The people who lived on the site chose to sell their properties. We did use eminent domain for some right-of-way acquisitions. Some residents live close to the facility, but there will be a buffer between their properties and the Intel campus.
As a partner in the Silicon Heartland Development Project, the City of New Albany offered Intel a 100% property tax abatement on buildings in the New Albany International Business Park. This is in line with incentives provided to other companies locating here over the last 12 years, except that the abatement, approved by New Albany City Council, will remain in effect for 30 years under Ohio’s statute for projects with least $1 billion in investment or $75 million in new Ohio payroll. It is important to note that the abatement covers buildings, but not land. The value of the property tax abatement will depend on the number and types of buildings and the final appraisal. Because a property tax abatement is in place, the City of New Albany shares income tax revenues that will provide funds to the Johnstown-Monroe Local School District and Jersey Township in lieu of property tax revenue for the full term of the abatement.
100% property tax abatements are part of our basic incentive package to prospective large businesses. Companies must meet job creation numbers as part of their property tax incentive agreement or risk losing the property tax abatement.
Our existing partnerships have proven that development projects in the New Albany International Business Park are a net positive economically for the impacted school district as a result of the development. Because the property tax abatement only covers buildings, there are still new property tax revenues flowing into schools; and our income tax sharing agreements any time a property tax abatement is in effect for a project provide even more new revenues to our partners. This is the sort of economic development support to partners in the business park that allowed our site to get selected over approximately 40 other choices throughout the United States.
The State of Ohio has committed funding to support necessary infrastructure enhancements to this project. Notably, a share of this funding will be used to expand a portion of State Route 161, which had already been desired by expressway users. Keep in mind that more than 20,000 people – nearly twice the New Albany resident population – already work within the New Albany International Business Park, and planning is a hallmark of New Albany to ensure that necessary infrastructure will be in place, as it has been for every build-out of the business park, to effectively and efficiently manage traffic, even at rush hour peaks.
There are many other elements of this project where the details still need to be ironed out, and many of the infrastructure improvements largely depend on state legislative action. With that said, the Engage New Albany Strategic Plan and our preparation for this project will ensure that necessary infrastructure is in place for this project.
The City of New Albany has a thoroughfare plan component within its strategic plan. The thoroughfare plan is developed in partnership with the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission (MORPC) and is designed to a 30-year horizon. The city used this base data and worked with the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) to perform New Albany area traffic modeling. The model includes projected growth rates for final land use buildout calculations for the entire business park.
Permits are reviewed by a multitude of federal, state, and local governmental agencies.
Review of site and building construction applications includes the City of New Albany, City of Columbus, State Fire Marshal, Johnstown Monroe Fire Department, and the Franklin County Health Department. Environmental permits are reviewed and issued by the Ohio EPA, US Army Corps of Engineers and Ohio Department of Natural Resources.
There are noise regulations in the codified ordinance chapter 521.12 and 521.14 that apply to the whole city.
Intel has shared with the City of New Albany that they will have a designated neighbor relations contact to help address any noise-related concerns once construction begins.
Intel’s factories, and the ancillary jobs that will support them, will be built in the Johnstown-Monroe Local School District and that district will receive revenues as a result of Intel’s investment. We do not anticipate any broad population growth in New Albany or within the New Albany-Plain Local School District as a result of this project. Because Intel will likely attract workers from within a 40-mile radius, any growth will be spread throughout central Ohio. Still, Ohio’s entire primary, secondary and higher educational system will benefit from this Intel project and the STEM educational opportunities it will present for Ohio’s youth in the coming decades. In fact, Intel pledged $100 million toward partnerships with educational institutions to build a pipeline of talent and bolster research programs in the region.
Every community right now has the opportunity to grow their economy in the form that they want as a result of this project. We’ll be part of a regional partnership to study housing, transportation, education and other elements related to the project. These are issues that the region will tackle together. Between the Engage New Albany Strategic Plan, our experience already at the business park, and the groundwork laid for this project already, this facility will fit well within the parameters of the New Albany International Business Park and our community.
New Albany has no plans to issue bonds. The State of Ohio has committed to funding infrastructure improvements.
The EPA has issued both an air and isolated wetlands permit for the project, which allows the company to install equipment and initially operate up to four semiconductor manufacturing facilities in two buildings in Licking County. Before issuing the permit as final, Ohio EPA reviewed the company’s application to ensure it would comply with state standards, laws, and regulations.
This project likely represents the last major addition of land to the park through annexation. Very rarely does a project come together the way this project has, but our master plan and excellent work in the rest of the business park made this project possible.
Intel has a long history of corporate responsibility at its current U.S. manufacturing sites and is committed to building strong relationships with the community in Licking County and beyond. Intel has a designated neighbor relations contact to help address any questions or concerns once construction begins. For more information on Intel’s plans in Ohio and its commitment to the community, visit the Intel Ohio web page.
Intel is committed to partnering with schools and universities to hire the thousands of employees they will need. You can explore careers on the Intel in Ohio page.
We will be updating this page frequently as new information becomes available. We also post frequent updates on the City of New Albany social media accounts and in our weekly Connects email.
