condition.

“When we learned the power plant would be decommissioned, we immediately saw an opportunity for a
transformational project,” said Avon Lake Mayor Mark Spaetzel. “This agreement lays the groundwork for a
large public park, new residences, and commercial spaces. Given the scale of this project, significant progress will unfold over the coming years.”

The remaining 19.6 acres of the site will be rezoned to include a Lakefront Mixed-Use Overlay District, creating space for private development. Plans include mixed-use projects with residential units, alongside commercial and recreational facilities.

Ted Esborn, Avon Lake’s Community Development Director, highlighted the importance of public input:
“We’ve spent over a year working on this agreement. When the power plant closed, we listened to our
residents, and they made it clear that lake access was the top priority. This agreement allows us to give the
community access to half a mile of Lake Erie shoreline. I’m hopeful that our residents share our enthusiasm, as their support will be key to making this vision a reality.”’

There was a presentation made at tonight’s meeting laying out the development agreement. The meeting and presentation can be seen on the City of Avon Lake’s Facebook page.