March 29, 2007

By Diane Chiddister

Village Council this week announced that the second reading and public hearing on the Fogg farm annexation is on the agenda for Council’s upcoming April 2 meeting. This means that the second reading, or final vote, to accept or deny the Fogg farm annex request could take place this Monday, April 2.

This is a change from Council’s last meeting, when Council members took the Fogg farm final vote off the April 2 meeting agenda. They postponed the vote then because aspects of the pre-annexation agreement relating to affordable housing were not yet finalized. On March 19, Council cited the need to discuss the final pre-annexation agreement before taking a final vote on the annexation. Council members said they would schedule a special meeting at the end of April for the final vote.

Council reversed that decision this week because they were notified by Village Solicitor John Chambers that Council had to vote April 2 in order for a referendum vote to take place in August. At the March 19 meeting a group of citizens known as the Grow Smart Coalition stated that if Council approved the annex request they would mount a referendum for the November ballot. At that meeting Council members did not discuss having an August referendum.

However, according to Council Acting President Karen Wintrow in a letter to the editor on page 4 (“Early annex decision could prevent divisiveness”), Council has been advised by Village Planner Phil Hawkey that a November referendum could be too divisive and therefore they are seeking the August date. Wintrow stated that Council may or may not vote on the Fogg farm annex on April 2.

According to state law, Council must make a decision on the Fogg farm annex request by May 1. The 39-acre farm, located west of the village adjacent to Yellow Springs High School, is owned by Doug Miller and the Fogg family trust.