Final Solon City Council Meeting: Solon to Chagrin Falls Trail

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐒𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐬 𝐜𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐳𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐂𝐥𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐌𝐞𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐝𝐚𝐲-𝐭𝐨-𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐠𝐫𝐢𝐧 𝐅𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐬 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐥

The proposed 4-mile hiking and biking trail would include 2.1 miles within Solon. It will run along the former Wheeling & Lake Erie Railway Company railroad line and will extend from SOM Center Road, next to the Carter Lumber property and the Aldi/Hobby Lobby shopping center in Solon, into Bentleyville, through the Cleveland Metroparks and eventually to Chagrin Falls.

Cleveland Metroparks has agreed to undertake the design and construction of the trail improvements and to connect the trail to the Cleveland Metroparks trail in Bentleyville. It will also manage the day-to-day operations of the trail.

City Council will review and discuss two documents that layout the terms of partnership between the City and the Metroparks; a project development agreement and a lease and management agreement.

The agreements will stipulate the role of each party as it relates to: Financial Responsibilities; Design Responsibilities; Construction/Implementation Responsibilities, and lease and management expectations.

The first reading of the agreements will take place at the February 7 council meeting. A special council meeting will be held on February 17 at 7 pm for deeper discussion and public comment. A third and final reading is expected to occur on February 22.

At least $800,000 of the cost for the ADA accessible trail could be covered by grants. Solon has been conditionally awarded $500,000 by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources to aid in funding. An additional $300,000 has been designated for the project in the state’s Capital Budget Program.

As part of the project development agreement, a restricted use line item appropriation for the project has been proposed, in an amount not to exceed $4,250,000, which would include all grant and non-grant funds to be provided for the project The project is not expected to cost that much but additional funds are being set aside, and the City will continue to seek additional grants, to ensure that the trail is top notch, safe and appropriate screening is provided for residents who live along the trail.
Once the agreements have been approved and the Metroparks has secured an engineering firm for the project, representatives will engage each individual property owner to assess screening needs and discuss options. The City and the Metroparks are aware of concerns and will be responsive. Both the Metroparks and the City of Solon Police Department will provide policing and monitoring of the trail.

Some preparation work for the trail will begin in 2022 but the majority of the trail installation is expected to take place in 2023.

Questions and concerns about the trail project should be sent to communications@solonohio.org.