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County, state attorneys and staff work to finalize recreation/conservation easement for acquired public property
Summary
State attorneys and Beaver County staff discussed a draft conservation/recreation easement for property acquired with ORI and OHP grants, focusing on permitted uses, cabins/concessions, trail and OHV access, water improvements and mapping needed before the easement is recorded.
Shane Scott, an Assistant Attorney General with the Division of Outdoor Recreation, told commissioners the department and county need clearer mapping and agreed-upon easement language before recording a conservation easement required by ORI grant terms. Scott said some parcels will carry ORI restrictions (recreation uses such as camping and fishing) and some will carry OHP-era (Off-Highway Vehicle) restrictions that preserve OHV trails and access in perpetuity. Scott said the county had entered the grant agreement before a final easement map was ready and the parties wanted to avoid recording an imprecise, perpetual easement.
County staff described existing but dilapidated cabin structures on the land that many participants said are not worth major preservation efforts; the county indicated it might buy out two privately owned cabins on the property. County staff and state attorneys discussed including “building envelopes” in the easement language to reserve limited, defined areas where future concession buildings or rental cabins could be placed without reopening the full easement.
Participants agreed the easement should explicitly preserve water and spring facilities that support existing uses; Shane Scott asked the county to identify springs, pipeline alignments and other water improvements so the easement can safeguard operations and maintenance of those features.
The Attorney General’s office and county agreed to provide a GIS-based map showing trailheads, existing OHV facilities, cabin locations and springs. The AG’s office suggested a field visit in spring to finalize language and mapping; county staff said they expected improved mapping by early summer and noted a contract/end-of-June timeline for the grant terms.
County commissioners voted during the meeting to authorize payment evidence and to move forward on related administrative items; county staff also asked the AG’s office for confirmation that no IRS charitable deduction would be claimed by private parties for this easement (AG confirmed no deduction request would be made).
