Assessment |
Natural Landscape and Vegetation
Orange Township has a distinct landscape with wooded areas, farmland, and various other forms of natural landscapes for residents to enjoy. There are currently over 13 miles of trails, about 321 acres of publicly-owned open space (2.3% of the Township), and over 3,247 acres dedicated to parks (about 23% of the Township). There are also just under 3,000 acres of privately owned, undeveloped lots. Some of these lots border existing public open space or other natural resources and could expand upon or enhance these amenities. Click here for a larger map showing the undeveloped in Orange Township (Figure 1). Water Resources The community is fortunate to have Alum Creek Reservoir, rivers, creeks, wetlands, and ravines located throughout the Township. These waterways are extremely important and must be protected; if contaminated, such an event could impact the entire region. During the 2017 election, the residents of Delaware County passed a renewal levy for the Preservation Parks with overwhelming support. This levy will allow Preservation Parks to purchase roughly 241 acres in Orange Township, expanding the 66 acres of Shale Hollow that they currently own (FIGURES 3 and 4). Most of this land is adjacent to Alum Creek or its tributaries and will be used to help preserve the health of the region’s waterways. There are two areas within the Township that have been identified by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources as areas with a high groundwater pollution potential. The area at greatest pollution risk is located near the southwest corner of Highbanks Metro Park along the Olentangy River, and the other area is the floodplain along Alum Creek from I-71 to the southeast corner of the Township (FIGURE 5). Click here for a copy of the Delaware County Ground Water Pollution Potential Map. |
Public Meeting 10/5: Poster Presentations
Overall, the second public meeting reinforced that residents enjoy the diverse landscape and would like to preserve it while expanding the number of recreational facilities in the Township. There were mixed results when discussing the number of parks in the Township; all residents said that they like the current parks, but there was some disagreement on the addition of future parks. All the goals for this section received positive feedback, however there was still concern about the issue of the Township purchasing property from private landowners. One of the most supported preservation tools were conservation easements. These easements are a method of preservation that still retains property ownership. This method was discussed with overwhelming support at the meeting as an important tool for preserving farmland and the rural character of the Township. Overall, this section received many positive comments and all concerns were heard and addressed in the goals and strategies of this chapter. |