The debate is between a developer and the state. There's also an outside group trying to preserve the land.

A big dispute over 17 acres in northwest Columbus is back in court tomorrow.

The Sawmill Wetlands is a nature area off Sawmill Road. The debate is between a developer and the state. There's also an outside group trying to preserve the land.

Carolyn Turner is part of the Friends of Sawmill Wetlands. She said the land is an educational site.

The group holds opportunities for kids to learn about nature.She said it’s also a migratory stop for birds.

But they've had issues getting access to the site. It's been open on-and-off over the years and is currently locked.

The dispute goes back five years. Developer JDS SoCal made a deal with the state to buy another plot of land to be protected by Highbanks Park, then swap it for the wetlands.

The state didn't go through with the deal. In the case of a breach of contract, the land automatically went to the developer.

After a lot of legal wrangling, a court decided the land should be transferred to the developer.

The state appealed the decision. The developer's attorney said the intent was to keep several acres of the land as a park and said the Department of Natural Resources didn't want the responsibility of maintaining the land.

“Our feeling is they didn't have the right to give it away, it belongs to the taxpayers and it certainly served a wonderful purpose,” said Turner.

The Ohio Department of Natural Resources said it doesn't comment on pending litigation, only saying it did file the appeal in September and requested and was granted a stay on the transfer of the property.