Commissioner will help trustees, Ironton officials and a housing developer iron out differences Tuesday when all meet to discuss the proposed Storms Creek annexation.

Monday, May 22, 2000

Commissioner will help trustees, Ironton officials and a housing developer iron out differences Tuesday when all meet to discuss the proposed Storms Creek annexation.

"I think about all the parties have now been contacted and agreed to a discussion meeting," commission president Bruce Trent said.

The meeting will start at 6 p.m. at the commission office.

The county, which has final say in the annexation process, is trying to be a catalyst between all three groups – Upper Township trustees, city leaders and Arthur Howard Winer and Associates, Trent said.

All three commissioners have said they would like to see all parties make a deal, such as the ones arranged in the South Point and Proctorville areas.

When Proctorville annexed a portion of Union Township and South Point annexed a part of Perry Township, each village and township government worked out a financial deal suitable to both sides, Trent said.

Tuesday’s meeting could help with that idea, he said.

Commissioners planned the Ironton-Upper Township meeting in early May after trustees objected to the request from Arthur Howard Winer and Associates for annexation of township land into Ironton.

Trustees contend that the loss of property tax dollars from future development would be substantial.

Winer’s attorney, Curt Anderson, argued that although there might be future revenue loss, the direct loss now is that the project cannot proceed without water and sewer utilities, and Ironton can provide those.

Commissioners were not sure if serving the development area on Storms Creek with water and sewer would require annexation, or if the township had been asked to deal with the issue, commissioner George Patterson said.

It’s necessary that all parties get together, Patterson said.

Trent added there is the potential for the township to lose future tax revenue and that trustees should be given the chance to address the developer’s infrastructure needs.

Trent added that the township might be able to provide the water and sewer service through an agreement with the city or there might be other ways the township can serve the development.

Anderson has said that the developer is not concerned whether the township or city provides the service; he just needs the utilities.

Arthur Howard Winer and Associates, the same firm turning the Marting Hotel into a housing complex, wants to build a 50-unit family housing complex just outside Ironton on Storms Creek.

Commissioners have until about July to study Winer’s annexation proposal. The county has final authority on By state law, the commission makes the final decision on annexations of township lands.