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Current and pending perpetual green space areas within the city of Marietta include:

1. Kroger Wetlands, 15 acres located behind the Kroger shopping plaza off Acme Street. Donated to city by Kroger Corp.

2. Kris Mar Trails, 27 acres located between Hillcrest Drive and Glendale Road. Purchased in 2006 with Clean Ohio Fund grant.

3. Walnut Woods, 14 acres generally located between Marietta Middle School and Emerald Street. Clean Ohio grant award pending.

4. Krivchenia property, 0.75-acre lot with 170-foot Ohio River frontage off South Sixth Street. Clean Ohio grant application pending.

Source: City of Marietta and Times archives.

A price of $215,600 for an undeveloped 0.75-acre lot with river frontage adjacent to South Sixth Street in Marietta is not out of line when compared to values of some surrounding properties, according to a local appraiser.

Mike McCarthy with McCarthy Appraisals Ltd. told members of Marietta City Council's lands, buildings and parks committee Wednesday that other properties in the general downtown area have been valued from as low as $4.91 to as high as $16.75 per square foot, while the value of the South Sixth Street property, currently owned by Dr. Gregory Krivchenia, Sr., is around $6.75 per square foot.

Krivchenia has agreed to sell the lot, with an estimated 170 feet of Ohio River frontage, to the city which would maintain the property as a permanent green space that would also provide a riverside right-of-way for the third phase extension of the city's River Trail hiking and biking pathway.

"This route will not affect any neighbors in that area, and if we have to (route the trail) another way it will cost $93,000 of our own money," said Mayor Michael Mullen.

The city plans to pay for the property with a $161,700 Clean Ohio Green Space Conservation Program grant from the Ohio Public Works Commission.

Although the total asking price is $215,600, Krivchenia agreed to waive 25 percent of that cost which would count toward the city's match for the Clean Ohio grant.

A resolution approving the grant application was introduced during the Feb. 18 council session, but passage of the legislation was delayed after some council members said they had received phone calls from constituents concerned that the city would be paying too much for the property.

"Most were concerned about the purchase price," said Councilman Jon Grimm, R-3rd Ward.

"But after talking with Mr. McCarthy I have been made comfortable that the price is pretty reasonable when compared to other similar properties," he said.

Councilman Tom Vukovic, D-4th Ward, said calls he had received were also about the property cost.

"They don't understand how the city can pay so much money for this property when we're having financial difficulties," he said.

Vukovic said people seemed to understand after he explained that the purchase is being totally funded by a grant, but they were still concerned that public funds would be used to pay for the land.

"But this Clean Ohio funding is tax money that's been set aside for this purpose," Grimm added. "If we don't take advantage of it, someone else will get it."

"I think this is a wonderful project, and it's exactly what the Clean Ohio Fund is for," said Marilyn Ortt with Friends of the Lower Muskingum who have made use of the state fund to purchase other local green space properties.

"There is no way the city could afford this property without the Clean Ohio Fund," she said.

Ryan Smith, trails coordinator for the local River Valley Mountain Bike Association, agreed, saying the green space and trail would also be a valuable legacy for future generations.

"I feel this would be a really major benefit for the community, and that the value to the public will be much more than to any private interest," he said.

Lands, buildings and parks committee chairman Harley Noland, D-at large, said council would continue with the grant application legislation at the next regular meeting on March 4.

Clean Ohio grant funds have been used in the past to purchase other green space within the city.

One of the largest tracts purchased was more than 27 acres of undeveloped woodland from Kris Mar Inc. in 2006.

The total purchase price for that property was $275,000, and Kris Mar also agreed to give the city a 25 percent discount toward its grant match.

Chad Presley, Marietta's safety-service director, said the grant-funded green space properties require no maintenance from the city, although volunteer groups like the River Valley Mountain Bike Association develop and maintain trails on the properties.

Originally approved by Ohio voters as a $400 million bond program in 2000, and extended again in 2008 with another $400 million bond program, the Clean Ohio Fund is designed to restore, protect, and connect Ohio's important natural and urban places by preserving green space and farmland, improving outdoor recreation, and by cleaning up brownfields to encourage redevelopment and revitalize communities.

The fund consists of four competitive statewide programs; the Clean Ohio Revitalization Fund, the Clean Ohio Agricultural Easement Purchase Program, the Clean Ohio Green Space Conservation Program, and the Clean Ohio Trails Fund.

The green space conservation portion of the program is administered by the Ohio Public Works Commission.

"When grant funds are used to purchase green space, that land is pretty much limited to passive use," said Mike Miller, director of OPWC.

"This is a very popular program across the state that provides communities with open space and recreational benefits," he said.