Trumbull County commissioners review expedited annexation of 7.9561 acres in Warren for Life Storage

WARREN, Ohio — At a March 19, 2025 Trumbull County Commissioners meeting, the board considered an expedited annexation petition to move roughly 7.9561 acres at 3942 Youngstown Road (State Route 422), parcel 28522200, from Allen Township into the city of Warren. The petitioner is Life Storage LP.

County attorney Bob Berkey, who reviewed the filing for the commissioners, said the petition meets the seven statutory conditions in Ohio Revised Code 709.023(e) that govern expedited (type 2) annexations. "We are at the point in this proceeding under 709.023(e) of the Ohio Revised Code, where the commissioners are obligated to make a finding of conditions that have been met in the annexation petition," Berkey said.

The finding matters because commissioners must determine whether the procedural and practical statutory conditions are satisfied before the annexation can proceed to the city for final action. "I have reviewed the procedural aspect, including the timeliness of filing, and find that all of those are in order," Berkey said, and added that he found the remaining practical factors satisfied after reviewing maps and auditor records.

Natalie Schulte, the agent for petitioner Life Storage, told the commissioners the packet met the statute's requirements and that neither the township nor the municipality filed objections. "As attorney Berkey said, we have met all the requirements for 709.023 for annexation, pursuant to that statute, with no objections from the township or the municipality. You are required to approve it," Schulte said.

Ben Chaney, attorney for the petitioner, told the commissioners the company's immediate reason for seeking annexation was related to water service and rates. "The law as it relates to the provision of water services to extraterritorial water customers is quite different than the law for customers inside the jurisdiction," Chaney said, explaining that extraterritorial customers can be charged different rates and that the petitioner seeks the municipal rate paid by residents.

Allen Township Administrator James Pantalone, who phoned into the meeting, said the storage facility was built and operational and that the property had been in Highland Township for more than 30 years. "There was a need for a tap in for a fire line. And due to an interpretation of an ordinance by Warren City, they were required to annex this property," Pantalone said. He added that the township had no statutory basis to object to a type 2 expedited annexation and that the township will continue to collect property tax while the city will collect income tax and water revenue if annexation proceeds.

Commissioners asked about public safety response and zoning. Counsel and the petitioners said mutual-aid agreements would continue to provide cross coverage for police and fire, but that Warren City does not provide EMS and that EMS service arrangements would change if the property is annexed. The petitioner and counsel also said future building inspections, permits and zoning enforcement for any new units or expansions would fall under the city of Warren if the annexation is completed.

After the presentations, a commissioner moved to annex the property "from Holland Township to the city of Warren" and another commissioner seconded. The transcript records the motion and a second but does not include a roll-call tally or a recorded final vote in the county meeting text.

Under the process described in the hearing, the county's finding that the statutory conditions are met is one step; the annexation must be accepted by the city of Warren before the change is final. Counsel and the township administrator said the county's current role is to determine compliance with ORC 709.023(e); if the city approves, the county auditor will create taxing and jurisdictional records reflecting both township and city taxation where applicable.

The commissioners did not receive any formal objections from township officials during the hearing. Commissioners indicated they would rely on counsel's review of the submitted materials in making the statutory finding and then forward the matter to the city of Warren for its separate approval.