COLUMBIANA COUNCIL Moratorium on annexation

COLUMBIANA -- City council has put a halt to annexation by the city for one year.
Councilman Don Vignon proposed the moratorium at Tuesday's meeting, and the council approved it 6-0. He said city growth is occurring so rapidly, city officials don't have time to properly and adequately plan for it.
A ban on annexation of Beaver Township land in Mahoning County has been in effect, but the council's latest action includes Fairfield and Unity townships as well.
Vignon said the city must make $10 million in improvements by year's end to increase the capacity of its sewer plant. He said council members agree growth must be slowed to give the city's infrastructure time to catch up.
"Columbiana is growing fast -- too fast," Vignon continued. "There are some areas already in the city limits0 that don't have water and sewer services."
Vignon said the moratorium isn't chiseled in stone, however. He said the council will consider annexation requests on an individual basis and could choose to lift the moratorium if members agree a particular annexation would be of significant benefit to the city. "This is a temporary stop," he added.