Annexation of 142 acres by Oberlin on hold until new Pittsfield Twp. trustees are named

ELYRIA — A petition by the city of Oberlin to annex nearly 142 acres of city-owned land in Pittsfield Township is on hold until two new members are appointed to the township Board of Trustees. Oberlin Law Director Jon Clark, who said Wednesday that the city's long-term plans are to build a high-tech industrial park on the property, withdrew the annexation petition he originally filed on Aug. 26 with the Lorain County Board of Commissioners. "I wanted Pittsfield Township to be able to go before the Board of Commissioners and have their say," Clark said. The move by Clark was mostly a courtesy. Under state law, the annexation of the contiguous property doesn't give Pittsfield Township a say in whether it goes through. "This is automatic. If the legal description is accurate, and if the commissioners are satisifed, then the annexation is automatic" once certified by the Board of Commissioners, Clark said. Still, Clark withdrew it in consideration of the possibility township officials might want to appear before the Board of Commissioners to publicly support or object to the annexation. The commissioners' role in the annexation also is limited. Their only role is to vote to certify the petition is accurate, Chief Assistant Lorain County Prosecutor Dan Petticord said. Lorain County Probate Judge James Walther has said he plans to appoint two new Pittsfield Township trustees ahead of Monday's scheduled board meeting. He was given the task of appointing replacements for trustees Walt Bredel and Forrest "Bud" Mohrman following their mid-August resignations. Neither Bredel nor Mohrman has been willing to comment on the reasons for their resignations. In the meantime, there is no quorum, or minimum number of trustees required, to conduct any township business. Only trustee Mark McConnell remains. "We just thought we'd delay the annexation in recognition of the unique circumstances the township is in temporarily," Clark said. Clark said the city and the township have a long history of working together. The city has an agreement to share income tax revenue generated by some city-owned land in the township, he said, including some land located north of the 142 acres in question. In 2022, the city bought 212 acres of vacant farmland south of U.S. 20 and west of state Route 5 in Pittsfield for $2.4 million from Eric and Lori McConnell. The 142 acres on the annexation petition is a portion of that. The city's plan to build a high-tech industrial park on the property will "significantly increase' its value, he said. In the end, the city gets a high-tech industrial park and the township gets additional revenue, in what Clark called a "win-win for the city and township." Contact Dave O'Brien at (440) 329-7129 or dobrien@chroniclet.com.