A hilly, heavily forested parcel of land, located between three new planned subdivisions, is the township’s most recent addition, and one of its largest donations.
Anderson’s Greenspace program just grew through a substantial new donation.
A hilly, heavily forested 100 + acre parcel of property that is bordered by three proposed new single-family subdivisions is the latest Greenspace acquisition to the township’s 26-year-old property preservation program. Donated by Forestville Realty General Partnership, the site runs along Ayers, Hopper and Eight Mile roads.
The Anderson Township Board of Trustees accepted the donation last week, which will bring the total numbers of acres now preserved as Greenspace to more than 787 acres. Greenspace parcels in the program include parcels smaller than a quarter acre to a few larger than 100 acres. This donation is one of the largest acquisitions in the history of the township’s Greenspace program.
The land borders three upscale subdivisions that are being developed by Zicka Homes: The Woods at Forest Hills (48 homes) Parke Place at Coldstream (32 homes) and Parkside of Riverview Estates (20 homes). According to Planning and Zoning Director Paul Drury, the donated property is located between these three planned subdivisions and would be very challenging and expensive to develop.
“The property has mature woods, several creeks and is fairly steep,” Drury said. The donation preserves hillsides and helps protect the properties along Eight Mile Road, he said, while increasing home values for property owners, too.
Through the dictates of the Greenspace program, Anderson Township will protect the parcel in its natural state.
Township Trustee President Andrew Pappas said the donation was a “gracious gesture toward Anderson Township.”
“All told, counting county and township parks plus our preserved Greenspace, Anderson has more public protected land per citizen than most communities in the United States,” he said. “This is something we as residents can really be proud of.”
Although available monies have diminished over the past decades, Anderson’s Greenspace program committee continues to search for suitable purchase properties that meet stringent criteria. Protected Greenspace locations are dispersed all around the community, and within one-half mile of approximately 90 percent of homes in the township. Properties in the program are identified with Greenspace signs.
Anderson’s Greenspace efforts have served as a model for other communities, noted Suzanne Clingman, Greenspace inspector, as Anderson has been named Ohio’s First Greenspace Community.
Trustees are expected to close on the property by the end of 2016.