As the town of Wellston attempts to grow, its Planning Commission and Town Board are dealing with two proposed annexations.
Municipal Administrator John Cobb explains, “We’re trying to grow a little. One of the annexations is to the east of town and is to incorporate the new Franchise Ford dealership and Lehman Funeral Home into the town limits.”
Cobb said dirt work is well underway on the new dealership and that consists of about six acres. The existing funeral home comprises around two acres he said.
He noted that annexation was requested by both the Ford dealership and the funeral home. A public hearing on the annexation is scheduled before the Town Board at 5 p.m., Thursday, March 11, in the Town Hall and the board is expected to approve it, Cobb said.
The other annexation request by the Wellston Planning Commission consists of around 3,600 acres and is contested, Cobb acknowledged.
He said about 1½ years ago the Planning Commission started looking at ways “to grow our population and our size.” He said the town currently is 1.75 square miles with a population of 800.
“It helps if we have more people in our town. It helps with grants, more community involvement,” he stated.
Cobb noted, “They looked at the entire area and identified six square miles west of Wellston along SH 66. That would bring Wellston’s city limits boundary line to the Lincoln County line and right up to the Luther city limits.”
In March of 2020, the Planning Commission presented their annexation proposal to the Wellston Town Board, Cobb said. The board voted to move forward with the annexation process.
“The process requires a lot of research. With COVID and everything, it got delayed,” he related.
In November, the Planning Commission went back to the board with all the research. “The board voted to direct publication of the public hearing and that hearing was held in December,” Cobb stated.
“Of the 3,600 acres being requested to be annexed, property owners representing less than one-third weren’t favorable toward annexation. About 60 people showed up for the hearing,” he added, noting, “that’s a good number for a hearing.”
The board took no action on it, he said.
Shelley Dobson is one of those who attended the December public hearing and who opposes the annexation.
“If you live in the country you want to stay in the country, not in the city,” she said.
Dobson owns 21 acres including an RV Park where she resides that is in the proposed annexation area.
She explained, “I wanted to get people to come to that hearing. We wanted more clarification. There is no clear cut definition on some of the codes, including what is agricultural land and what is rural land.” she added.
She noted there is an addition in the area she resides that is platted. Dobson said it’s not clear if that is considered agricultural or rural.
“I’m not sure,” she stated. “We’re scratching our heads.”
Dobson said she got to looking at Wellston city codes from 1987. “They are vague, some of them were revised in 2016, 2018 and 2019, but many haven’t been,” she stated.
She mentioned she’s had several conversations and exchanged many emails with Cobb. “He’s been transparent,” she believes adding, “Any documents I’ve asked for he’s gotten to me. I understand why they’re doing the annexation,” she stated, “they want the city to grow.”
Cobb said in January, about two months ago, the board reviewed an ordinance. “It decided to send that ordinance back to the Planning Commission for review of the 3,600 acres
and for them to work with both those in favor and those who are opposed,” Cobb explained.
He pointed out, “Our goal is to increase the community size, but this isn’t a land grab,” he wants to assure those who are against the annexation.
“We want to be a stronger community for everyone,” he continued.
Dobson acknowledged it’s been an interesting process. She and others in the group who opposed the proposed annexation want to know what impact it’s going to have on them, she said.
She emphasized they want to know, “what city ordinances would apply and wouldn’t apply to them. We don’t have a clear understanding, we want more of a defined explanation,” Dobson said.
She and her group are sure they would have to pay Wellston city sales tax which they do not pay now. “That’s more than the county sales tax,” she knows.
Dobson said the group also has questions about zoning, residential and rural, and how commercial zoning might impact them.
“We kind of want to stay in the country where we are now,” she stressed.
She indicated the group has more of an awareness now than previously. “People are coming forward and expressing how they feel,” she said.
Looking ahead, Cobb stressed, “I think the Planning Commission will continue to work on it and get it back to the board within about the next six months.”
The Planning Commission meets once a month.
“Myself and administrative staff will work on some stuff as well,” Cobb said.
Dobson pointed out, “We’ll be at every meeting going forward of both the Planning Commission and Town Board to listen, extrapolate, disseminate and to ask questions seeking more clarification and being more precise.
“They’re people who will be for it and those who are against,” she said.