Friday, May 07, 1999
Mason-Deerfield land fight resumes
Court blocks city's move to annex
BY KEVIN ALDRIDGE
The Cincinnati Enquirer
LEBANON — It looks as if Mason and Deerfield Township are headed for another court battle over annexations.
A Warren County court has temporarily blocked Mason from annexing a 102-acre chunk of township land owned by the Mason Board of Education.
Common Pleas Judge P. Daniel Fedders recently signed an injunction approving a motion filed by the Deerfield Township trustees April 28.
A hearing on the injunction is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. Monday.
“The bottom line is we are not completely satisfied with the decision of the school board,” Trustee Larry Backus said. “We don't see anything that justifies this annexation.”
“We wouldn't even be at this point if the school board had approached this in an even-keeled manner. But they chose to just completely ignore what the township had to offer.”
School district officials, who sought the annexation because of Mason's water and sewer benefits, had no comment re garding the injunction.
“I think we've said all we have to say on this matter,” said Shelly Benesh, public information officer for Mason City Schools. “It's basically out of our hands now anyway.”
Township trustees argue that the land, which encompasses about 8 percent of Deerfield's northwest quadrant, is unreasonably large for annexation. They say its removal would harm the township's multimillion-dollar plans to bring parks and utilities to the area.
The three-member board also maintains the township can provide water and sewer services to the property that are equal to or better than Mason's.
“Taking this issue to the next level will be beneficial for the township, because we have a case to make,” said Trustees President Tom Raga. “The trustees feel strongly that when we can provide water and sewer to an area, that there is no need for annexation.”
Mason City Council was set to accept the 102 acres on May 9, the last day trustees had to challenge the decision.
“The commissioners unani mously approved this annexation, and the city believes that it is frivolous to appeal an annexation like this,” said Mason City Manager Scot Lahrmer. “We fully expect the appeal to be denied.”
Mason and Deerfield have been immersed in a bitter tug-of-war over tax-rich township land for more than a decade. Since 1988, Mason has annexed more land than any municipality in Warren County.
Mason has tried 47 annexations totaling more than 4,000 acres, according to the most recent Warren County figures. Its most notable acquisition was Paramount's Kings Island, after winning a two-year court battle.
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