County sets public hearing for trail
In October, the board of commissioners directed staff draft a repeal ordinance that would remove the trail from the county’s Transportation System Plan as a future project. The planning commission and board are required to approve the removal, according to Planning Director Ken Friday.
The trail ordinance was approved in 2012. It updated the TSP to “acknowledge the future use of a 15.25-mile section of Union Pacific Railroad right-of-way between McMinnville and Gaston as a bicycle and hiking trail.”
The planning commission will take public testimony at the hearing and make a recommendation to the board, which will then hold an additional hearing and vote on modifying the ordinance.
Since the October meeting, there has been a steady stream of opposition through public comments submitted to the board. Commissioner Bubba King has also expressed concern about the speed of the decision, following decades of discussions on the proposed trail.
King said last week he’s heard from “countless” residents upset about the decision.
Comments
Mot
Nobody wants people marching through their backyards. If it was your backyard would you? I guess if your for the trail you would. People move out from the the city bring their money and politics. We don't want Yamhill County turned into the mess they made in the city. We don't need them in our backyards or on our farmlands. There's plenty of recreational opportunities in the wilderness in the area. If you really need a bike trail go back to the city and ride or buy yourself a mountain bike.
tagup
Maybe you should review your property deed. If you don’t own the property, it’s not “your” backyard.
Bigfootlives
Tell that to the gentleman trying to build a gas station on the outskirts of Carlton. Hey, it’s the winetrail on the outskirts of Carlton?
tagup
Which neighbor is claiming ownership of the property?
Otis
Bike trails are "big city" intrusions on farm folk? Really?
But an actual paved road with cars, trucks, buses, and bikes is OK, though?
Suppose the rail line was up and running?
You'd be ok with a train in your backyard shaking your whole house every time it went by instead of a bike path?
toddsadlo
The county owns the corridor, and purchased it outright from Union Pacific. It was originally purchased for rail use in the 1870s from mostly recent settlers. It is nobody's "backyard," and is no more of an impact on farming than any other right of way. Please come to the hearing December 4 or submit testimony and evidence to the planning department opposing the Board's ordinance. The Board of Commissioners is trying to dismantle a transportation corridor that belongs to the public and to future generations. They are looking for a quick stamp of approval from their planning commission, which is partly hand-picked as opponents of the Yamhelas Trail and corridor. The corridor stretches almost to Hagg Lake to the north and McMinnville to the south. It connects school children to their schools in Yamhill and Carlton. A sweetheart land deal is what a majority of the Board wants for the majority's friends. That's what the proposed ordinance is all about. As a consequence, destruction, by chopping up and parceling out to their friends, of a valuable public resource. Please don't let the Board of Commissioners get away with this travesty of corruption and bad public policy.
treefarmer
Appreciate the logical and informative support for the trail. Good to see that the Commission is described as “…..PARTLY hand-picked” “….. the MAJORITY of the board….” Commissioner King was very clear when he was campaigning that he wasn’t taking a stand on the trail. While the other two sitting Commissioners appear to have been, for whatever reasons, firmly opposed to developing this project from the start. Commissioner King has demonstrated his determination to represent his constituents. If folks continue to communicate overwhelming support for the trail I believe he will represent those voices to the best of his ability. I wish the (big donor financed) hand-picked majority felt that way too. We do pay for REPRESENTATIVE government, after all.
p.s. “Mot” The “they” and “them” you don’t “want” or “need” are citizens of Yamhill County.