Huron, Ohio
Building the Future While Preserving Its Roots
Combining waterfront charm, community-driven growth, and forward-thinking development to create a place where progress and tradition thrive.
Huron, Ohio, a small yet vibrant city along the southern shores of Lake Erie, offers more than just picturesque beaches and stunning waterfronts. For Mayor Monty Tapp, who has called Huron home his entire life, the city’s success starts with its leadership. “The city of Huron, our staffing, our administration—it’s proudly second to none,” he says with genuine pride. He points to the seamless partnership between the city council, staff, and administration as a driving force behind Huron’s progress. “I’m proud of how we work together,” he adds, emphasizing the tight-knit camaraderie that defines local governance.
But the mayor doesn’t stop there. He quickly shifts the spotlight to Huron’s residents, describing them as the city’s “golden nugget.” “It’s always been a tight community,” he says. “Huron’s population of just under 7,000 residents jumps significantly during the summer months. It’s that much vacation time here.” Whether attending events, enjoying the markets on Main Street, or relaxing at the parks and beaches, locals and visitors form the heartbeat of Huron’s identity.
The city’s position along Lake Erie provides natural beauty and year-round recreational opportunities, but Mayor Tapp is keen to note its broader advantages. “We’re centrally located,” he says, “basically between Cleveland, Toledo, and Columbus.” This accessibility attracts families looking to settle down and bolsters the city’s thriving tourism industry. In fact, the mayor points to the growing popularity of Huron’s sports facilities and fishing tournaments, which draw visitors from across the region. “We don’t just have local fishing tournaments,” he explains. “In recent years, Huron has hosted both national and regional fishing tournaments, such as, Cabela’s National Walleye Tournament and the Master Walleye Circuit, and regionally, the Lake Erie Walleye Trail Tournament and Championship.”
Breathing New Life into Downtown Huron
Huron’s downtown is experiencing a transformation that blends its historic charm with a vision for the future. City Manager Matt Lasko acknowledges the challenges Huron faced after much of its original downtown was torn down during urban renewal. “We had a great historic downtown that was unfortunately dismantled during that time, and we’ve been at a disadvantage since,” he explains. Recognizing this, the city prioritized downtown redevelopment, integrating it into its Vision 2020 plan.
One of the flagship projects of this revitalization is the downtown streetscape initiative, a $3 million investment focusing on the southern portion of Main Street. According to Lasko, this effort includes “widened sidewalks, outdoor dining areas, landscaping,” and a critical connection to the city’s bike path, linking two previously separate segments. These infrastructure upgrades are designed to support community interaction while attracting more foot traffic to Main Street. Lasko notes that the city prioritizes infill development, such as townhouse projects and mixed-use buildings, to ensure a well-rounded downtown that meets diverse needs.
Huron’s Main Street tells a story of two halves. Lasko describes the northern portion as an area already benefiting from infrastructure revitalization, with new businesses, bars, and restaurants establishing a foothold. “The north Main Street focuses on green space, which leads to events and festivals, and that bar and restaurant entertainment component,” he says. Meanwhile, the southern segment, largely untouched for decades, is beginning to see progress, with small businesses, bars, and restaurants sprouting up in recent years. However, Lasko admits there are challenges in uniting these two sections. “Our Main Street is bisected by a state route, which creates some pedestrian and bicycle safety issues,” he says.
To bridge the gap—figuratively and literally—the city implemented a “road diet” three years ago, narrowing vehicular lanes to improve safety for pedestrians and cyclists crossing between north and south Main Street. Lasko is optimistic about the area’s potential to become a cohesive downtown catering to locals and visitors. “This is a great place to start a small business,” he points out, citing the supportive community and influx of seasonal visitors drawn by Cedar Point and nearby water parks. “You’ve got this growing population through a portion of the year, and you’ve got a city making strategic investments around your business.”
Industry Growth and Workforce Partnerships
Huron is also becoming a hub for industrial and commercial growth. With major players choosing the city as their home base, Huron has seen a surge in job opportunities and economic development. Mayor Tapp highlights two recent success stories. “Firelands Scientific, our marijuana cultivation and dispensing facility, is booming in terms of employment and space,” he says. “They’re expanding as we speak.” The facility has quickly become one of the area’s key employers. He also points to Ardagh Group, a global, sustainable packaging company focused on cans and bottles. “That’s a huge economic boom,” he emphasizes. “They checked numerous sites across the United States, and they chose Huron because of our location and the ease of working with the city.”
Mucci Farms is another major player who has chosen Huron as a place to call home. The 75-acre integrated greenhouse is equipped with technology allowing for year-round production and harvesting of high-quality produce. Truly rooted in the Huron community, Mucci Farms understands small town living through their on-going support and investments in community projects, such as a new turf field at the local high school.
While the city doesn’t directly manage workforce development programs, Lasko explains how it collaborates with regional organizations to ensure businesses can access a well-trained workforce. “We’ve heard from these businesses that they’ve had a positive experience finding both unskilled and skilled employees,” he notes, adding that the region’s proximity to larger population centers like Eastern Toledo and Western Cleveland has helped expand the talent pool.
One key partner in this effort is the Greater Sandusky Partnership (GSP), which absorbed Erie County’s former economic development entity. Through GSP, the city supports various workforce initiatives, including training programs tailored to meet the specific needs of local industries. “They work with colleges and high schools to create programs that ensure people graduate with skills businesses need,” Lasko says, an approach that helps retain local talent, giving students the opportunity to find jobs in Erie County rather than seeking work elsewhere.
Meeting Growing Housing Demand
As Huron attracts new businesses and strengthens its local economy, housing has become a focal point for city leadership. Mayor Tapp outlines a significant opportunity to redevelop the ConAgra property, a coveted riverfront site. “We’ve really put our heads together over the past two years,” he explains. The city has already selected a developer and is negotiating to move the project forward. “We’ve gone through a pretty stringent process, and right now we’re set—hopefully that will begin next year,” he adds. The plans for the property include townhouses,mixed-use development and dynamic public spaces, which will bring new housing options and potential retail or commercial opportunities to the area.
Mayor Tapp also notes that housing expansion isn’t limited to one location. “We are constantly looking for areas for housing,” he says, noting the city’s openness to exploring opportunities outside its current limits, including in nearby township areas. This proactive approach, he says, is supported by Lasko’s outreach to developers and ongoing efforts to promote Huron as an attractive destination for residential projects.
Lasko takes a comprehensive view of Huron’s housing needs, explaining that the city is focused on creating a balance across all housing types. “We need high-end for-sale homes, first-time buyer homes, middle-income housing, affordable rentals, and market-rate rentals,” he says. The city’s leadership is also taking an active role in facilitating housing development. Beyond connecting developers with available land, the city is directly involved in land assembly efforts. “We’re trying to acquire acreage throughout the municipality to control its use,” Lasko explains. Reserving this land for middle-income or affordable housing projects will ensure these developments align with Huron’s broader vision for the community.
Laying the Foundation for Connectivity and Growth
As Huron prepares for a future of increased development, the city is making major strides in infrastructure to support residents and businesses. Lasko shares how Huron prioritizes alternative forms of transportation through a robust bike and pedestrian path network. “Years ago, we started the Lake Shore Electric Trail, connecting two of our school campuses on the west side of town,” he says. More recently, the city’s Route 6 reconstruction projects have added dedicated bike lanes as part of a road diet, reducing vehicular lanes to improve safety and accessibility. Today, approximately 70% of Huron is connected by bike or pedestrian paths, and with the planned completion of Route 6 Phase Two in 2025, that number will increase to nearly 90%.
The city’s efforts are part of a broader initiative to link Huron to the region. “There’s a larger county project called the US 6 Connectivity Corridor, funded by a $25 million federal grant,” Lasko explains. Once completed in 2026, this corridor will connect Huron to Sandusky via the Sandusky Bay Pathway, creating nearly eight miles of uninterrupted bike and pedestrian paths. He emphasizes that this focus on connectivity speaks to residents’ priorities. “We’ve heard through extensive public outreach that alternative transportation is very important,” he says. The city is also designing connections between its main bike path and waterfront parks, ensuring easy access to green spaces for cyclists, joggers, and walkers.
Critical utilities are another area where Huron is investing heavily to stay ahead of anticipated growth. Mayor Tapp points to the arrival of multiple high-speed internet providers, which have installed fiber infrastructure across the city. Lasko then highlights major upgrades to the city’s water treatment capabilities. “Two years ago, we were operating near capacity at our water plant, so we went through a $4 million expansion,” he says. This project increased the plant’s daily capacity from 3.4 million gallons to 5.4 million gallons and transitioned it from a 16-hour operation to running 24/7 to ensure readiness.
Creating Experiences to Attract Visitors
Huron is capitalizing on its natural resources, central location, and community-driven initiatives to position itself as a destination for visitors seeking recreation and relaxation. Lasko explains how Huron has partnered with private businesses to provide recreational opportunities for visitors. “A lot of people staying at Cedar Point or coming in for sports activities are looking for things to do during their downtime,” he says. To meet this need, the city has welcomed private operators offering amenities such as kayak rentals, jet ski rentals, and scooter rentals.
Beyond private partnerships, the city’s parks and recreation department draws people to Huron. Lasko says the department’s robust programming runs from late spring to early fall and includes events like art shows, concert series, and festivals. “It’s not just for Huron residents,” he says. “These events draw people from Erie County and even those who are vacationing in the area.”
Fishing, in particular, has become a major draw for the city, thanks to Huron’s prime location along Lake Erie. Lasko points to a key addition near the state-owned boat launch south of the ConAgra property—a state-of-the-art fish cleaning station. “About two years ago, we partnered with Shores and Islands, Ohio, and the Ohio Department of Natural Resources to open one of only three facilities like it in the state,” he says. The $600,000 station has been a game-changer for fishing tournaments and recreational anglers. “We’ve had rave reviews since it opened,” Lasko notes, adding that the facility strengthens Huron’s reputation as a premier destination for competitive and leisurely fishing.
Prioritizing Growth While Preserving What Matters
As Huron looks to the next 18 months, the city’s leadership is balancing progress with preserving the community’s core identity. For Lasko, housing remains a critical objective. “We need to look for immediate opportunities to expand housing units of all types,” he says. He adds that this benefits every corner of the community. “Whether it’s partnering with developers or the city taking a more active role in assembling land ourselves, housing development is going to be a pressing need,” he explains.
Infrastructure is another key area of focus, with several major projects in the pipeline. Lasko highlights the planned roadway improvements in 2025 and 2026, supporting downtown revitalization and the city’s industrial and commercial sectors. “We’ve got critical utility upgrades as well,” he adds. One inspiring initiative is expanding the city’s municipal electrical utility, which already offers electricity at rates 30% lower than other providers. Lasko says this effort is vital to supporting corporate parks and potentially extending service to neighborhoods and public institutions like schools.
Yet, as Huron grows, preserving its cherished assets remains a priority. “What Huron is really renowned for is our green spaces and public spaces,” Lasko says. The city’s approach is to maintain the parks and amenities that have long drawn families to Huron while creating new features that appeal to younger residents and visitors. As Huron moves forward, this thoughtful approach to leadership ensures the city can adapt to new opportunities and challenges while staying true to the values that have made it a special place to live. Through careful planning and collaboration, Huron is poised to create a thriving future while honoring its past.
AT A GLANCE
Huron, Ohio
What: A growing lakeside city focused on housing, infrastructure, recreation, and economic development
Where: Ohio, US
Website: www.cityofhuron.org
PREFERRED VENDORS
Mucci Farms – www.muccifarms.com
Mucci Farms is greenhouse grower, shipper, packer, and marketer of fresh fruits and vegetables across North America. With an emphasis on sustainability, the company uses advanced technologies and automation to produce high quality produce 365 days a year.
Seeley, Savidge, Ebert & Gourash Co. LLP – www.sseg-law.com
SSEG is proud to support the City of Huron and its citizens and leadership. The City is poised for great opportunities ahead thanks to the cautious and deliberate approach to proposed projects, and the continuing concern for the safety and welfare of the entire community. It’s a great time to be in the City of Huron!