Washington Twp. contests Centerville’s proposed annexation

Petition filed applies to 96.5 acres of largely undeveloped land.

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By Jill Kelley, Staff Writer 7:35 PM Tuesday, January 31, 2012

WASHINGTON TWP., Montgomery County — The Washington Twp. Board of Trustees submitted its objection Tuesday to Centerville’s proposed 96.5-acre annexation, calling the annexation petition “misleading and inaccurate.”

City officials stood by the petition, saying it follows the Ohio Revised Code.

The annexation petition filed Jan. 6 applies to largely undeveloped land northeast of the intersection of Sheehan and Social Row roads in Washington Twp.

The petition was filed with the Montgomery County Board of Commissioners by Yankee Development Group, the land’s lone private property owner.

Portions of the land also are owned by Washington Twp., Montgomery County and Centerville City Schools.

In its objection, the township said the city did not obtain the signatures of all required property owners as stated, and said the county “cannot rule” on this issue because it owns part of the land, creating a conflict of interest.

On the first point, the township said the city wrongfully claimed Yankee Development Group as “100 percent of the owners” of the potentially annexed land.

Centerville Economic Development Director Nathan Cahall said the statement is true for the purposes of the petition.

“In an Expedited Type 2 annexation such as this, the petition only requires the signatures of the private property owners,” he said.

Montgomery County Assistant Administrator Joe Tuss agreed.

“It’s my understanding in consulting with the county prosecutor that this petition contains 100 percent of the signatures of property owners who have standing for this,” he said.

The annexation may be discussed Feb. 7 at the Montgomery County Board of Commissioners meeting.

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