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Girard acquiring ex-railroad property

GIRARD — After 15 years, Girard has reached an agreement with the Youngstown Belt Railroad Co. to acquire 40 acres of former railroad property for the city to use for recreational purposes.

City council this week reached a lease and right-of-entry agreement with the railroad in the city’s pending litigation on the matter.

Law Director Brian Kren said the settlement was reached with the railroad after the issue to get the property was first raised under former Law Director Mark Standohar in 2006.

“This matter has been going on for some time, and we now can put it to rest. We have reached the best offer for the city,” Kren said.

He said the vacant property is located along the Mahoning River, west of U.S. Route 422 and west of the golf dome property.

“The city has wanted to acquire the property for recreation, for bike paths and trails and possible recreational fields,” Kren said.

He said when litigation first was filed, the railroad had been in the process of possibly selling the property for a landfill.

Kren said the litigation took time because of questions regarding whether a county court had jurisdiction over the case and eminent domain applied, or if the matter fell under federal courts and a federal transportation board.

Kren said the railroad company is leasing the 40 acres to the city for 99 years for $1. After 99 years the property will be turned over to the city.

The city will be able to access the property without crossing any active railroads. Kren said the city will lease a small strip of land on the northern end of the property so residents do not have to cross any railroad on their bikes.

“This has been a long time coming,” Mayor James Melfi said.

Melfi has said the case Girard brought against the Youngstown Belt Railroad Co., Genesee and Wyoming Railroad Inc., was heard in Trumbull County Common Pleas Court.

Melfi said the city has been interested in the property — which is adjacent to the former Ohio Leatherworks site and near the Mahoning River — for a bike trail that eventually will connect Girard with the Western Reserve Greenway Trail.

“It has been all these years and here is where we are at. We are pretty excited about it,” Melfi has said.

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