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Source: Erie Times-News, Pa.self storageOct. 16--In the end, the Erie Planning Commission was OK with the word "blight" in relation to a multimillion-dollar bayfront redevelopment plan.Commission members voted 3-0 on Tuesday, with one abstention, to designate 70 acres on Erie's east bayfront as a blighted redevelopment area under the state's redevelopment law.The commission tabled the issue at its Sept. 17 meeting after several members said they had more questions or were uncomfortable declaring the area north of the Erie Wastewater Treatment Plant blighted. The project needed the commission's approval to move forward.After a second pitch from John Elliott, chief executive of the Economic Development Corp. of Erie County, the commission agreed to the designation. The economic group has proposed using the site for a $32 million import-export facility operated by an international logistics and warehousing company.City Councilman John Evans said the project could create up to 400 jobs. It is the latest step in the Economic Development Corp.'s plans to develop a large-scale regional logistics hub -- the Erie Inland Port project -- at several sites in Erie and Ashtabula counties.Mayor Joe Sinnott's administration had doubts about whether a blighted designation is appropriate for the area, which includes Carmeuse Lime & Stone and Erie Sand & Gravel."It doesn't meet the 'emotional' definition of blight, certainly," Planning Commission Chairman Richard Speicher said of the redevelopment area. "But the technical requirements, I think, were certainly met."Elliott stressed the fact that the project would create jobs and bring new business to Erie's port. He also argued that commission members shouldn't think of blight as a dilapidated, run-down area. In this case, he said, the blight designation is appropriate because the property has not lived up to its economic potential and much of it has gone undeveloped for years.The redevelopment area designation helps the project put a tax financing plan in motion and qualify for certain types of federal and state funding. A new public park and infrastructure improvements are part of the plan.Public assistance "is consistently required to make these things work," Elliott said. "In our opinion, these conditions do require some public intervention."Ell迷利倉ott reiterated that to be designated as blighted, at least one of seven conditions must exist within the area targeted for redevelopment: unsafe, unsanitary, inadequate or overcrowded dwellings; inadequate planning in the area; excessive land coverage by buildings; a lack of proper light, air and open space; defective building arrangement/design; faulty street or lot layouts; and economically or socially undesirable land uses.The Economic Development Corp. believes at least three of those criteria apply with the bayfront project: inadequate planning, faulty street and lot layouts, and insufficient or unsafe open spaces.The city's reservations prompted the Economic Development Corp. to revise a 45-page Basic Conditions Report detailing the redevelopment plan, which was originally distributed to members of the Planning Commission on Aug. 20.Brenda Sandberg, the city's director of economic and community development, told commission members Tuesday that while the Sinnott administration supports the project, "there's a difference of opinion on what the definition of blight is and if this property should be designated blighted under the law."Just because the area is underutilized doesn't necessarily mean it's blighted," Sandberg said.Councilman Evans urged the commission to support the designation."There are many places in the world that have skilled workforces ... finding new industries to move into Erie is very, very difficult," Evans said. "It's incredibly important that we pursue this opportunity."Speicher and fellow commission members Gary Antalek and Daniel Collins voted for the designation. Commission member Thomas Dworzanski abstained on grounds that he is a member of an advisory group of the Erie-Western Pennsylvania Port Authority, which is involved with the bayfront plan.Vice chairman Don Marinelli was absent.Elliott said the Economic Development Corp. is currently working with consultants to develop a concept plan for the project. The Planning Commission will eventually need to vote on design plans as well.KEVIN FLOWERS can be reached at 870-1693 or by e-mail. Follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/ETNflowers.Copyright: ___ (c)2013 the Erie Times-News (Erie, Pa.) Visit the Erie Times-News (Erie, Pa.) at .GoErie.com Distributed by MCT Information Services自存倉