County nixes Sylvania try for annexation

5/11/2001

Lucas County commissioners yesterday rejected a bid by Sylvania to annex land in the area of King Road and Sylvania Avenue in Sylvania Township.

Sandy Isenberg, president of the commissioners, and Commissioner Bill Copeland voted against the measure, while Commissioner Harry Barlos voted in favor of the annexation.

Sylvania's city attorney said last night the city will appeal the decision and several other recent annexation rulings to Lucas County Common Pleas Court.

“It is not going to get settled with just the commissioners' decision,” James Moan, the city attorney, said.

The same split 2-1 vote from commissioners occurred last month when they decided to allow some homeowners in the area to have their names taken off of a petition asking for annexation.

Some residents of the Farmbrook subdivision had complained that they were coerced into signing the petition for annexation by threats they would be defendants in a lawsuit if they didn't.

After that vote, Sylvania officials removed Farmbrook and some other property from the annexation petition, but left in about 300 acres of township property, including a new Kroger store at King and Sylvania, and Southview High School, 7225 Sylvania, east of the intersection.

The annexation proposal has been a contentious issue in the two communities. Township officials have opposed it, contending they have spent much time and expense to clear several junk yards for the Kroger development, only to have the city try to annex the improved land, siphoning away tax revenue.

The city has countered that covenant agreements that brought sanitary sewer service to the Sylvania-King area contained a provision that property owners agree to be annexed whenever the city would seek it.