City announces voluntary annexation (09/03/2008)

The city of Portland is growing.

The Portland City Council adopted an ordinance Tuesday night approving a voluntary annexation of about 65 acres currently south of the city limits. The area is within a region bounded by Seventh Street to the north, Western Avenue to the east, Blaine Pike to the west and the Salamonie River to the south.

The council unanimously adopted the ordinance, suspending the rules on a second reading to move the process along more quickly. A 90-day remonstrance is now open for anyone who might choose to fight the annexation.

Kristi Sturtz, fiscal planner with Sturtz Public Management Group, said the move will allow some new town developments and shouldn't show much of a tax impact on the property owners.

"No change will be seen by them until 2010," she said. "It will be negligible to the property owners."

The city will be required to provide services to the area and future plans for a housing subdivision have been mentioned.

Barry Hudson, who owns the largest chunk of property in the annexed area, has indicated he would be interested in starting a new residential area on his land, which accounts for at least 50 percent of the area to be annexed.

The other parcels of land within the annex are a piece owned by the City of Portland, which houses a sewage lagoon; the back yard of Kevin Petschke's residence on Seventh Street; and a wooded area owned by John and Gretchen Young along the river.

In other business Tuesday night, the council:

•Approved a transfer of $500,000 from the sewage operation fund to the city's general fund. Portland clerk/treasurer Linda Kennedy said the transfer is necessary since tax bills were late going out and Portland had not received its share of tax revenues yet. The money will be refunded to sewage operations when that tax money arrives.

•Was informed by Mayor Bruce Hosier that the State Board of Accounts had complimented the city on the ease of the exit audit. Hosier thanked Kennedy for her good work and Kennedy further thanked the rest of the staff in her office for a job well done.

•Was updated on construction projects by Hosier. The Wayne Street construction is "making good progress" and the River Road project should be beginning as Wayne Street completes.

Hosier also mentioned the Walgreens construction that is moving along.

•Was informed by Hosier that he will be engaging in conversations about the planned traffic light installation at Industrial Park Drive and Votaw Street. Hosier said he wasn't sure what the delay was, but would be in contact with the appropriate parties this week to try get things straightened out.[[In-content Ad]]