It is found and determined that:
(a) Norwood, like many older Northern American cities, has lost much of its industrial base and with it jobs, population and revenue. These losses present unique challenges for redevelopment of former industrial sites and for the nearby areas which may be impacted by such redevelopments;
(b) These changes have also impacted on the delivery of governmental services resulting from the decreased revenue necessary to pay for the cost of such services;
(c) Partially as a result of the loss of the industrial base and the problems associated therewith, there exists within the City blighted, deteriorated and deteriorating areas of the nature defined in this chapter which constitute a serious problem, injurious to the public health, safety, morals and general welfare of the City and its residents and that the existence of such areas;
(1) Contribute substantially and increasingly to the potential for the spread of crime, for losses by fire and accident; which may necessitate excessive and disproportionate expenditures of public funds for the preservation of the public health and safety, for crime prevention, correction, prosecution and punishment, for the treatment of juvenile delinquency, and for the maintenance and delivery of adequate police, fire and accident protection and for other public services and facilities and various combinations of some or all of these conditions;
(2) Constitute an economic and social liability which may contribute to the loss of jobs and economic opportunity, discourage redevelopment and retard the future growth of the City; and
(3) Substantially impairs the sound growth of the community, retards the provision of modern housing accommodations and/or new job creation and employment opportunities, creates or sustains traffic problems which may be reduced through new development; and substantially impairs or arrests the elimination of traffic hazards and the improvement of traffic facilities.
(d) That such problems are beyond remedy and control solely by regulatory processes and exercise of police power, and can not be dealt with effectively by the ordinary operation of private enterprise without the assistance herein provided;
(e) That the elimination in whole or in part of slum, blighted, deteriorated and deteriorating areas, and the conservation, rehabilitation and reconditioning, to the extent feasible, of the salvageable portions thereof by urban renewal as defined herein, and the economic redevelopment of these areas to preserve and enhance employment and housing opportunities and the economic health of the City are public uses and purposes for which public money may be expended and private property acquired by purchase, by donation and by eminent domain, are governmental functions of concern to the City, and require the exercise of the powers of government granted to the City by the provisions of Article XVIII of the Constitution of the State of Ohio and that the adoption of this chapter is declared to be a necessity in the public interest and general welfare of the City of Norwood.
(Ord. 31-2005. Passed 9-13-05.)