ASHLAND — The city wants to grow, again.
Ashland mayor Matt Miller addressed Ashland County commissioners on Thursday to petition them on an annexation in Montgomery Township near the existing industrial park.
If approved, it would mean that 5.4 acres along U.S. Route 250 would be part of the city of Ashland, thus under its utilities and maintenance responsibilities.
Miller called the series of parcels “important frontage” along U.S. Route 250.
“We already know we have a prospect that would like to purchase the land once it’s annexed into the city,” Miller told commissioners.
The mayor hinted at several projects lining up at the industrial park, the site of several manufacturing businesses. Amazon is currently constructing a $22 million “last-mile delivery station” on 22 acres of industrial park land.
Miller said any acreage the city can pick up would be helpful in achieving that goal. Also, there is one more parcel, on the west side of U.S. Route 250, the city is interested in purchasing for the purpose of annexation.
“It’s privately owned, so we talked to the owner about buying that. We haven’t reached an agreement on the price,” he said.
The city leases a facility previously known as The Saloon, at the intersection of Wells Road and U.S. Route 250. Miller said the tenant plans to vacate the building this year.
At that point, the city would demolish it and prepare the site for further industrial park development.
“If all these projects come through, we could come to a day where we will actually have utilized all that land out there. That is a true reality on the horizon,” he said.
Commissioners will vote on the annexation in 30 days.
No one from Montgomery Township was present during the commissioners’ public hearing on the matter.