Land Acquisitions Started With Desire For Recreational, Scenic Spaces
By Jim Havens, Granville Township Trustee
This is another in a series of Granville Township newspaper articles, this one covering open and recreation property acquisition.
FIRST OF TWO PARTS
During the last election, township officials received inquiries concerning the township's recreation and open-space property-acquisition program.
In 1991, the township began a deliberate program of purchasing property for community ownership. Since that time, it has acquired 753 acres of recreational and open space through outright property purchases and development-easement purchases.
Funds for these purchases have come from several sources. They include unrestricted funds from our general account, Opera House settlement proceeds paid into our general account, and funds from two open-space acquisition levies.
Some community members have asked how the trustees have decided which properties to purchase. Others are simply interested in knowing where these properties are located. This article will address the history of the property-acquisition program, its funding, and the community-input functions that have guided this process.
Insurance Proceeds Used - The township received approximately $500,000 of insurance and lawsuit proceeds for the fire loss of the Granville Opera House in 1989. The township formed the Opera House Settlement Committee Dec. 20, 1989, which consisted of nine village and township residents to make recommendations for the use of those funds. That committee completed its work and issued a report July 5, 1990. The report recommended "purchase recreational land and areas of natural beauty/preservation of green space."
The report further suggested that the township seek Village and Township approval of a levy "…for the purchase of land for parks and for the preservation of some open spaces and attractive natural features." Thus was born the Granville Township recreational and open-space acquisition program.
At the time, an area of property now known as Salt Run Park, located between Ohio 16 and Silver Street, was under threat of development. The first purchase of recreational property was completed in 1991. The second purchase is the property now known as Raccoon Valley Park.
The original joint comprehensive plan was completed in December 1990 and accepted by the township and village in 1991. That plan notes the severe shortage of recreational space in the community. The Ohio Legislature enacted Ohio Revised Code 5705.19(HH). This new law permitted townships to pass real estate tax levies for the acquisition of open space through outright purchases of land and development easements. Unlike the Opera House insurance proceeds, which are held in our general fund and are "unrestricted," open space levy proceeds are "restricted," in that these purchases are for preservation of open space, and uses on these purchases are more restrictive and regulated by law.
Granville Township became the first township in Ohio to pass an open-space levy. The 1-mill levy became effective in 1998. It was renewed by popular vote in 2001. After initial passage, the township trustees appointed a broad, community-based citizen group, which included a member of Village Council (Dan Bellman), a village planning member (Keith Myers), and former township trustee (Paul Treece).
The report of that committee recommended purchasing property of:· Natural or scenic beauty
· Unusual geological significance
· Land and wetlands above the Raccoon Valley aquifer
· Open vistas and strategic watersheds in general
Township trustees received the report of that committee Aug. 5, 1998