Council adopts resolution consenting to annexation of 33.61-acre parcel along Ariesville Avenue

The Defiance City Council on May 6 adopted a resolution declaring the services the city would provide to territory proposed for annexation and consenting to that annexation for a 33.61-acre parcel along Ariesville Avenue.

The action matters because the resolution is the city’s formal statement about services and zoning the city would provide if the county approves the annexation petition and a developer proceeds with residential development on the parcel.

Mister O'Donnell, a city staff member, told council the parcel is 33.61 acres along Ariesville Avenue and that the owner recently filed a petition to annex the property into the city. “This owner found a buyer to do residential development,” O'Donnell said, and the city will file the resolution with the board of county commissioners as the next step.

O'Donnell said the resolution includes language that links the property to prior assessment terms from about 13 to 15 years earlier, making the parcel subject to the same assessment terms if those are applied. Staff asked council to suspend the rules and call the question because the clerk must file the resolution with the board of commissioners by May 15.

Council voted to suspend the rules and adopted the resolution. Staff said after adoption the next step is filing the resolution with the county board of commissioners, which may then take action on the annexation petition.

Council then entered an executive session later in the meeting to discuss employment and compensation of a public official, pursuant to Ohio law.