Published: June 09, 2008 10:06 pm      

Oak Hill’s annex request to be heard next month

OAK HILL — Oak Hill City Manager Tom Oxley told city council members Monday evening that the city will have its annexation application for more than 650 acres of Wolf Creek Park heard by Fayette county commissioners next month.

According to Oxley, Mayor Bill Hannabass appeared before commissioners last Friday. The application, which was pending and later postponed, will now be presented to the Fayette County Commission at 10 a.m. July 10.

Oak Hill officials filed an application Dec. 14 with the commission for a boundary adjustment to annex more than 650 acres of Wolf Creek Park’s approximately 1,000 acres.

Last November, commissioners approved the city’s request to annex the residential portion of the planned mixed-use industrial park — about 330 acres — in exchange for Oak Hill providing sewer service to those residents in the future.

At that time, Hannabass said city council members were unanimous in their desire to seek annexation of the remaining two-thirds of Wolf Creek Park. While acknowledging that the city is “obviously very appreciative of any growth in our area,” he also said in December that the annexation request is “part of a partnership” that helps answer concerns about supplying infrastructure to the park.

In the request late last year, Oxley outlined several components. “The City of Oak Hill does desire to increase its corporate limits, and because the city has been asked to provide sanitary sewer service to the park, it is the city’s belief that incorporation of the park property into ... Oak Hill is appropriate.”

Oak Hill would provide sewer service, and the city would offer police and fire protection with the mutual aid of other local agencies and departments. Public water would be provided by West Virginia-American Water. Solid waste collection would be performed by one of several licensed collectors now operating in Oak Hill or the county.

Additionally, the city would adopt the county building code and collect a building permit fee as prescribed by the county. Those funds would be sent to the county for administrative and code enforcement costs.

Upfront B&O taxes and ad valorem taxes would help the city maintain streets, sidewalks and street lights, among other things.

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In other business:

- Delegate David Perry and Sen. Shirley Love, both D-Fayette, were on hand to present the city with $9,000 in state monies. Perry said $7,000 would go to the city manager’s office for upgrades and renovations to city hall. Another $2,000 would be earmarked for the purchase of equipment for the city’s police department. Perry, who is retiring in less than a week as principal of Collins Middle School, lauded the city for the “spirit of cooperation” his school has always enjoyed with it.

- Council member Diana Janney looked on with tear-filled eyes as the city honored her father, Howard Janney, as June’s Citizen of the Month. Howard Janney, 80, has served as a Fayette County sheriff, an Oak Hill police chief and the founder of Jan-Care Ambulance.

— E-mail: mhill@register-herald.com