An agency that has met the requirements of sections 163.04 and 163.041 of the Revised Code, may commence proceedings in a proper court by filing a petition for appropriation of each parcel or contiguous parcels in a single common ownership, or interest or right therein. The petition of a private agency shall be verified as in a civil action. All petitions shall contain:

(A) A description of each parcel of land or interest or right therein sought to be appropriated, such as will permit ready identification of the land involved;

(B)

(1) A statement that the appropriation is necessary, for a public use, and, in the case of a public agency, a copy of the resolution of the public agency to appropriate;

(2) If the property being appropriated is a blighted parcel that is being appropriated pursuant to a redevelopment plan, a statement that shows the basis for the finding of blight and that supports that the parcel is part of a blighted area pursuant to the definition in section 1.08 of the Revised Code.

(C) A statement of the purpose of the appropriation;

(D) A statement of the estate or interest sought to be appropriated;

(E) The names and addresses of the owners, so far as they can be ascertained;

(F) A statement showing requirements of section 163.04 of the Revised Code have been met;

(G) A prayer for the appropriation.

In the event of an appropriation where the agency would require less than the whole of any parcel containing a residence structure and the required portion would remove a garage and sufficient land that a replacement garage could not be lawfully or practically attached, the appropriation shall be for the whole parcel and all structures unless, at the discretion of the owner, the owner waives this requirement, in which case the agency shall appropriate only the portion that the agency requires as well as the entirety of any structure that is in whole or in part on the required portion.

In the event of the appropriation of less than the fee of any parcel or of a fee in less than the whole of any parcel of property, the agency shall either make available to the owner or shall file in the office of the county engineer, a description of the nature of the improvement or use which requires the appropriation, including any specifications, elevations, and grade changes already determined at the time of the filing of the petition, in sufficient detail to permit a determination of the nature, extent, and effect of the taking and improvement. A set of highway construction plans shall be acceptable in providing such description for the purposes of the preceding sentence in the appropriation of land for highway purposes.

Effective Date: 09-12-1994; 2007 SB7 10-10-2007.