Trustees, land conservancy seek county support for Coburg property; commissioners request legal review

Residents and local officials urged the Trumbull County Board of Commissioners during public comment Aug. 6 to back efforts by the Western Reserve Land Conservancy and local townships to preserve a roughly 300-acre property referred to in the meeting as the Coburg (Colburn) property.

Jason Tedrow of Hubbard Township said the township is pursuing a grant application and requested a county letter of support to help scoring; he said Western Reserve would sign a backing document so Hubbard would not need to raise the 25% equity match. Brookfield Township trustee Mark Farrar said Brookfield generally supports the project but asked for additional meetings involving all stakeholders so everyone has the same answers. Several attendees stressed the request at this stage is for a letter of support, not a transfer of funds or ownership.

Why it matters: If the local partners secure grant funding and a purchase agreement, the project would conserve wetlands and open-space in sections of Warren and neighboring townships. Trustees and residents said preserving the property could protect local outdoor recreation and avoid other agencies's taking control of the site.

What was said and what commissioners asked: Tedrow told the board Western Reserve has a contingent purchase agreement with the owner and that the conservancy would sign a backing document that could satisfy the program's match requirement. Farrar and other trustees pressed for clearer documentation of the ownership/purchase agreement and for a joint meeting that includes Western Reserve representatives, township trustees and county legal staff.

Julie Green of Trumbull County Planning told commissioners she had reviewed documents and said the planning commission could provide a letter of support for a land-preservation project "if it is to preserve land and there's no legal liability." She also said planners want to see the purchase agreement and a plan to split dam ownership so legal liability would not attach to the county for dam-related responsibilities.

Commissioner Rick Hernandez said the prosecutor's office should review the package and that Warren Township should be included in any EPA or state discussions. He and other commissioners emphasized they were willing to consider a letter of support once the board had the written purchase agreement, resolutions of support from Brookfield and Hubbard, and a legal review.

Residents and trustees raised timeline concerns: Tedrow said the application deadline is tight (he cited a Sept. 12 target) and that he was working in parallel to gather township resolutions, letters of support (VFW, Hubbard Schools and others), and state or federal contacts. Trustees recommended a single table meeting of all players, including the Western Reserve Land Conservancy, county planning and the prosecutor, to answer questions collectively.

Concerns about the dam and liability: Multiple speakers repeatedly separated the property-preservation effort from dam ownership. Tedrow and others said the current request does not seek to take ownership of the dam; the Community Foundation was described as assisting with locating a potential dam owner. Several trustees asked the county to confirm whether other entities (including Metroparks) had assumed or accepted liability for dam removal or related impacts; commissioners said they had not yet received that confirmation and that the prosecutor's review was necessary.

Next steps: Commissioners asked the petitioner to compile resolutions and letters of support from Brookfield and Hubbard and to deliver a single packet for review by the board and the prosecutor. Planning staff asked to see the purchase agreement and any documents demonstrating a split of dam ownership. Tedrow said he would continue outreach and return to the board once the packet was assembled.

Public-record participants: Speakers who addressed the board on this topic in the public-comment portion included Jason Tedrow (Hubbard Township), Mark Farrar (Brookfield Township trustee), Julie Green (Trumbull County Planning), and several township trustees and residents who requested a joint meeting and legal clarity.