Howland Trustees voted to approve an agreement where 31 acres of township property will be annexed to Niles. 
 
The owner of the land wanted to leave Howland,  join the city of Niles, and use its services and was not interested in staying a part of Howland.
 
Back in 2019, Niles city council took action to require about 25% of Howland property owners contiguous to the city who receive city utilities be annexed into Niles.
 
But an agreement that was hammered out,  will allow the residents who want to remain in Howland to do just that and still receive water and electric services from Niles.
 
"Those residents do not have to agree to go to the city of Niles. They do not have to pay a development fee, so this agreement does allow the property issue here to go to the city of Niles to be developed under Niles laws. But it also protects all of those residents in Howland and Vienna Township who have existing utilities with the city," Howland Township Trustee Matthew Vansuch said.
 
"We tried other options. There are a lot of pipes in the ground and wires in the air. We tried to get Ohio Edison to switch over utilities, but they wouldn't it is extremely expensive, and the pipes in the ground are a different issue, so those with a Niles water bill don't have to worry about going to the city of Niles, Vansuch added. "Back in the 70's and 80's laws only allowed one type of annexation. They get to decide where it goes. We can't impose a type two annexation on the property owner. The property owner has to agree on that. Without him wanting to do that we were left with no other options," Trustee Vansuch said.
 
If Niles extends a sewer line over to the annexed 31 acres of land and any property owners are required to tap in due to state health laws, they will not be required to annex into Niles. But they would still be responsible for tap-in fees if the health department or Ohio EPA requires property owners to tap into the lines.
 
No one knows where the lines will be placed when the property is developed.
 
Vienna Trustees will vote on the issue on Monday.
 
Then next Thursday Trumbull County Commissioners will vote on the agreement.
 
If all parties approve the agreement as it pertains to those 31 acres exemptions will be in effect for 20 years. If all parties want to get out then the agreement will renew for five years, then renew for another five years.