American Howa doubled the size of its Delaware plant and increased its Delaware employment by 60 employees in 2014.

THE BUSINESS CONCIERGE PHILOSOPHY

At the city of Delaware, we are dedicated to becoming part of your company's team to explore opportunities and solutions for growing your company. Our staff includes two business concierges and several volunteers who are happy to meet with your company at any time to discuss your company's needs.

With over 80 scheduled company visits per year, chances are we will be working with you soon, but if you need to talk at any time, please do not hesitate on clicking on either concierges contact info in the "Contact Us" area at the bottom of this page.

Whether it be something as simple as walking through a sign permit or finding complex workforce solutions, we are dedicated to assembling resources and expertise to get the job done. The rest of this page is separated by typical business growth topics, but if you do not see a solution on this page, we are going to find that solution together.

“We have seen tremendous growth and diversification that has transformed the company. We have achieved this due largely to the support of our employees and customers, and also the greater Delaware community.” – Judd Scott, President and COO of V&P Hydraulics

NEED FINANCING FOR YOUR EXPANSION?

We can assist you in facilitating conversations with local banks, credit unions and our list of non-profit lenders such as Statewide Development Corporation, Community Capital Development Corporation and Economic and Community Development Institute to find the best possible direction for financing your project. Our Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) also is designed as gap financing to fill in any financing holes from any of these other financing partners.

JUST IN NEED OF SOME ADVICE?

To assist you with anything from accounting, business law, finance, marketing, product development, manufacturing processes, etc., we have developed strategic partnerships to provide a variety of resources. Just call us (or email us) for a meeting and we'll start assembling what you need to grow and succeed!

Resource Partners

  • Banks, Government, Non-profit Lenders
  • Columbus State Community College
  • Ohio Wesleyan University
  • Ohio Small Business Development Center
  • SCORE
  • Fundable
  • GrowNow - Office of the Ohio Treasurer
  • Delaware District Libraries
  • OH!Manufacturing
  • Local Business/Business Leaders/Mentors
  • Delaware Area Chamber of Commerce
  • MainStreet Delaware
  • Delaware Area Career Center
  • Local School Districts
  • Center for Automotive Research at Ohio State University
  • Ohio State University
  • Columbus 2020

Visit the Delaware Entrepreneurial Center at Ohio Wesleyan University for services, training, access to student workers and project teams and low-cost offices and co-working space.


INTERESTED IN BEING A BUSINESS COUNSELOR?

The City's Entrepreneur Center in partnership with organizations such as SourcePoint has organized a group of individual counselors who are current professionals with expertise in certain areas or retired business owners or professionals who have much knowledge and experiences to share. If you are interested in providing free guidance to business start-ups or current small businesses, contact Kelsey Scott to become part of this group of small business experts.

DELAWARE BUSINESS
EVENTS & ACTIVITIES

Upcoming Business Events

NEED A NEW FACILITY?

With over 70 buildings and sites to serve your business' needs, the City of Delaware can help you find a larger or more conducive building to allow for growth, or we can find an appropriate site to assist you in building a new facility that meets all of your needs. 

Click on one of the industry specific links below for highlighted properties or utilize the full building and site database link to search or browse all City of Delaware properties.

Search City of Delaware Properties

Zoning Map (PDF)

NEED TO BUILD A NEW BUILDING?

Can't find a suitable existing building? Our Business Concierges will help you find an appropriate site for a new building that meets your needs, and will walk you through the entire development process and act as your teammate and liaison with Planning, Engineering, Building, Fire, Police and City Council.

For already annexed and zoned sites, the full pre-development process takes 3 to 4 months from start (for a combined preliminary and final development plan option). A separate preliminary and final development plan requires additional Planning Commission and Council Hearings for each adding around 2 months to the process.

If a site needs to be annexed and zone, the full process will normally take 6 months at minimum due to required annexation waiting periods.

The Shortest Process

  1. Combined Pre-Development/Final Development Plan and Application Submitted - Virtually all engineering and site planning must be complete at application.
  2. Concurrently:
    - Plan Review - 2 to 4 weeks
    - Engineering Review - 2 to 4 weeks
    - Building & Zoning Permit Review - 2 to 4 weeks
  3. Planning Commission cases to be heard concurrently - Planning Commission meets the 1st Wednesday of each month --> City Council cases to be heard concurrently - City Council meets the 2nd and 4th Monday of each month - This process generally takes 1 to 1.5 months depending on public hearing process.
  4. Permits issued.
With Annexation and Zoning
  1. Annexation petition submitted to City --> City Council passes resolution indicating City can serve property --> Annexation request heard and voted on by County Commissioners --> Application returns to City Council with 60 day waiting period --> Council passes after 60 days (must be before 120 days) -- Council decision subject to 30 day referendum period - Entire annexation process takes 90 to 120 days.
  2. Concurrently, application for rezoning/conditional use is made --> request is heard by Planning Commission --> Planning Commission makes recommendation to Council --> Council takes action - Rezoning/conditional use permits take 1 to 2 months. Surveying and platting also need to be completed during this time.
  3. Steps 1 to 4 in Shortest Process above happen concurrently to the previous to steps. Entire process takes a minimum of 6 months.

INCENTIVES TO BUILD NEW
OR EXPAND YOUR BUILDING

The City of Delaware offers competitive incentives that are negotiated based on the return on investment of your project. Our team will quickly give you an idea of potential incentives and then will make a recommendation to the Incentives Negotiation Team on what you should be offered. The recommendations of the Negotiation Team become a letter of intent that then formulate agreements which are presented to City Council for their Consideration. Most incentive packages can be completed and passed by Council in 60 days or less depending on scheduling of meeting dates and the amount of countering involved. 

The following are basic descriptions of our incentive programs. More detailed info can be read by click on that program. These are often times in addition to state incentive packages. We can arrange a meeting with our Columbus2020 project manager and your team to discuss potential state incentives. State incentives can include Job Creation Tax Credits, workforce training grants, road development grants, and loans. Contact us to begin discussions on how your project may qualify for incentives.

City of Delaware   ·   COhatch, 18 East William Street   ·   Delaware, Ohio 43015   ·  740.203.1016   ·   opportunity@delawareohio.net


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