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BUSINESS E X PA N SI O N GU I D E C IT Y O F VER M IL IO N A P U B LI CATI ON OF ER I E COUNT Y ECONOMI C DEVELOPMENT COR P O RATIO N Start here

2 3 5 reasons to do business in Erie County Affordability for you and your team 13 less expensive cost of doing businesses 6 75 effective sales tax rate 26 CAT only state business tax 132 400 median home value 51 033 median Income Central location for customer access 50 U S population within a day s drive 11 million visitors to our Shores Islands region per year Leading location for a large labor pool 3 156 677 population in 45 mile radius 1 621 683 Labor force in 45 miles radius 35 of workforce has an associate s degree or higher High quality of life 6 amusement and water parks 90 miles of lake waterfront 6 299 acres of state parks forests nature preserves and wildlife areas 90 marinas Let us be among the first to welcome you and your business to the City of Vermilion As you continue to move through the process of getting your business up and running please know that we are here to assist you in the challenges that come with opening a business Entrepreneurship and small business development are essential to the success of our economy in the City of Vermilion Starting and running a business can be challenging and requires a variety of skills Our partners at ECEDC can assist in connecting you with experts and advice that help you navigate these initial challenges Our goal for a vibrant inclusive and thriving economy is only possible with individuals like you We thank you for your commitment to the City of Vermilion and look forward to watching your business succeed Evidence of success 60 gross regional product growth over last 30 years Projected job growth for 2020 2026 is 7 Over 600 million in business capital investment in the last 5 years Start here Table of Contents 6 What to Know about Existing Buildings 8 What to Know about Building New 10 Special Considerations for Forming a New Business 12 Business Assistance Programs and Support Organizations

4 5 Who we are This Business Expansion Startup Guide is brought to you by the Erie County Economic Development Corporation ECEDC the Regional Incubator for Sustainability Entrepreneurship RISE and the City of Vermilion Our organizations support economic development providing critical connections to help your business grow and succeed like market research regulatory assistance financial incentives and specialized small business and entrepreneurial support through RISE This Guide is a by product of the challenges common questions and unexpected hurdles new and existing businesses face as they look to locate and expand their facilities ultimately achieving their business goals These icons alert you to tasks with extended time requirements How this guide works This guide is designed to provide a checklist for new and existing business who are looking to build or relocate into Erie County By answering a few initial questions and then working through customized checklists business owners can feel confident that they have met all the 34 MONTHS requirements to operate in good standing Choose where to start Start here Are you a new business start up or entrepreneur that s trying to get your business incorporated and quickly up and running Flip to page 10 to start and learn how RISE can help get you going in the right direction Are you finding broken links 60 90 days That means there s information newer than this document out there See page 12 for the homepage link to all the agency and organization websites cited in this document Existing business We can help you there too Head to the next page to make sure you have 30 days crossed off everything on list and then head to page 12 to see how ECEDC can help you grow and expand your business

6 7 R E A DY TO G R OW O R E STA B L I S H A FAC I L I T Y I N T H E C I T Y O F H U R O N Ready to grow or establish a facility in the City of Vermilion One of the first steps a new or existing business owner should take once they ve decided they want to open a business in the City of Vermilion is to schedule a meeting with the the local and city economic development groups This initial introduction can assist the process of becoming operational by foreseeing any challenges or hurdles businesses may face due to the nature of their business Have you selected a location that suits your business objectives Yes continue reading here to ensure you ve met the regulatory requirements to operate there No economic development offices can assist you in your search Visit Page 13 for contact information and services Will you be moving into an existing facility or constructing new expanding a location If existing you ll want to work through the following checklist ZONING LOCAL LICENSING PERMITTING Before signing your lease check I s your business a food truck or food C heck the Zoning Map to ensure your business type and use is appropriate stand You ll need to get a 12 WEEKS Vermilion Find that here based on the zoning of your location A re you looking for specific action to permit to operate in the City of O pening a restaurant Check out the be taken before setting up shop Food and Beverage Guide for the process Applications including re zoning zoning to meet local requirements certificate separating or combining lots and a few others can be found here O wner should have an occupancy B e familiar with the types of building renovations that require permitting Cosmetic improvements like painting or permit Change of use will result in the flooring typically do not require a need for a new occupancy permit building permit However structural N otify the Fire Department of your new business and operation B efore design and purchase review signage application renovations ex changing a window size electrical upgrades do require a building permit STATE LICENSING UTILITIES Check state requirements at the official Transfer utilities website of the State of Ohio Licenses W ater and Sewer City of Vermilion Permits Ohio gov Official Website of the State of Ohio Liquor permits are handled at the state level Specific attorneys are often hired to assist in the application process N ew Liquor Permit Process C heck How to Apply for more information F orms Required 440 204 2420 or utility vermilion net C olumbia Gas 419 625 8875 O hio Edison 419 271 1313 T elecommunication Providers Buckeye Broadband or Spectrum play circle

8 9 R E A DY TO G R OW O R E STA B L I S H A FAC I L I T Y I N T H E C I T Y O F H U R O N If constructing a new building for your business or doing a large renovation of existing building ZONING C heck the Zoning map to ensure your C heck availability of needed utilities Columbia Gas 419 625 8875 zoning is appropriate for your business Ohio Edison 419 271 1313 functions Water and Sewer City of Vermilion A re you looking for specific action to 440 204 2420 or utility vermilion net BUILDING DEPARTMENT C heck out the plan submission checklist 60 90 TO DAYS to ensure you have all the information you need for plan approval Fill out and attach all necessary information and submit it to the Building C ontact a design professional to begin utilities location The Fee Schedule can A re you planning to locate downtown It probably is within the historic district Application R eview the fee schedule for the various be found here too Request these various permits and plan approvals B uilding Permit Find out everything you need to know steps associated with building a new about the historic district here E lectrical Plan Approval structure P lumbing Permit Erie County General U nderstand traffic patterns Learn more about the parking and accessways for your new build here S ewer Connection Permit W ater Specs S tormwater Management Permit kfortney eriecounty oh gov Applications including re zoning zoning R eview and submit Planning Commission W ater Connection Permit information on setbacks ingress egress parking stormwater grading lighting and and a few others can be found here WEEKS Kenneth Fortney SITE PLAN APPROVAL designing the site 12 Department This document includes be taken before setting up shop certificate separating or combining lots UTILITIES OPERATIONS Health District 419 626 5623 x 209 D etermine what type of signage your business will need to make the desired impact Once determined fill out the commercial sign permit application F lood Plain Permit Tim King tking eriecounty oh gov Set up the remaining utilities for the business including W ater Erie County Department of Environmental Services 419 627 7666 C olombia Gas O hio Edison First Energy T elecom provider Buckeye Broadband Spectrum There will be a fee associated with the application Congratulations on your new business location Final reminders don t forget to update your insurance mailing address and all online listings which are very important to your search engine optimization Celebrate and announce your growth with your customers Partners at the City of Vermilion and Erie County Economic Development Corporation would be glad to welcome you and share the news

10 11 S P EC I A L CO N S I D E RAT I O N S F O R STA R T I N G A N E W B U S I N E S S Special considerations for starting a new business Are you a new business start up or entrepreneur that s trying to get your business incorporated and quickly up and running Take advantage of the local Regional Incubator for Sustainability Entrepreneurship RISE RISE works with entrepreneurs in every phase of the business development process Whether you are starting with just an idea in need of a plan fresh start ups in need of a boost or a business looking to develop and execute a new growth strategy We can give you access to expert advice and resources to help you start develop or accelerate your business Our advisors are seasoned professionals in business and know what questions to ask to help you explore the many aspects of starting and running a business including the list below Work your way through this RISE recommended checklist for a solid legal and strategic foundation for a new business Checklist I nvestigate Business insurance Contact C reate a business plan A business plan V isit the IRS website Internal Revenue should be feasible and cover a description of your products and services potential competitors marketing and sales ideas and key partners staff or resources Service website to establish your Employer Identification Number EIN You will need an EIN to create a separate checking account for your business W ork on financial planning and projections that detail a worst medium and best case scenario for the profitability of your business You should have 1 3 years worth of projections showing revenue and expenses quarterly or monthly F orm your LLC Register with the state Most small businesses will fall into this category when launching LLC Limited Liability Company Other business entities can be researched here R esearch and obtain necessary licenses in accordance with the state here C ontact your bank to establish a checking account for your business Separating personal and business finances is key for tax purposes Some banks in the area include VacationLand Federal Credit Union Civista Bank First National Bank of Bellevue Firelands Federal Credit Union PNC and US Bank O btain a Vendor s License which authorizes you to collect sales tax You can either apply online at the Ohio Business Gateway website or in person at your local county auditor s office Erie County Auditor s Office and get a quote from multiple providers to find the best fit for your business Some agencies in the area Bodey Insurance Agency Lindsley Insurance Agency Steinemann Hafner Insurance Willis Insurance Agency Google Listing connecting to others on social media platforms like Facebook Instagram Twitter and creating a website Squarespace GoDaddy or Wix are popular places to purchase a URL and set up a website S ome other helpful tools for your Get online Make sure people can find business include bookkeeping programs your business by growing an online like QuickBooks customer relationship presence You want to be visible when management software like Salesforce or people google you Ways to gain an online email marketing platforms like Constant presence include claiming a My Business Contact or Mailchimp Get more assistance Our RISE team can provide templates and one on one assistance working your way through this checklist RISE events and workshops are another great way to sharpen your skills and build a local small business network Check out current events on Facebook or contact rise eriecountyedc org today

12 13 BU S I N E S S A S S I STA N C E P R O G RA M S SU P P O R T O R G A N I Z AT I O N S Business assistance programs support organizations Economic Development Programs play circle Business Support Organizations Organization Description Contact A private non profit organization serving our Email director eriecountyedc org community through comprehensive economic Facebook OhioECEDC Companies making a significant investment in the City of Vermilion may be eligible for assistance through the following program development programs We re here to help individuals Community Development Block Grant Economic Development Businesses that are experiencing challenges or and businesses start stay and grow in Erie County The Community Development Block Grant Economic Development CDBG ED Program opportunities can utilize ECEDC to gain access to is a Federal program administered by the State of Ohio which provides grants to the several types of resources Twitter OhioECEDC Twitter LinkedIn OhioECEDC Website eriecountyedc org County for economic development projects The County uses this money to provide low interest loans to businesses and for infrastructure improvements which help create or RISE provides one on one advising networking Email rise eriecountyedc org retain jobs Loan repayments are credited to Erie County s Revolving Loan Fund and used and technical assistance for small businesses to provide financial assistance to other businesses or political subdivisions Instagram rise_entrepreneurs Businesses can utilize RISE for early operational Facebook RISEingEntrepreneurs Revolving Loan Fund support and to provide critical connections to Monies from the County s Revolving Loan Fund RLF are generated by repayments from answer those early questions in the business businesses that received financial assistance on Community Development Block Grant development process Economic Development CDBG ED Projects The Revolving Loan Fund Committee evaluates and makes recommendations regarding loan proposals All loans must meet The official destination marketing organization Email Info shoresandislands com RLF guidelines and provide a job creation component for Erie and Ottawa Counties in Ohio together Facebook shoresandislands Enterprise Zone Tax Abatement Guidelines and Application known as Shores Islands Ohio Certain new construction or renovation projects may be eligible for multi year real estate Businesses can utilize Shores and Islands for tax abatement on the increased real estate tax liability of their project This abatement assistance in marketing and networking Twitter ShoresIslandsOH Twitter LinkedIn shoresandislands provides real estate tax relief for a period of years and provides operations savings during the term of the abatement All projects awarded real estate tax abatement under this program are required to meet or exceed a negotiated level of capital investment new job creation and new payroll Our goal is to represent the entire business Email info eriecountychamber com community as effectively as possible so that not Facebook eriecountychamberofcommerce only businesses thrive but the region as a whole thrives and we may continue to experience improvements in our overall quality of life Businesses can utilize ECCOC for business tobusiness networking and advocacy LinkedIn erie county chamber of commerce

14 15 BU S I N E S S A S S I STA N C E P R O G RA M S SU P P O R T O R G A N I Z AT I O N S Organization Description Contact U S Small Business Administration SBA continues Email Mhoffma05 terra edu to help small business owners and entrepreneurs Email answerdesk sba gov pursue the American dream SBA is the only cabinetlevel federal agency fully dedicated to small business Facebook SBAgov ECEDC is a private nonprofit that assists companies to Start Stay Grow in Erie County As you work your way through this guide our team can assist you with the following and provides counseling capital and contracting Twitter SBAgov SITE SELECTION CRITICAL CONNECTIONS expertise as the nation s only go to resource and LinkedIn us small business administration ECEDC keeps a database of available sites Joining a network of experienced business for businesses to utilize This includes both leaders and members of our community can vacant land and buildings businesses can be the difference in success or failure Tap move into Steps to determine what is best into a network that offers insight and advice for you include that will help your business succeed We can Specific Zoning Needs i e Commercial connect you with a number of critical voice for small businesses City of Huron More About the Erie County Economic Development Corporation ECEDC Vermilion has been blessed with a beauty and Facebook cityofvermilion charm born of its unique location on the shores of LinkedIn city of vermilion Lake Erie at the mouth of the Vermilion River As quaint and fun as waterfront Vermilion is our Phone 440 204 2400 Industrial Office Warehouse ect opportunity for economic growth is huge Vermilion s Pricing Accounting growth potential is imminent and significant This S ite Tour Legal economic development funds the infrastructure that I nfrastructure Utilities Parking N etworking Organizations Events helps preserve our city s historic character Traffic Patterns R enovation Costs CHAMBER The Vermilion Chamber of Commerce is committed Email info vermilion com to promoting the business climate supporting our members economic development and enhancing the quality of life in our community while marketing what Vermilion OH has to offer and serving as a Women and minority owned businesses can utilize MBET for peer networking learning and marketing Facebook MBETSandusky BRE ACTIVITIES Our Business Retention and Expansion CONTRACTOR SELECTION program connects new and expanding Through our work within the community businesses to common needs such as we have put together a detailed list of Financing various contractors specializing in the O hio Tax Credits Exemptions different aspects of building new or local information hub MBET connections including Abatements and Grants renovating existing space Contractors Infrastructure areas of specialty include B rownfield Redevelopment A rchitecture Advisors E conomic Research F inance and Title R egulatory Issues G eneral Design Build I ndustry and Function Specific Needs C oncrete Materials W orkforce Hiring and Retaining H VAC Plumbing F inishing Touches

16 247 Columbus Avenue Suite 126 Sandusky Ohio 44870 In coordination with Thank you to the Erie County Community Foundation for their support in creating this resource guide