Brunswick accepts petition for annexation from Hinckley for Drug Mart property

BRUNSWICK — After a yearslong legal process, Drug Mart's property will be annexed from Hinckley Township to Brunswick. Brunswick City Council accepted the petition for annexation for the approximately 5-acre piece of property at Center Road and West 130th Street during its meeting Monday. The petition for annexation was filed in February 2023, an annexation hearing was held in April 2023, and the Medina County commissioners granted the petition for annexation in May 2023. Later that year, the Medina County Court of Common Pleas affirmed the commissioners' decision to grant the petition. Hinckley Township then pursued appealing the decision at the 9th District Court of Appeals. In 2025, the 9th District Court affirmed the judgment of the Common Pleas Court. Hinckley argued the conditions were not met for annexation in its appeal. For instance, a claim was made that West 130th Street would be segmented in a way to create a road maintenance problem. The assignment of error was overruled because Brunswick has a preexisting maintenance agreement with Medina County, so the county would maintain the stretch of road before and after an annexation. Another condition of annexation is that the general good of the territory will be served, and the benefits of annexation outweigh the detriments for the area. Court documents state the good of the territory will be served because the property owner receives a 100 percent tax abatement when annexed into Brunswick, which would provide more than $600,000 in tax savings. A 50 percent tax abatement from Hinckley for the property was voted down in 2022 but was later approved after the petition for annexation was filed. "The board (of commissioners) pointed out that the property manager indicated at the hearing that, based on his experience with both Hinckley and Brunswick, it would be easier and more economical to develop the property through Brunswick," court documents state. The 9th District Court also overruled the assignment of error regarding benefits outweighing detriments of annexation. Hinckley trustee Jack Swedyk said the township decided to not pursue the matter further since it does not want to waste taxpayer dollars. "Police, fire, everything that goes along with Brunswick city will now be provided by Brunswick to that area that's been annexed," he said. "It was their choice to make, so it is what it is." Trustee Monique Ascherl said she is abstaining from making a comment regarding Drug Mart because Drug Mart is a customer of her place of employment. She said she did not have the job when the tax abatement was originally voted on. Trustee Cindy Engleman was not a trustee for the township until 2024. Contact reporter Madisyn Woodring at (330) 721-4049 or mwoodring@medina-gazette.com.