SiteOhio Certified Sites

Site certification is one of the most effective site marketing tools and can help site owners and communities to gain a competitive advantage in site selection. Having a site that is certified means you have done the homework already and can answer all the questions on the test with confidence quickly. Companies seeking a site to locate an industrial or manufacturing facility are often on tight timeframes for making a site location decision. Certified sites present a unique advantage that reduces overall site location risk, saves time, and reduces site development costs giving them an attractive differential amongst hundreds or thousands of “greenfield” sites in their search area.

Sites that are authenticated through the SiteOhio program also receive marketing support through JobsOhio and their Regional Network Partners. Site marketing materials, including a site flyer that highlights the sites best features, utility infrastructure, and available acreage, as well as a professional drone video are developed at no cost to the community and the site is featured on both the JobsOhio website and our statewide property database.

When a site is certified through SiteOhio, the designation is valid for three years. After three years, the site is eligible to be recertified. The recertification process requires the site information to be updated and ensures that the site still meets the standards of the program. Recertification is done every three years to ensure the sites we are marketing are current and accurate. There is a $50 recertification fee that supports the Ohio Department of Development’s administration of the SiteOhio program. There is no limit on how many times a site can be recertified if it is still available and meets the program standards.

There is no cost to have a site evaluated and the invaluable education and training by professional site selectors is provided by JobsOhio to communities and stakeholders completely free of charge! However, if a site is selected to receive the designation of SiteOhio Authenticated and chooses to accept, there is a one-time $500 fee that supports the Ohio Department of Development’s administration of the SiteOhio program.

Other costs to consider as an applicant community or site owner, if not already completed, include engaging engineering service providers to perform environmental studies, planning and design that may be needed to meet the program standards. These studies are critical to understanding what the site is capable of supporting as a future use and what the development potential and limitations may be.

Not every state has a central economic development focused site certification program. Ohio has invested in creating a best-in-class site certification program that focuses on identifying, vetting, and featuring sites that are truly ready for industrial development. You will not find a gold, silver, or bronze designation on SiteOhio sites. While some states use a tiered approach in an attempt to include more sites, even if they fall short, we only certify those that meet our high standards. Additionally, our program goes a step further and provides participating communities with site selection education and preparation provided by a third-party site selector to prepare them for when opportunity knocks.

Our SiteOhio program goes beyond the common certified sites process, putting properties within industrial zoning through a more stringent and comprehensive review and analysis than any other state site certification process in the U.S. Available sites are construction ready on day one. Site authentication guarantees that all utilities are on the property and have adequate capacity, that due diligence studies have been completed, and that all state and federal entities have provided concurrence with the studies. SiteOhio site authentication also ensures the site is free of incompatible uses, with no limitations or insurance liability based on surrounding properties. Many of the sites have highway access and rail access on site.

There are hundreds of criteria we consider and evaluate for each site to determine if it is worthy of authentication. To achieve certification, the minimum requirements a site must meet include the following:

• At least 30+ Contiguous Developable Acres (CDA)

• Industrial Use (through Zoning and/or Covenants) and free from incompatible uses.

• Community control through ownership or option agreement and/or letter from willing owner with determined sale price per acre and mineral rights transfer.

• All major utilities (Water, Sewer, Electric, Natural Gas, & Fiber) are to the property boundaries and have adequate capacity.

• The Following Due Diligence studies have been completed:

  • Phase I Environmental Site Assessment (ESA)

  • Phase II Environmental Site Assessment (ESA) – only if required by Phase I

• Geotechnical Study

• Wetland Delineation

• Phase I Cultural Resources Study (Includes both Phase I

• Archaeology Study and a History Architecture Survey)

• Endangered Species Study

• All state and federal entities have provided concurrence with the studies.

  • U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) – Approved Jurisdictional Determination (AJD)

  • State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) – State Historic Preservation Office Letter

  • U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) Letter