Part of the land surrounding the reservoir off of Lindsay Road which is currently owned by Evans City. Jackson Township has indicated that it intends to take the 132-acre property by eminent domain to build a public park. Submitted Photo

EVANS CITY — An eminent domain dispute between Evans City and Jackson Township over a 132-acre reservoir property will not see a resolution this month.

Members of Evans City’s council on Monday, March 3 tabled the possible submission of a counteroffer, citing the fact that they are still working on developing the exact details of a possible agreement.

Jackson Township officials, who view the property as prime real estate to develop a new public park, submitted a $1.24 million offer in January.

That offer also included an additional $200,000 contribution to the operation of the borough’s EDCO Park, which would have been spread out evenly over the next five years. Evans City was in line to receive $40,000 before July 15 of each year through 2029.

Evans City officials also tabled the counteroffer during their February meeting, saying they needed more time to fully formulate a proposal.

“I would assume that we’re going to be looking at it on a monthly basis of ‘OK this is what we see, this is the way it’s going and then finally make the final decision,’” council President Cheri Deener said.

Jackson Township manager Chris Rearick, meanwhile, said the township is prepared to move forward should the future offer make sense.

“At this juncture, we are poised to execute an agreement immediately if an acceptable counteroffer is made,” he said Monday, prior to Evans City’s meeting.

He also noted that township officials are already mulling over plans for the property.

“In the meantime, we are looking at an overall master plan for the park, in discussion with Evans City and their input,” Rearick said. “However, we can’t proceed to do that until we settle the offer with them.”

Talks between the two municipalities about the property began in 2023.

Jackson Township officials initiated legal proceedings in May 2024 to acquire the property from Evans City via eminent domain, while also voicing concern about the state of the dam at the reservoir.

Eminent domain provides governments with the legal authority to take property for public use, but only if that government provides appropriate compensation to the owner.

Additionally, officials moved to make ordinance amendments, which established the property as part of a conservation recreation district.

Members of Evans City’s council responded by filing a land-use appeal to reverse those zoning ordinance amendments in June of last year.

However, Jackson Township filed an appeal in July and successfully stamped out Evans City’s land-use appeal the following month when a court ruled that the borough “failed to adequately assert any procedural defect that occurred, and failed to follow proper procedures … to challenge any ordinance amendment on substantive grounds.”

Evan City’s land-use appeal eventually was discontinued in October 2024.

In other business, council members approved attorney Howard Schulberg to mediate the dissolution of the former Evans City-Seven Fields Regional Police Department.

Seven Fields approved the mediator at a prior meeting. Now both sides will seek a date sometime in the future to resolve the years-long dispute.

“We just have to find the date that everybody can show up at,” Deener said.