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DOES THE CUYAHOGA VALLEY NATIONAL PARK HAVE A CLONE? PART ONE
In 1986, when I was with the Cuyahoga Valley Homeowners and Residents Association, I had a call from Jerry Vasbinder.
Jerry lived in Stevenson, Washington, near the Columbia River. He called me because the National Park Service was proposing to establish a new national scenic area in the Columbia Gorge area, and the park service was using our Cuyahoga Valley National Park as a great example of what their area could become.
Jerry had lived in our area, and was familiar with our homeowners association. He then asked me what our residents thought of what the park service was doing in our area. I filled Jerry in on the inconsistencies of what they promised versus what they did. These inconsistencies included their estimate that only 26 to 30 homes would need to be acquired, mainly along the river.
They actually acquired more than 400 homes that were spread all over the park.
They also said that scenic easements would be used in place of acquisition. By agreeing to a scenic easement, the owner could retain title to his property.
The reality was that very few scenic easements were entered into in the early stages of the park.
As I remember, Congressman John Seiberling, the architect of the park received one of the first scenic easements for his home in Bath on Martin Road. Mr. Seiberling said later that his political office had nothing to do with that.
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