WARREN — Hubbard Township Trustee Jason Tedrow told Trumbull County commissioners about the township’s effort to take control of the Coalburg Lake property to preserve it for recreation and other uses during Wednesday’s weekly commissioners meeting.

Tedrow said it likely will not cost either the township or the county any money to obtain the property because the value of the currently privately-owned land would be enough to cover the cost of acquisition. Its owner, Coalburg Land Partners LLC, is expected to sell at a discounted price in order to make the acquisition work, according to Tedrow.

The Hubbard trustee has been seeking letters of support for the project from the county, Brookfield trustees and Hubbard schools, as well as several state and federal officials to provide to Western Reserve Land Conservancy in order to earn points for a grant that would be used to purchase the property.

The property is projected to be sold for an estimated $1.3 million. A 25% local match is needed. “Western Reserve is going to sign a backing document, so we (the township) have no obligation to do that ourselves,” Tedrow said. “We want to take ownership of property that’s in our own back yard.”

Tedrow said there is a Sept. 12 deadline to complete the grant application.

Commissioner Denny Malloy questioned if Brookfield is supportive of the plan because approximately 183 acres of the property is in that township.

Brookfield Township Trustee Mark Ferrara said Brookfield officials support Hubbard’s project in theory, but there are still unanswered questions.

“We want additional meetings with all the players together,” he said. “So all will have the same answers together. There’s more than 300 acres there. Brookfield does not own it, but we are part of it.”

“This is valuable property and we want to see it developed productively,” Ferrara said. “The dam, no pun intended, is an issue.”

Malloy questioned whether the property owners support the proposal.

“There is a purchase agreement (between the owners and Western Reserve Land Conservancy),” Tedrow said.

He emphasized the effort taking place is for the Coalburg Lake property, not for the Coalburg dam property.

Tedrow said he is willing to work with the property owner to address the sale of the dam, but that is not part of this project.

“There are three class III wetlands on the property, Little Yankee Run on the property and a lot of history on the property,” he said.

Malloy questioned what conservation efforts are being taken.

“We do have to get letters of support from conservation organizations,” he said. “We are trying to preserve the property.”

Commissioner Tony Bernard told Tedrow the commissioners need to receive a package that will include all of the supporting documents.

LEAVITTSBURG DAM

Also at Wednesday’s meeting, a critic of the dam removal in Leavittsburg argued that an official of the Trumbull Park County MetroParks board has been stating Leavittsburg officials waited too long to stop the dam from being demolished.

Warren Trustee Kay Andersson said the township’s arguments began in 2019 and continue today. Malloy said the county has, in the past, attempted to set up meetings between the park board, township officials and the commissioners, but park board officials refused to meet with them.

Malloy said since the commissioners meeting last week, he had spoken with Ohio EPA Director John Logue, who had spoken with someone with Trumbull MetroParks when it was decided not to have a meeting.

“So there is still a chance of a meeting,” Malloy. “He thought everything was settled in the courts. He did not know the back story, which I clued him into what occurred. I told him of our opinion of never having an opportunity to go to courts, testify or have witnesses.,” he said. “They were open to having a meeting to see if there is anything that the EPA can do.

“I did say my biggest concern was they (EPA) funded the MetroParks to do this,” Malloy said. “If there are ramifications, will the EPA back up and pay for it?

BIKEWAY

Commissioners also approved legislation needed to complete the Trumbull County portion of the Western Reserve Greenway Bike Trail in Howland and Weathersfield, as well as Warren and Niles. The local match required for the project will be paid for through the Clean Ohio Trail Fund, $500,000; a capital appropriations grant award of $242,500; and a second capital appropriation award of $72,750.

“These are the last funds needed to allow the work to be done,” Nicholas Coggins, deputy director of the Trumbull County Planning Department, said.