Clark County commissioners are setting the stage for a big public conversation about the Liberty Place development and its proposed tax-increment financing plan, with a joint meeting scheduled for Thursday, May 21 at 6 p.m. in the Kenton Ridge High School cafeteria. The project on the table would bring roughly 159 single-family homes to about 46 acres and has already moved through recent rezoning and subdivision approvals while county staff and the developer work through the financing details.
Meeting details and hosts
The May 21 session is a joint effort among Clark County commissioners, Moorefield Township trustees and Northeastern Local Schools. The agenda calls for a presentation on how the TIF framework would work, a round of questions among elected officials and time set aside for public comment. Parking will be available in the front lot, with access through the school's main entrance.
In a press release from Northeastern Local School District, Commission President Sasha Rittenhouse put the focus on turnout and transparency, saying, "Community input is a critical part of this process, and we encourage residents to attend, learn more, and share their perspectives."
Project footprint, approvals and county estimates
According to county materials prepared for public comment, Liberty Place is planned to cover about 46 acres and include approximately 159 single-family lots. The preliminary plat received approval on March 5, 2025, followed by Phase 1 final plat approval on April 2, 2025.
The county's public hearing packet also models roughly $22,854,944 in potential increment revenue tied to the development. Of that, about $11,945,137 is modeled for Northeastern Local School District and $1,342,616 for the Springfield-Clark joint vocational district, with about $9,364,352 labeled as "available for negotiations." The full public hearing packet is available from Clark County.
Who is asking for the TIF
The developer, DARP, LLC, approached the county seeking tax-increment financing for Liberty Place. In February, commissioners approved a preliminary term sheet that explains how incentive districts and payments in lieu of taxes, or PILOTs, would be used to reimburse eligible infrastructure costs.
The resolution also states that the school districts are to receive payments equal to the taxes they would have collected without the TIF in place and authorizes county staff to negotiate the detailed TIF agreement that would put those concepts into legal language. The agenda and resolution are posted by Clark County.
Terms reported by local media
Coverage by the Springfield News-Sun reports that commissioners discussed exempting 100% of the new assessed value created by the project from traditional property taxes for up to 30 years. That reporting also notes discussion of an additional 5-mill equivalent intended to help ensure taxing jurisdictions receive negotiated payments.
According to the same report, property owners inside Liberty Place would still make payments in lieu of taxes that are equal to what their property taxes would otherwise be. Those terms remain under negotiation and are not yet final.
Next steps
Officials describe the May 21 joint meeting as an early step in both public input and negotiations. The county commission, Moorefield Township trustees and the involved school boards will each have to consider and act on their own resolutions before any final TIF agreement is adopted.
If a deal is eventually finalized, the county would then follow the statutory notice, certification and approval requirements that must occur before any bond issuance or reimbursement schedule tied to the TIF could move forward.
Legal note
The commission's resolutions cite Ohio Revised Code Section 5709.78 as the legal authority for creating TIF incentive districts and negotiating PILOT agreements. That statute triggers notice, hearing and certification procedures under state law, and the ultimate terms and protections for schools, townships and taxpayers will be shaped by those statutory requirements and the negotiated term sheet, as reflected in the county agenda and its attachments.
