Darby Creek Advocate Volume 10, Issue 1  March 2002

Ballot Initiative to Miss May Ballot After All

 

The Darby ballot initiative sponsored by PEER, or Progress with Economic and Environmental Responsibility, has been ruled ineligible for the May ballot by the Franklin County Board of Elections.

The initiative, if passed, would have forbidden new Columbus development in the Darby watershed for five years. After submitting the required number of signatures, PEER was originally informed that the initiative would be put on the May ballot. However, at the last minute Columbus officials ruled that the
signatures were invalid because they had not been notarized. The signatures were accompanied by affidavits signed by petition circulators, but under the city charter “affadavit” is defined as a notarized signature.

PEER appealed to the Ohio Supreme Court, which ruled that the Board of Elections should make the decision. The board ruled in favor of the city.

City Council had already rejected the proposed moratorium on growth, citing concerns that Franklin County would step in and allow development with alternative sewage treatment systems. However, a majority of county commissioners have since voiced opposition to such developments (see article in this issue).

The impetus for the initiative, according to PEER, was the lack of a comprehensive watershed protection plan in Columbus.

PEER is preparing to collect signatures for a spot on the November ballot. The group will need only about half the signatures this time around due to lower voter turnout in the 2001 election.