Larch Tree, located on North Snyder Road, is among the many acres of land that Five Rivers is trying to acquire through purchase option agreements.These agreements have to do with 8.4 acres of the Young Family Trust on Frytown Road next to Possum Creek MetroPark, nearly 14 acres of the Grambsch Family land on Eby Road near the Twin Creek MetroParks, nearly 14 acres of the Mitchell Property on Old Springfield Road in Vandalia near the Taylorsville MetroPark and an easement with the City of Dayton regarding some land on Riverside Drive that runs between Siebenthaler and Ridge Avenues.
In April, the parks organization spent aproximately $72,500 to get 20 acres of Shilohbrook, LLC property off of Ohio 48 near the Shiloh Woods Conservation area, which makes up several jurisdictions in Montgomery County.
Five Rivers would like to turn Larch Tree, an 18-hole golf course property, into conservation land and make it a part of the 360-acre Great Miami Wetland Mitigation Bank conservation area that sits adjacent to the golf course, according to Dave Nolin, Five Rivers director of Conservation.
The total out of pocket costs for Five Rivers for all these projects, including Larch Tree, is $329,356, according to Nolin.
The parks organization has over 15,500 acres of land that it owns, leases or protects. Plus, the parks organization has received approximately $1.7 million in Clean Ohio grant money for their 2013 and 2014 projects, according to Nolin.
Larch Tree’s purchase option agreement allows Five Rivers 150 days to get funding to help acquire and cleanup the 200-acre property and do an environmental assessment of the property. Nolin added that this assessment is set to begin soon.
If all goes well, Five Rivers could close on the property mid-summer, according to Nolin.
Montgomery County Auditor’s records show that Bearcreek Farms, Inc. took the old golf course from Steve R. Rauch in June of 2012, the same year the golf course closed due to lack of business. However, Rauch is listed as the incorporator for Bearcreek Farms for records filed in the Ohio Secretary of State’s office.
Rauch bought the property for $600,000 from Financial Services, Inc. in April of 2012.
“Our purpose is to protect natural areas, parks and corridors to promote the conservation use of land and waterways,” Nolin said. He added that Five Rivers plans for Larch Tree would certainly fit into the parks organization’s vision. “Preserving our natural heritage, means preserving habitat and that’s for wildlife and native plants and animal communities. They have to have a home and that’s one of the main things that we do. Provide homes for wildlife.”
City of Trotwood officials are hoping the sale occurs.
“Five Rivers MetroParks will be an excellent public steward of the former Larch Tree property,” said Michael Lucking, Trotwood’s city manager.
Five Rivers officials were also attracted to golf course because it also sits adjacent to Sycamore State Park.
“By acquiring (Larch Tree), we join the state park with our mitigation bank. Altogether, it’s about 3,000 acres of protected open space,” Nolin said.
About the Author