ANNEXATION Residents make case to officials

An attorney said the public hearing wasn't advertised properly.
By NANCY TULLIS
VINDICATOR SALEM BUREAU
GREENFORD -- Although no one has yet asked to buy their land, a group of residents seeking annexation into Salem said commercial development of their residential property is only a matter of time.
Atty. Fred Naragon of Salem is representing 22 petitioners who want to annex about 58 acres of Green Township into the city of Salem. The property is along state Route 14 east of the city in the area of Wal-Mart and other commercial ventures.
It is adjacent to city boundaries on both sides of Route 14; property on the north side of Route 14, also known as Salem-Unity Road, is just east of land already annexed that is being developed for a Home Depot store.
A public hearing Tuesday on the annexation lasted four hours as attorneys for the residents and the Green Township trustees argued their points and interviewed residents and city and township officials. Attorneys have 14 days to file briefs and Mahoning County commissioners must reach a decision within 30 days.
Residents told commissioners they want to be annexed into Salem to receive city water and sewer services as well as Salem police and fire protection.
Problems with petition
Representing Green Township trustees, Atty. Al Schrader of Akron said the annexation petition presented "a myriad of problems," any one of which should be enough for commissioners to kill the request.
Naragon told commissioners if they denied the request he would bring a new petition back to them as soon as possible.
Among Schrader's listed problems were that the petition was filed a week later than the law allows and that the legal notification of Tuesday's public hearing was not properly advertised.
Naragon advertised the public hearing in the local newspaper, which circulates in both Columbiana and Mahoning County. Schrader argued, however, that the law requires the public hearing be advertised in a newspaper that is located in the same county where the annexation is to take place. He said the annexation should be denied because the annexation is of Mahoning County land and the newspaper business office is in Columbiana County.
Rapid development
Residents told the commissioners they want the annexation because their residential property is in a rapidly developing commercial area. Although some said they have no immediate plans to move, they said they know the water, sewer and fire and police protection that come with annexation will increase their property values, and ultimately property with city water and sewer included will be more attractive to commercial developers.
Edward Berry said he and his wife, Pamela, want to annex their four acres because "development is coming our way," and he knows one way or another he will have to improve his water and sewer systems.
Green Township Fire Chief Todd Baird said the commercial development of the area has increased the department's number of responses.
The volunteers respond by mutual aid agreement with Salem Fire Department, mostly by providing tankers of water in the area where there are no fire hydrants. He said the development has also caused a dramatic increase in traffic and accidents, including a fatal crash in the area three weeks ago.
Evelyn Smith and her husband, Ronald, have 14 acres along Route 14 they want to annex into Salem. She said although they regret the annexation will mean a loss of tax revenue for the township and South Range Schools, they signed the petition because of the rapid commercial growth, and selling residential property would be difficult.
"Why would you want to live there when it's going to be all commercial?" she concluded.
tullis@vindy.com