Findlay debate intensifies over downtown Blanchard River park as citizens seek court order and experts differ on cleanup standard

Council members on July 1 heard a reading of a verified complaint filed in Hancock County (case no. 2025 CV 00246) by a citizens group seeking a temporary restraining order to stop city actions related to the proposed downtown North River/Blanchard River park and nearby property transfers.

The complaint, read into the record by a representative of the citizens group, asked the council to stop “spending public funds, entering contracts, passing ordinances, or transferring property” until an initiative petition collected by the group could be resolved by voters. The speaker said the suit requests a restraining order and preliminary injunction against city activity related to the project.

The city law director told council that under current case law the mere filing of the complaint does not automatically prevent council from proceeding with legislation or contracts and that the decision whether to act while litigation is pending would be a policy decision for council. The law director said the courthouse record shows the plaintiffs were given 21 days (from mid‑June) to correct procedural matters in their filing; if they fail to do so the judge could dismiss the case.

Why this matters

Council and members of the public framed the issue as both procedural and technical: procedural because residents have submitted an initiative petition seeking voter review; technical because the area identified for the park sits on parcels with a history of industrial contamination and prior brownfield work. Members of the public and outside attorneys argued the city should not proceed without more study or without using a stricter cleanup standard; city…