Tuesday, October 25th, 2022
Move to aid DORA deal
City hopes to annex areas around Grand Lake
By William Kincaid
Photo by Paige Sutter/The Daily Standard
Annexing parts of West Bank road into Celina would also greatly benefit the police department, police chief Tom Wale says. Currently, the sheriff's office must respond to calls concerning parts of West Bank Road in Jefferson Township. City police could get there quicker.
CELINA - City officials want to annex parts of West Bank Road, the boardwalk running parallel to it and some areas of land within Grand Lake, largely to improve their chances of getting a designated outdoor refreshment area approved by the state.
City council members on Monday night passed first reading of legislation authorizing city administrators to submit to Mercer County commissioners an annexation petition for two tracts of state-owned property in Jefferson Township totaling 35.04 acres.
The annexation, if approved, would assist the city in its attempt to establish a DORA in Celina that would permit people to drink alcohol in DORA-designated cups outside within set boundaries from noon to 11 p.m. every day, according to mayor Jeff Hazel.
It would also help the Celina Police Department handle traffic control and other legal issues on parts of West Bank Road that are presently outside corporation limits, police chief Tom Wale added.
Earlier this year, councilors passed legislation allowing for a city DORA application to advance to the state for review. At the time an issue arose concerning the boardwalk along Grand Lake known as the Celina Rotary Walkway, which is on state property.
City officials were uncertain if the boardwalk could be included in the DORA due to alcohol restrictions on state land. Annexing the boardwalk and parts of West Bank Road into Celina should alleviate those issues, according to Hazel.
"They're willing to open up our lease of (state property) to allow for the DORA on the boardwalk if it's annexed," he told the newspaper.
The state would maintain ownership of the land and Grand Lake. Those properties would merely be added within the city's corporation limits.
"It doesn't really matter to the state. It's just going to be within the city of Celina, the annexed area," Hazel said.
Photo by Paige Sutter/The Daily Standard
Most of West Bank Road - and a majority of the boardwalk - up to the state boat ramps is currently in Jefferson Township, according to councilman Eric Lochtefeld. However, all homes and other structures are in Celina.
Most of West Bank Road - and a majority of the boardwalk - up to the state boat ramps is currently in Jefferson Township, according to councilman Eric Lochtefeld. However, all homes and other structures are in Celina, Hazel said.
Those sections of road and boardwalk, save the actual spillway, would be annexed into Celina should county commissioners give their blessing.
"We have that lease in perpetuity on the boardwalk that we maintain," Hazel explained. "So we're going to annex that boardwalk area on both sides of the spillway. That also includes West Bank Road."
"Again, that's something we've been maintaining anyway," he added.
The proposed annexation also encompasses area of land within Grand Lake where the city's breakwaters are located. The breakwaters protect the city's boardwalk from heavy wave action.
Annexing the road into Celina would also greatly benefit the police department, Wale said. Currently, the sheriff's office must respond to calls concerning parts of West Bank Road in Jefferson Township.
It often takes a longer time for sheriff's deputies who cover the entire county to respond to West Bank Road than city police officers, Wale said.
"When we have property owners on one side of the road having issue with their boat dock and their boat, when they call us … well, then we have to call the sheriff's department out to. handle it," Wale said.
Photo by Paige Sutter/The Daily Standard
City officials aim to annex parts of West Bank Road, the boardwalk running parallel to it and some areas of land within Grand Lake, all of which are presently under jurisdiction of Jefferson Township.
