OH HB277

State and political subdivision real estate owners must be counted as owners in expedited type-II annexation petitions under section 709.023, unless the only property they own is a road or road right-of-way.

For standard annexations under section 709.02, state and political subdivision owners are excluded from owner counts unless an authorized agent signs the petition (director of administrative services for state; authorized agent for political subdivisions).

Property owners may withdraw their petition signatures within seven days after notice is mailed or personally served by filing a written notice of withdrawal with the county commissioners clerk.

Annexed territory under the expedited procedure remains subject to township real property taxes and cannot be excluded from the township under section 503.07, except as provided in annexation agreements or cooperative economic development agreements.

Adjacent property owners in the township may sue to enforce buffer zone requirements if the annexing municipality fails to enforce zoning ordinances requiring buffers between incompatible uses before development begins.