The Bellefontaine City Council will consider an override of Mayor David Crissman’s veto of the annexation of just over 200 acres of land just north of the city limits at its regular meeting scheduled for Tuesday, June 24, at 7:30 p.m.
At its June 10 meeting, the council voted to accept the annexation of the Duff property, which is located adjacent to the city north of U.S. Route 33 and west of the C.C.C. & St. Louis R.R. right-of-way, parcels which are composed of 200.824 acres, roughly divided into two unequal sections to include a defunct rock quarry and farmland.
Officially known as Ordinance 25-31, the measure passed the council at the June 10 meeting with a 5-2 vote, with council members John Aler and Kyle Springs casting the “no” votes on the legislation’s third reading and final vote.
Prior to the vote, Mayor Crissman told the Council that he intended to veto the ordinance should it pass. Following the council’s approval of the ordinance, the mayor’s written notice of his veto of the measure was forwarded to Council President Zeb Wagner as required by the Ohio Revised Code.
In his written veto statement, Mayor Crissman said “The owner wants this property in the city for solar since the Lake Township trustees and the Logan County Commissioners voting no for solar. The residents of Bellefontaine do not want a solar farm inside the city. Even with this property coming in as residential, the owner has said he will petition for a zoning change to allow a solar farm.”
In order to override the mayor’s veto, the council must receive a two-thirds majority, or five votes, meaning that one or more of the council members who voted in favor of the annexation — Deb Baker, Nick Davis, Mackenzie Fitzpatrick, Jenna James, and Jordon Reser — would have to change their vote at Tuesday’s meeting, which will take place in Council Chambers at City Hall, 135 N. Detroit St., at 7:30 p.m.
Pursuant to President Wagner’s instructions, the override reconsideration will be the last issue put before the council for a vote at the Tuesday’s meeting.
