Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about locating, expanding, and hiring in the Fairfield 33 Corridor.
- Where is the Fairfield 33 Corridor?
- The corridor follows US Route 33 through Fairfield County, Ohio, between the Columbus metro area and Lancaster. The Fairfield 33 Alliance and the Fairfield County Workforce Center are located at 4465 Coonpath Road NW, Carroll, Ohio 43112.
- What county is Canal Winchester, Ohio in?
- Canal Winchester is in Fairfield County, Ohio, with part of the city extending north into Franklin County. It sits on the U.S. Route 33 corridor southeast of Columbus.
- What county is Pickerington, Ohio in?
- Pickerington is in Fairfield County, Ohio, with a small portion in Franklin County. It lies between Interstate 70 and U.S. Route 33 east of Columbus.
- What county is Lancaster, Ohio in?
- Lancaster is the county seat of Fairfield County, Ohio, roughly 30 miles southeast of Columbus on U.S. Route 33.
- Is Fairfield County the same as Fairfield, Ohio?
- No. Fairfield County is in central Ohio and its county seat is Lancaster. The city of Fairfield, Ohio is a separate community in Butler County near Cincinnati, about 100 miles southwest. Fairfield County, Connecticut is unrelated to either.
- What cities and townships are in Fairfield County, Ohio?
- The county seat is Lancaster. Other municipalities include Pickerington, Canal Winchester, Baltimore, Bremen, Carroll, Amanda, Millersport, Pleasantville, Rushville, Stoutsville, Sugar Grove, Thurston and Lithopolis. Its townships are Amanda, Berne, Bloom, Clearcreek, Greenfield, Hocking, Liberty, Madison, Pleasant, Richland, Rush Creek, Violet and Walnut.
- What does the Fairfield 33 Alliance do?
- The Alliance is a partnership of private and public investors that supports economic growth along the Route 33 corridor. It helps companies locate and expand in Fairfield County, connects them to state and federal programs, and works with JobsOhio on their behalf.
- What local incentives are available to businesses?
- Fairfield County offers the Revolving Loan Fund, the Fairfield County Workforce Development Training Grant, the Ohio Enterprise Zone Program, Community Reinvestment Area exemptions, Tax Increment Financing, and port authority sales tax exemptions.
- Who is eligible for the Fairfield County Revolving Loan Fund?
- Private for-profit and non-profit businesses, startups or expansions, located in Fairfield County with fewer than 200 employees.
- What are the Revolving Loan Fund terms?
- Rates are fixed at 0–6%, as determined by the Loan Review Committee. Terms run to the useful life of machinery and equipment, up to 20 years for real estate, and 5 years for limited-use working capital. One full-time equivalent job must be created or retained for every $25,000 of financing.
- What is a Community Reinvestment Area?
- A Community Reinvestment Area is an area of land where property owners can receive real property tax exemptions for renovating existing buildings or constructing new ones. The program is administered by municipal and county government.
- What is the Ohio Enterprise Zone Program?
- The Enterprise Zone Program provides real and personal property tax exemptions on a portion of the value of new investment, when that investment is made in conjunction with a project that includes job creation. Existing land and building values are not eligible.
- What does the Fairfield County Port Authority do?
- The Port Authority is a stand-alone legal entity governed by a nine-member board of directors. It aids economic development projects primarily through sales tax exemptions, including recent industrial developments in Canal Winchester and Violet Township.
- What workforce training is available in the county?
- The Fairfield County Workforce Center hosts company-specific training in manufacturing, skilled trades, and healthcare. Current programs include ENGT 1500 Machine Repair through Ohio University Lancaster, and HVAC Ready to Work and Manufacturing Ready to Work through Hocking College.
- How deep is the local talent pool?
- There are 29 colleges within 50 miles of Fairfield County and 1,800 high school graduates every year. In 2020, EMSI ranked Fairfield County the 24th best large county for talent attraction in the United States. More than 50% of the workforce commutes out of the county, so there is ample opportunity to hire people who prefer to work closer to home.
- Can employers get help paying for training?
- Yes. Funding resources include TechCred and WIOA services for customized training and incumbent worker training. Local employers can also develop customized programs with Hocking College or Ohio University and host them at the Workforce Center.
- How do I find available sites and buildings?
- Featured sites and commercial listings are published on this site, and industrial listings are searchable through the statewide Ohio site selection database.
- Who do I contact about a project?
- Rick Szabrak, Fairfield County Economic Development, at 740-652-7160 or rick.szabrak@fairfieldcountyohio.gov.