The 132 acres, including a reservoir, at the heart of efforts to reach an agreement between Evans City and Jackson Township. The land, which is on Lindsay Road, resides in Jackson Township but is currently owned by the Evans City. Butler Eagle File Photo

EVANS CITY — A two-year dispute between Evans City and Jackson Township was put on hold during a meeting on Wednesday, June 11, after borough council members unanimously tabled an intermunicipal agreement that would have transferred ownership of a 132-acre property to the township.

The vote temporarily left any agreement over the lake and reservoir property along Lindsay Road in limbo. Following the vote to table, Evans City officials entered an executive session to review the terms of the proposed agreement and, as of press time, council members had not yet returned to the public meeting.

Under the terms of a possible agreement, Jackson Township would pay Evans City $1,204,000 — the appraised value of the land — and would contribute $40,000 annually to EDCO Park in Evans City for the next five years.

Jackson Township officials previously said they have plans to turn the land into a public park.

The motion by Evans City comes just weeks after Jackson Township supervisors passed a resolution on May 15 that appeared to signal the end of a lengthy back-and-forth on the issue between the municipalities.

In late 2023, Jackson Township entered early discussions to acquire the reservoir property by proposing police coverage for Evans City as part of a deal.

With Evans City preparing to disband its joint department with Seven Fields, officials were exploring new options for law enforcement support. However, those negotiations broke down and the property transfer was put on hold.

Jackson Township eventually filed for eminent domain over the property last year — a move that Evans City opposed through legal action.

Officials filed an unsuccessful land-use appeal against Jackson’s rezoning of the property into a new “conservation recreation” district.

However, discussions picked back up in recent months as solicitors from each municipality began working toward a mutually beneficial solution.

Jackson Township previously said that it would withdraw its eminent domain filing following a final agreement.

According to Jackson Township officials, the potential future park would highlight the property’s natural features and could include trails, fishing access and educational amenities, though it’s unclear what the development timeline would look like.

For Evans City, any agreement would provide a financial boost for its most prominent park.