CANFIELD — Township trustees have accepted a land donation to be used for a bike trail connector.

A snag in the project needs to be worked out, however, among the township, the Mahoning County Planning Commission and landowners that could affect $496,980 in funding.

The land accepted by the township is a donation of 1.4731 acres from the Neff Land Development Co. for the future development of The Robert and Maxine Neff Memorial Bike Trail. This trail would serve as a connector between the Mill Creek MetroParks and Canfield Township Park.

The connector would allow residents to access the bike trail at Canfield Township Park, and it would create a new resting spot between the MetroPark’s trailhead and the Kirk Road trailhead, which are each two miles away.

The entire connector project would run along the back edge of the Mahoning County Career and Technical Center property, cut across a section of the Neff property where it would turn northward, then run down the center of Canfield Township Park.

As announced during Tuesday’s trustees meeting, funding sources for the project are the Clean Ohio Trails Fund, the Transportation Alternatives Program, and the Mahoning County commissioners for a total of $496,980.

BRAKES APPLIED

Township administrator Keith Rogers said the Mahoning County Planning Commission didn’t have a problem with the project, but when it went before the county engineer’s survey department, the brakes were applied.

“If it doesn’t happen, we could lose that funding,” he told trustees.

The problem involves roughly six acres of Neff land that would be cut off by the bike trail connector. It would end up with the connector on the west and south sides of the six acres and city property on the rest of the borders. Rogers said that land locks the property from the township, and the county survey department would not permit that to happen.

“One way we can do it is by passing the resolution to accept the 1.4731 acres tonight, then ask the landowners to donate the landlocked six acres that could be added to the township park as a wildlife habitat area,” Rogers said.

Trustee Chairman Brian Governor asked Rogers what would happen if the large section of the Neff land were sold to a developer.

Rogers replied the land is swampy and not even suitable for hiking. He added that developers have to provide for green space when they plan a development and if the Neff Land Development Company wanted to give the six acres, it could go toward that requirement.

“It could be counted as open (or green) space for a development,” Rogers said.

Right now, Rogers said he is asking for extensions on the grant funds to buy time to get a decision from the land owners on whether they want to donate the six acres.