UPDATE: The mayor of Beavercreek confirmed that the CFIUS ordinance was passed in Monday’s city council meeting.
BEAVERCREEK, Ohio (WDTN) — The U.S. government is trying to crack down on foreign companies buying up land near military bases, and the City of Beavercreek is looking to do the same.
The CFIUS ordinance is on the agenda for Monday’s city council meeting. Vice Mayor Joanna Garcia has been pushing for this legislation since hearing national security concerns during a recent trip to Washington D.C.
“We are hopeful that it will deter those bad actors if they know we are serious about the protection of the investment in this area,” Garcia explained.
CFIUS stands for the Committee on Foreign Investments in the United States. The goal of the ordinance is to keep companies that could be potential national security threats away from Wright Patterson Air Force Base. It would require individuals or companies applying for a zoning permit to certify they are not subject to review by CFIUS. Mayor Bob Stone said if they are, they have to provide documents from that review.
“Really all this does as far as this ordinance is that we reach out and ask the applicant, are you subject to this federal act? And if that’s the case, then they need to go through a process,” Stone said.
CFIUS reviews transactions and real estate investments involving foreign groups to determine how they could impact national security. WPAFB would also be able to provide input during the application process.
Garcia hopes this will add an extra layer of protection around one of the Miami Valley’s greatest assets.
“There are a lot of areas that are being invested in heavily and we don’t want to deter that. We just want to make sure that we are in an environment where we are fostering the best community we can for the military and their families, and everyone who works in conjunction with the base,” Garcia said.
Garcia added WPAFB has expressed support for this ordinance.
