Discussion from the Washington County Board of Supervisors precluded the final step in the process to sell a portion of an easement along the Kewash Nature Trail to a property developer.

A public hearing was held to release the easement located south of the trail on West 5th Street in Washington near North Avenue D at a cost of $28,300 to Matnic LLC. This was the only way a duplex built last year could be habitable, as it violated the City of Washington’s zoning ordinance. The developer Matt Lepic first brought the request last July to the Washington County Conservation Board who owns the land, which they denied. Lepic approached the board again in October after the city board of adjustment denied his request for a variance.

Conservation Director Zach Rozmus expressed that it was not an easy decision for the conservation board to sell the land, and they set the price at $10 per square foot to send that message. Supervisor Marcus Fedler took issue with the developer having to foot the bill for the easement, and how the city zoning officials were involved, “This whole approval process by the city, there’s no responsibility accepted and this is a perfect example of it. ‘Oh yeah, just pay 28 grand, it’s no big deal.’ Well, let’s pay 56 grand, I don’t care if it’s a million dollars, that’s not the point you know? It’s like, how much of a whore are you? Pardon my French, but that’s what it is.”

Rozmus commented that this probably won’t be the last time they deal with an easement request along the trail which spans from Washington to Keota. The sale proceeds are intended to go towards trail improvements, and Supervisor and Conservation Board member Stan Stoops said that County Attorney John Gish will have to review how exactly the funds are spent.