County engineer outlines conceptual stormwater and wetland plan to capture runoff, pursue Clean Ohio funding

A county engineer presented a conceptual stormwater and wetland project intended to capture sheet-flow runoff from roughly 300 acres, create a wetland and educational trail, and return treated water to existing tile infrastructure, saying the work could improve local water quality and provide public recreation.

The engineer described the runoff as visibly polluted, saying, “it’s very brown. It’s very dirty,” and argued that capturing and treating that water would reduce nutrient loads while creating conservation and educational benefits. The presenter described the proposal as preliminary and conceptual, not a finalized plan.

The project team identified Clean Ohio funds and capital-budget money as potential sources to purchase land for conservation and construction, but the engineer warned of a major constraint: Clean Ohio’s purchase rules effectively require that land bought with those funds remain committed, complicating any plan that would first trade or rearrange parcels. “If you buy the land, you’re committing that it’s committed, so we can’t then trade it,” the engineer said, describing the need to negotiate property‑exchange language and a clear agreement among owners before applying.

Presenters said two property owners control the parcels needed; one owner is reportedly willing to sell but completing the project likely requires a land swap so the county can acquire a single contiguous parcel. The team also discussed timing: Clean Ohio applications are typically due around October, so they said there is limited time to resolve ownership and agreement language if they intend to apply this cycle.

The presenters proposed a mix of strategies for long‑term maintenance, including a memorandum of understanding that would assign routine upkeep for parts of the feature to the parks department if the project becomes a public park with trails. They noted that permanent maintenance responsibilities and any cost implications must be defined before construction.

On financing, presenters said capital funds could serve as seed money and suggested the capital request might cover a portion (for example, 25 percent) of costs, but they did not provide a project cost estimate. They emphasized the county cannot cover the full cost because the work primarily benefits non‑county infrastructure and streets; instead, the county would pursue shared funding from state and capital sources and seek buy‑in from affected property owners.

Next steps identified on the record were to: (1) work with property owners to resolve trading or acquisition arrangements so a Clean Ohio application would not violate purchase rules; (2) refine a maintenance plan and any MOU with parks; and (3) prepare applications for capital and Clean Ohio funding if agreement among stakeholders can be secured. No formal vote or funding commitment was made at the meeting.

The county engineer characterized the presentation as conceptual and said further design, land agreements and funding decisions would be required before the project could move from concept to construction.