Members of theCanton City Planning Commissionvoted unanimously Monday to approve a plan that would put millions of dollars toward six “investment zones” in the city.
Some of the areas include downtown, the Pro Football Hall of Fame and neighborhoods near TimkenSteel.
While the commission approved its plan, members of City Council still need to give it their final blessing.
Chris Smith chairs the Community and Economic Development Committee. She says she doesn’t support the plan at this point because it doesn’t include the entire city.
“I thought that it would be geared to help those areas of the city that is lacking necessities and lacking the ability to develop," said Smith. "[The plan] could be able to have some of those finances geared to areas that is most needed.”
A Virginia-based consulting firm that helped author the plan says it would cost the city $480 million to fix blight and redevelop. Canton paid $350,000 to start the planning process back in 2014.
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