Canfield annexation delayed amid JEDD talks
By Justin Wier
YOUNGSTOWN
The Mahoning County commissioners voted Thursday to delay the annexation of 18.83 acres in Canfield for 30 more days, but the city and township have signed a memorandum of understanding to form a joint economic-development district in addition to the annexation, resolving the issue.
Frank Amedia, a local developer and televangelist who filed the annexation petition, commended the commissioners for their leadership and said the city, township and county benefit from the arrangement.
“It’s that proverbial win-win-win,” Amedia said.
A previous delay by the commissioners prompted a lawsuit from Amedia, who asked a judge to compel the commissioners to approve the annexation.
The developer has plans to develop the property near the corner of U.S. Route 224 and South Palmyra Road both commercially and residentially. Annexation or a JEDD would give the property access to city water and sewer lines.
At a special meeting Oct. 10, Amedia agreed to give the township and city until Thursday to reach an understanding. The memorandum of understanding signed Tuesday shows the northern end of the property Amedia wished to annex, extending about 840 feet from U.S. Route 224, will form a joint economic- development district, while the residential area behind that will be annexed.
The entire property covers about 111 acres. Amedia initially planned to annex the property in two phases.
The memorandum of understanding also includes 15.17 acres the municipalities are calling the “MALA Property II” and the 288-acre Red Gate farm property. Both of those properties would be annexed.
The MALA property abuts 22 acres along South Palmyra Road also owned by MALA Properties Ltd. that was annexed earlier this year.
The city purchased the Red Gate farm property along Leffingwell Road near U.S. Route 62 in 2003, but it has struggled to market the Canfield township property without water and sewer lines.
The annexed properties would remain subject to the township’s real property taxes, according to the memorandum.
The city and township have until Nov. 24 to formalize an annexation agreement and proposed JEDD agreement at which time Amedia’s petition would be amended.