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If you follow us on Facebook, you’ve probably seen community members share questions and comments with us. To make it easier for everyone to find that information in one place, we’ve collected those questions here and provided thoughtful, thorough responses—along with the sources we used. The merger involves many details, and it’s difficult to cover everything in a quick Facebook post. We'll warn you, some responses are long, but we hope you'll take the time to read them and think through the issues to make an informed choice.
Check back on a regular basis for additions to this section!
Question/Comment: Your Facebook name is deceptive. A yes vote would completely abolish the township.
Our Answer: It’s unfortunate that the name of our Facebook group – Yes 4 St Albans Township – has caused concern. The name was chosen carefully to reflect the two main goals of the merger initiative: 1) to give St. Albans Township residents the same constitutional protections that come with being part of a municipality, especially protection from annexation into neighboring cities that don’t share our goal of remaining rural, and 2) to give township residents more say over growth and development by influencing who provides water and sewer services within the township. Village residents already enjoy these protections, but township residents do not.
You are correct that a “YES” vote means the governmental structure of St. Albans Township would no longer exist. But here’s the reality: names on a map can change, while the people, the land, and the community remain. That lasting legacy is what we are working to protect.
As for concerns about confusion: we have great faith in the voters. We trust that the residents of this community are capable of reviewing the facts, asking questions, and making their own informed decisions. Our job is to provide clear and accurate information, and we are committed to doing exactly that.
In the end, it is far more important to save the land and preserve the community than to preserve a name on a map.
Question/Comment: Your page states "nearby cities can easily annex (take) land." Only a property owner can begin the process of annexation and only the property owner has the authority to allow or disallow annexation. Nobody can just "take" your land.
Our Answer: We agree, the word “take” isn’t the best way to describe annexation, and we’ve updated that language on the website so there’s no confusion. But the rest of your comment isn’t completely accurate. Annexation law is complicated, and it includes some lesser-known procedures that can affect landowners.
Most people think of annexation as one property owner with one parcel of land filing a petition to join a city or village. That’s one type of annexation, but Ohio law actually allows for several different types. In total, there are four types of landowner-initiated annexation:
One “majority owner” procedure
Three “100% owner” expedited procedures, which developers often use when bringing larger areas of township land into municipalities.
All of these begin when landowners file a petition with the county commissioners. R.C. 709.02, 709.021.
In this response, we’ll focus on the majority petition procedure, which can be truly alarming for individual landowners in an unincorporated township like St. Albans. Here’s how it works:
Only 51% of landowners in an area proposed to be annexed need to sign the petition to start the annexation process.
The petition goes to the county commissioners, who must schedule a public hearing within 60–90 days.
Notice of the hearing is sent to the city or village, the township(s), nearby landowners, and is also published in the local newspaper. R.C. 709.02–709.12
At the hearing, the township can present evidence on six “technical requirements” for annexation. R.C. 709.032(B). Any individual can also speak for or against the annexation, or file written statements. R.C. 709.032(C).
After the hearing, the county commissioners must decide within 30 days. They are required to approve the annexation if all six conditions are met:
The petition meets legal requirements.
The signers are current owners, and they make up at least a majority of owners in the area.
The municipality to which landowners are seeking annexation has passed an ordinance promising services to the annexed area and has given a timeline.
The area is not “unreasonably large.”
The benefits of annexation outweigh the drawbacks (the “general good” of the territory will be served), and the benefits to the territory and the surrounding area will outweigh the detriments if the annexation petition is granted
Roads are not divided in a way that creates maintenance problems (unless the municipality agrees to take over maintenance).
R.C. 709.033
The township’s consent is not required. If annexation is approved, the township may appeal in court, but unless the appeal succeeds, the annexation will move forward. For more information, see the County Commissioners Association of Ohio “County Commissioners Annexation Handbook”
So, even though you'll still own it, under Ohio law your land can be annexed into a municipality without your personal consent, as long as a majority of landowners in your area support it.
Question/Comment: The opening statement on your website implies that in order to keep our neighborhoods safe we must merge, but I feel our neighborhoods are already safe and will continue to be.
Our Answer: Our neighborhoods are safe today, and that’s something we all value. But safety isn’t just freedom from crime. It also means streets that are safe and manageable, and land uses that fit well together. Right now, we benefit from low crime rates, light traffic, and protections from incompatible land uses through township and municipal zoning.
However, zoning isn’t foolproof, and township land is inherently more vulnerable to annexation than land inside a municipality. Annexation is almost always initiated by the property owner, not the township or municipality. Once a petition is filed to annex township land to a municipality, the county commissioners decide the outcome — the township has no authority to deny the petition (R.C. 709.02, 709.023). Historically, the risk of annexation in St. Albans Township has been low because much of the land was owned by neighbors and families who had lived on or farmed it for generations, and because most parcels were not contiguous to a municipality.
That has changed. Property developers are now purchasing large, connected parcels of unincorporated township land in nearby communities and petitioning to have that land annexed into neighboring municipalities to unlock development potential. A clear example is Jersey Township, right next door. Nearly half of Jersey Township -- roughly 6,000 acres -- has been annexed into the City of New Albany since 2002, with 3,000 of those acres annexed in 2022 alone. (The Newark Advocate, Nov. 12, 2024) This shows how quickly the character and governance of township land can change once annexation pressures increase. We can't assume St. Albans Township would be exempt from the same practices and pressures.
Annexation has direct consequences for neighborhood safety. If unincorporated township land is annexed into a municipality that prioritizes rapid development, it could lead to denser construction, higher traffic volumes, or incompatible land uses near existing neighborhoods. These changes increase safety risks — more cars on the road, greater strain on emergency services, and more potential for land-use conflicts.
A merger between St. Albans Township and the Village of Alexandria creates one new municipality whose residents share common goals: maintaining rural character, encouraging responsible growth, and keeping our existing neighborhoods safe. Being part of a municipality aligned with these shared values allows the local community to guide land use, manage traffic, preserve the character of the area, and ensure safety measures are implemented effectively.
Once land is incorporated into a municipality, it cannot be easily detached. (Ohio State Bar Association, "What You Should Know About Annexation," May 23, 2016) This protects neighborhoods from being pulled into urban expansion against residents’ wishes and helps keep zoning protections intact. Rather than leaving the township exposed to piecemeal annexation and a patchwork of township versus municipal rules, a merger provides a proactive, unified approach to planning, growth, and public safety.
With population growth and increasing development pressures, the risks to safety shift over time — more traffic congestion, potential for higher crime, and development that may not fit with the existing community. A merger allows us to address these challenges proactively, keeping our neighborhoods safe not just today, but for generations to come.
Question/Comment: The transition plan is being touted as if it cannot be immediately changed via legislation as soon as the new village council takes office, but it can be changed at any point thereafter. I'm not saying the conditions set forth will be changed but it is absolutely possible and more likely as time goes on and the new village grows.
Our Answer: We reviewed our website and can't find any instance where we stated or implied that the merger transition plan, developed by the independent Merger Commission, “can't be changed.” What we did include was a link to the transition plan, which is posted on the Commission’s website. Nevertheless, we're happy to address your comment here.
It's true that under Ohio law a future village council would retain the ability to make legislative changes after a merger—just as any elected body can. However, there is an important distinction between what is possible and what is probable.
The transition plan is not just a set of suggestions; it is a legally required framework adopted through the merger process and presented to voters. R.C. 709.45 requires the merger commission to prepare a comprehensive plan for the new municipality, and that plan is part of what the electors vote on. Once approved, it establishes the initial governmental structure and policies for the new village.
While R.C. 731.17 gives village councils the authority to adopt, amend, or repeal ordinances, that power is subject to the accountability of elections and the requirement of public process. Any future changes would have to go through council action, public notice, and, in some cases, be subject to referendum under R.C. 731.29.
The transition plan provides both structure and predictability at the outset of the merger. Suggesting that it will “likely” be undone over time overstates the case. The mere possibility of change should not be confused with a probability that it will happen, especially given the strong role of community oversight, the weight of voter approval, and the public interest in stability.
Question/Comment: It's implied that townships have to follow state law but municipalities don't, and this is incorrect. Obviously both have to follow state law, and state law is what governs what each entity has the authority to do.
Our Answer: While we don't agree that we've implied that a municipality is above the law, this is still a great question/comment. You're correct that both townships and municipalities in Ohio must comply with state law. Neither operates independently of state authority.
Your question raises some related issues worth clarifying:
Townships can only do what the Ohio Revised Code specifically authorizes. Their ability to act is very limited, even when residents might want something different.
Municipalities also must follow state law, but under Ohio’s Home Rule Amendment (Ohio Constitution, Article XVIII, §3), they are given broader authority to govern on behalf of their residents. This doesn’t mean “control” — it means that residents themselves, through their local representatives, can adopt ordinances or even a charter that reflect their priorities and concerns, so long as those laws don’t conflict with general state laws.
This distinction shows up in several practical areas:
Zoning and Land Use: Municipalities can create land-use rules that reflect residents’ wishes for rural character, historic preservation, or neighborhood quality. Township zoning is more restricted and less defensible if challenged. Euclid v. Ambler Realty Co., 272 U.S. 365 (1926); Westlake v. Mascot Petroleum Co., 61 Ohio St.3d 161 (1991); Osborne v. Van Wert County Bd. of Zoning Appeals, 2 Ohio St.2d 42 (1965); Bd. of Twp. Trustees of Springfield Twp. v. Gorsuch, 20 Ohio St.2d 107 (1969)
Finances: Municipal residents can choose to support services through income taxes or other fiscal tools, while townships are limited almost entirely to property tax levies.
Local Services: Municipalities may respond to local needs by establishing police, fire/EMS, utilities, and road services. Townships provide only the services state law spells out, relying heavily on the county sheriff and county government.
Protecting Community Identity: Municipalities are in a stronger position to guard their borders and prevent unwanted annexation, while townships can lose land and tax base if annexation occurs.
Economic Development Tools: Municipalities have a wide range of state-authorized economic development powers, including Tax Increment Financing (TIFs, R.C. 5709.40 et seq.), Community Reinvestment Areas (CRAs, R.C. 3735.65 et seq.), Joint Economic Development Districts (JEDDs, R.C. 715.70), New Community Authorities (NCAs, R.C. 349), and the ability to issue certain types of development bonds. These tools allow municipalities to partner with businesses, guide growth, and capture revenue for infrastructure and services — all within a framework that residents and their elected representatives can shape. Townships have far fewer tools. Some townships may use TIFs (R.C. 5709.73), and they can participate in JEDDs with municipal partners, but their options are limited compared to municipalities. Most major incentive programs (like CRAs) are not available to townships on their own.
Bottom line: Both municipalities and townships are bound by state law, but municipalities are given greater flexibility to respond to their residents’ concerns, guide growth, and use a broader set of tools to strengthen their local economy.
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