City Council adopted two pieces of legislation at their September 15 meeting which would allow the city to gain a piece of industrial property in exchange for granting a Conservation Easement on a piece of city-owned property to the West Creek Conservancy. The Conservation Easement will be filed and recorded with the Cuyahoga County Recorders’ Office.
The piece of city-owned property is located near the YMCA, east of State Road and south of Wallings Road. “We had that property by the YMCA and were interested in keeping that preserved,” said North Royalton Mayor Larry Antoskiewicz. With the Conservation Easement, the property can never be developed and must be kept in its natural condition. According to the agreement, “natural, meaning that native plants and wildlife are permitted to carry out their life cycles without undue human interference.” The agreement states that West Creek Conservancy “shall be entitled to enter in, upon, and over the entire Protected Parcel at any reasonable time and from time to time, (a) for conservation, educational and interpretive activities, (b) to monitor Grantor’s compliance with and otherwise to enforce, the terms, conditions, and restrictions of this Conservation Easement, (c) to prevent any activity or use that is inconsistent with the purposes of this Conservation Easement, (d) to require or effect restoration of such areas or features of the Protected Parcel that may be or have been damaged, and (e) to oversee Grantor’s habitat and other management activities (collectively, “Conservation Activities”). In order to preserve, protect and enhance the Conservation Values of the Protected Parcel, Grantee shall have the right to manage the Protected Parcel by performing any of the following including, but not limited to: I. planting trees, shrubs, and perennial and/or annual plants; ii. removing nuisance and/or non-native flora and fauna by any lawful means; iii. placing nesting structures for waterfowl and other birds; iv. trimming, cutting, and/or removing plants to improve habitat potential for fish, plants, and wildlife; v. restoring wetlands, “prairie lands” and other endangered habitats that have been previously disturbed, which restoration may require, without limitation, manipulation or alteration of natural water courses, lake shores, marshes, or other water bodies; vi. performing any and all maintenance or repair activities; vii. conducting biological or water quality surveys and installing scientific instrumentation ancillary.” The title to the property will remain with the city. The land is zoned PF Public Facility and is tax exempt to the city, according to Antoskiewicz.
In return for the granting of the Conservancy Easement, the city will receive a donation of a parcel on York Beta Drive, in the York Road Industrial Park from the West Creek Conservancy. According to Community Development Director, Tom Jordan, the 12-acre had been donated to the Conservancy. “They then contacted us, said Jordan. The property had been cleared and they were not interested in the property.” He said that the city had purchased a five-acre parcel next to the parcel to be donated. “We will then have 17 acres which we will be able to market,” said Jordan. “As soon as we get everything changed, such as the title transferred, we’ll put it up for sale,” said Antoskiewicz. The property in the York Road Industrial Park is valued at about $554,000 by county records.

By GLORIA PLEVA KACIK
Contributing Writer