Mill Creek Park, Lordstown weigh land-sewer deal

Lordstown looks to reduce the cost of sanitary sewers, its mayor says.
By TIM YOVICH
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
LORDSTOWN -- Village council is considering helping Mill Creek MetroParks buy land in Boardman in exchange for a state low-interest loan to expand Lordstown's sewer system.
On Monday, village lawmakers will discuss applying to the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency to sponsor the park district's purchase of 168 acres at the southern end of Mill Creek Park.
"It's imperative that this area be saved and not developed," Susan Dicken, the MetroParks' executive director, said Friday.
The 168 acres are west of the Ohio Turnpike and front Western Reserve Road. The western border is Tippecanoe Road and is adjacent to 117 acres the district has already bought.
Dicken explained that the expansion would increase the size of the park to nearly 3,000 acres.
The money to buy the land will come from private donations and a $1.6 million grant MetroParks will apply for under Lordstown's sponsorship.
Help with project
Dicken said that park districts can't sponsor themselves for the grant application, so they require sponsorship from a local government. Any local government could be the sponsor, but Lordstown has a need. Being a sponsor won't cost the village any money and could help with its sewer project, she added.
Ron Barnhart, director of the village's planning and zoning department, said if the grant is approved, Lordstown -- in a separate dealing -- can apply for a low-interest state loan to help fund expansion of the village's sanitary sewer system.
Barnhart said between $6 million and $10 million is needed to construct the system in the eastern section of the village.
Barnhart said the interest on a state loan will be lower than the rate normally permitted.
"Anything to lower the cost [of sewers], we'll do," said Mayor Michael A. Chaffee.
The village is looking to provide sanitary sewers to its east end.
Valuable for community
Meanwhile, Dicken said she thinks the 168 acres is a "high-priority project" because it concerns the community's quality of water and health.
The idea, she noted, is to preserve and maintain wetlands, open space and natural areas. About 100 acres of the land the district wants to buy is wetlands.
If the land becomes part of the park, Dicken said, the district can inventory the habitat and become involved in land stewardship. Development, she pointed out, could add to flooding.
Another reason to keep the land undeveloped, Dicken said, is because it's part of the Meander Creek watershed, and would help reduce contaminants making their way into Meander Reservoir.
The reservoir is operated by the Mahoning Valley Sanitary District, which sells treated bulk water to Youngstown, Niles and McDonald for resale to their customers.
The Eastgate Regional Council of Governments, a regional planning agency, has formed the Environmental Planning Advisory Committee, or EPAC, to look at Mahoning Valley issues such as open space preservation and quality drinking water to improve the quality of life.
yovich@vindy.com