Commissioners to vote May 8 on 65-acre Amherst Twp. annexation petition

County commissioners on Friday received an expedited annexation petition for more than 65 acres of property in Amherst Township proposed to be absorbed by the city of Elyria. It is the second time the petition has been received by the county. The first submission was retracted for administrative reasons. The property in question would most likely be developed into housing, a representative for petitioners Lulo LLC and Sharon Ricardi previously told The Chronicle-Telegram. Commissioners are not required to hold a public hearing before making a decision — tentatively scheduled to happen at their May 8 meeting — but Commissioner David Moore did encourage one neighbor with concerns to voice them again on that day. "And probably tell your neighbors to show up, too," Moore told Sharon Mickelson of Bechtel Road in Amherst Township. The 65.2559-acre property is located north of Albrecht Road and east of Bechtel Road, southwest of Elyria city limits. As she did on March 10, Mickelson approached commissioners Friday to raise concerns about the annexation. The land in question is farmland behind her property and she questioned why more housing was needed. Construction and development is going to change how stormwater flows, harm local wildlife and cause flooding, Mickelson said. "I don't want 160 houses behind me," she said. "I don't want all those lights behind me. I'd prefer to keep it Amherst Township." "To have it all go to development is just crazy," Mickelson said. Moore said Friday's agenda item was just a "formal step" in the process and encouraged Mickelson to come back in a month to give her input prior to his board's decision. Commissioners will meet at 9:30 a.m. May 8 on the fourth floor of the County Administration Building, 226 Middle Ave. in Elyria to discuss the matter and potentially make a decision. The annexation also is on the agenda of Elyria City Council's Community Development Committee which will meet at 6 p.m. Monday at City Hall, 131 Court St. in Elyria, according to a copy of the committee's agenda. That meeting is open to the public. Attorney Jon Clark, who represents Lulo, previously said there was no connection he was aware of between the annexation petition and the controversial 622-acre mega site previously proposed in New Russia Township. Township trustees unanimously rejected a rezoning request for that property on March 17. Moore said last month that the county will continue with plans to redevelop nearly 1,000 acres of land around the Lorain County Regional Airport on Russia Road in New Russia Township to attract new businesses and jobs. Contact Dave O'Brien at (440) 329-7129 or dobrien@chroniclet.com