Commissioners host annexation hearing
Mar. 1—JEFFERSON — The Ashtabula County Board of Commissioners hosted a hearing on a proposed annexation of property from Geneva township into the city on Tuesday morning.
Gary Pasqualone served as the agent for the owner of a 5.77-acre property, located on Ansel Road in Geneva Township, who is seeking to have the property annexed into the village.
Lisa Hawkins, clerk of the board, said the petition was filed by Pasqualone in December 2022.
The city of Geneva approved a resolution stating that city services would be provided to the parcel if it was annexed into the city, Hawkins said.
Tom Partridge, chief deputy engineer from the Ashtabula County Engineer's Office, read a report into the record, stating that the property is adjacent and contiguous to the city of Geneva, and the annexation will not create an island.
Pasqualone said, as Geneva city solicitor, he is enabled to be the agent for the petition.
Neighboring property owners were informed of Tuesday's hearing, he said.
"I've spoken with the chairman of the township trustees for Geneva Township," Pasqualone said. "They have no objection to it whatsoever, and I can state that because they told me that, and they're not here, nor have they provided any written objections to this request."
No representative from the township spoke at the meeting.
Joseph Oboczky, who owns property adjacent to the property that is up for annexation, said he is in favor of the annexation, but is concerned about drainage issues in the area.
"I haven't heard from the city as to how big the home [is], if it's just going to be a dwelling, and how are they going to mediate the water problem in that whole area," Oboczky said.
Sylvia Oboczky said she had already shared her concerns with the city, and was meeting with the county's Soil and Water Conservation District later this week.
Pasqualone said the city has no control over the situation until the annexation is approved.
"We will do whatever we can to assist in this situation, just that we can't make promises, certainly not now," he said.
The Oboczkys have expressed their concerns to city council, and those concerns will not be overlooked, Pasqualone said.
Commissioner Kathryn Whittington said post-hearing briefs can be submitted over the next two weeks, and the commissioners will have to act on the annexation within 30 days.
