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Council committee approves $2.7M deal to move airport wetlands to Grafton under EPA rules
Summary
The Transportation & Mobility Committee approved an amended ordinance to contract with West Creek Conservancy to create approximately 24 acres of wetlands in Grafton to replace about 8 acres on the Cleveland Hopkins airfield, an action tied to EPA watershed rules and FAA safety recommendations and estimated at $2.7 million.
The Transportation and Mobility Committee voted to move forward with an amended ordinance authorizing the director of port control to contract with West Creek Conservancy to design and implement wetland mitigation offsite, creating replacement wetlands in the township of Grafton so wetlands on the airport airfield can be removed.
Assistant Director Dennis Kramer said wetlands were created on the airport campus decades ago when runways were constructed and that the wetlands are a wildlife attractant that can be hazardous to aircraft. He told the committee officials have identified a parcel in Grafton that meets EPA watershed requirements and would accommodate creation of roughly 24 acres of wetlands to replace approximately 8 acres currently on the airfield—consistent with the EPA’s cited 3:1 mitigation ratio.
Council members asked whether sites within the City of Cleveland had been pursued and whether the city or county land bank had capacity; Kramer said available wetland sites within Cleveland are extremely limited and that this opportunity in Grafton meets federal watershed criteria. Councilman Casey said, “This is not without opposition,” reflecting local concerns about removing wetlands from the city and the cost.
The ordinance was amended to require the director to notify the clerk whenever cooperative agreements under the ordinance are signed; the amendment passed following a roll-call as recorded in committee and the ordinance was moved as amended. Kramer confirmed the estimated $2.7 million cost would be paid from airport enterprise funds, which are supported by airline rates and fees.
The FAA recommended removing wetlands from the airfield in recent inspections, Kramer said, though he noted the FAA’s advice is a recommendation rather than a direct federal mandate on wetland replacement; EPA watershed rules, not FAA requirements, determine where mitigation must be created.
What’s next: The ordinance will be processed as amended and staff will proceed with contracting with West Creek Conservancy and necessary EPA approvals for site design, acquisition and mitigation work.
