Liberty Township trustees voted 2-1 Nov. 16 to sign on with Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission's proposed program to develop a balanced growth plan for the Olentangy River Watershed.

MORPC will seek a $100,000 grant to help the four counties, 17 townships and nine municipalities along the 57-mile-long watershed develop the plan. Delaware County's section is about seven miles wide and runs from the northern to southern borders

The plan would take about two years to develop. The various governments' officials will meet during that time to develop the plan. The planning group would work together with MORPC to identify the "priority conservation areas" and "priority development areas" in the various communities.

MORPC representative Jerry Tinianow earlier this month told the township the plan would not be binding, but would be advisory and include recommendations.

Trustees Peggy Guzzo and Robert Mann approved participating in the process. Both said that the nonbinding document would provide them with additional information on the watershed.

They also pointed out that participating in the process would give Liberty preferential treatment in applying for grants from MORPC for projects that are "consistent with" the plan, as Tinianow had said.

Trustee Curt Sybert voted against participating. He said the process could end up costing the township in staff time and materials.

Sybert also agreed with the concerns of resident and former trustee John Schuette, who said federal law grows out of such regional efforts that he thinks take away property owners' rights.

"Many times, these boards are promoted by governmental agencies such as MORPC to get the camel's nose into the tent," Schuette said. "We have many agencies wanting to control the land without owning it. ... They want to establish guidelines to control it. ... I saw this first-hand when I was appointed by then-Governor Dick Celeste to a committee to draft the initial regulations for sediment controls on construction sites."

Schuette said the trustees earlier adopted nonbinding guidelines for the area: The Scenic Byway Guidelines.

Trustees also:

• Approved $11,639 in legal fees to Thompson Hine LLP for services in September on the Walmart litigation. The township's insurance will cover $4,889.

•Approved $4,403 in legal fees through Oct. 31 to Loveland & Brosius LLC for zoning issues, including $462 on the Walmart litigation and $1,924 on the zoning code revision project.

•Approved $13,185 in legal fees to Chester Willcox & Saxbe for various issues, including $7,537 for union contract negotiations, $2,072 for work on the Havener farm donation and park, and $2,702 for general matters.