Council reviews annexation ordinance for New Meadows School property and road segments; MS4 compliance noted

Huntington City Council reviewed the first reading of Ordinance 2025-O-32 to annex the New Meadows School property and adjoining stretches of Woodville Drive and Warehouse Road into the city.

City staff told council that the Board of Education requested the annexation so the city can provide mandatory police and fire protection. The transcript states that petitioners obtained approval from more than 50% of freeholders and qualified voters for the petition required under state annexation procedure because the property is not contiguous to the city boundary. Staff said the annexation will not automatically include nearby adjacent property owners; it covers only the school property and the roadway segments named in the ordinance.

Council members questioned why the school property was not annexed before construction. Staff answered that the school board approached the city about four months earlier and that compliance issues with the municipal separate storm sewer system (MS4) and associated engineering and contract work were factors. Staff said the annexation will not be finalized until the required agreement is signed and recorded and until stormwater compliance and maintenance agreements are in place and recorded on the deed to secure ongoing maintenance obligations.

Why this matters: annexation will move the school property into the city’s jurisdiction for police and fire protection and impose city code and infrastructure requirements. The work session shows council members asking about stormwater and wastewater compliance and staff answering that the Board of Education is working on those matters prior to final annexation.

Next steps: the ordinance is at first reading; staff indicated the annexation will occur after required contracts and recording steps are complete.