Shady Grove annex has opposition

FINDLAY — The expedited annexation of the Shady Grove Golf Course has renewed friction between Marion Township and the city of Findlay over how annexations are handled. Marion Township Trustee Jim Gosche said he began receiving phone calls from residents after the city's annexation legislation became public, many of them surprised that the proposal had advanced without notice. Gosche said he learned about the annexation through a tip after the Hancock County Board of Commissioners approved it earlier this month, which he said makes it a "done deal." Under Ohio law, a Type-1 expedited annexation is the simplest of the state's annexation procedures. It requires unanimous consent from all property owners and consent from both the township and the municipality. When those conditions are met, county commissioners must approve the petition at their next regular meeting if the signatures and legal description comply with state requirements. No public hearing is held, and commissioners have no discretion to deny a compliant petition. Marion Township's revenue-sharing agreement with the city gives the approval needed to pursue an expedited annexation — with no notice and no public hearings required. Gosche said it's the first time the city has used the agreement to pursue an expedited annexation. He said the township agreed to revenue sharing years ago because officials believed it would support growth that benefited both the city and Marion Township. He said the township negotiated in good faith, expecting the agreement to guide development in the area, not to serve as blanket consent for expedited annexation. Gosche said the city's decision to use the revenue-sharing agreement to push the annexation through without notifying the township was a serious breach of trust. He called the move heavy-handed and said it undermined the good-faith negotiations that led to the agreement in the first place. The annexation has raised concerns in Marion Township about creating a pocket of city land surrounded by township territory. Residents and officials also questioned whether the move could set a precedent for future annexations that reshape township boundaries in ways they didn't anticipate. The Shady Grove Golf Course, a fixture on U.S. 224 for more than 50 years, is expected to be redeveloped as a home for high-end apartments. Gosche said he believes the city used the revenue-sharing agreement to move the annexation quickly because it allowed them to bypass the usual back-and-forth with the township, treating the agreement as blanket consent to secure the land. He said the township and neighboring property owners did not consent to the annexation and that it was pushed through without any notice, raising concerns about the future of the agreement. Gosche said he now plans to investigate modifying or ending it. Legislation outlining the services Findlay will provide to the annexation of the 46-acre site, located at 15733 U.S. 224, is expected to receive a second reading at Findlay City Council's next regular meeting on April 7. It's the first step in the city's annexation process. Council will then vote separately on the annexation itself. The site sits just outside Findlay's eastern boundary in Marion Township. The resolution confirms the city's ability to extend services such as utilities, roadway maintenance, fire and police protection, and other municipal support once annexation becomes effective.