Explanation
This ordinance authorizes the Director of the Recreation and Parks Department to apply for grant funding from the Clean Ohio Conservation Fund and to provide the necessary matching funds for land acquisition. If Recreation and Parks is awarded funding, a separate piece of legislation will be submitted to enter into a grant agreement and allocate the local funds.
Background: These applications will propose to acquire fee simple and/or conservation easements along 3 of the city’s waterway corridors: Big Run (Southwest), Big Walnut (Northland), and Alum Creek (Central City).
Big Run
Two sites will preserve over 2,200 lineal feet of stream corridor, including 18.5 acres of protection. The result will be the city’s first greenways corridor project along this important stream. The sites expand the existing parkland along the stream and will expand future access opportunities to the greenway for thousands of residents in the southwest side of the city.
Big Walnut
The project will acquire a 5.35 acre site along Stygler Road. The site is adjacent to a Recreation and Parks natural area (Virginia Terrace) and across the stream from Gahanna city parklands. The acquisition includes 500 feet of stream corridor.
Alum Creek
This project will acquire a conservation easement along the central section of Alum Creek. The acquisition includes 952 lineal feet of stream corridor and approximately 4.5 acres of floodplain. The site includes 2 acres of forested area along I-670. This project would complete a preservation of both sides of Alum Creek along a 2 mile segment.
This grant will support the mission of the Recreation and Parks Master Plan by improving access to trails and greenway corridors, improving the environmental health of Columbus’ waterways, improve recreation access to streams and provide long-term protection corridors for water quality and trail development.
The conservation of stream corridor lands serve several high priority initiative val...
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