Title
A RESOLUTION TO INFORM STATE LEGISLATORS AND THE STATE EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP OF OPPOSITION TO PASSAGE OF PROPOSED "ANNEXATION REFORM" AND CONCURRENCE WITH THE OHIO COALITION FOR EQUITABLE ANNEXATION
Version
Miranda
Body
WHEREAS, Ohio has long had a recognized procedure to provide for annexation of property adjacent to municipal corporations, which allows the governmental entity best able to serve development to have jurisdiction of the area sought to be annexed, and;
WHEREAS, the procedure set forth in Chapter 709 of the Ohio Revised Code have been amended several times in years past to ameliorate perceived imbalances, and;
WHEREAS, the procedure set forth in Chapter 709 of the Ohio Revised Code properly protects the interests of property owners in determining the jurisdiction where development of their land can best take place, and;
WHEREAS, 67 percent of the state's population resides within municipal corporations, and;
WHEREAS, proposed annexation reform bills would remove the right of property owners to decide where development of their land should best occur and would substitute an unfair and ultimately unworkable general good of the surrounding area standard to annexation requests, and;
WHEREAS, the proposed annexation reform bill would prevent the growth of municipalities, and;
WHEREAS, the proposed annexation reform bill would create an unworkable "100 percent" owners annexation procedure, as it requires Township agreement before the process can be utilized, and;
WHEREAS, under the present system provided in the existing Chapter 709 of the Ohio Revised Code, land annexed to municipalities is not necessarily removed form the Township tax base, and;
WHEREAS, the proposed annexation reform bill improperly seeks to create revenue sharing mechanisms wherein municipalities will provide services and township will retain risk-free revenue, and;
WHEREAS, adoption of proposed "Annexation Reform" would stifle, and in many instances, deter economic development:
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF GAHANNA, STATE OF OHIO:
Section 1. That this Council hereby expresses its adamant opposition to any annexation reform bill that (1) removes a property owner's choice, (2) requires a township's approval, (3) does not emphasize that property should be located where it can be developed, or (4) changes the definition of "general good" to an area which includes areas outside the area sought to be annexed and hereby urges its state Representative and state Senator be told to oppose passage of such anti-economic development and anti-property owners' rights legislation.
Section 2. The Clerk of the Council of Gahanna be and is hereby instructed to transmit copies of this resolution to the Governor, the President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House, our State Senator, our State Representative and to the Chairperson of such legislative committees as are considering "annexation reform" legislation.
Section 3. The Council of Gahanna hereby concurs with the Ohio Coalition for Equitable Annexation and supports the Coalition of this issue.
Section 4. This resolution shall become effective at the earliest date allowed by law.