Auroraadvocate.com - City gets grant to preserve land

by Holly Schoenstein

Reporter

Aurora -- The city has been awarded $500,000 in state grant money to put toward the $2.9 million purchase of Spring Hill Farm, a 153-acre property that was the original homestead of the city's founder, Ebenezer Sheldon.

The "Clean Ohio" funding will be used for the Spring Hill Wetlands Conservation Project, the city's effort to preserve the property on East Pioneer Trail near the Mantua Township border.

"Any development of the Spring Hill Farm property would place the surrounding conservation properties at risk and destroy the hydrologic connection to these properties and the Chagrin River," Mayor Lynn McGill wrote in the city's grant application.

The city wants to buy the property "for the purposes of stream and wetlands conservation, rare and endangered species protection and passive public recreation and education opportunities."

According to McGill, the city was one of seven Natural Resources Assistance Council [NRAC] District 7 projects totaling $2.1 million that were funded. There are 19 NRAC districts in Ohio and four in District 7.

McGill presented the project proposal, which was prepared by himself and the Trust for Public Land, to the NRAC District 7 on Oct. 14. The city was notified Oct. 28 that it was awarded the funding.

Aurora has also applied for $2.1 million from the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency's Water Resource Restoration Sponsor Program.

IF THE CITY is awarded the additional funding, Council would decide whether to appropriate $300,000 from its land preservation fund to purchase Spring Hill Farm.

The fund was established in 2001 when the city's residents voted on the preservation ballot issue.

The TPL's option to buy Spring Hill Farm expires at the end of 2010.

"We have been working with the TPL as a sponsor in much the same manner as when we acquired the 366 acres at the Aurora Wetlands," McGill wrote in his report to Council on Nov. 16.

"The price paid for the wetlands was $5.6 million, and our portion $400,000, and the property is deeded to the city and is owned by our residents."

The city and Audubon Society of Greater Cleveland own nearly 1,500 acres of natural resources property, including those that border Spring Hill Farm -- Aurora Sanctuary, Sunny Lake, Molnar Sanctuary, Hartman farm and Blanche Novak Sanctuary.

McGill also announced Nov. 16 the Trust for Public Land purchased 53 acres on the Hawthorn side of Aurora Lake, and transferred it to the MetroParks, Serving Summit County.

The property abuts the 1,800-acre Liberty Park, which until now was not accessible to the many visitors enjoying the headwaters area of the Tinkers Creek watershed.

E-mail:

hschoenstein@recordpub.com

Phone: 330-688-0088 ext. 3152