Cuyahoga County Natural Resources Assistance Council http://planning.co.cuyahoga.oh.us/nrac/

1. CUYAHOGA COUNTY
NATURAL RESOURCES
ASSISTANCE COUNCIL
CLEAN OHIO
CONSERVATION
APPLICANT WORKSHOP
ROUND 7
September 18th, 2012 Canalway Visitor
Center

2. AGENDA
1. Overview of the Clean Conservation Ohio Program
 Statewide and District 1
 Purpose
 Program Requirements
2. The Cuyahoga County Conservation Program Natural
Resources Assistance Council (NRAC)
 Applications
 Evaluation Methodology
 Round 7 Application Requirements
3. Q.&A.

3. CLEAN OHIO
 The Clean Ohio Fund restores, protects, and
connects Ohio's important natural and urban
places by preserving green space and
farmland, developing state-wide recreational
trails, and cleaning up brownfields to
encourage redevelopment and revitalize
communities.
 The Clean Ohio Green Space Conservation
Program helps to fund preservation of open
spaces, sensitive ecological areas, and

4. CLEAN OHIO CONSERVATION -
Statewide
From 2000-2009:
 708Projects were funded
 $228.5 million have been awarded
 Area protected:
 58,000
acres of natural areas and
greenspace

5. CLEAN OHIO CONSERVATION –
OPWC Policies for Round 7
 Clean Ohio Conservation Program application has
been revised
 Projects not scheduled for acquisition within 12
months from the date of the Project Agreement
will be rejected by the Commission.
 Program Year 7 applications will be required to
have a certified appraisal performed by an Ohio
Department of Transportation Prequalified
Appraiser
 All post acquisition activities must be concluded
within a two-year period from the date of
acquisition unless a formal extension has been
approved by OPWC.

6. CLEAN OHIO CONSERVATION –
OPWC Policies for Round 7
OPWC POLICY REGARDING MINERAL RIGHTS:
 Existing oil and gas leases, at the time the Natural
Resources Assistance Council approves the
project, will be treated as pre-existing easements
which the applicant has no or little control over.
Thus, these applications will be approved as
submitted.
 Requests to engage in oil and gas leasing on
Clean Ohio Properties that have been acquired
along with the mineral rights will be denied.

7. CLEAN OHIO CONSERVATION-
Cuyahoga County
From 2000- Present:
 72 Projects were submitted
 37 Projects have been funded
 $21 million have been awarded
Area Protected:
 744 acres of natural areas and
greenspace
 12,000 lineal feet of riparian corridors

8. PURPOSE
Forested Bank on the
Chagrin River
A Unique Opportunity
to Advance
Conservation
 Preserve Open Space.
 Protect Riparian Corridors.
 Protect Rare, Threatened or Endangered Species.
 Support Open Space Planning.
 Preserve Wetlands and Other Scarce Natural
Resources.
 Preserve Streamside Forests, Natural Stream
Channels and Floodplains.

9. TYPES OF
PROJECTS Mill Creek Area Vistas
OPEN SPACE
 Acquisition of open space
 Acquisition of land or rights in
land for parks, forests, wetlands, natural
areas that protect an endangered plant or
animal population.
 Construction or enhancement of facilities to
make the acquired open space accessible
and useable by the general public.
 Acquisition of land to connect natural area
corridors.

10. Category 3 Forested Wetland
TYPES OF
PROJECTS
RIPARIAN Riparian Trail –Chagrin River
Reservation
CORRIDORS
 Fee simple acquisition
of lands to provide
access to riparian corridors or
watersheds.
 Acquisition of easements for the purpose of
protecting and enhancing riparian corridors
or watersheds.
 Reforestation of land or the planting of
vegetation for filtration purposes.

11. Mill Creek Conservation Project Before
ELIGIBLE ACTIVITIES Cleanup
 Acquisition Expenses
 Fee simple purchases
 Easement purchases
 Planning and Implementation Mill Creek Conservation Project
Today
 Appraisal
 Closing costs
 Title search
 Environmental assessments
 Design
 Construction or Enhancement of Facilities
 i.e. internal low-impact
trails, boardwalks, lookouts, benches, small
parking areas for access

12. INELIGIBLE PROJECTS AND
ACTIVITIES
 Acquisition of land for activities other
than preservation and conservation.
 Water management activities
 Flood control projects (dams, dredging, etc.).
 Projects that accelerate untreated water
runoff.
 Stormwater management is the primary
purpose.
 Plan preparation.
 See OPWC Application Instructions for
more on Eligible vs. Ineligible project

13. ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS
Local Subdivisions Special Districts
Counties Conservancy Districts
Cities Soil and Water Conservation
Villages Districts
Township Joint Recreation Districts
Park District/Authority
Non-Profit Corporations
Exempt from federal income taxation.
Has conservation activities as a primary part of its mission.

14. ROUND 7 FUNDING
 Funds Available.
 Round 7 Allocation - $3,206,116
 Available balance - $ 606,210
 Total $3,812,326
 Awards – grants only.
 Maximum grant award – 75% of
Total Project Cost.
 25% Local Match Required.
 No limit to the amount requested.

15. LOCAL MATCH
 Can be: funds
 Contributions of money by any
person, local political subdivision or the
federal government.
 Contributions in-kind through the
purchase or donation of
equipment, land, easements, interest in
land, labor and materials necessary to
complete the project.
 Market value of property.

16. CONSERVATION PROGRAM
IMPLEMENTATION
OPWC
• Oversees “Issue 1” and Clean
DOPWI
Ohio
Conservation Program.
C
• Approves methodologies of • Appoints NRAC members. NRAC
NRACs
• Gives final approval of • Implements Clean Ohio
recommended projects.
• Oversees implementation of
Conservation Program in
Cuyahoga County.
projects. • Develops project selection
and evaluation
methodology.
• Selects projects for
funding and makes
recommendations to
OPWC.

17. CUYAHOGA COUNTY
CONSERVATION PROGRAM
Hemlock Ravine Slopes Solomon’s Seal
at Beecher’s Brook wildflower at Beecher’s
Brook

18. NATURAL RESOURCES
ASSISTANCE COUNCIL
(NRAC)
 Eleven members appointed by DOPWIC.
 1 member from DOPWIC
 1 member from Cuyahoga County Soil and
Water Conservation District
 9 members to represent 5 categories:
2 - Government
 3 - Environment
 2 - Park Systems
 1 - Agricultural
 1- Business, Realtors or Planning

19. CUYAHOGA COUNTY
NRAC MEMBERSHIP
Member Representing
DAVID BEACH Environment
Director, GreenCityBlueLake Institute
KYLE DREYFUSS WELLS, SECRETARY Environment
Environmental Manager, Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District
CARRIE HANSEN Park System
Manager, Research and Planning City of Cleveland, Mayor’s Office of
Capital Projects
DOROTHY HAZEL Soil and Water Conservation District
Board Member, Cuyahoga Soil and Water Conservation District
HONORABLE SUSAN RENDA, CHAIR District One Public Works Integrating Committee
Mayor, Village of Moreland Hills (DOPWIC)
NATALIE RONAYNE, VICE CHAIR Environment
Executive Director, Cleveland Botanical Garden
JENNIFER SCOFIELD Government
Cuyahoga County Stat Coordinator, Office of County Executive Edward
FitzGerald
CAROL THALER Agriculture
Representative, Western Reserve Resource, Conservation & Development
District
CHRISTOPHER URBAN Business, Realtors, Planning
Manager of Physical Development, Greater Cleveland Partnership
HONORABLE RANDALL WESTFALL Government
Mayor, Village of Valley View
BRIAN ZIMMERMAN Park System

20. OPEN SPACE IN CUYAHOGA
COUNTY
 Largest and most urbanized of Ohio’s counties.
 90% of land is developed and only 10% is designated
open space.
 Existing open space areas.
 Fragmented Existing Open Spaces
 Not always accessible
to the public
 Some are degraded/
destroyed by pollution
and mismanagement
 Others abandoned due to poor
planning and outmigration

21. DISTRICT ONE NRAC
PRINCIPLES
To ensure that projects are visible, accessible and
instructional, the NRAC has 5 guiding principles:
1. Preserve natural areas or open space.
2. Restore landscapes that have been
degraded or destroyed.
3. Enhance the quality of natural areas or open
space.
4. Link natural areas to each other or to county
cultural and civic heritage areas.
5. Provide public access to natural areas
and/or county cultural and civic heritage
areas.

22. RESTORATION ACTIVITIES
 Restoration MUST be accompanied by
acquisition of land for protection
 Restoration activities MUST be included in the
project budget to be eligible for restoration
points.
 Examples of restoration components:
 Returning the open space to a natural state;
 Ensuring the integrity and sustainability of the
species (flora/fauna) are both native and resilient;
 Integrate the community’s cultural heritage; and
 Provide opportunities for cultural and ecological
relationships.

23. PROJECT APPLICATION AND
SELECTION PROCESS

24. APPLICATION MATERIALS
1. OPWC Clean Ohio Conservation Application
 OPWC website:
http://www.pwc.state.oh.us/GSCApplication.html
2. NRAC Application Supplement
 Cuyahoga County Planning Commission website:
http://planning.co.cuyahoga.oh.us/nrac/
 Available as a PDF and Word document
3. Attachments: Maps, pictures, applicable pages or
sections of master plans or other reports, any other
backup documentation.
4. Resolution(s) of Support: A project will need a
resolution of support from the appropriate political
subdivision(s) (Cuyahoga
County, municipalities, townships) as determined by
the Ohio Revised Code, section 164.23
A Glossary of Terms is also available.

25. APPLICATION SUBMITTAL to
NRAC 1 original (single-sided) and 11
 Must submit
copies. Copies to be submitted:
 10 Hard copies – double sided; 11 point.
 1 Digitally on compact disc.
 A certified appraisal
 Property Valuation as determined by Cuyahoga
County Fiscal Office
 http://fiscalofficer.cuyahogacounty.us/en-
US/REPI.aspx
 Materials must be typed using at least an 11
font.
 All copies should be bound on the left-hand
side.

26. APPRAISAL REQUIREMENTS
 A certified appraisal must be included.
 Appraisals must be done by an Ohio
Department of Transportation Prequalified
Appraiser, who is credentialed in value
analysis.
 http://www.dot.state.oh.us/Divisions/Engineer
ing/RealEstate/Pages/LPA.aspx
 http://www.dot.state.oh.us/Divisions/Engineer
ing/Consultant/Consultant/prequal-row.pdf
 The project will not be evaluated if the
appraisal is not attached.

27. PROJECT EVALUATION AND
SCORING

28. APPLICATION SPECIFICS
OPWC APPLICATION – Important
points.
 Financial Information – Page 2
 Financial Resources – Page 2
 Project Description – Page 4
 Project Schedule – Page 5
 Project Officials – Page 5
 Attachments – Page 6

29. APPLICATION SPECIFICS
NRAC APPLICATION SUPPLEMENT
 Relates directly to the NRAC Evaluation
Methodology.
 Used along with the OPWC Application to
review projects.
 Applicant responsible in making sure all
documents are complete and accurate.

30. PROJECT EVALUATION
The Evaluation Process is divided into three major
components:
Phase 1: Preliminary Project Evaluation
Phase 2: Preliminary Project Scoring (includes
Applicant Interviews) and Public Meeting
Phase 3: Final Project Scoring and
Recommendations to OPWC

31. PROJECT EVALUATION
The NRAC Application Supplement has six major sections
that are scored:
Section One: Project Emphasis
Section Two: Project Description
Section Three: County Principles
Section Four: Project Benefits
Section Five: Needs Of The District
Section Six: Other Relevant Factors

32. Section 1. PROJECT EMPHASIS
Page 2:
 Based on the factors stated in authorizing
legislation
 Indicate each factor that will be achieved by the
project
 Check as many as apply in one category
EXAMPLE: Open space project will acquire property
identified in the city’s open space plan and will preserve a
high quality wetland that will be used by the city’s school
district as a hands-on science laboratory.
NO POINTS AWARDED

33. Section 2. PROJECT
DESCRIPTION
Page 3:
 Project Name
 Type of Project
 Acquisition of land
 Acquisition of land/facilities for accessibility
 Riparian Corridor restoration
 Appraisal or Conservation Value
 Provide no more than a three-page project
description that includes a map showing the
project location(s) and the local setting.
NO POINTS AWARDED

34. Section 2. PROJECT
DESCRIPTION (cont).
Types of Acquisition:
 Project site must be secured in perpetuity.
 Land Securement Tools -
 Fee simple: Absolute title to the land, free of any
conditions, easements, limitations,
encumbrances, or other claims against the title
such that a property owner can sell the property
or leave it to another by will or inheritance.
 Conservation Easement: a right or interest in land
that is held for the public purpose of retaining
land, water, or wetland areas predominantly in
their natural, scenic, open, or wooded condition.
Recorded as a deed restriction.

35. Section 2. PROJECT
DESCRIPTION (cont).
Map Example: Abram Creek Wetland
Protection Area
Identify:
 Project site
 Property lines
 Community
boundaries
 Surrounding
areas
 Local roads,
major buildings or
institutions

36. Section 3. COUNTY
PRINCIPLES
Page 4:
 Foundation of the NRAC methodology.
•Preserve •Enhance •Provide
•Restore •Link
 Identify the principle(s) that will be
advanced by the project.
 Describe how the project will achieve the
identified principles.
MAXIMUM POINTS - 10 POINTS PER PRINCIPLE

37. Section 4. PROJECT BENEFITS
Page 5: ECONOMIC BENEFITS
Explain the economic benefits that apply:
 Improving a community’s image
 Increasing the value of surrounding property
 Adding amenities that retain and attract businesses and
property owners
 Reducing blighted images
 Decreasing the cost of municipal services
MAXIMUM POINTS - 10

38. Section 4. PROJECT BENEFITS
(cont.)
Page 5: SOCIAL BENEFITS
Explain the individual and community benefits that
apply:
 Protecting and improving human health
 Creating educational opportunities
 Providing for communal activities and social
interaction
 Creating exercise opportunities
 Enhancing the cultural and civic assets of an area
 Maintaining the history and heritage of an area
 Providing psychological benefits
MAXIMUM POINTS - 10

39. Section 4. PROJECT BENEFITS
(cont.)
Page 5: ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS
Explain the ecological benefits of acquiring, conserving
or restoring the project:
 Improving biodiversity and protecting plants and animals
 Creating wildlife habitats
 Removing invasive species
 Conserving energy and reducing “heat island” effects
 Cleaning urban water, land and air
 Reducing stormwater runoff and improving water
infiltration and sequestration
MAXIMUM POINTS - 10

40. Section 5. NEEDS OF THE
DISTRICT
Page 6:
Will the Project…
 Advance a Concept from an Adopted Plan?
 Be of Regional or County Significance?
 Retain Parts of the County’s Natural Heritage?
 Provide Openspace to Areas that Lack
Access?
 Provide Openspace to Low-Income Minority
Neighborhoods?
MAXIMUM POINTS - 10

41. Section 6. OTHER RELEVANT
FACTORS
Page 7:
Other Project Funding:
 Each project requires a minimum 25% local match
 Points awarded based on percentage of local match
– the higher the local match the higher the points.
MAXIMUM POINTS - 10
Level of Coordination:
Project is coordinated with another NRAC project.
Another community, federal/state agency,
community or conservation organization, or a
business group.
MAXIMUM POINTS - 10

42. Section 6. OTHER PROJECT
FACTORS
Page 7:
Readiness to Proceed:
Project will be ready-to-go within 6 months or 1 year.
MAXIMUM POINTS - 10
Immediacy:
Project requires immediate action or the conservation
opportunity will be lost.
10 BONUS POINTS

43. Section 6. OTHER PROJECT
FACTORS
Page 7:
Property Rights:
 Mineral rights are emerging as a major influence on
property values. Explain what property rights will be
conveyed by the terms of purchase of land or
conservation easement, specifically in regards to
mineral and extraction rights.
NO POINTS -

44. New for Round 7:
 Application Format
 Appraisals
 ODOT Pre-approved
 County Auditor’s Valuation
 Restoration Points
 Property Rights Disclosure
 Scoring Review Meeting

45. NRAC EVALUATION POINTS
MAXIMUM
MAXIMUM WEIGHT
CRITERIA POINTS FACTOR
WEIGHTED %
POINTS
County
Principles
Preserves 10 3 30 12.0
Restores 10 2 20 8.0
Enhances 10 2 20 8.0
Links Areas 10 3 30 12.0
Provides Access 10 2 20 8.0
Principles Subtotal 50 120 48.0

46. NRAC EVALUATION POINTS
MAXIMUM
MAXIMUM WEIGHT
CRITERIA POINTS FACTOR
WEIGHTED %
POINTS
Benefits
Economic 10 1 10 4.0
Social 10 2 20 8.0
Environmental 10 3 30 12.0
Benefits Subtotal 30 60 24.0
Needs of the District 10 3 30 12.0

47. NRAC EVALUATION POINTS
MAXIMUM
MAXIMUM WEIGHT
CRITERIA POINTS FACTOR
WEIGHTED %
POINTS
Other Relevant Factors
Other Project Funding 10 1 10 4.0
Level of Coordination 10 1 10 4.0
Readiness to Proceed 10 1 10 4.0
Immediacy (bonus) 10 1 10 4.0
Property Rights 0 0 0 0
Other Subtotal 40 40 16.0
TOTAL* 130 250 100
*PROJECTS MUST RECEIVE A SCORE OF AT LEAST 60% or 150
WEIGHTED POINTS OF THE TOTAL POINTS AVAILABLE TO BE

48. ROUND 7
APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS
APPLICATION DUE DATE:
To be considered for financial assistance,
application must be received by:
4:30 P.M. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2012 at
at the
Cuyahoga County Planning Commission
323 Lakeside Avenue, Suite 400
Cleveland, OH 44113
(216) 443-3700
(216) 443-3737 (FAX)

49. ROUND 7 SCHEDULE
ACTIVITY DATE
Applicant Workshop Tuesday, September 18, 2012
Applications Due to NRAC Friday, October 26,
2012
Project Evaluation October 29 –
December 12, 2012
NRAC Applicant Interviews Thursday, November
15, 2012
NRAC Scoring Meeting Wednesday, December 5,
2012
NRAC Project Selection Wednesday, December 19,
2012
Proposal Submitted to OPWC Wednesday,
DATES ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE
December 20, 2012

50. CONTACT INFORMATION
Clean Ohio Conservation Program contact:
Lou Mascari, Program Representative
Ohio Public Works Commission
(614) 752-8117
lou.mascari@pwc.state.oh.us
Cuyahoga County Natural Resources Assistance Council
contact:
Alison Ball or Meghan Chaney
Cuyahoga County Planning Commission
(216) 443-3700
aball@cuyahogacounty.us
mchaney@cuyahogacounty.us

51. QUESTIONS
AND
ANSWERS