Council adopts resolution consenting to services for proposed 230.101-acre annexation

Defiance City Council on March 11 adopted a resolution consenting to provide city services to a proposed joint petition to annex 230.101 acres into the city.

City Administrator Bridal Mack told council the petition came from six landowners and cited Ohio Revised Code section 709.021 as the basis for a unanimous owner petition. Mack said the clerk must file the city—s resolution with the board of commissioners within 20 days of filing; because the petition was filed March 4, the clerk had to submit the resolution by March 24.

The resolution covers the city—s willingness to provide utilities such as water and sewer to the territory; Mack and other staff clarified that passing the resolution does not itself obligate the city to build new infrastructure, only to provide service to the annexed area if the annexation proceeds. Mack said water and sewer lines run along Elliot Road and adjacent business properties on Route 66 and that utilities extend into the area.

Council discussed that future zoning for the annexed land would be determined later and would default to the least-restrictive classification of adjoining land uses (M-1/light industrial where applicable), but the current vote dealt only with services and consent to annexation.

Council moved to suspend the rules and vote on the resolution so the clerk could meet the filing deadline. The motion to adopt was made by "Mister Waksler" and seconded by "Mister Engel." The roll-call-style assent recorded in the transcript lists the following council members as voting yes: Mister Mas, Mister Waksler, Missus Crutch, Mister Engel, Mister Corbett, Mister Hancock and Mister Estes. With those affirmative votes the resolution was adopted.

The resolution will be filed with the board of commissioners, which must act under the Ohio Revised Code procedures for annexation. Any subsequent zoning decisions and infrastructure planning will follow as separate items at later meetings.