Mosquito Creek seen from a trail on the North Road Nature Preserve, located Northwest of the proposed Cafaro Company Enterprise Park building site. Photo by Allie Vugrincic

HOWLAND — Township trustees this week approved an environmental agreement with North Eastwood LLC and the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency giving the township stewardship over 38 acres of wetlands east of Mosquito Creek.

The land, which comes as a “donation” from Cafaro Corporation and subsidiary North Eastwood LLC, was deemed unsuitable for building and is different than the adjacent proposed Enterprise Park project site, which would be separated by retention ponds and several hundred feet, according to Cafaro spokesperson Joe Bell.

The controversial complex, which is awaiting approval from the EPA, would include a proposed $250 million hospital, expected to be occupied by Mercy Health, and would sit on just under 16 acres of what is now wetlands.

The project is far from dead in the water, with an EPA ruling expected soon, Bell said.

Bell said the donation of this section of wetlands was always part of the mitigation proposal, which separately calls for 2.5 wetland credits to be purchased for every disturbed acre of wetland.

“It would be a wonderful area to preserve some of the character of the ecology,” Bell said.

Bell said the site near Eastwood Mall was selected only after commercial real-estate brokers contracted by Mercy Health surveyed more than 30 sites, determining Enterprise Park was the only one to meet all the criteria. Maps of the proposed site and outlines of other surveyed sites, including Old Avalon Golf Course and some North River Road and Parkman Road properties, were released publicly.

According to the resolution, North Eastwood LLC remains owner of the property but the township will be tasked with preservation of the area. No trails or other construction will be allowed on the property, which Howland trustee Rick Clark said will “remain unscathed.”

“It’ll stay forever natural,” Clark said.

He said the township already has preserved some 800 acres of wetlands.

Seven people attended the trustee meeting to speak against the action.

Colleen McLean, an associate professor of environmental science at Youngstown State University, said an online petition to deny development permits on the Mosquito Creek wetlands has accumulated over 400 signatures. The petition says wetlands protect from flooding, safeguard water quality, and preserve biodiversity.

McLean said high quality wetlands like those along the creek bank must be protected by law.

“They are not in good faith donating land,” McLean said.

She also was concerned trustees, who, according to the township administrator, received the resolution at 9 a.m. the morning before the 6 p.m. meeting, did not have adequate time to review it.

McLean said the township planning director and zoning administrator also did not see the document before the vote.

Clark said the law director reviewed and approved the document, which was provided by North Eastwood LLC.

Resident Jack Mullen of North Road said the wetlands behind the Eastwood Mall are “high quality wetlands with endangered species there,” and said economic development can be achieved somewhere else.

Mullen’s property lies about 2,000 feet north of the proposed building site and is home to a plethora of animal and plant life. Mullen said he’s seen coyotes, wild turkeys and deer on his property, while hunters have reported seeing bald eagles and river otters in the area.

Last fall, Mullen said he found a blue spotted salamander hibernating in his garden, and he said his property is home to other rare species, including nodding rattlesnake-root and gray birch, which have been on and off the threatened list in Ohio.

He said if the project goes through, he and others will appeal the decision and have experts lined up to provide support on their position.

Clark said the goal is to keep economic development in Howland.

“The people that opposed this at the meeting last night are environmentalists and are concerned about the wetlands there,” said Clark. “We understand their concerns…that being said, the Cafaro Corporation could have struck this agreement with either Warren or Niles and excluded Howland, and because they decided to include us, we appreciate that.”

Reporter Bob Coupland contributed to this story.